The White Shield Part 7

"It seems to me," he went on, after I had uttered my thanks for his word of approval, "it seems to me that we are drawing near to the country of the Chief of the Blue Cattle, yet the choicest of those cattle have not travelled our way, nor have their owners sent to beg to be allowed to live. How do you explain this, Untuswa?"

"The Bakoni are a nation of fools, Great Great One. Their warriors are numerous, but they do not look much of warriors. They, in their ignorance, fear not the might of the all-devouring Amazula. Give but the word, Father, and the day we sight their town, there shall not be a man left."

"Thou art a lion-cub, indeed, Untuswa," said the King, with a laugh.

"No. I have another mind in this matter. I will not destroy these people, for I think to make use of them--that is, I will give them one more chance. I will send to their chief, that he delay not to come in and place his neck beneath my foot. But who to send? None but these slaves speak with the tongue of those people--and who can trust a slave?--and Masuka is too old, and to me too valuable."

This last the King said rather to himself than to me, yet I understood his meaning.

"Send me, Father," I said. "I am able to converse with these people, and who better can explain the mind of the King in such a matter?"

"That is so, Untuswa. But it is like sending thee to thy death; for, if these people are wallowing in their folly to the extent of refusing to _konza_ to me, it is as likely as not they will slay my messenger. And it is not a very great death for a fighting captain."

"When a man dies in the service of the King, any death is a great death," I answered. "Send me, Black Elephant."

Umzilikazi took snuff a moment and pondered.

"I will send thee, son of Ntelani," he said. "Who now is there to bear thee company, for thou must go alone, with one other, and four slaves to carry thy game. I will not that an _induna_ of the King go before the chief of a numerous nation unattended."

It was, as the King had said, a dangerous service. The Bakoni, I knew, were relying on their numbers. It was extremely probable they would put me to death in the first instance, and, at any rate, certain that they would do so later, when they realised that our _impis_ were actually drawing near to sweep them off the face of the earth. Yet I felt sure that the Great Great One had some reason in sending me; and, even had I not, never was I known to think twice when ordered to any post of danger. I was the only _induna_ with the King there in our advanced camp, but among the royal body-guard was that aforementioned younger brother of mine, Mgwali, son of the same mother as Sekweni, who was put to death for suffering himself to be overpowered at his post. Him now I named to the King.

"It is well," said Umzilikazi. "Go now to this chief named Tauane, which appears to mean in the tongue of his race, 'A Young Lion,' and say that not many days off draweth near an old lion, whose roar is louder-- that unless I behold the usual tribute, brought by himself in person, before we are within a day's march of his town, he and his people are already dead. Go!"

I stood before the King, cried aloud the _Bayete_, and strode off. I armed myself with my great war-shield, several strong a.s.segais, and a heavy k.n.o.bstick. Then I took in my hand the King's a.s.segai, and sent for my brother Mgwali.

"Pick out four of the slaves, load them with such things as we need for a long march, and follow me. It is the 'word' of the King!"

I stepped forth from the camp with my face turned northward. Before I had gone far I heard a sound of singing, and footsteps behind me, and immediately I was overtaken by my brother, and behind him the four Amaholi bearing loads.

"Whither are we bound, son of my father?" he asked, now that he had time for speech. I told him.

"_Whau_! It is like the King sending two men to take a whole nation by the beard!" he said, with a joyous laugh. "Yet, Untuswa, I am glad to be one of those chosen, for know that I am tired of my own hair, and would fain wear the ring instead of it. Moreover, thou sayest that these Bakoni maidens are fair."

"Thou shalt soon see for thyself, Mgwali. Yet it may be that a grimmer embrace awaits us both in their town. How likest thou that, son of my father?"

"I care not. _Hau! Ibubese_!" he cried, hurling an a.s.segai with the quickness of lightning at a long, yellow gliding shape, which had darted from a thicket in front of us. But the lion uttered a quick, frightened yelp, and made off unhurt. The spear had fallen short.

"No more of that--no more of that!" I cried, in anger. "We are on the King's service, boy. No time have we to stop and hunt. Our game lies yonder, and it may be yet more dangerous than the slaying of lions."

Not many days had we to travel before we drew near the Great Place of the Bakoni; and, from the commotion which our appearance excited among the inhabitants of such outlying kraals as we pa.s.sed, we felt pretty sure that the news of our approach had already been conveyed to the chief. And such, indeed, was the case; for on the last rise, which should bring us within sight of the town, we were surrounded by two large bands of armed warriors.

"Delay us not," I cried haughtily, with a wave of the hand, as these made as though they would have drawn up across our path. "Delay us not.

We carry the 'word' of the Black Elephant to the Chief of the Blue Cattle."

We did not halt, we did not slacken our pace. We marched right into the midst of that company of armed men as though none were there. They gave way in silence, but formed up on either side of us in the manner of an escort, and in this order we drew near to the town--not exchanging a word, though we could hear the slaves behind, who bore our burdens, whispering to each other excitedly. Thus we entered, and as we did so the same thought was in both our minds. How, and in what manner should we depart from it again?

The plain for some distance outside the town was dotted about with people: women in groups, men with weapons in their hands, children herding the sleek, blue-coloured cattle, but all gazing with unbounded curiosity upon two men walking alone into their midst as though kings over them, and such indeed we felt.

In those days, _Nkose_, I was at the very height of my strength and manhood. Now I am old and wrinkled, but I am not short. Then I was of a largeness of limb in proportion to my lofty stature. My body was a framework of hard muscles, and indeed there was not a man in our nation who could overcome me in strength or surpa.s.s me in agility, in which my brother, Mgwali, was somewhat my inferior; yet even he was a giant in comparison with the people among whom we now were, though in other matters than strength and stature they seemed far from being a race of fools. Indeed, I have thought since that the King may have had such a contrast in his eye when he sent me to represent him among these people.

If this place had struck me as large before, it now seemed doubly so.

In among the huts, too, were strange circular stone walls, here and there, looking like old and strong buildings, for their strength was immense. The huts were without end; they were built of gra.s.s, rising to a point, and were neat and clean. We were conducted to one, and bidden to rest, for that the chief would confer with us on the morrow.

"That may not be," I said decidedly. "This night must the 'word' of the Great King be spoken. To-morrow may be too late for ye, O people of the Blue Cattle."

"_E--he_!" a.s.sented my brother.

Our escort looked at one another, and their looks were blank. However, they invited us to enter the hut, saying that food and drink should be brought us, and that meanwhile my words should be carried to the ears of Tauane.

We had finished the piece of beef which had been sent us, and had drained the large bowl of _tywala_, when messengers arrived to announce that the council of the nation would be convened at sundown, and that the "word" to be returned to our King would then be made known to us.

At the appointed time we set forth, Mgwali and I, fully armed, and bearing our shields. As we walked behind our guides, I noted the intense curiosity which our appearance was inspiring, and laughed to myself. For I heard the bystanders, especially the women, comparing our stature and fierce aspect with that of their own people, and saying if we were representatives of that horrible race--of which they had already begun to hear--then, indeed, they were as good as dead. Moreover, while not appearing to do so, I took note of the high fortified hill, which lay a little way back from the town, and thought I could find a way up it--wherein, however, I might have been wrong.

The men of the nation were gathered in an immense half-circle, like the formation of one of our _impis_ when throwing out flanking "horns."

They sat at the upper end of a great open square, and in the bend of the half-circle were grouped the princ.i.p.al councillors and chiefs, and, a little in advance of the rest, clothed in the skin of a maned lion, and wearing ornaments of gold, sat the chief, Tauane. Behind were several huts of much larger size than any of the others.

Although those immediately in front of us were not armed, yet the ranks on either side showed a perfect glitter of spears. The shields were square, and not made of oxhide, like ours, but of wood. We knew at a glance that, were our death intended, we should stand no chance whatever. Two men, however brave, however well armed, would be nothing among these.

"Greeting, Chief of the Blue Cattle!" I said, as we drew near.

"Remember you the name of Untuswa, son of Ntelani, and an _induna_ of the Great King? It is a name I promised you should hear again."

Tauane frowned, and I could see his gaze rest meaningly on our weapons.

These we had gone so far as to hold in our left hands only, extending the right, open and in greeting. Further, he expected we should have bent down before him; but I, an _induna_ of the King, a Zulu of pure blood, and coming of a kingly house, thought myself an immeasurably greater man than even the head chief of such a large and wealthy tribe as this.

"Is the nation gathered to hear my message, the 'word' of the Great Great One?" I asked, without further ceremony.

"Speak it, stranger," said the chief shortly.

"This it is, then, Chief of the Blue Cattle, and councillors and people of the Bakoni. The 'word' of Umzilikazi, the Great King--the Black Elephant, whose tread shaketh the world--is short, even as the measure he meteth out to they who think to defy him. This it is:--'Go, now, to this chief, Tauane, the lion-cub, and say that not many days off there draweth near an old lion, whose roar is louder than his own--that unless I behold the usual tribute, brought by himself in person, before we are within a day's march of his town, he and his people are already dead.'

Such was the word of the founder of nations, the eater-up of disobedient peoples, O Tauane, and councillors of the Bakoni."

I was not sure, _Nkose_ that that moment was not my last. Such a chorus of rage went up from the armed ranks as I delivered my message as might have been heard a great way off.

"To death with him!" they roared. "To death with the man who wears the black ring! Let him be burnt in the fire!"

But of all this I took no notice. I even gave a slight laugh, as I stood, with my head thrown back, looking down upon Tauane.

"Such is the word of the Great Great One," I repeated, slowly.

"Have you ever done a bolder act, stranger?" said Tauane. "Hear you these? They howl for the blood of him who has insulted their nation and chief. Have you ever done a bolder act?"

"I have, indeed--an act which has won me the _isicoco_ I wear--also this"--holding forth the King's a.s.segai. "If they howl now, what will they do when the 'word' of Umzilikazi, the mighty King, is not obeyed.

Never does he send forth his 'word' twice. Now, when wilt thou _konza_ to the Elephant, O Tauane? The sooner the better!"

The howl that went up now was terrible to hear. The dense lines of armed warriors sprang to their feet and hurled themselves upon us, spears uplifted.

Mgwali and I stood back to back, covered by our shields. We would die like Zulu warriors, but before we did so the King's a.s.segai should cleave in twain the heart of the chief. This Tauane knew, and made furious signs to his people to forbear. But they would not listen, and it seemed that in a moment more we should fall beneath the weight of the corpses of the Bakoni whom we would carry with us to the Dark Unknown, when there arose a new and sudden tumult out beyond the lines of those who would have slain us.

Up the open square men were running--fleeing as before some great and unknown terror--calling out wildly and looking back as they ran. Every hand was stayed, each uplifted weapon lowered. Away, over the plain, dust-clouds were moving, and soon we could descry among them the advancing horns of driven cattle. Our hearts leaped. Soon we expected to behold the avenging spears of our nation. The King had repented him of our errand of peace. Our army was even now hurrying to sweep this rebellious people from the land.