Meanwhile Hintza, not having shown sufficient readiness and alacrity in
redeeming his promises, was held as a hostage in the hands of the white
man. He was, however, treated with the utmost consideration, and when
he proposed to accompany a division of the troops, in order to exercise
to the utmost his personal influence in recovering from his people the
cattle and horses due, and to apprehend the murderers, according to
treaty, he was allowed to do so, not only quite free in person, but even
with his weapons in his hands.
Colonel Smith, however, who commanded the force, distinctly told the
chief through an interpreter, that if he attempted to escape he would
instantly be shot.
The force consisted of detachments of the Cape Mounted Rifles, the 72nd
regiment, and the corps of Guides--350 men in all.
Towards the afternoon of the day on which they marched, a circumstance
occurred which justified Colonel Smith's suspicions as to Hintza's
sincerity. They had reached a streamlet and encamped, when one of the
guides reported to him that two Kafirs, with five head of cattle, were
near the camp, and that Hintza, on the plea that they would be afraid to
approach, had sent one of his people to bring them in.
On being questioned, the chief declined to give any explanation on the
subject, and the Kafirs not only did not come in, as they were ordered,
but made off, and carried the horse of Hintza's messenger along with
them! The suspicion excited by this circumstance was increased by the
evasive answers given to the Colonel's repeated inquiries as to the
point on which Hintza wished the troops to march.
"We are going right," was the only answer that could be elicited from
the taciturn savage.
After crossing the range of the Guadan Hills, the troops bivouacked on
the Guanga, and here Hintza became more communicative, said that he
wished them to march towards the mouth of the Bashee, by a route which
he would point out, and that they must move at midnight. This was done,
and they continued to move forward till eight o'clock in the morning,
observing as they went the spoor of numerous herds of cattle that had
been driven in that direction quite recently.
The men, being tired, were then halted for refreshment.
At this point Hintza became particularly uneasy at the vigilance with
which he was watched.
"What have the cattle done," he said testily, "that you should want
them? and why should my subjects be deprived of them?"
"Why do you ask such questions, Hintza?" replied Colonel Smith; "you
know well the many outrages committed on the colonists by your people,
and the thousands of cattle that have been stolen. It is in redress of
these wrongs that we demand them."
The chief looked stern, but made no rejoinder. He appeared to recover
himself, however, after breakfast, and was in high spirits while on the
march. He rode a remarkably strong horse that day, which he appeared
very anxious to spare from fatigue--dismounting and leading him up every
ascent.
As the party advanced, the tracks of numerous cattle were still found
leading onward, but the animals themselves were nowhere to be seen.
"You see," remarked the chief, with a touch of sarcasm in his tone as he
rode beside the Colonel, "you see how my subjects treat me: they drive
their cattle from me in spite of me."
"I do not want your _subjects'_ cattle, Hintza," was the Colonel's
pointed reply; "I want, and will have, the _colonial_ cattle which they
have stolen."
"Then," returned the chief, "allow me to send forward my councillor
Umtini to tell my people I am here, that they must not drive away their
cattle, and that the cattle of your nation will be alone selected."
Although it was quite evident that the chief meditated mischief it was
thought best to agree to this proposal. Accordingly, the councillor,
after being enjoined to return that night, which he promised to do,
mounted and left the camp at full speed, accompanied by an attendant.
There was ground for uneasiness and much caution in all this, for those
who knew Hintza best were wont to say that he possessed in a high degree
all the vices of the savage--ingratitude, avarice, cunning, and cruelty,
and his treatment of the traders and missionaries under his protection,
as well as his secret encouragement of the border chiefs, fully bore out
their opinion.
"Now!" exclaimed the chief in high spirits when Umtini had left, "you
need not go on to the Bashee, you will have more cattle than you can
drive on the Xabecca."
The path the troops were passing was a mere cattle-track leading up
hill, from the bed of the Xabecca river, among tangled brushwood, and
occasionally passing through a cleft in the rocks. Colonel Smith was
the only member of the party who rode up the hill; Hintza and the others
led their homes. On drawing near to the summit, the chief and his
attendants mounted and rode silently but quickly past the Colonel into
the bushes.
One of the guides observing the action called to the Colonel, who
immediately shouted, "Hintza, stop!"
The savage had no intention of stopping, but, finding himself entangled
in the thicket, was compelled to return to the track. He did so with
such coolness and with such an ingenuous smile, that the Colonel, who
had drawn a pistol, felt half ashamed of his suspicions, and allowed the
chief to ride forward as before.
At the top of the steep ascent the country was quite open. The Xabecca
river was seen in front with a few Kafir huts on its banks. Here the
chief set off at full speed in the direction of the huts.
Colonel Smith and three of the guides pursued. The latter were quickly
left behind, but the Colonel, being well mounted, kept up with the
fugitive. Spurring on with violence, he soon overtook him.
"Stop, Hintza!" he shouted.
But Hintza was playing his last card. He urged his horse to greater
exertion, and kept stabbing at his pursuer with an assagai.
The Colonel drew a pistol, but it snapped. A second was used with like
ill success. He then spurred close up, struck the chief with the butt
end of the pistol, and, in so doing, dropped it. Hintza looked round
with a smile of derision, and the Colonel, hurling the other pistol at
him, struck him on the back of the head. The blow was ineffectual.
Hintza rode on; the troops followed as they best could. They were now
nearing the huts. At length, making a desperate effort, the Colonel
dashed close up to the chief. Having now no weapon, he seized him by
the collar of his kaross, or cloak, and, with a violent effort, hurled
him to the ground. Both horses were going at racing speed. The
Colonel, unable to check his, passed on, but before he was beyond reach
the agile savage had leaped to his feet, drawn another assagai from the
bundle which he carried, and hurled it after his enemy. So good was the
aim that the weapon passed within a few inches of the Colonel's body.
The act afforded time to those behind to come up. Although Hintza
turned aside instantly and ran down the steep bank of the Xabecca, the
foremost of the guides--named Southey--got within gun-shot and shouted
in the Kafir tongue to the chief to stop. No attention being paid to
the order, he fired, and Hintza fell, wounded in the left leg. Leaping
up in a moment, he resumed his flight, when Southey fired again, and
once more the chief was hit and pitched forward, but rose instantly and
gained the cover of the thicket which lined the bank of the river.
Southey leaped off his horse and gave chase, closely followed by
Lieutenant Balfour of the 72nd regiment. The former kept up, and the
latter down, the stream.
They had proceeded thus in opposite directions some distance when
Southey was startled by an assagai striking the cliff on which he was
climbing. Turning sharply, he saw Hintza's head and his uplifted arm
among the bushes within a few feet of him. The savage was in the act of
hurling another assagai. Quick as thought the guide levelled his gun
and fired. The shot completely shattered the upper part of Hintza's
skull, and next instant a mangled corpse was all that remained of the
paramount chief of Kafirland.