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him；　and　if　the　Zulus　take　him　and　let　us　free；　I　go　with　him。　　Now　make

up　your　mind。〃



Marais　tugged　at　his　beard；　staring　first　at　his　daughter　and　then　at

me。　　What　he　would　have　answered　I　do　not　know；　for　at　that　moment

Kambula　stepped　forward　and　gave　his　decision。



It　was　to　the　effect　that　although　it　was　the　Son　of　George　whom　Dingaan

wanted；　his　orders　were　that　all　with　him　were　to　be　taken　also。　　Those

orders　could　not　be　disobeyed。　　The　king　would　settle　the　matter　as　to

whether　some　of　us　were　to　be　killed　and　some　let　free；　or　if　all　were

to　be　killed　or　let　free；　when　we　reached　his　House。　　Therefore　he

commanded　that　〃we　should　tie　the　oxen　to　the　moving　huts　and　cross　the

river　at　once。〃



This　was　the　end　of　that　scene。　　Having　no　choice　we　inspanned　and

continued　our　journey；　escorted　by　the　company　of　two　hundred　savages。　

I　am　bound　to　say　that　during　the　four　or　five　days　that　it　took　us　to

reach　Dingaan's　kraal　they　behaved　very　well　to　us。　　With　Kambula　and

his　officers；　all　of　them　good　fellows　in　their　way；　I　had　many

conversations；　and　from　them　learned　much　as　to　the　state　and　customs　of

the　Zulus。　　Also　the　peoples　of　the　districts　through　which　we　passed

flocked　round　us　at　every　outspan；　for　most　of　them　had　never　seen　a

white　man　before；　and　in　return　for　a　few　beads　brought　us　all　the　food

that　we　required。　　Indeed；　the　beads；　or　their　equivalents；　were　nothing

but　a　present；　since；　by　the　king's　command；　they　must　satisfy　our

wants。　　This　they　did　very　thoroughly。　　For　instance；　when　on　the　last

day's　trek；　some　of　our　oxen　gave　out；　numbers　of　Zulus　were　inspanned

in　place　of　them；　and　by　their　help　the　wagons　were　dragged　to　the　great

kraal；　Umgungundhlovu。



Here　an　outspan　place　was　assigned　to　us　near　to　the　house；　or　rather

the　huts；　of　a　certain　missionary　of　the　name　of　Owen；　who　with　great

courage　had　ventured　into　this　country。　　We　were　received　with　the

utmost　kindness　by　him　and　his　wife　and　household；　and　it　is　impossible

for　me　to　say　what　pleasure　I　found；　after　all　my　journeyings；　in

meeting　an　educated　man　of　my　own　race。



Near　to　our　camp　was　a　stone…covered　koppie；　where；　on　the　morning　after

our　arrival；　I　saw　six　or　eight　men　executed　in　a　way　that　I　will　not

describe。　　Their　crime；　according　to　Mr。　Owen；　was　that　they　had

bewitched　some　of　the　king's　oxen。



While　I　was　recovering　from　this　dreadful　spectacle；　which；　fortunately；

Marie　did　not　witness；　the　captain　Kambula　arrived；　saying　that　Dingaan

wished　to　see　me。　　So　taking　with　me　the　Hottentot　Hans　and　two　of　the

Zulus　whom　I　had　hired　at　Delagoa　Bayfor　the　royal　orders　were　that

none　of　the　other　white　people　were　to　come；　I　was　led　through　the　fence

of　the　vast　town　in　which　stood　two　thousand　hutsthe　〃multitude　of

houses〃　as　the　Zulus　called　itand　across　a　vast　open　space　in　the

middle。



On　the　farther　side　of　this　space；　where；　before　long；　I　was　fated　to

witness　a　very　tragic　scene；　I　entered　a　kind　of　labyrinth。　　This　was

called　〃siklohlo〃；　and　had　high　fences　with　numerous　turns；　so　that　it

was　impossible　to　see　where　one　was　going　or　to　find　the　way　in　or　out。　

Ultimately；　however；　I　reached　a　great　hut　named　〃intunkulu〃；　a　word

that　means　the　〃house　of　houses；〃　or　the　abode　of　the　king；　in　front　of

which　I　saw　a　fat　man　seated　on　a　stool；　naked　except　for　the　moocha

about　his　middle　and　necklaces　and　armlets　of　blue　beads。　　Two　warriors

held　their　broad　shields　over　his　head　to　protect　him　from　the　sun。　

Otherwise　he　was　alone；　although　I　felt　sure　that　the　numerous　passages

around　him　were　filled　with　guards；　for　I　could　hear　them　moving。



On　entering　this　place　Kambula　and　his　companions　flung　themselves　upon

their　faces　and　began　to　sing　praises　of　which　the　king　took　no　notice。　

Presently　he　looked　up；　and　appearing　to　observe　me　for　the　first　time

asked：



〃Who　is　that　white　boy？〃



Then　Kambula　rose　and　said：



〃O　king；　this　is　the　Son　of　George；　whom　you　commanded　me　to　capture。　　I

have　taken　him　and　the　Amaboona〃　（that　is；　the　Boers）；　〃his　companions；

and　brought　them　all　to　you；　O　king。〃



〃I　remember；〃　said　Dingaan。　　〃The　big　Boer　who　was　here；　and　whom

Tambusa〃he　was　one　of　Dingaan's　captains〃let　go　against　my　will；

said　that　be　was　a　terrible　man　who　should　be　killed　before　he　worked

great　harm　to　my　people。　　Why　did　you　not　kill　him；　Kambula；　although　it

is　true　he　does　not　look　very　terrible？〃



〃Because　the　king's　word　was　that　I　should　bring　him　to　the　king

living；〃　answered　Kambula。　　Then　he　added　cheerfully：　〃Still；　if　the

king　wishes　it；　I　can　kill　him　at　once。〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Dingaan　doubtfully；　〃perhaps　he　can　mend　guns。〃　

Next；　after　reflecting　a　while；　he　bade　a　shield…holder　to　fetch

someone；　I　could　not　hear　whom。



〃Doubtless；〃　thought　I　to　myself；　〃it　is　the　executioner；〃　and　at　that

thought　a　kind　of　mad　rage　seized　me。　　Why　should　my　life　be　ended　thus

in　youth　to　satisfy　the　whim　of　a　savage？　　And　if　it　must　be　so；　why

should　I　go　alone？



In　the　inside　pocket　of　my　ragged　coat　I　had　a　small　loaded　pistol　with

two　barrels。　　One　of　those　barrels　would　kill　Dingaanat　five　paces　I

could　not　miss　that　bulkand　the　other　would　blow　out　my　brains；　for　I

was　not　minded　to　have　my　neck　twisted　or　to　be　beaten　to　death　with

sticks。　　Well；　if　it　was　to　be　done；　I　had　better　do　it　at　once。　

Already　my　hand　was　creeping　towards　the　pocket　when　a　new　idea；　or

rather　two　ideas；　struck　me。



The　first　was　that　if　I　shot　Dingaan　the　Zulus　would　probably　massacre

Marie　and　the　othersMarie；　whose　sweet　face　I　should　never　see　again。　

The　second　was　that　while　there　is　life　there　is　hope。　　Perhaps；　after

all；　he　had　not　sent　for　an　executioner；　but　for　someone　else。　　I　would

wait。　　A　few　minutes　more　of　existence　were　worth　the　having。



The　shield…bearer　returned；　emerging　from　one　of　the　narrow；　reed…hedged

passages；　and　after　him　came　no　executioner；　but　a　young　white　man；　who；

as　I　knew　from　the　look　of　him；　was　English。　　He　saluted　the　king　by

taking　off　his　hat；　which　I　remember　was　stuck　round　with　black　ostrich

feathers；　then　stared　at　me。



〃O　Tho…maas〃　（that　is　how　he　pronounced　〃Thomas〃）；　said　Dingaan；　〃tell

me　if　this　boy　is　one　of　your　brothers；　or　is　he　a　Boer？〃



〃The　king　wants　to　know　if　you　are　Dutch　or　British；〃　said　the　white

lad；　speaking　in　English。



〃As　British　as　you　are；〃　I　answered。　　〃I　was　born　in　England；　and　come

from　the　Cape。〃



〃That　may　be　lucky　for　you；〃　he　said；　〃because　the　old　witch…doctor；

Zikali；　has　told　him　that　he　must　not　kill　any　English。　　What　is　your

name？　　Mine　is　Thomas　Halstead。　　I　am　interpreter　here。〃



〃Allan　Quatermain。　　Tell　Zikali；　whoever　he　may　be；　that　if　he　sticks　to

his　advice　I　will　give　him　a　good　present。〃



〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　asked　Dingaan　suspiciously。



〃He　says　he　is　English；　no　Boer；　O　king；　that　he　was　born　across　the

Black　Water；　and　that　he　comes　from　the　country　out　of　which　all　the

Boers　have　trekked。〃



At　this　intelligence　Dingaan　pricked　up　his　ears。



〃Then　he　can　tell　me　about　these　Boers；〃　he　said；　〃and　what　they　are

after；　or　could　if　he　were　able　to　speak　my　tongue。　　I　do　not　trust　you

to　interpret；　you　Tho…maas；　whom　I　know　to　be　a　liar；〃　and　he　glowered

at　Halstead。



〃I　can　speak　your　tongue；　though　not　very　well；　O　king；〃　I　interrupted；

〃and　I　can　tell　you　all　about　the　Boers；　for　I　have　lived　among　them。〃



〃Ow！〃　said　Dingaan；　intensely　interested。　　〃But　perhaps　you　are　also　a

liar。　　Or　are　you　a　praying　man；　like　that　fool　yonder；　who　is　named

Oweena？〃he　meant　the　missionary　Mr。　Owen〃　whom　I　spare　because　it　is

not　lucky　to　kill　one　who　is　mad；　although　he　tries　to　frighten　my

soldiers　with　tales　of　a　fire　into　which　they　will　go　after　they　are

dead。　　As　though　it　matters　what　happens　to　them　after　they　are　dead！〃

he　added　reflectively；　taking　a　pinch　of　snuff。



〃I　am　no　liar；〃　I　answered。　　〃What　have　I　to　lie　about？〃



〃You　would　lie　to　save　your　own　life；　for　all　white　men　are　cowards；　not

like　the　Zulus；　who　love　to　die　for　their　king。　　But　how　are　you　named？〃



〃Your　people　call　me　Macumazahn。〃



〃Well；　Macumazahn；　if　you　are　no　liar；　tell　me；　is　it　true　that　these

Boers　rebelled　against　their　king　who　was　named　George；　and　fled　from

him　as　the　traitor　Umsilikazi　did　from　me？〃



〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　〃that　is　true。〃



〃Now　I　am　sure　that　you　are　a　liar；〃　said　Dingaan　triumphantly。　　〃You

say　that　you　are　English　and　therefore　serve　your　king；　or　the


Inkosikaas〃　（that　is　the　Great　Lady）；　〃who　they　tell　me　now　sits　in　his

place。　　How　does　it　come　about　then　that　you　are　travelling　with　a　party

of　these　very　Amaboona　who　must　be　your　enemies；　since　they　are　the

enemies　of　your　king；　or　of　her　who　follows　after　him？〃



Now　I　knew　that　I　was　in　a　tight　place；　for　on　this　matter　of　loyalty；

Zulu；　and　indeed　all　native　ideas；　are　very　primitive。　　If　I　said　that　I

had　sympathy　with　the　Boers；　Dingaan　would　set　me　down　as　a　traitor。　　If

I　said　that　I　hated　the　Boers；　then　still　I　should　be　a　traitor　because

I　associated　with　them；　and　a　traitor　in　his　eyes　would　be　one　to　be

killed。　　I　do　not　like　to　talk　religion；　and　anyone　who　has　read　what　I

have　written　in　various　works　will　admit　that　I　have　done　so　rarely；　if

ever。　　Yet　at　that　moment　I　put　up　a　prayer　for　guidance；　feeling　that

my　young　life　hung　upon　the　answer；　and　it　came　to　mewhence　I　do　not

know。　　The　essence　of　that　guidance　was　that　I　should　tell　the　simple

truth　to　this　fat　savage。　　So　I　said　to　him：



〃The　answer　is　this；　O　king。　　Among　those　Boers　is　a　maiden　whom　I　love

and　who　betrothed　herself　to　me　since　we　were　'so　high。'　　Her　father

took　her　north。　　But　she　sent　a　message　to　me　saying　that　her　people

died　of　fever　and　she　starved。　　So　I　went　up　in　a　ship　to　save　her；　and

have　saved　her；　and　those　who　r