CHAPTER TWENTY.
THE BAPONGQOLO RETURN.
Notwithstanding that I, and I alone, had brought to him his bitterestenemy to be dealt with, Sifadu's manner towards me became, as time wenton, more and more one of suspicion and distrust. He feared lest Ishould desire the chieftainship of this refugee clan; for by this time Iwas as completely one of themselves as he was, and he thought, perhapsrightly, that a man who had once commanded the fighting force of a greatwarrior nation was not likely to be content to remain for ever a merenobody.
But this attitude taken up by Sifadu compelled me to do the very thingwhich he desired least, and that in self-defence. I laboured to createa following, and before I had been many moons among them I had attachedfully half the outlaws to myself. Further, I knew that in the event ofa quarrel between us I could count upon even more, for Sifadu was butindifferently liked. His bravery was beyond suspicion; indeed, it wasthrough fear of his prowess that none disputed his supremacy. But hewas of a quarrelsome disposition, fierce and terrible when roused, andhad a sullen and gloomy mind; whereas I, for my part, have ever got onwell among fighting-men, and as for gloomy thoughts, _whau_! they arethe worst kind of _muti_, worse than useless indeed. True, I who oncehad been among the first of a great nation was now an outlaw and anexile from two great nations; but men's fortunes change, and it mightwell be that in the near future my serpent would remember me, and myplace be higher than ever--indeed I dared not think how high.
News at length reached us of another great battle. The Amabuna hadagain advanced upon Nkunkundhlovu, but before they could reach it alarge _impi_ sent by Dingane had reached them. _Whau_! that was afight, said our informants. The Amabuna had drawn their waggonstogether, as their manner is, and the Amazulu strove for half a day tocarry their camp with a rush. But it was of no use. The long guns shothard and quick, and when the _impi_ got almost within striking distance,and would have swarmed over the waggons, the Amabuna loaded their gunswith several small bullets at a time, instead of only one, and ourwarriors went down in heaps. They could not stand against it, and thistime a tale of defeat was brought back to the King.
Now the Amabuna, quick to take advantage of their success, pressed onimmediately. But Dingane this time did not wait for them. He waswarned that his brother, Mpande, was plotting against him, and he knewbetter than to be caught between the Amabuna on one side and his ownrebellious people on the other. So he had decided to retire.
This was the news which reached us in our retreat, and whereas thiswould be the tract of country for which the King would make, it would beour retreat no longer. So we were forced to take a line.
Now, Sifadu's plan was to hand over the whole band of refugees toMpande, whose emissaries had been among us of late trying to win us overto the side of that prince. But my mind on the matter was different. Ihad no great opinion of Mpande, whereas Dingane was a real King--one towhom it was good to _konza_. My flight had been due to the hostilityand intriguing of Tambusa, not to the displeasure of the King; and, nowthat the Great Great One was sore pressed by his enemies, I desired towield a spear in defence of him. On this matter, too, Lalusini, whom Isaw from time to time, was of the same mind as myself, though at thattime she would not open her mind to me freely, bidding me, with a smile,to be still and wait.
Soon Sifadu, having his plans ready, called a council of the Bapongqoloto make known to the clan at large what he expected of it. The warriorscame, several hundreds of them, in full war adornments, and fully armed,and Sifadu addressed them in a long speech. He recalled how it was thatthey came to be there, living the life of exiles and outcasts. Hereminded them of their relatives slain, their houses stamped flat, theircattle seized to swell the herds of Dingane. The miserable cheat, Tola,whose bones lay broken and scattered around the nest of the black ants,in which they had put him to a just death, was only the mouthpiece ofDingane; the real oppressor was the King himself. Now, would they putthemselves beneath the foot of such a King as that when they mightobtain revenge for their wrongs, and at the same time lead a quiet lifeby doing _konza_ to one who had promised them immunity and reward ifthey aided him now? But they must do this quickly for their own sakes,for their former oppressor with what remained of his army would be uponthem in their retreat immediately.
Thus spoke Sifadu, but his words, and the words of others who argued inlike manner, were not received as he intended. By more than half ofthose assembled they were received in silence. The old instinct oftrained and disciplined warriors rendered these averse to turningagainst the King, especially so great a king as Dingane. Besides, itwas by no means certain that even a combination of both forces againsthim would be attended with success. Then, too, they could not bringthemselves to enter into alliance with the Amabuna.
Then I spoke. I pointed out that there were several hundreds of us--allgood fighting-men--that if we all went in to offer our spears to theKing, he, being pressed by enemies, would right gladly receive us. Soshould we all regain our place in the nation, and be outlaws no longer.
As I went on, the murmurs of assent which greeted my words grew intoshouts. The people had long been tired of their runaway state, and herewas a chance to set themselves right. They were also not a little tiredof the rule of Sifadu.
This Sifadu saw, and leaping up, his countenance ablaze with fury, hecame at me, his great spear aloft. So quickly was it done that I hadbarely time to throw up my shield. So powerful the blow that the bladepierced the tough bull-hide and stuck fast. Then Sifadu, following uphis attack in swift fury, struck over my shield with his knob-stick. Itwas a terrible blow, and partly reached me. I felt half stunned, butinfuriate with the pain. So, with a shout, I quit defence and went atSifadu with a will.
A frightful commotion now arose. The friends of Sifadu would haverushed to his aid, but that they saw that those favourable to me weremore numerous. These sprung to meet them, and all being fully armed itlooked as though a bloody battle was about to be fought. But some criedaloud against interference, saying that the two of as should strive forthe mastery, and to this counsel I added my voice. Sifadu, though, hadno voice save to growl and grind his teeth like a maddened beast.
So we fought, we two--none hindering. Our shields flapped together, andfor a moment we were immovable--pressing each other equally hard--eachstriving to run in under the guard of the other. Then thespear-blades--Sifadu having disentangled his--would flash and glancelike threads of fire as we leaped and feinted--yet neither of us able todrive home either stroke or stab. A silence had fallen upon theonlookers now, and every head was bent eagerly forward. All this Icould see, while never taking my gaze from my enemy.
At last my chance came. Pretending to stumble, I threw myself forward,and with one swift sweep of my assegai I sheared through Sifadu's leg,gashing the thigh to the bone. He sank to the earth uttering a terriblehowl. All the muscles were divided--from the principal blood-vesselsred jets were spurting. _Whau_! He was in a sea of it. But even then,weakening each moment, he gathered strength to hurl his great knobstickat my face. I was prepared for this, however, and caught it on myshield; nor did I hurry to run in and finish him, knowing that while hecould move a finger he would still gather himself together for one lastdesperate slash at me.
"_Hamba-gahle_, Sifadu," I said--not mocking him. "This quarrel was notof my seeking, but the son of Ntelani never yet refused a fight."
He made no reply, glaring at me in hate until very soon he sank downinto unconsciousness and death. And all the warriors shouted in assentof my words, save some few--near friends of Sifadu; but for them I carednothing. And presently some of the older among them came to me, and wetalked. We agreed to carry out my plan of returning to the nation, andthat at once.
"_Whau_, Untuswa! Thou hast commanded men from thy youth; it is fittingthat thou shouldst be our leader now," said one of them, after he hadtalked. "Say I not well, brothers?" turning to the rest.
"_E-he! Siyavuma_!" ["We consent"] t
hey cried as one man. Thus,_Nkose_, I became chief of the Bapongqolo, the tribe of the Wanderers;but, in truth, the honour might be brief, indeed, for it might pleasethe King to make a quick end both of chief and tribe.
Now that we had thus decided, we sent out men to find out how thingswere going between Dingane and the enemy, and from their report wejudged that the time had arrived to come in and lie beneath the foot ofthe Elephant. The Bapongqolo women were left in concealment in therecesses of the Ngome forests, while we, to the number of severalhundreds, marched forth.
Before we crossed the White Umfolosi, I and other of the principal ofthe refugees climbed to the heights overlooking the Mahlabatini plain.It was somewhat early in the morning, but the brightness of the new daywas dimmed--dimmed by a great cloud. Far away to the southward it rose,that cloud--thicker and thicker, higher and higher--a great dull pillarof smoke. Nkunkundhlovu was in flames.
Through the thickness of the smoke-cloud we could see the red leap ofthe fire. Then was amazement our master. Had the Amabuna gained avictory--so great a victory that they had been able to penetrate to theGreat Place of the Elephant whose tread shaketh the world? _Whau_! itcould not be. The marvel was too great.
But as we looked, lo! over the rise which lay back from the river camedense black masses--masses of men--of warriors--for in the morningsunlight we could see the glint of their spears. They moved in regularrank, marching in columns, in perfect order. In perfect order! Therelay the whole situation. This was no defeat. The Great Great One, forreasons of his own, had fired Nkunkundhlovu before retreating.
Nearer they drew, those masses of warriors--on, on--rank upon rank ofthem. We saw them enter the river and cross, and for long it seemedthat the flood of the river must be arrested in its run, so vast werethe numbers that blackened it as they crossed. Our blood burned withinus at the sight of this splendid array. We longed to be among them,bearing our part as men. We had had more than enough of skulking likehunted leopards.
"Ho, Siyonyoba!" I cried to the second leader of the refugees. "Formup our spears in rank, that we go down now and throw in our lot withthese."
Right down we went. The black might of our retreating nation washalting now, rolling up in waves; and there, on the very spot where wewere finally repulsed by you English in the battle of Nodwengu, _Nkose_,when we thought to eat up your red square of soldiers, there did wewanderers, whose lives were forfeit, bring our lives in our hands to laythem at the feet of the King.
[The battle historically known to us as that of Ulundi is always termedby the Zulus the battle of Nodwengu, because fought nearest to the kraalof that name.]
I had sent on men in advance to announce our arrival, and now, as wedrew near, the army opened on either side of us so as to leave us abroad road.
A dead silence lay upon the whole dense array. I gave one glance backat those I led--led, it might be, to their death. Truly, a morewarrior-like band never desired to serve any King. Their fugitive lifehad hardened the Bapongqolo. Even the picked regiments of Dingane'sarmy could not surpass them for hardihood and uprightness of bearing;and though we were probably going to our death, my blood thrilled withpride that I was the elected leader of so splendid a band.
I gave a signal, and striking their shields in measure as they marched,the Bapongqolo raised a great song in praise of Dingane:
"There hovers aloft a bird, An eagle of war, In circles and swoop It floats above the world. The eye of that eagle Would burn up the world. But the world is allowed to live. So clement, so merciful, is that eagle who restrains his wrath. He retires but to swoop and strike again. _Hau_! The enemies of that war-eagle shall melt away like yonder smoke. A vulture who devours the flesh of men; So is that bird. Yonder is flesh that he shall presently eat. So great is he, He retires but to swoop and strike again."
So our song thundered forth as we marched straight onward. I gaveanother signal. Immediately every shield and weapon fell to the groundwith one crash, and advancing nearer weaponless, we bent low, a forestof heads, and from every tongue in one roar there ascended the"_Bayete_." For we were now in the presence of the King.
In stern silence Dingane sat gazing upon us. Then he, too, gave asignal. Immediately an armed regiment moved across our rear. Betweenus and the weapons we had thrown down stood a wall of armed men, and inthis I read our sentence of death. We had risked our chance and hadfoiled. By my counsels, I had led these hundreds of brave men to theirdoom.