The White Shield Part 28

As they marched past, a quick, keen flash darted down from heaven immediately upon the singer, whom all men thought was stricken--yet not; for in the sudden silence that followed, and the muttering rumble of the thunder-tone, she still stood--that splendid daughter of a race of kings--her eyes still turned skyward, her form outlined in its beautiful curves against the livid blue of the storm-cloud.

After this we marched in silence, no more singing or noise of any kind being allowed. But as we held on swiftly through the night, this great array of armed men, like a destroying flight of locusts in its straight, fell course, the echo of that wonderful song was still in every ear, its burden in every heart; and it seemed to each warrior that he had the strength of ten; for the Song of the s.h.i.+eld was surely the song of victory.

To us came from time to time runners, bearing tidings from Mgwali. No move forward had been made by the _impi_ from Zululand, yet now and again, far below upon the plain, our outpost, which had taken the place of that of Mhlangana, could discern a point of white, which was the swift signal of those who had been posted at intervals to watch, and pa.s.s along word to Dingane's leaders.

"_Whau_! We will give them a brave good-morning, Untuswa," said the King, as, having gained our position along the ridges of Ink.u.me, shortly after midnight, the Great Great One and I had crept carefully up to Mgwali's outlook. "See, now, I desire not to hurry the battle, yet the sun will not be very high before we shall whisper them to come on. Thy strategy has been good, Untuswa, yet perchance they will remember the pa.s.s in the Kwahlamba and fear to enter this. Ah! would that we could roll down the mountain itself upon them here as there. It would save us many men."

This we could not do, for the straight cliffs shooting up from, the defile were smooth and firm. No loose rocks were here, hardly a few small stones, so firm were the iron crests of the mountain.

Now I had endeavoured to dissuade the King from accompanying us, pointing out that in the event of our destruction he could, on receiving tidings thereof, safely fall back upon Kalipe's _impi_ and thus retreat, building up the nation afresh. But my words were laughed at.

"What, Untuswa? Shall I show my back to an enemy because he is strong?"

had said Umzilikazi. "Have the horns of the Bull been cut off that he can no longer gore? _Whau_! thou art brave, son of Ntelani--braver there is none--but young. The generals.h.i.+p that rolled back the _impi_ of Tshaka shall roll back that of Dingane, or--_Whau_! I would rather die with a great nation than live to reign over a small one."

Thus spake Umzilikazi, and I think, _Nkose_, he knew that the life of our nation was an uncertain thing that day, for he took in all the lay of the ground, every stone, every rock, every place or point that could offer us the smallest advantage, with the eye of the great leader he was. Yet with my generals.h.i.+p he interfered not one jot, thoroughly approving it.

Beneath us lay the entrance to the pa.s.s, where I had beheld the huge ghost-animal squatted howling, and this widened out into a broad hollow, opening on the outer side, as it were, through great gates between slanting ridges or spurs, rocky and steep; and on the nearer side of these ridges ran up the two great rifts: one on the right hand, the other on the left.

Our force was divided into three. Under cover of the darkness, as the moon sank low, we disposed companies of warriors in each of these side rifts, while, some little way back, within the pa.s.s, and where the rocks narrowed, so that but a few men could hold it against an army, were posted picked fighters, including a section of my regiment, The Scorpions. These were to hold the pa.s.sage against the invaders, while we, swooping down upon them from either side, would have them in a trap.

The party within the pa.s.s was under one Gasibona, a brother of that Gungana who had held the command which was now mine, and a brave and skilful fighter. The bulk of The Scorpions were under the second chief, Xulawayo, for the King had ordered me to remain with him during the earlier part of the battle.

"The white s.h.i.+eld will be needed later, son of Ntelani," he said. And I understood.

The sun rose in a ball of flame, and the world grew light. Faraway over the plain beneath us we could see the dewdrops sparkling on the gra.s.s and in the bush sprays; but there was no game in sight, not even a small buck. It had fled from the disturbing presence of the Zulu host. Fair and bright now seemed this place, which seen by night was awesome and ghostly. Time went by. Our warriors, rank upon rank, squatted behind their s.h.i.+elds eager for the moment, for here, indeed, was an enemy worthy of our strength. No miserable Bapedi or skulking Barutsi these, but men of our own blood, the disciplined troops of mighty Zulu-land.

Now the word was given to show the signal. Three times it waved--the white blanket--and, immediately after, we beheld a white spot showing far away on the plain beneath; then another beyond this. The word was being pa.s.sed along the line of sentinels that the _impi_ might now advance in safety.

The King, with Mc.u.mbete and two or three more of the _izinduna_, lay hidden among the crags at the highest point overlooking the pa.s.s, hence he might direct our operations by signal, which we then and there arranged. My plan was simple--namely, to draw the host of Mhlangana into the hollow formed by the Place of the Three Rifts, and, at the moment they were about to enter the pa.s.s, to fall upon them flank and rear. By this means I hoped to strike terror and confusion among them, so completely would they be taken by surprise. I reckoned that we should slay a great number in the first moments of panic, and, by reducing the odds against us, could, without difficulty, defeat them with enormous slaughter. _Au_ but I reckoned without the generals.h.i.+p of Silwane.

"They come, Great Great One," I whispered.

Now we could see the sheen of spears, as the _impi_, looking like an immense ma.s.s of black ants, appeared in the far distance. We watched it draw near, and it seemed that our victory was a.s.sured. It was advancing in loose order, having no fear or thought of surprise, as indeed why should it have, seeing that its own outpost had signalled the road clear? Ah, they little knew, those warriors of Dingane, that ours was the outpost--ours the signal--luring them to destruction and defeat.

"By the head-ring of my father, but yonder are splendid soldiers!" said the King as we watched the _impi_ draw near. "Yet had we but Kalipe's force not one of them should be left alive to return and tell Dingane of the strength or weakness of the Amandebeli. Say now, Untuswa. Which is Mhlangana?"

"I see him not, Black Elephant. Perhaps he lingers in rear of the march, fearing no attack."

"Ha! It may be so. Go now, son of Ntelani, for the hunting dogs of Dingane draw very near. They shall soon feel the horns of the Bull."

As I started off to join my division, which was halted in the great rift beneath, which ran up from the hollow on the left of the King as he faced it, I could see that the _impi_ was still quite unsuspicious. I saw, too, that in numbers it was slightly inferior to ourselves; but then, against that, our force comprised about two regiments of enrolled slaves, who could not altogether be depended upon, even to save themselves from the a.s.segai. Excepting the few warriors left to guard the pa.s.s, our entire force was ma.s.sed in these two rifts, half in each, and we lay facing each other, awaiting the signal of the King.

But the strategy of Silwane baffled us. Instead of approaching in the same loose and open order to thread the defile, he sent forward an advance guard of about four hundred men.

They pa.s.sed our hiding-place, for we lay securely concealed. But when they came opposite the mouth of the other rift, they somehow discovered the presence of warriors--armed and lurking. Then Xulawayo, who was in command on that side, ordered a charge, hoping to fall on these men and slay them before they could convey the alarm to the rest. It was a vain thought, however, for these soldiers of Dingane, so far from giving way, raised their war-cry, and stood awaiting the attack.

Further concealment was useless. The whole _impi_ came pouring into the hollow, fearless, but widely alert.

Kept well in hand by their sub-chiefs, they fought splendidly at first.

Directly they came in touch with our lines they charged, and charged straight. _Whau_! We had not reckoned upon this, and soon our regiments of slaves gave way and began to flee, throwing us back in confusion.

Ha! Then followed a wild din. The hollow was a ma.s.s of broad s.h.i.+elds and fighting forms, surging wildly hither and thither, and the rocks rang with the clash of wood and hard hide; the thunder of the war-shout, the wild death-yell, and the choking groans of the wounded, smitten unto death. Ha! we "saw red"; our one thought was--blood--blood--ah! and it flowed--yes, it flowed! _Hau_! that fight was short and sharp. Nearly half our strength lay slain or sorely wounded, and the men of Dingane had lost nearly as many. Yet we had been stamped flat that day but for a rumour that spread among our enemies that a large force was advancing to cut them off on their rear. That saved us. They began to retreat, yet not hurriedly and in rout, but facing us and fighting their way.

We, for our part, made no pursuit--_au_! we were glad to let them go-- and after making a show of pursuit we retreated, battered, wearied, and utterly disheartened, to the heights above the rift, where we had lain concealed at first. Some there were among us who declared we ought to rejoice, for that, great as had been our losses, still we had beaten back the might of Dingane, who in future would leave us in peace. But I knew better than that, wherefore I would not withdraw the remnant of our forces from that position, but watched and waited.

Now when the retreat began, Ngubazana the Gaza, deeming it a rout, had called a number of young warriors of The Scorpions to follow him, and this band of hotheads had plunged into the thickest of the Zulu ranks.

But these turned. _Whau_! That was no rout, and in a moment there was not one of those young fools left standing. But Ngubazana, who was much older and should have known better, was the last to fall, and he fell fighting, for quite a ring of Silwane's people went down before his spear. At last they threw a heavy k.n.o.bstick at him, which felled him, so that he dropped upon the slain which he had heaped up there, and they made an end of him.

Thus he died the death of a warrior, fighting bravely to the last; and it was a strange death for one who had left his country to become the follower and servant of a teacher of peace.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

THE BATTLE OF THE THREE RIFTS.

With gloom around our hearts, and mightily discouraged, we lay and rested, and soon there came down to us a runner from Mgwali's outpost to tell that an immense _impi_ was advancing from the direction in which the defeated and retreating Zulu force was last seen, and then we knew, if we had not known before, that, as we rested there with our shattered and broken remnant, it was but for a breathing s.p.a.ce before renewing a most desperate conflict which could have but one ending. Beneath, the hollow was heaped up with corpses--the hillsides, too. There they lay, the fiercest, bravest of our warriors, and of those of Dingane, likewise of ours the poorest; for our regiments of incorporated slaves could not stand before the stern might of Zulu, but were swept away like sheep, lying as they had fallen, in a fleeing att.i.tude. Disheartened, dispirited now, we waited for the end. Even Kalipe's _impi_, did it arrive, could hardly avail to turn the fortune of war now; yet we were resolved, determined as ever, that if a new nation were to die that day it should die hard.

While we lay thus thinking there came about a strange thing. Over the heavens a lurid cloud had been spreading, and it might have been this which had brought the matter back to men's recollection. For in the air there thrilled the notes of that sweet, strange song--the Song of the s.h.i.+eld. Did it spring out of the very heavens? None could tell. All gazed eagerly up, for all heard it. Those who were weary and resting sprang to their feet, filled with fresh life. Those who were binding up wounds let that be, and, staring around, uttered e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.ns of awe and surprise. It seemed to spring from beneath the brow of the great iron-faced cliff, and to soar out thence in wreaths of sound. Could the singer be there hidden? No; that was impossible. But we--we listened, and it seemed that life lay outspread anew before our eyes.

Now there befell that which made our ears deaf once more to the Song of the s.h.i.+eld. Afar on the plain beneath came into sight that which we had been expecting--the remnant of the Zulu host, and the _impi_ which had reinforced it, spread out in half-moon formation, covering an immense distance. It swept on, black and terrible, and we could see the glittering roll of its spear-points like the breaking crest of a huge wave in the sunlight, could hear the sweep and clash of its s.h.i.+elds like winds shaking a forest. _Whau_! It looked terrible, that great _impi_, Fresh and strong, it would eat us up easily, for it was almost double our own numbers, and we were already crushed, dispirited, and weary.

And now the foremost of this new host came beneath, marching in dense serried ranks, victory already gleaming in the eyes of the plumed warriors almost visible to us where we lay; the countless array of broad s.h.i.+elds, and the splendid discipline of their march--all this we marked as we lay. Sweeping rapidly onward they came, company after company.

Their numbers seemed to have no end, and then the war-song of Dingane came rolling up the slope:

"_Us' eziteni!

Asiyikuza sababona_!"

Note: "Thou art in among the enemy!

We shall never get to see them!"

Meaning: "There will be none left by the time we come up!"

In fierce, long-drawn, throaty barks, the words were jerked forth, like the baying of an army of large and ferocious dogs. And we were their game. Then, as the song was hushed for a moment, there quivered forth upon the air--this time loud and clear, and strong--the melody which turned our hearts to iron once more--the Song of the s.h.i.+eld.

Its words were caught up by our warriors, and thundered forth in a frenzy of delight. Now we believed we should defeat that huge host.

_Au_! and we were to them but a handful!

The song of Dingane had ceased now, and in silence the great _impi_ was climbing the spur of the hill, which it had already shut in with the dense half-circle of its formation. Behind us was the hard, smooth cliff--the face of the mountain--before us, Mhlangana's spears. _Whau_!

it recalled to my mind the day we stormed the fortified hill of the Bakoni. Only to-day these should find lions--not miserable jackals-- lions who knew how to die biting.

Now, looking up to the high point where the King sat and watched the battle, and at times directed it, I beheld a signal--a strange signal, whereat I marvelled greatly, for it directed me to leave the high position we were on and charge down upon the densest ranks of the Zulu "horn." But discipline among the King's troops was absolute, wherefore I hesitated not a moment, but crying to my "Scorpions" to follow me, I went--we all went--I waving the white s.h.i.+eld aloft. Below we could see the astonished looks of those whose spears were upraised to receive us.

The place we were now in, _Nkose_, was a hollow, half way up the slope, and shut in by steep walls and terraces of rock like the stairs in a white man's house. And now I beheld another signal--the signal to turn and stand.

Down the stair-like place a crowd of men were pouring after us. Yet their look was not that of warriors in triumphant pursuit, such as it ought to be, for these men were the men of Mhlangana and they were sure of us, had us securely trapped, we being shut in between lines of spears. They wore rather the look of men who flee, and, indeed, such it appeared was the case, for above I could see the other half of my regiment of "Scorpions" showering down a.s.segais upon them, pressing them hard down this steep and stony path which they knew not, but which we knew.

Now as we rushed forward to make an end of them before those below could climb up, I beheld upon one of the rock stairs a man--a tall, broad man, whose back was turned to me as he gave some order to those he led.

_Whau_! I knew that back, for I had seen it before; had seen it rise out of nowhere, the night that the moon grew black. I was about to launch a casting a.s.segai, which could not have missed, when, hard as our case was, I remembered that it was not fitting that one of the brother Kings of Zululand should be slain from behind, pierced through the back.