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fellows　were　at　his　side。　He　who　came　at　Umslopogaas　drove　at　him　with

his　spear；　but　he　was　not　to　be　caught　this；　for　he　bent　his　middle

sideways；　so　that　the　spear　only　cut　his　skin；　and　as　he　bent　tapped

with　the　point　of　the　axe　at　the　head　of　the　smiter；　dealing　death　on

him。



〃Yonder　Woodpecker　has　a　bill　of　steel；　and　he　can　use　it　well；〃　said

the　councillor　to　him　who　stood　by　him。



〃This　is　a　Slaughterer　indeed；〃　the　man　answered；　and　the　people　heard

the　names。　Thenceforth　they　knew　Umslopogaas　as　the　Woodpecker；　and　as

Bulalio；　or　the　Slaughterer；　and　by　no　other　names。　Now；　he　who　came

at　Galazi　the　Wolf　rushed　on　wildly；　holding　his　spear　short。　But

Galazi　was　cunning　in　war。　He　took　one　step　forward　to　meet　him；　then；

swinging　the　Watcher　backward；　he　let　him　fall　at　the　full　length　of

arms　and　club。　The　child　of　Jikiza　lifted　his　shield　to　catch　the

blow；　but　the　shield　was　to　the　Watcher　what　a　leaf　is　to　the　wind。

Full　on　its　hide　the　huge　club　fell；　making　a　loud　sound；　the　war…

shield　doubled　up　like　a　raw　skin；　and　he　who　bore　it　fell　crushed　to

the　earth。



Now　for　a　moment；　the　four　who　were　left　of　the　sons　of　Jikiza　hovered

round　the　pair；　feinting　at　them　from　afar；　but　never　coming　within

reach　of　axe　or　club。　One　threw　a　spear　indeed；　and　though　Umslopogaas

leaped　aside；　and　as　it　sped　towards　him　smote　the　haft　in　two　with

the　blade　of　Groan…Maker；　yet　its　head　flew　on；　wounding　Galazi　in　the

flank。　Then　he　who　had　thrown　the　spear　turned　to　fly；　for　his　hands

were　empty；　and　the　others　followed　swiftly；　for　the　heart　was　out　of

them；　and　they　dared　to　do　battle　with　these　two　no　more。



Thus　the　fight　was　ended；　and　from　its　beginning　till　the　finish　was

not　longer　than　the　time　in　which　men　might　count　a　hundred　slowly。



〃It　seems　that　none　are　left　for　us　to　kill；　Galazi；〃　said

Umslopogaas；　laughing　aloud。　〃Ah；　that　was　a　cunning　fight！　Ho！　you

sons　of　the　Unconquered；　who　run　so　fast；　stay　your　feet。　I　give　you

peace；　you　shall　live　to　sweep　my　huts　and　to　plough　my　fields　with

the　other　women　of　my　kraal。　Now；　councillors；　the　fighting　is　done；

so　let　us　to　the　chief's　hut；　where　Masilo　waits　us；〃　and　he　turned

and　went　with　Galazi；　and　after　him　followed　all　the　people；　wondering

and　in　silence。



When　he　reached　the　hut　Umslopogaas　sat　himself　down　in　the　place

where　Jikiza　had　sat　that　morning；　and　the　maid　Zinita　came　to　him

with　a　wet　cloth　and　washed　the　wound　that　the　spear　had　made。　He

thanked　her；　then　she　would　have　washed　Galazi's　wound　also；　and　this

was　deeper；　but　Galazi　bade　her　to　let　him　be　roughly；　as　he　would

have　no　woman　meddling　with　his　wounds。　For　neither　then　nor　at　any

other　time　did　Galazi　turn　to　women；　but　he　hated　Zinita　most　of　them

all。



Then　Umslopogaas　spoke　to　Masilo　the　Pig；　who　sat　before　him　with　a

frightened　face；　saying；　〃It　seems；　O　Masilo；　that　you　have　sought

this　maid　Zinita　in　marriage；　and　against　her　will；　persecuting　her。

Now　I　had　intended　to　kill　you　as　an　offering　to　her　anger；　but　there

has　been　enough　blood…letting　to…day。　Yet　you　shall　have　a　marriage

gift　to　this　girl；　whom　I　myself　will　take　in　marriage：　you　shall　give

a　hundred　head　of　cattle。　Then　get　you　gone　from　among　the　People　of

the　Axe；　lest　a　worse　thing　befall　you；　Masilo　the　Pig。〃



So　Masilo　rose　up　and　went；　and　his　face　was　green　with　fear；　but　he

paid　the　hundred　head　of　cattle　and　fled　towards　the　kraal　of　Chaka。

Zinita　watched　him　go；　and　she　was　glad　of　it；　and　because　the

Slaughterer　had　named　her　for　his　wife。



〃I　am　well　rid　of　Masilo；〃　she　said　aloud；　in　the　hearing　of　Galazi；

〃but　I　had　been　better　pleased　to　see　him　dead　before　me。〃



〃This　woman　has　a　fierce　heart；〃　thought　Galazi；　〃and　she　will　bring

no　good　to　Umslopogaas；　my　brother。〃



Now　the　councillors　and　the　captains　of　the　People　of　the　Axe　konzaed

to　him　whom　they　named　the　Slaughterer；　doing　homage　to　him　as　chief

and　holder　of　the　axe；　and　also　they　did　homage　to　the　axe　itself。　So

Umslopogaas　became　chief　over　this　people；　and　their　number　was　many；

and　he　grew　great　and　fat　in　cattle　and　wives；　and　none　dared　to

gainsay　him。　From　time　to　time；　indeed；　a　man　ventured　to　stand　up

before　him　in　fight；　but　none　could　conquer　him；　and　in　a　little　while

no　one　sought　to　face　Groan…Maker　when　he　lifted　himself　to　peck。



Galazi　also　was　great　among　the　people；　but　dwelt　with　them　little；

for　best　he　loved　the　wild　woods　and　the　mountain's　breast；　and　often；

as　of　old；　he　swept　at　night　across　the　forest　and　the　plains；　and　the

howling　of　the　ghost…wolves　went　with　him。



But　henceforth　Umslopogaas　the　Slaughterer　hunted　very　rarely　with　the

wolves　at　night；　he　slept　at　the　side　of　Zinita；　and　she　loved　him

much　and　bore　him　children。







CHAPTER　XVIII



THE　CURSE　OF　BALEKA



Now；　my　father；　my　story　winds　back　again　as　the　river　bends　towards

its　source；　and　I　tell　of　those　events　which　happened　at　the　king's

kraal　of　Gibamaxegu；　which　you　white　people　name　Gibbeclack；　the　kraal

that　is　called　〃Pick…out…the…old…men；〃　for　it　was　there　that　Chaka

murdered　all　the　aged　who　were　unfit　for　war。



After　I；　Mopo；　had　stood　before　the　king；　and　he　had　given　me　new

wives　and　fat　cattle　and　a　kraal　to　dwell　in；　the　bones　of　Unandi；　the

Great　Mother　Elephant；　Mother　of　the　Heavens；　were　gathered　together

from　the　ashes　of　my　huts；　and　because　all　could　not　be　found；　some　of

the　bones　of　my　wives　were　collected　also　to　make　up　the　number。　But

Chaka　never　knew　this。　When　all　were　brought　together；　a　great　pit　was

dug　and　the　bones　were　set　out　in　order　in　the　pit　and　buried；　but　not

alone；　for　round　them　were　placed　twelve　maidens　of　the　servants　of

Unandi；　and　these　maidens　were　covered　over　with　the　earth；　and　left

to　die　in　the　pit　by　the　bones　of　Unandi；　their　mistress。　Moreover；

all　those　who　were　present　at　the　burial　were　made　into　a　regiment　and

commanded　that　they　should　dwell　by　the　grave　for　the　space　of　a　year。

They　were　many；　my　father；　but　I　was　not　one　of　them。　Also　Chaka　gave

orders　that　no　crops　should　be　sown　that　year；　that　the　milk　of　the

cows　should　be　spilled　upon　the　ground；　and　that　no　woman　should　give

birth　to　a　child　for　a　full　year；　and　that　if　any　should　dare　to　bear

children；　then　that　they　should　be　slain　and　their　husbands　with　them。

And　for　a　space　of　some　months　these　things　were　done；　my　father；　and

great　sorrow　came　upon　the　land。



Then　for　a　little　while　there　was　quiet；　and　Chaka　went　about　heavily；

and　he　wept　often；　and　we　who　waited　on　him　wept　also　as　we　walked；

till　at　length　it　came　about　by　use　that　we　could　weep　without　ceasing

for　many　hours。　No　angry　woman　can　weep　as　we　wept　in　those　days；　it

was　an　art；　my　father；　for　the　teaching　of　which　I　received　many

cattle；　for　woe　to　him　who　had　no　tears　in　those　days。　Then　it　was

also　that　Chaka　sent　out　the　captain　and　fifty　soldiers　to　search　for

Umslopogaas；　for；　though　he　said　nothing　more　to　me　of　this　matter；　he

did　not　believe　all　the　tale　that　I　had　told　him　of　the　death　of

Umslopogaas　in　the　jaws　of　a　lion　and　the　tale　of　those　who　were　with

me。　How　that　company　fared　at　the　hands　of　Umslopogaas　and　of　Galazi

the　Wolf；　and　at　the　fangs　of　the　people　black　and　grey；　I　have　told

you；　my　father。　None　of　them　ever　came　back　again。　In　after　days　it

was　reported　to　the　king　that　these　soldiers　were　missing；　never

having　returned；　but　he　only　laughed；　saying　that　the　lion　which　ate

Umslopogaas；　son　of　Mopo；　was　a　fierce　one；　and　had　eaten　them　also。



At　last　came　the　night　of　the　new　moon；　that　dreadful　night　to　be

followed　by　a　more　dreadful　morrow。　I　sat　in　the　kraal　of　Chaka；　and

he　put　his　arm　about　my　neck　and　groaned　and　wept　for　his　mother；　whom

he　had　murdered；　and　I　groaned　also；　but　I　did　not　weep；　because　it

was　dark；　and　on　the　morrow　I　must　weep　much　in　the　sight　of　king　and

men。　Therefore；　I　spared　my　tears；　lest　they　should　fail　me　in　my

need。



All　night　long　the　people　drew　on　from　every　side　towards　the　kraal；

and；　as　they　came　in　thousands　and　tens　of　thousands；　they　filled　the

night　with　their　cries；　till　it　seemed　as　though　the　whole　world　were

mourning；　and　loudly。　None　might　cease　their　crying；　and　none　dared　to

drink　so　much　as　a　cup　of　water。　The　daylight　came；　and　Chaka　rose；

saying；　〃Come；　let　us　go　forth；　Mopo；　and　look　on　those　who　mourn　with

us。〃　So　we　went　out；　and　after　us　came　men　armed　with　clubs　to　do　the

bidding　of　the　king。



Outside　the　kraal　the　people　were　gathered；　and　their　number　was

countless　as　the　leaves　upon　the　trees。　On　every　side　the　land　was

black　with　them；　as　at　times　the　veldt　is　black　with　game。　When　they

saw　the　king　they　ceased　from　their　howling　and　sang　the　war…song；

then　once　again　they　howled；　and　Chaka　walked　among　them　weeping。　Now；

my　father；　the　sight　became　dreadful；　for；　as　the　sun　rose　higher　the

day　grew　hot；　and　utter　weariness　came　upon　the　people；　who　were

packed　together　like　herds　of　cattle；　and；　though　oxen　slain　in

sacrifice　lay　around；　they　might　neither　eat　nor　drink。　Some　fell　to

the　ground；　and　were　trampled　to　death；　others　took　too　much　snuff　to

make　them　weep；　others　stained　their　eyes　with　saliva；　others　walked

to　and　fro；　their　tongues　hanging　from　their　jaws；　while　groans　broke

from　their　parched　throats。



〃Now；　Mopo；　we　shall　learn　who　are　the　wizards　that　have　brought　these

ills　upon　us；〃　said　the　king；　〃and　who　are　the　true…hearted　men。〃



As　we　spoke　we　cam　upon　a　man；　a　chief　of　renown。　He　was　named

Zwaumbana；　chief　of　the　Amabovus；　and　with　him　were　his　wives　and

followers。　This　man　could　weep　no　more；　he　gasped　with　thirst　and

heat。　The　king　looked　at　him。



〃See；　Mopo；〃　he　said；　〃see　that　brute　who　has　no　tears　for　my　mother

who　is　dead！　Oh；　the　monster　without　a　heart！　Shall　such　as　he　live　to

look　upon　the　sun；　while　I　and　thou　must　w