The White Shield Part 6

The battle was over now, for none were left to fight. Our warriors, like wild beasts who had tasted blood, were rolling their eyes. .h.i.ther and thither in search of more life to destroy. But there was none.

Then something seemed to move in one of the wagons. There was a wild howl, and a rush. My brother Mgwali was first. Plunging his hand beneath some sacking, he drew out the body of a little child.

It was a girl-child, and as Mgwali plucked it from its place of shelter, and held it aloft by the back of its clothing, I could see that it was yet unhurt. But it was terribly frightened. Its great blue eyes were starting from its head, and its long hair, like s.h.i.+ning threads of sunlight, streamed down over the dark shoulder and arm of Mgwali, dabbling in the blood which yet lay undried upon him.

"_Hau_! Throw it up, Mgwali!" cried those who stood by, gripping their a.s.segais ready to receive its little body on the blades. But before this could happen I leaped to the spot.

"Hold!" I roared, extending my stick. "Hold!"

The young men snarled, like hungry dogs reft of a bone. But they dared say no word, knowing that he who disputed my orders in the field of battle tasted death that moment. Still Mgwali held the child aloft, gazing at me in wonder. But at a further glance from me he set it down.

"See!" I said. "This is not a child of the Amabuna. It has the look of a child of a race of kings!"

The little thing sat on the ground, staring at the ring of grim faces and b.l.o.o.d.y weapons, trembling, and too frightened even to cry. And there was a look about it which moved me to spare its life. Its eyes were blue as the heavens above, and its soft skin and pink cheeks, and red, flower-like mouth marked it off as quite a different race to the leather-skinned herd we had just slain. So I began to speak it fair and soft, and found that it understood a few of my words, and, lo! it crept over to me, and began to hide behind my s.h.i.+eld, hoping to shut out the fierce faces of the warriors who stood looking on, uttering many a deep-throated gasp of amazement. And well they might, _Nkose_; for here was I, the fiercest fighter of all that blood-stained _impi_--I, who had slain with my own hand as many of the foe as any other could boast of-- and yet here was this little thing, with the eyes of heaven, and hair like a stream of sunlight, shrinking up against me for protection and shelter, as though I were her father. In truth, it was strange.

Not now, however, was the time for indulging in any further softness of this kind; so, placing the little one in the care of Mgwali, and making it known that whoever should attempt to harm her should pay the penalty with his life, I went to muster the warriors, who were busy plundering the wagons. Great stores of _gwai_ were there, and sacks of corn and flour, and all manner of things which were good. Such, however, were spoil for the Great Great One, to whom, of course, we had despatched runners immediately, announcing our victory.

Now we mustered our ranks to return in triumph to the King. _Whau_! we had lost many. In heaps our slain lay around--for the long guns of the Amabuna shot quickly and true. And there, in the midst of their wagon-fort, lay the ripped corpses of the Amabuna; and already the vultures were gathering in clouds overhead. Then as we marched, black and terrible, to the place where the Great Great One awaited, with the thunder of one loud and mighty voice, the warriors sang--

"_Ningepinde nimhlab 'Umzilikazi, Leyo 'Nkunzi mnyama, Leyo 'Bubese mninimandhla!

Ca-bo! Ca-bo_!"

"Not again shall you stab Umzilikazi, That Black Bull, That Mighty Lion!

Oh, no! Oh, no!"

CHAPTER SIX.

THE BURNING OF EKUPUMULENI.

The spoils which were taken from the wagons of the Amabuna pleased the King greatly. The wagons themselves were useless to us, because none among us understood how to make the oxen draw them. So a party of men was ordered off to burn them, having first removed all the iron parts which might be of use. But what pleased the Great Great One most was the number of long guns and the plentiful supply of powder and ball which we took; and this, indeed, some of us did understand the use of moderately well. Howbeit, it was long before we became skilled in the use of them, and by that time, _Nkose_, nearly all the powder and ball was expended. But the tiny captive, with the eyes of heaven and hair like the crest of the sun, the Great Great One said I had done right to save. Yet, as he knew not what to do with her, he ordered that I should be a father to her for the present, adding that, as the last time I had spared one from the slaughter it had brought good to him and the nation--meaning the case of old Masuka--so now, perhaps, the same would hold. Now, I was right glad of the King's decision, _Nkose_, for I had already begun to look upon this little one as child of my own. So I made her over to the youngest of my wives, Fumana, who took care of her and loved her greatly.

Now, although we had made an end, utter and complete, of those Amabuna who came against us, and of the _abatagati_ among ourselves who had plotted with them, yet the mind of Umzilikazi was not at ease. For he knew something of that people, had heard how they swarmed in such numbers over the country to the westward as to leave no further room, but were crowded out, and ever moving onward to seize upon new lands.

Even then, as we had heard, they were plotting to seize land from Dingane, and if, as might befall, the Zulu power was worsted, and the House of Senzangakona forced to seek out other country, might not we have the remaining strength of Dingane falling upon us any day, even as we had fallen upon and swept aside those who lay in our own path?

Further, although of those Amabuna whom we had eaten up, not one was left alive to carry back the tidings to his own people, yet, sooner or later, such tidings would reach them, and then we might expect their vengeance. Now, if those comparatively few whom we had slain--some score and a half of families--had fought so fiercely and dealt so much death amid our ranks with their long guns, what sort of foes would their kinsfolk prove, a.s.sailing us in force and unhampered by women and children? Or they might form a temporary alliance with Dingane; and then how should we stand against the combined strength of two such terrible and formidable foes?

All these considerations were debated gravely by the King and a secret council of the _izinduna_, of whom I was one, and it was decided to abandon Ekupumuleni and the surrounding country, and to march upon and seize the fair lands occupied by the People of the Blue Cattle, upon which I had reported. Howbeit, the real reason for this decision was not to be talked about, a good and sufficient reason for the people at large being that the land upon which we meant to swoop down was better than that wherein we now dwelt.

It took time to send round to all the cattle outposts and muster the nation at large, but this was done at last. The cattle and the movable property was sent on in charge of the women and slaves, and for several days the _iza.n.u.si_ were busy making _muti_, and doctoring us all for our new undertaking. Then came the last night we were to spend in Ekupumuleni, and through the hours of darkness the wild howlings of the _iza.n.u.si_ sounded at intervals; for it was no light thing thus quitting the place which had been our home for so long a time.

But with dawn of day, when all men turned out fully armed--for a muster of our whole fighting strength had been ordered to march out from Ekupumuleni in fitting state--a s.h.i.+ver of amazement, and horror, and dismay ran through all. And well it might. For in the middle of the great open s.p.a.ce had been reared four stakes, and, impaled upon each, quivered the trussed-up body of a man; and the groan of horror and of fear deepened, for in the agonised, distorted features of those four all men recognised the traitorous _izinduna_ and the head witch-doctor, Notalwa.

This, then, was the secret of their fate, which so far had lain in dark and terrible mystery. They had been kept for such an end.

Five chief traitors had there been; yet here were but four! The first astonishment over, men looked at each other--their eyes asking in mute surprise where was the fifth? And of those who thus marvelled none wondered more than myself.

On the centre stake, raised half the height of a man above the others, was the body of Tyuyumane. On either hand of him were impaled Ncwelo and Senkonya, and, a little in front, Notalwa. Where, then, was Ntelani? Where, then, was my father? Well, wherever he was, it was not there.

The stake of impalement is a terrible thing, _Nkose_, and was seldom used among us--only once, indeed, since we had gone out from Zululand, and then in the case of three chiefs who had come in to _konza_ to Umzilikazi, and had departed, laughing at their promise. Now, however, by the hideous fate to which he had adjudged these ringleaders of the conspiracy, it was clear that the King intended to strike terror into all who might at any future time be tempted to travel the same road.

They were still alive, those wretches--for a man may live a day or more in that torment, and these had not long been on the stakes. And as we stood gazing upon them thus suffering, several _izimbonga_ came running forth from the _isiG.o.dhlo_--roaring like lions, trumpeting like elephants, bellowing like bulls--shouting the praise and the royal t.i.tles of the King. And from the whole army, ranged on either side of the open s.p.a.ce in two immense half-moons, these were taken up, and re-echoed again and again.

But Umzilikazi, advancing down the centre, with his head thrown proudly back, halted, and held up his hand.

"Cry not to me the _Bayete_, my children!" he said, in clear and ringing tones. "Cry it to your King, Tyuyumane. Behold him, yonder--your King, Tyuyumane!"

Bitter and biting as serpents were the words, splendid the gesture, as the Great Great One waved a hand towards the chief of the impaled traitors, who was raised higher than the rest. An awestruck murmur ran through the ranks. None knew what to do; for the humour of a King is of the nature of fire, in that it is not a thing to be played with.

"What? Have ye no word, my children? Have ye no greetings for your King, Tyuyumane--your new King, who reigns from a high seat? See, I will set you the example."

Then going before the stake whereon writhed Tyuyumane, the Great Great One mocked him, crying--

"Hail, Tyuyumane! Hail, new King of the Amazulu--ruler of the world!

Is thy seat high enough? Is it soft enough? Ha! Praise him, ye _izimbonga_! Cry him the _Bayete_, ye warriors!"

The impaled wretch gave a quivering heave, and his lips curled back from his jaw, baring the teeth, which were locked together in the agony of his torment. It was a fearful sight, for though ruthless in the heat of battle, yet at this moment we saw not red; and these sufferers, though deservedly thus punished, were of our own blood. Yet none pitied overmuch Notalwa, for the _iza.n.u.si_ were hated and feared by all.

"We leave thee in peace, Tyuyumane," went on Umzilikazi, still mocking.

"We go out from thee, because a nation cannot own two kings. We leave thee, but will _konza_ to thee from afar. We leave thee our royal dwelling, Ekupumuleni. We leave thee in the midst of thine _izinduna_,"--with a wave towards Ncwelo and Senkonya, between whom he was impaled. "We leave thee, too, our head _iza.n.u.si_, Notalwa, and we go forth, homeless and scanty in possessions, to seek a new home. Thou, who art weary, need travel no further. Ekupumuleni, 'the Place of Rest,' shall be thy resting-place forever. Ha! _Hlala gahle_, Tyuyumane! Rest in peace!"

With this mocking salutation, the King turned away, and, preceded by the _izimbonga_ shouting in praise of the royal justice, he paced for the last time, and with great state, through the princ.i.p.al gate of Ekupumuleni, and, mounting his horse, which was awaiting him outside, signed that we should commence our march. Then, as the immense array of armed warriors, in full war adornments, filed out of the great gate, spreading forth over the plain as the waves of a dark sea, once more was raised the song of triumph which told of our victory over the Amabuna:

"_Ningepinde nimhlab 'Umzilikazi! Ha_--_ha_--_ha! Ca-bo! Ca-bo_!"

And soon the mighty kraal which had been the home of a warrior-nation for so long a time was quite deserted--given over to those four grisly figures, writhing there upon their stakes in blood and agony.

But scarcely had the rear of the last column pa.s.sed out through the gates than flames and smoke were seen issuing from four points of the kraal at once. The King had given secret orders that it should be thus fired; and the blaze, once kindled, leaped from dome to dome of the thatch huts, running along the dry thorn fences with a crackling roar like the volleys from the guns of the Amabuna; and now in a marvellously short s.p.a.ce of time the immense circle of Ekupumuleni was wrapped in huge sheets of flame; and in the dense smoke-clouds which rolled down upon the whole of its area, before towering aloft to the heavens, the bodies upon the stakes were completely swallowed up. And then all cried aloud in praise of the mercy of the King, who had thus shortened the just suffering of those traitors by the swift death of suffocation, while rendering them such a n.o.ble tomb as the ashes of a royal dwelling.

Such then was the end of Ekupumuleni, the Place of Rest; and again as we resumed our journeyings, again as we swept northward upon our devastating way, our path might have been read by the line of the vultures in the heavens, by the track of wild beasts through the brake and the gra.s.s, running side by side with us, well knowing who should supply them with plentiful and easy prey.

Now none knew why the King should have been minded to spare my father, Ntelani, for that the latter had been spared all now knew. Yet he was cut off from all fellows.h.i.+p with his equals, and was forced to accompany our march, sullen and sad, unarmed, and in the midst of a guard consisting only of slaves. Some thought it was because he was the father of him who wielded the King's a.s.segai; others that he was reserved for an even worse fate; but all wondered he did not take his own life rather than live on thus--he an _induna_ of high degree, now forced to herd with Amaholi and the lowest of the people.

The little blue-eyed child whom I had taken from among the Amabuna had by now quite lost all fear of us, and would laugh and play as merry as the merriest of our children. My two younger wives cared for her greatly; indeed, I think they loved her more than they did their own children. But Nangeza, my _inkosikazi_, looked upon this little one with a scowling brow. It would draw ill upon us, she used to declare, to bring into our midst a child of such a race. However, beyond frowns and growlings even she dare not go; for the child had been given into my charge by the King, and to harm it meant death; nor was Nangeza tired of life just then. This little one, too, feared nothing, not even the King himself; and often, when Umzilikazi was moving abroad, and all were bowing down before him with words of _bonga_, she would dart away from those who would have restrained her, and run out all alone, and, standing before the Great Great One, throw up her tiny hand in the air, and cry aloud the _Bayete_, her blue eyes laughing up into the King's face. And he would talk softly to her, and presently send round a couple of white calves or two or three goats for her to play with. And we named her Kwelanga, from "Kanya Kwelanga," the "Light of the Sun,"

because her hair, all bright as of gold, seemed to reflect that light.

So our nation journeyed on, and more than one moon had waxed and waned.

And there was a brightening up of spirits among the warriors, and talk and songs of war; for now we knew we were drawing near the country of the People of the Blue Cattle, the land of richness and promise, the land which should be ours.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

UNTUSWA'S EMBa.s.sY.

We had halted some days at a convenient place to hunt. The King was in high good humour, for the land with each day's progress fell off in no wise from the report I had made upon it.

"In truth, Untuswa, thou art a wise man as well as a brave one, though young in years," he said one day, as we sat beneath the shade of a great tree, taking snuff; for Umzilikazi, with a number of his body-guard, and three or four _izinceku_, had gone on in advance of the remainder of the nation, intending to hunt before the game was scared out of our path.

But the game we sought was fierce and dangerous game--the lion, and the elephant, and the buffalo--and in the slaying of such none was bolder or more skilful than the King himself. I was the only _induna_ of the party, and, indeed, it seemed to me that Umzilikazi liked to find some reason for keeping me about him, even as when I was a boy and unringed.