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return　victorious　or　not　at　all。　Their　number　was　so　great　that　from

the　hour　of　dawn　till　the　sun　was　high　in　the　heavens　they　passed　the

gates　of　the　kraal　like　countless　herds　of　cattlethey　the

unconquered。　Little　did　they　know　that　victory　smiled　on　them　no　more；

that　they　must　die　by　thousands　of　hunger　and　fever　in　the　marshes　of

the　Limpopo；　and　that　those　of　them　who　returned　should　come　with

their　shields　in　their　bellies；　having　devoured　their　shields　because

of　their　ravenous　hunger！　But　what　of　them？　They　were　nothing。　〃Dust〃

was　the　name　of　one　of　the　great　regiments　that　went　out　against

Sotyangana；　and　dust　they　weredust　to　be　driven　to　death　by　the

breath　of　Chaka；　Lion　of　the　Zulu。



Now　few　men　remained　in　the　kraal　Duguza；　for　nearly　all　had　gone　with

the　impi；　and　only　women　and　aged　people　were　left。　Dingaan　and

Umhlangana；　brothers　of　the　king；　were　there；　for　Chaka　would　not

suffer　them　to　depart；　fearing　lest　they　should　plot　against　him；　and

he　looked　on　them　always　with　an　angry　eye；　so　that　they　trembled　for

their　lives；　though　they　dared　not　show　their　fear　lest　fate　should

follow　fear。　But　I　guessed　it；　and　like　a　snake　I　wound　myself　into

their　secrets；　and　we　talked　together　darkly　and　in　hints。　But　of　that

presently；　my　father；　for　I　must　tell　of　the　coming　of　Masilo；　he　who

would　have　wed　Zinita；　and　whom　Umslopogaas　the　Slaughterer　had　driven

out　from　the　kraals　of　the　People　of　the　Axe。



It　was　on　the　day　after　the　impi　had　left　that　Masilo　came　to　the

kraal　Duguza；　craving　leave　to　speak　with　the　king。　Chaka　sat　before

his　hut；　and　with　him　were　Dingaan　and　Umhlangana；　his　royal　brothers。

I　was　there　also；　and　certain　of　the　indunas；　councillors　of　the　king。

Chaka　was　weary　that　morning；　for　he　had　slept　badly；　as　now　he　always

did。　Therefore；　when　one　told　him　that　a　certain　wanderer　named　Masilo

would　speak　with　him；　he　did　not　command　that　the　man　should　be

killed；　but　bade　them　bring　him　before　him。　Presently　there　was　a

sound　of　praising；　and　I　saw　a　fat　man；　much　worn　with　travel；　who

crawled　through　the　dust　towards　us　giving　the　sibonga；　that　is；

naming　the　king　by　his　royal　names。　Chaka　bade　him　cease　from　praising

and　tell　his　business。　Then　the　man　sat　up　and　told　all　that　tale

which　you　have　heard；　my　father；　of　how　a　young　man；　great　and　strong；

came　to　the　place　of　the　People　of　the　Axe　and　conquered　Jikiza；　the

holder　of　the　axe；　and　become　chief　of　that　people；　and　of　how　he　had

taken　the　cattle　of　Masilo　and　driven　him　away。　Now　Chaka　knew　nothing

of　this　People　of　the　Axe；　for　the　land　was　great　in　those　days；　my

father；　and　there　were　many　little　tribes　in　it；　living　far　away；　of

whom　the　king　had　not　even　heard；　so　he　questioned　Masilo　about　them；

and　of　the　number　of　their　fighting…men；　of　their　wealth　in　cattle；　of

the　name　of　the　young　man　who　ruled　them；　and　especially　as　to　the

tribute　which　they　paid　to　the　king。



Masilo　answered；　saying　that　the　number　of　their　fighting…men　was

perhaps　the　half　of　a　full　regiment；　that　their　cattle　were　many；　for

they　were　rich；　that　they　paid　no　tribute；　and　that　the　name　of　the

young　man　was　Bulalio　the　Slaughtererat　the　least；　he　was　known　by

that　name；　and　he　had　heard　no　other。



Then　the　king　grew　wroth。　〃Arise；　Masilo；〃　he　said；　〃and　run　to　this

people；　and　speak　in　the　ear　of　the　people；　and　of　him　who　is　named

the　Slaughterer；　saying：　'There　is　another　Slaughterer；　who　sits　in　a

kraal　that　is　named　Duguza；　and　this　is　his　word　to　you；　O　People　of

the　Axe；　and　to　thee；　thou　who　holdest　the　axe。　Rise　up　with　all　the

people；　and　with　all　the　cattle　of　your　people；　and　come　before　him

who　sits　in　the　kraal　Duguza；　and　lay　in　his　hands　the　great　axe

Groan…Maker。　Rise　up　swiftly　and　do　this　bidding；　lest　ye　sit　down

shortly　and　for　the　last　time　of　all。'〃＇1＇



＇1＇　The　Zulu　are　buried　sitting。



Masilo　heard；　and　said　that　it　should　be　so；　though　the　way　was　far；

and　he　feared　greatly　to　appear　before　him　who　was　called　the

Slaughterer；　and　who　sat　twenty　days'　journey　to　the　north；　beneath

the　shadow　of　the　Witch　Mountain。



〃Begone；〃　said　the　king；　〃and　stand　before　me　on　the　thirtieth　day

from　now　with　the　answer　of　this　boy　with　an　axe！　If　thou　standest　not

before　me；　then　some　shall　come　to　seek　thee　and　the　boy　with　an　axe

also。〃



So　Masilo　turned　and　fled　swiftly　to　do　the　bidding　of　the　king；　and

Chaka　spoke　no　more　of　that　matter。　But　I　wondered　in　my　heart　who

this　young　man　with　an　axe　might　be；　for　I　thought　that　he　had　dealt

with　Jikiza　and　with　the　sons　of　Jikiza　as　Umslopogaas　would　have

dealt　with　them　had　he　come　to　the　years　of　his　manhood。　But　I　also

said　nothing　of　the　matter。



Now　on　this　day　also　there　came　to　me　news　that　my　wife　Macropha　and

my　daughter　Nada　were　dead　among　their　people　in　Swaziland。　It　was

said　that　the　men　of　the　chief　of　the　Halakazi　tribe　had　fallen　on

their　kraal　and　put　all　in　it　to　the　assegai；　and　among　them　Macropha

and　Nada。　I　heard　the　news；　but　I　wept　no　tear；　for；　my　father；　I　was

so　lost　in　sorrows　that　nothing　could　move　me　any　more。







CHAPTER　XX



MOPO　BARGAINS　WITH　THE　PRINCES



Eight…and…twenty　days　went　by；　my　father；　and　on　the　nine…and…

twentieth　it　befell　that　Chaka；　having　dreamed　a　dream　in　his　troubled

sleep；　summoned　before　him　certain　women　of　the　kraal；　to　the　number

of　a　hundred　or　more。　Some　of　these　were　his　women；　whom　he　named　his

〃sisters；〃　and　some　were　maidens　not　yet　given　in　marriage；　but　all

were　young　and　fair。　Now　what　this　dream　of　Chaka　may　have　been　I　do

not　know；　or　have　forgotten；　for　in　those　days　he　dreamed　many　dreams；

and　all　his　dreams　led　to　one　end；　the　death　of　men。　He　sat　in　front

of　his　hut　scowling；　and　I　was　with　him。　To　the　left　of　him　were

gathered　the　girls　and　women；　and　their　knees　were　weak　with　fear。　One

by　one　they　were　led　before　him；　and　stood　before　him　with　bowed

heads。　Then　he　would　bid　them　be　of　good　cheer；　and　speak　softly　to

them；　and　in　the　end　would　ask　them　this　question：　〃Hast　thou；　my

sister；　a　cat　in　thy　hut？〃



Now；　some　would　say　that　they　had　a　cat；　and　some　would　say　that　they

had　none；　and　some　would　stand　still　and　make　no　answer；　being　dumb

with　fear。　But；　whatever　they　said；　the　end　was　the　same；　for　the　king

would　sigh　gently　and　say：　〃Fare　thee　well；　my　sister；　it　is

unfortunate　for　thee　that　there　is　a　cat　in　thy　hut；〃　or　〃that　there

is　no　cat　in　thy　hut；〃　or　〃that　thou　canst　not　tell　me　whether　there

be　a　cat　in　thy　hut　or　no。〃



Then　the　woman　would　be　taken　by　the　slayers；　dragged　without　the

kraal；　and　their　end　was　swift。　So　it　went　on　for　the　most　part　of

that　day；　till　sixty…and…two　women　and　girls　had　been　slaughtered。　But

at　last　a　maiden　was　brought　before　the　king；　and　to　this　one　her

snake　had　given　a　ready　wit；　for　when　Chaka　asked　her　whether　or　no

there　was　a　cat　in　her　hut；　she　answered；　saying　that　she　did　not

know；　〃but　that　there　was　a　half　a　cat　upon　her；〃　and　she　pointed　to　a

cat's…skin　which　was　bound　about　her　loins。



Then　the　king　laughed；　and　clapped　his　hands；　saying　that　at　length

his　dream　was　answered；　and　he　killed　no　more　that　day　nor　ever　again

save　once　only。



That　evening　my　heart　was　heavy　within　me；　and　I　cried　in　my　heart；

〃How　long？〃nor　might　I　rest。　So　I　wandered　out　from　the　kraal　that

was　named　Duguza　to　the　great　cleft　in　the　mountains　yonder；　and　sat

down　upon　a　rock　high　up　in　the　cleft；　so　that　I　could　see　the　wide

lands　rolling　to　the　north　and　the　south；　to　my　right　and　to　my　left。

Now；　the　day　was　drawing　towards　the　night；　and　the　air　was　very

still；　for　the　heat　was　great　and　a　tempest　was　gathering；　as　I；　who

am　a　Heaven…Herd；　knew　well。　The　sun　sank　redly；　flooding　the　land

with　blood；　it　was　as　though　all　the　blood　that　Chaka　had　shed　flowed

about　the　land　which　Chaka　ruled。　Then　from　the　womb　of　the　night

great　shapes　of　cloud　rose　up　and　stood　before　the　sun；　and　he　crowned

them　with　his　glory；　and　in　their　hearts　the　lightning　quivered　like　a

blood　of　fire。　The　shadow　of　their　wings　fell　upon　the　mountain　and

the　plains；　and　beneath　their　wings　was　silence。　Slowly　the　sun　sank；

and　the　shapes　of　cloud　gathered　together　like　a　host　at　the　word　of

its　captain；　and　the　flicker　of　the　lightning　was　as　the　flash　of　the

spears　of　a　host。　I　looked；　and　my　heart　grew　afraid。　The　lightning

died　away；　the　silence　deepened　and　deepened　till　I　could　hear　it；　no

leaf　moved；　no　bird　called；　the　world　seemed　deadI　alone　lived　in

the　dead　world。



Now；　of　a　sudden；　my　father；　a　bright　star　fell　from　the　height　of

heaven　and　lit　upon　the　crest　of　the　storm；　and　as　it　lit　the　storm

burst。　The　grey　air　shivered；　a　moan　ran　about　the　rocks　and　died

away；　then　an　icy　breath　burst　from　the　lips　of　the　tempest　and　rushed

across　the　earth。　It　caught　the　falling　star　and　drove　it　on　towards

me；　a　rushing　globe　of　fire；　and　as　it　came　the　star　grew　and　took

shape；　and　the　shape　it　took　was　the　shape　of　a　woman。　I　knew　her　now；

my　father；　while　she　was　yet　far　off　I　knew　herthe　Inkosazana　who

came　as　she　had　promised；　riding　down　the　storm。　On　she　swept；　borne

forward　by　the　blast；　and　oh！　she　was　terrible　to　see；　for　her　garment

was　the　lightning；　lightnings　shone　from　her　wide　eyes　and　lightnings

were　in　her　streaming　hair；　while　in　her　hand　was　a　spear　of　fire；　and

she　shook　it　as　she　came。　Now　she　was　at　the　mouth　of　the　pass；　before

her　was　stillness；　behind　her　beat　the　wings　of　the　storm；　the　thunder

roared；　the　rain　hissed　like　snakes；　she　rushed　on　past　me；　and　as　she

passed　she　turned　her　awful　eyes　upon　me；　withering　me。　She　was　there！

she　was　gone！　but　she　spoke　no　word；　only　shook　her　flaming　spear。　Yet

it　seemed　to　me　that　the　storm　spoke；　that　the　rocks　cried　aloud；　that

the　rain　hissed　out　a　word　in　my　ear；　and　the　word　was：



〃Smite；　Mopo！〃



I　heard　it　in　my　heart；