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done。 Now this is my will； Mopo； my servant： that thou shouldst take
with thee a few men only and go gently to this Bulalio； and say to
him： 'A greater Elephant stalks through the land than he who has gone
to sleep； and it has come to his earsthat thou； Chief of the People
of the Axe； dost pay no tribute； and hast said that； because of the
death of a certain Mopo； thou wilt have nothing to do with him whose
shadow lies upon the land。 Now one Mopo is sent to thee； Slaughterer；
to know if this tale is true； for； if it be true； then shalt thou
learn the weight of the hoof of that Elephant who trumpets in the
kraal of Umgugundhlovu。 Think； then； and weigh thy words before thou
dost answer； Slaughterer。'〃
Now I； Mopo； heard the commands of the king and pondered them in my
mind； for I knew well that it was the design of Dingaan to be rid of
me for a space that he might find time to plot my overthrow； and that
he cared little for this matter of a petty chief； who； living far
away； had dared to defy Chaka。 Yet I wished to go； for there had
arisen in me a great desire to see this Bulalio； who spoke of
vengeance to be taken for one Mopo； and whose deeds were such as the
deeds of Umslopogaas would have been； had Umslopogaas lived to look
upon the light。 Therefore I answered：
〃I hear the king。 The king's word shall be done； though； O King； thou
sendest a big man upon a little errand。〃
〃Not so； Mopo；〃 answered Dingaan。 〃My heart tells me that this chicken
of a Slaughterer will grow to a great cock if his comb is not cut
presently； and thou； Mopo； art versed in cutting combs； even of the
tallest。〃
〃I hear the king；〃 I answered again。
So； my father； it came about that on the morrow； taking with me but
ten chosen men； I； Mopo； started on my journey towards the Ghost
Mountain； and as I journeyed I thought much of how I had trod that
path in bygone days。 Then； Macropha； my wife； and Nada； my daughter；
and Umslopogaas； the son of Chaka； who was thought to be my son；
walked at my side。 Now； as I imagined； all were dead and I walked
alone； doubtless I also should soon be dead。 Well； people lived few
days and evil in those times； and what did it matter？ At the least I
had wreaked vengeance on Chaka and satisfied my heart。
At length I came one night to that lonely spot where we had camped in
the evil hour when Umslopogaas was borne away by the lioness； and once
more I looked upon the cave whence he had dragged the cub； and upon
the awful face of the stone Witch who sits aloft upon the Ghost
Mountain forever and forever。 I could sleep little that night； because
of the sorrow at my heart； but sat awake looking； in the brightness of
the moon； upon the grey face of the stone Witch； and on the depths of
the forest that grew about her knees； wondering the while if the bones
of Umslopogaas lay broken in that forest。 Now as I journeyed； many
tales had been told to me of this Ghost Mountain； which all swore was
haunted； so said some； by men in the shape of wolves； and so said
some； by the Esemkofuthat is； by men who have died and who have been
brought back again by magic。 They have no tongues； the Esemkofu； for
had they tongues they would cry aloud to mortals the awful secrets of
the dead； therefore； they can but utter a wailing like that of a babe。
Surely one may hear them in the forests at night as they wail 〃Ai！
ah！ Aiah！〃 among the silent trees！
You laugh； my father； but I did not laugh as I thought of these tales；
for； if men have spirits； where do the spirits go when the body is
dead？ They must go somewhere； and would it be strange that they should
return to look upon the lands where they were born？ Yet I never
thought much of such matters； though I am a doctor； and know something
of the ways of the Amatongo； the people of the ghosts。 To speak truth；
my father； I have had so much to do with the loosing of the spirits of
men that I never troubled myself overmuch with them after they were
loosed； there will be time to do this when I myself am of their
number。
So I sat and gazed on the mountain and the forest that grew over it
like hair on the head of a woman； and as I gazed I heard a sound that
came from far away； out of the heart of the forest as it seemed。 At
first it was faint and far off； a distant thing like the cry of
children in a kraal across a valley； then it grew louder； but still I
could not say what it might be； now it swelled and swelled； and I knew
itit was the sound of wild beats at chase。 Nearer came the music；
the rocks rang with it； and its voice set the blood beating but to
hearken to it。 That pack was great which ran a…hunting through the
silent night； and now it was night； on the other side of the slope
only； and the sound swelled so loud that those who were with me awoke
also and looked forth。 Now of a sudden a great koodoo bull appeared
for an instant standing out against the sky on the crest of the ridge；
then vanished in the shadow。 He was running towards us； presently we
saw him again speeding on his path with great bounds。 We saw this also
forms grey and gaunt and galloping； in number countless； that leaped
along his path； appearing on the crest of the rise； disappearing into
the shadow； seen again on the slope； lost in the valley； and with them
two other shapes； the shapes of men。
Now the big buck bounded past us not half a spear's throw away； and
behind him streamed the countless wolves； and from the throats of the
wolves went up that awful music。 And who were these two that came with
the wolves； shapes of men great and strong？ They ran silently and
swift； wolves' teeth gleamed upon their heads； wolves' hides hung
about their shoulders。 In the hands of one was an axethe moonlight
shone upon itin the hand of the other a heavy club。 Neck and neck
they ran； never before had we seen men travel so fast。 See！ they sped
down the slope towards us； the wolves were left behind； all except
four of them； we heard the beating of their feet； they came； they
passed； they were gone； and with them their unnumbered company。 The
music grew faint； it died； it was dead； the hunt was far away； and the
night was still again！
〃Now； my brethren；〃 I asked of those who were with me； 〃what is this
that we have seen？〃
Then one answered； 〃We have seen the Ghosts who live in the lap of the
old Witch； and those men are the Wolf…Brethren； the wizards who are
kings of the Ghosts。〃
CHAPTER XXIII
MOPO REVEALS HIMSELF TO THE SLAUGHTERER
All that night we watched； but we neither saw nor heard any more of
the wolves； nor of the men who hunted with them。 On the morrow； at
dawn； I sent a runner to Bulalio； chief of the People of the Axe；
saying that a messenger came to him from Dingaan； the king； who
desired to speak with him in peace within the gates of his kraal。 I
charged the messenger； however； that he should not tell my name； but
should say only that it was 〃Mouth of Dingaan。〃 Then I and those with
me followed slowly on the path of the man whom I sent forward； for the
way was still far； and I had bidden him return and meet me bearing the
words of the Slaughterer； Holder of the Axe。
All that day till the sun grew low we talked round the base of the
great Ghost Mountain； following the line of the river。 We met no one；
but once we came to the ruins of a kraal； and in it lay the broken
bones of many men； and with the bones rusty assegais and the remains
of ox…hide shields； black and white in colour。 Now I examined the
shields； and knew from their colour that they had been carried in the
hands of those soldiers who； years ago； were sent out by Chaka to seek
for Umslopogaas； but who had returned no more。
〃Now；〃 I said； 〃it has fared ill with those soldiers of the Black One
who is gone； for I think that these are the shields they bore； and
that their eyes once looked upon the world through the holes in yonder
skulls。〃
〃These are the shields they bore； and those are the skulls they wore；〃
answered one。 〃See； Mopo； son of Makedama； this is no man's work that
has brought them to their death。 Men do not break the bones of their
foes in pieces as these bones are broken。 Wow！ men do not break them；
but wolves do； and last night we saw wolves a…hunting； nor did they
hunt alone； Mopo。 Wow！ this is a haunted land！〃
Then we went on in silence； and all the way the stone face of the
Witch who sits aloft forever stared down on us from the mountain top。
At length； an hour before sundown； we came to the open lands； and
there； on the crest of a rise beyond the river； we saw the kraal of
the People of the Axe。 It was a great kraal and well built； and their
cattle were spread about the plains like to herds of game for number。
We went to the river and passed it by the ford； then sat down and
waited； till presently I saw the man whom I had sent forward returning
towards us。 He came and saluted me； and I asked him for news。
〃This is my news； Mopo；〃 he said： 〃I have seen him who is named
Bulalio； and he is a great manlong and lean； with a fierce face； and
carrying a mighty axe； such an axe as he bore last night who hunted
with the wolves。 When I had been led before the chief I saluted him
and spoke to himthe words you l