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〃I don't know；〃 I said。 〃Tell me； when am I going to get out of this
place？〃
〃How can I tell you； Macumazahn？〃 Naya replied； patting my hand in her
genial way； 〃but I think before long。 When you are gone； Macumazahn；
remember me kindly sometimes； as I have really tried to make you as
comfortable as I could with a watcher staring through every straw in the
hut。〃
I said whatever seemed to be appropriate； and next morning my
deliverance came。 While I was eating my breakfast in the courtyard at
the back of the hut； Naya thrust her handsome and pleasant face round
the corner and said that there was a messenger to see me from the king。
Leaving the rest of the meal unswallowed； I went to the doorway of the
yard and there found my old friend； Kambula。
〃Greeting； Inkoos；〃 he said to me； 〃I am come to take you back to Natal
with a guard。 But I warn you to ask me no questions； for if you do I
must not answer them。 Dingaan is ill； and you cannot see him； nor can
you see the white praying…man； or anyone； you must come with me at
once。〃
〃I do not want to see Dingaan；〃 I replied； looking him in the eyes。
〃I understand；〃 answered Kambula； 〃Dingaan's thoughts are his thoughts
and your thoughts are your thoughts； and perhaps that is why he does not
want to see _you_。 Still； remember； Inkoos； that Dingaan has saved your
life； snatching you unburned out of a very great fire； perhaps because
you are of a different sort of wood； which he thinks it a pity to burn。
Now； if you are ready； let us go。〃
〃I am ready；〃 I answered。
At the gate I met Naya； who said：
〃You never thought to say good…bye to me； White Man； although I have
tended you well。 Ah！ what else could I expect？ Still； I hope that if I
should have to fly from this land for _my_ life； as may chance； you will
do for me what I have done for you。〃
〃That I will；〃 I answered； shaking her by the hand； and； as it happened；
in after years I did。
Kambula led me； not through the kraal Umgungundhlovu； but round it。 Our
road lay immediately past the death mount； Hloma Amabutu； where the
vultures were still gathered in great numbers。 Indeed； it was actually
my lot to walk over the new…picked bones of some of my companions who
had been despatched at the foot of the hill。 One of these skeletons I
recognised by his clothes to be that of Samuel Esterhuizen； a very good
fellow； at whose side I had slept during all our march。 His empty
eye…sockets seemed to stare at me reproachfully； as though they asked me
why I remained alive when he and all his brethren were dead。 I echoed
the question in my own mind。 Why of that great company did I alone
remain alive？
An answer seemed to rise within me： That I might be one of the
instruments of vengeance upon that devilish murderer； Dingaan。 Looking
upon those poor shattered and desecrated frames that had been men； I
swore in my heart that if I lived I would not fail in that mission。 Nor
did I fail； although the history of that great repayment cannot be told
in these pages。
Turning my eyes from this dreadful sight； I saw that on the opposite
slope； where we had camped during our southern trek from Delagoa； still
stood the huts and wagons of the Reverend Mr。 Owen。 I asked Kambula
whether he and his people were also dead。
〃No； Inkoos；〃 he answered； 〃they are of the Children of George； as you
are； and therefore the king has spared them； although he is going to
send them out of the country。〃
This was good news； so far as it went； and I asked again if Thomas
Halstead had also been spared； since he； too； was an Englishman。
〃No；〃 said Kambula。 〃The king wished to save him； but he killed two of
our people and was dragged off with the rest。 When the slayers got to
their work it was too late to stay their hands。〃
Again I asked whether I might not join Mr。 Owen and trek with him； to
which Kambula answered briefly：
〃No； Macumazahn； the king's orders are that you must go by yourself。〃
So I went； nor did I ever again meet Mr。 Owen or any of his people。 I
believe； however； that they reached Durban safely and sailed away in a
ship called the Comet。
In a little while we came to the two milk trees by the main gate of the
kraal； where much of our saddlery still lay scattered about； though the
guns had gone。 Here Kambula asked me if I could recognise my own
saddle。
〃There it is；〃 I answered； pointing to it； 〃but what is the use of a
saddle without a horse？〃
〃The horse you rode has been kept for you； Macumazahn；〃 he replied。
Then he ordered one of the men with us to bring the saddle and bridle；
also some other articles which I selected； such as a couple of blankets；
a water…bottle； two tins containing coffee and sugar； a little case of
medicines； and so forth。
About a mile further on I found one of my horses tethered by an outlying
guard hut； and noted that it had been well fed and cared for。 By
Kambula's leave I saddled it and mounted。 As I did so； he warned me
that if I tried to ride away from the escort I should certainly be
killed； since even if I escaped them； orders had been given throughout
the land to put an end to me should I be seen alone。
I replied that； unarmed as I was； I had no idea of making any such
attempt。 So we went forward； Kambula and his soldiers walking or
trotting at my side。
For four full days we journeyed thus； keeping； so far as I could judge；
about twenty or thirty miles to the east of that road by which I had
left Zululand before and re…entered it with Retief and his commission。
Evidently I was an object of great interest to the Zulus of the country
through which we passed； perhaps because they knew me to be the sole
survivor of all the white men who had gone up to visit the king。 They
would come down in crowds from the kraals and stare at me almost with
awe； as though I were a spirit and not a man。 Only； not one of them
would say anything to me； probably because they had been forbidden to do
so。 Indeed； if I spoke to any of them； invariably they turned and
walked or ran out of hearing。
It was on the evening of the fourth day that Kambula and his soldiers
received some news which seemed to excite them a great deal。 A
messenger in a state of exhaustion； who had an injury to the fleshy part
of his left arm； which looked to me as though it had been caused by a
bullet； appeared out of the bush and said something of which； by
straining my ears； I caught two words〃Great slaughter。〃 Then Kambula
laid his fingers on his lips as a signal for silence and led the man
away； nor did I see or hear any more of him。 Afterwards I asked Kambula
who had suffered this great slaughter； whereon he stared at me
innocently and replied that he did not know of what I was speaking。
〃What is the use of lying to me； Kambula； seeing that I shall find out
the truth before long？〃
〃Then； Macumazahn； wait till you do find it out； And may it please you；〃
he replied； and went off to speak with his people at a distance。
All that night I heard them talking off and onI； who lay awake plunged
into new miseries。 I was sure that some other dreadful thing had
happened。 Probably Dingaan's armies had destroyed all the Boers； and；
if so； oh！ what had become of Marie？ Was she dead； or had she perhaps
been taken prisoner； as Dingaan had told me would be done for his own
vile purposes？ For aught I knew she might now be travelling under
escort to Umgungundhlovu； as I was travelling to Natal。
The morning came at last； and that day； about noon； we reached a ford of
the Tugela which luckily was quite passable。 Here Kambula bade me
farewell； saying that his mission was finished。 Also he delivered to me
a message that I was to give from Dingaan to the English in Natal。 It
was to this effect： That he； Dingaan； had killed the Boers who came to
visit him because he found out that they were traitors to their chief；
and therefore not worthy to live。 But that he loved the Sons of George；
who were true…hearted people； and therefore had nothing to fear from
him。 Indeed； he begged them to come and see him at his Great Place；
where he would talk matters over with them。
I said that I would deliver the message if I met any English people；
but； of course； I could not say whether they would accept Dingaan's
invitation to Umgungundhlovu。 Indeed； I feared lest that town might
have acquired such a bad name that they would prefer not to come there
without an army。
Then； before Kambula had time to take any offence； I shook his
outstretched hand and urged my horse into the stream。 I never met
Kambula again living； though after the battle of Blood River I saw him
dead。
Once over the Tugela I rode forward for half a mile or so till I was
clear of the bush and reeds that grew down to the water； fearing lest
the Zulus should follow and take me back to Dingaan t