Perils in the Transvaal and Zululand
itunderstood that I was an officer in the employ of the Governor of Natal,there was a difference in the demeanour of the councillors towards me,and Mr Garnett too. A civil reception was given us, and a good hutassigned for our accommodation. Then there followed a long delay, andat last I was told I was to be sent with letters to Sir Henry Bulwer;and the next day I set out, attended by two of Cetewayo's soldiers. Isuspected at the time--and subsequent events confirmed my opinion--thatthe king wanted to get rid of me, because I stood in the way of hiscarrying out his designs against Mr Garnett. I was no sooner gone thanhe was informed there was an accusation made against him of practisingwitchcraft. The king would inquire into the matter himself. This Ilearned from the Zulu who was sent with me. But what ensued I couldnever learn with any certainty. Mr Garnett, I believe, underwent akind of mock trial, being charged with bewitching several persons. Hewas found guilty, and was sentenced to be banished from the country.Cetewayo had possibly thought that it would be dangerous to put himpublicly to death. But it came eventually to the same thing. MrGarnett set out, in company with two Zulus, who were directed to conveyhim to Delagoa Bay, whither his wife and children had already been sent.But he never reached his destination. His guides came back with thestory that he had been killed by a lion. The general belief was that hehad been murdered, and his body left to be devoured by the hyenas.
"But that was not the worst," resumed Hardy after a pause. "There wassomething like a trial in his instance, and, besides, he might reallyhave been killed by a wild beast, though the circumstances were full ofsuspicion. The usage of Usumanzi was a much grosser outrage. No chargewas made against him, nor did he receive so much as a hint that the kingwas displeased with him. But the Isamisi, or prophets, whom, to do themjustice, both Chaka and Dingaan had discouraged, had gained considerableinfluence with Cetewayo, and they resented Usumanzi's conversion, andmore particularly when they found that he still adhered to his new creedafter Mr Garnett's disappearance."
"I wonder he didn't leave the country," remarked Ernest Baylen.
"He was advised to do so," said Hardy, "but he was a brave man, and saidhe had done no wrong, and that he put his trust in the God he had newlylearned. Nothing was heard about him for some time. But one morning,quite early, I was roused by a number of Zulus living in an adjoiningkraal, who told me that the king had sent an Impi to eat up Usumanzi.His house had already been surrounded, and himself, and every onebelonging to him, even to the infants in arms, assegayed. The cattlewere being driven off at that moment. In an hour or two Usumanzi'skraal had been entirely destroyed by fire, and the ashes scattered inall directions. In a short time not a trace was left of hishabitation."
"And was no complaint made of such an outrage?" asked Margetts.
"Who was there to make it?" inquired Hardy. "Usumanzi's relatives, ifthere were any of them left, were too thankful to have escaped notice,and were little likely to do anything that might cause them to share hisfate. Perhaps you think that I might have made some representations tothe Governor of Natal; but I had already incurred suspicion, andreceived a hint to keep quiet. The Government were unwilling at thattime to come to a rupture with Cetewayo. I knew, too, that I should berequired to produce witnesses; and not one of the Zulus, who knew thefacts, could have been induced, by love or money, to say a word on thesubject. Most probably they would have said, if they had been broughtinto a court of justice, that Usumanzi's kraal had caught fireaccidentally. No. He knew in this instance that he was safe, and youmay be assured that, let him profess what he will, there is nopossibility of inducing Cetewayo to respect the rights of his ownsubjects, or those of other nations, except by putting him down by forceof arms. And as for that--" He appeared to be about to add somethingmore, but checked himself, and addressed his host. "It must be time forus to go to bed, Mr Bilderjik," he said. "We have a long day's workbefore us to-morrow, and must start early. I suppose you mean to setoff for Helpmakaar the first thing in the morning?"
"Helpmakaar?" repeated the farmer. "No, I shall not set out for that inthe morning, if I do it at all to-morrow. You have forgotten that wehave left one of our waggons in a damaged condition on the other side ofthe Mooi."
"To be sure, so I had. How stupid of me! But if we are not going to befellow-travellers to-morrow, I should like to have a little talk withyou, Baylen, before we turn in for the night. Will you walk with me tothe hotel in the village; I can say what I want while we are on the waythere."
Mr Baylen assented. They said good-night to their host, and steppedout into the porch, and thence passed through the little garden into thewide street of the picturesque little town, with its white houses--eachshaded by its green verandah--and its double row of fruit trees alreadybeginning to spread a pleasant shade. At that hour it was quitedeserted, and Hardy presently began,--
"I thought it better not to tell you my reason for riding over fromUmvalosa to meet you. I did not want to alarm the ladies."
"What has happened?" asked Baylen anxiously.
"No injury has been done to your property or your servants," said Hardy."But beyond Umvalosa, from a little distance outside the town, as faras Utrecht, or nearly as far, there is nothing but ruin anddestruction."
"The storm two days ago, do you mean?" suggested Baylen.
"No; this storm has been of man's making," said Hardy. "Umbelini--youknow him?"
"Every one knows him too well," was the answer. "If he fell into myhands, I should be disposed to make short work with him."
"He wouldn't come off much better in mine," said Hardy, "if I caught him`redhanded,' as the saying is. He pretends to act independently ofCetewayo; but nobody doubts he is really under his orders. Well, he hasmade a raid on the district we have been speaking about, with a largeforce of Zulus. They have burnt to the ground every house in it; drivenoff the whole of the cattle, and murdered every man, woman, and childthat came in their way."
"The district between Utrecht and Umvalosa?" said Baylen. "What canhave made Umbelini, or rather Cetewayo, choose that? Why, that is thevery district which was in dispute, and which the English have awardedto him! That is strange!"
"Well, the English have awarded it to him, no doubt," assented Hardy."But they didn't give it to him out and out, as he expected perhaps.The rights of the settlers living in it were to be respected. ProbablyCetewayo wishes to show his contempt for their decision. At all events,there is no doubt that he is showing studied disregard of Sir HenryBulwer's demands. There is this business of the violation of theEnglish territory, and the murder of the two women by Sirayo. Hisanswers about that amount really to an insult. It is what I have longsupposed, that, although he will not himself attack the English, hewants to provoke them to attack him."
"I suppose it must be so; and the English will be driven to declare war.But about this raid by Umbelini. How far has it spread? Is it likelyto spread further? Will it reach Umvalosa?"
"It has not got there yet, and I don't think it will. The place isincapable of resisting an attack; but I think Umbelini has already gotas much spoil as he can carry away. Besides, the English forces areadvancing to Rorke's Drift, and he will avoid any collision with them."
"If Umvalosa is not attacked, we might rest as usual on our way there.It is one day's journey, you know, from Horner's Kraal."
"Rest? What, at Rogers' station, Dykeman's Hollow?"
"Yes; we always rest there. I know Mr Rogers is away in England. Butwe should be made welcome all the same."
"Not a doubt of it. But you would find his station deserted. When theyheard of Umbelini's approach, his head men packed his waggons with hishousehold goods and valuables, and drove away his cattle."
"And where have his waggons and cattle been driven to?" inquired MrBaylen. "To my station--to Horner's Kraal?"
"No; Rogers' men thought of going there; but the cattle and the contentsof the waggons would be a tempting plunder. Umbelini, who is notoriousfor his rapacity, might have sent some of his men in pu
rsuit. No; theyhave gone off to Rorke's Drift, to be under the protection of theBritish force assembling there. And that is where Mrs Baylen and allyour party and waggons must go, if you take my advice--as soon, that is,as you have recovered the one which has been left on the bank of theMooi."
"The troops assembling at Rorke's Drift! Ah, so you said just now.Then what we heard at Durban must be true; and an ultimatum has beensent to Cetewayo."
"So I am told; and that thirty days have been allowed him in which tosend an answer. If he does not do so, Zululand is to be invaded atthree different points. One