captains。 This is the king's word： that the impi shall run to the land
of Natal and slay the Boers there； wiping them out； man； woman； and
child。 Away！〃
Now the messengers cried out the royal salute of Bayete； and； leaping
forward like spears from the hand of the thrower； were gone at once。
But we； the councillors； the members of the Amapakati； still stood
silent。
Then Dingaan spoke again； addressing me：
〃Is thy heart at rest now； Mopo； son of Makedama？ Ever hast thou
bleated in my ear of this white people and of the deeds that they
shall do； and lo！ I have blown upon them with my breath and they are
gone。 Say； Mopo； are the Amaboona wizards yonder all dead？ If any be
left alive； I desire to speak with one of them。〃
Then I looked Dingaan in the face and spoke。
〃They are all dead； and thou； O King； thou also art dead。〃
〃It were well for thee； thou dog；〃 said Dingaan； 〃that thou shouldst
make thy meaning plain。〃
〃Let the king pardon me；〃 I answered； 〃this is my meaning。 Thou canst
not kill this white men； for they are not of one race； but of many
races； and the sea is their home； they rise out of the black water。
Destroy those that are here； and others shall come to avenge them；
more and more and more！ Now thou hast smitten in thy hour； in theirs
they shall smite in turn。 Now THEY lie low in blood at thy hand； in a
day to come； O King； THOU shalt lie low in blood at theirs。 Madness
has taken hold of thee； O King； that thou hast done this thing； and
the fruit of thy madness shall be thy death。 I have spoken； I； who am
the king's servant。 Let the will of the king be done。〃
Then I stood still waiting to be killed； for； my father； in the fury
of my heart at the wickedness which had been worked I could not hold
back my words。 Thrice Dingaan looked on me with a terrible face； and
yet there was fear in his face striving with its rage； and I waited
calmly to see which would conquer； the fear or the rage。 When at last
he spoke； it was one word； 〃Go！〃 not three words； 〃Take him away。〃 So
I went yet living； and with me the councillors； leaving the king
alone。
I went with a heavy heart； my father； for of all the evil sights that
I have seen it seemed to me that this was the most evilthat the
Amaboona should be slaughtered thus treacherously； and that the impis
should be sent out treacherously to murder those who were left of
them； together with their women and children。 Ay； and they slewsix
hundred of them did they slayyonder in Weenen； the land of weeping。
Say； my father； why does the Umkulunkulu who sits in the Heavens above
allow such things to be done on the earth beneath？ I have heard the
preaching of the white men； and they say that they know all about Him
that His names are Power and Mercy and Love。 Why； then； does He
suffer these things to be donewhy does He suffer such men as Chaka
and Dingaan to torment the people of the earth； and in the end pay
them but one death for all the thousands that they have given to
others？ Because of the wickedness of the peoples； you say； but no； no；
that cannot be； for do not the guiltless go with the guiltyay； do
not the innocent children perish by the hundred？ Perchance there is
another answer； though who am I； my father； that I； in my folly；
should strive to search out the way of the Unsearchable？ Perchance it
is but a part of the great plan； a little piece of that pattern of
which I spokethe pattern on the cup that holds the waters of His
wisdom。 Wow！ I do not understand； who am but a wild man； nor have I
found more knowledge in the hearts of you tamed white people。 You know
many things； but of these you do not know： you cannot tell us what we
were an hour before birth； nor what we shall be an hour after death；
nor why we were born； nor why we die。 You can only hope and believe
that is all； and perhaps； my father； before many days are sped I shall
be wiser than all of you。 For I am very aged； the fire of my life
sinks lowit burns in my brain alone； there it is still bright； but
soon that will go out also； and then perhaps I shall understand。
CHAPTER XXV
THE WAR WITH THE HALAKAZI PEOPLE
Now； my father； I must tell of how Umslopogaas the Slaughterer and
Galazi the Wolf fared in their war against the People of the Halakazi。
When I had gone from the shadow of the Ghost Mountain； Umslopogaas
summoned a gathering of all his headmen； and told them it was his
desire that the People of the Axe should no longer be a little people；
that they should grow great and number their cattle by tens of
thousands。
The headmen asked how this might be brought aboutwould he then make
war on Dingaan the King？ Umslopogaas answered no； he would win the
favour of the king thus： and he told them of the Lily maid and of the
Halakazi tribe in Swaziland； and of how he would go up against that
tribe。 Now some of the headmen said yea to this and some said nay； and
the talk ran high and lasted till the evening。 But when the evening
was come Umslopogaas rose and said that he was chief under the Axe；
and none other； and it was his will that they should go up against the
Halakazi。 If there was any man there who would gainsay his will； let
him stand forward and do battle with him； and he who conquered should
order all things。 To this there was no answer； for there were few who
cared to face the beak of Groan…Maker； and so it came about that it
was agreed that the People of the Axe should make war upon the
Halakazi； and Umslopogaas sent out messengers to summon every
fighting…man to his side。
But when Zinita； his head wife； came to hear of the matter she was
angry； and upbraided Umslopogaas； and heaped curses on me； Mopo； whom
she knew only as the mouth of Dingaan； because； as she said truly； I
had put this scheme into the mind of the Slaughterer。 〃What！〃 she went
on； 〃do you not live here in peace and plenty； and must you go to make
war on those who have not harmed you； there； perhaps； to perish or to
come to other ill？ You say you do this to win a girl for Dingaan and
to find favour in his sight。 Has not Dingaan girls more than he can
count？ It is more likely that； wearying of us； your wives； you go to
get girls for yourself； Bulalio； and as for finding favour； rest
quiet； so shall you find most favour。 If the king sends his impis
against you； then it will be time to fight； O fool with little wit！〃
Thus Zinita spoke to him； very roughlyfor she always blurted out
what was in her mind； and Umslopogaas could not challenge her to
battle。 So he must bear her talk as best he might； for it is often
thus； my father； that the greatest of men grow small enough in their
own huts。 Moreover； he knew that it was because Zinita loved him that
she spoke so bitterly。
Now on the third day all the fighting…men were gathered； and there
might have been two thousand of them； good men and brave。 Then
Umslopogaas went out and spoke to them； telling them of this
adventure； and Galazi the Wolf was with him。 They listened silently；
and it was plain to see that； as in the case of the headmen； some of
them thought one thing and some another。 Then Galazi spoke to them
briefly； telling them that he knew the roads and the caves and the
number of the Halakazi cattle； but still they doubted。 Thereon
Umslopogaas added these words：
〃To…morrow； at the dawn； I； Bulalio； Holder of the Axe； Chief of the
People of the Axe； go up against the Halakazi； with Galazi the Wolf；
my brother。 If but ten men follow us； yet we will go。 Now； choose； you
soldiers！ Let those come who will； and let those who will stop at home
with the women and the little children。〃
Now a great shout rose from every throat。
〃We will go with you； Bulalio； to victory or death！〃
So on the morrow they marched； and there was wailing among the women
of the People of the Axe。 Only Zinita did not wail； but stood by in
wrath； foreboding evil； nor would she bid her lord farewell； yet when
he was gone she wept also。
Now Umslopogaas and his impi travelled fast and far； hungering and
thirsting； till at length they came to the land of the Umswazi； and
after a while entered the territory of the Halakazi by a high and
narrow pass。 The fear of Galazi the Wolf was that they should find
this pass held； for though they had harmed none in the kraals as they
went； and taken only enough cattle to feed themselves； yet he knew
well that messengers had sped by day and night to warn the people of
the Halakazi。 But they found no man in the pass； and on the other side
of it they rested； for the night was far spent。 At dawn Umslopogaas
looked out over the wide plains beyond； and Galazi showed him a long
low hill； two hours' march away。
〃There； my brother；〃 he said； 〃lies the head kraal of the Halakazi；
where I was born； and in that hill is the great cave。〃
Then they went on； and before the sun was high they came to the crest
of a rise； and heard the sound of horns on its farther side。 They
stood upon the rise； and looked； and lo！ yet far off； but running
towards them； was the whole impi of the Halakazi； and it was a great
impi。
〃They have gathered their strength indeed；〃 said Galazi。 〃For every
man of ours there are three of these Swazis！〃
The soldiers saw also； and the courage of some of them sank low。 Then
Umslopogaas spoke to them：
〃Yonder are the Swazi dogs； my children； they are many and we are few。
Yet； shall it be told at home that we； men of the Zulu blood； were
hunted by a pack of Swazi dogs？ Shall our women and children sing THAT
song in our ears； O Soldiers of the Axe？〃
Now some cried 〃Never！〃 but some were silent； so Umslopogaas spoke
again：
〃Turn back all who will： there is yet time。 Turn back all who will；
but ye who are men come forward with me。 Or if ye will； go back all of
you； and leave Axe Groan…Maker and Club Watcher to see this matter out
alone。〃
Now there arose a mighty shout of 〃We will die together who have lived
together！〃
〃Do you swear it？〃 cried Umslopogaas； holding Groan…Maker on high。
〃We swear it by the Axe；〃 they answered。
Then Umslopogaas and Galazi made ready for the battle。 They posted all
the young men in the broken ground above the bottom of the slope； for
these could best be spared to