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rob you of your place！ But if they drive you out and you still live；
swear this to methat you will not rest till you have avenged me。'
〃'I swear it； my father；' I answered。 'I swear that I will stamp out
the men of the tribe of Halakazi； every one of them； except those of
my own blood； and bring their women to slavery and their children to
bonds！'
〃'Big words for a young mouth；' said my father。 'Yet shall you live to
bring these things about； Galazi。 This I know of you now in my hour of
death： you shall be a wanderer for a few years of your life； child of
Siguyana； and wandering in another land you shall die a man's death；
and not such a death as yonder witch has given to me。' Then； having
spoken thus； he lifted up his head； looked at me； and with a great
groan he died。
〃Now I passed out of the hut dragging the body of the dead girl after
me。 In front of the hut were gathered many headmen waiting for the
end； and I saw that their looks were sullen。
〃'The chief； my father； is dead！' I cried in a loud voice； 'and I；
Galazi； who am the chief； have slain her who murdered him！' And I
rolled the body of the girl over on to her back so that they might
look upon her face。
〃Now the father of the girl was among those who stood before me； he
who had persuaded her to the deed； and he was maddened at the sight。
〃'What； my brothers？' he cried。 'Shall we suffer that this young Zulu
dog； this murderer of a girl； be chief over us？ Never！ The old lion is
dead； now for the cub！' And he ran at me with spear aloft。
〃'Never！' shouted the others； and they； too； ran towards me； shaking
their spears。
〃I waited； I did not hasten； for I knew well that I should not die
then； I knew it from my father's last words。 I waited till the man was
near me； he thrust； I sprang aside and drove my spear through him； and
on the daughter's body the father fell dead。 Then I shouted aloud and
rushed through them。 None touched me； none could catch me； the man
does not live who can overtake me when my feet are on the ground and I
am away。〃
〃Yet I might try；〃 said Umslopogaas； smiling； for of all lads among
the Zulus he was the swiftest of foot。
〃First walk again； then run；〃 answered Galazi。
〃Take up the tale；〃 quoth Umslopogaas； 〃it is a merry one。〃
〃Something is left to tell； stranger。 I fled from the country of the
Halakazi； nor did I linger at all in the land of the Swazis； but came
on swiftly into the Zulu。 Now； it was in my mind to go to Chaka and
tell him of my wrongs； asking that he would send an impi to make an
end of the Halakazi。 But while I journeyed； finding food and shelter
as I might； I came one night to the kraal of an old man who knew
Chaka； and had known Siguyana； my grandfather； and to him； when I had
stayed there two days； I told my tale。 But the old man counselled me
against my plan； saying that Chaka； the king； did not love to welcome
new shoots sprung from the royal stock； and would kill me； moreover；
the man offered me a place in his kraal。 Now； I held that there was
wisdom in his words； and thought no more of standing before the king
to cry for justice； for he who cries to kings for justice sometimes
finds death。 Still； I would not stay in the kraal of the old man； for
he had sons to come after him who looked on me with no liking；
moreover； I wished to be a chief myself； even if I lived alone。 So I
left the kraal by night and walked on； not knowing where I should go。
〃Now； on the third night； I came to a little kraal that stands on the
farther side of the river at the foot of the mountain。 In front of the
kraal sat a very old woman basking in the rays of the setting sun。 She
saw me； and spoke to me； saying； 'Young man； you are tall and strong
and swift of foot。 Would you earn a famous weapon； a club； that
destroys all who stand before it？'
〃I said that I wished to have such a club； and asked what I should do
to win it。
〃'You shall do this；' said the old woman： 'to…morrow morning； at the
first light； you shall go up to yonder mountain；' and she pointed to
the mountain where you are now； stranger； on which the stone Witch
sits forever waiting for the world to die。 'Two…thirds of the way up
the mountain you will come to a path that is difficult to climb。 You
shall climb the path and enter a gloomy forest。 It is very dark in the
forest； but you must push through it till you come to an open place
with a wall of rock behind it。 In the wall of rock is a cave； and in
the cave you will find the bones of a man。 Bring down the bones in a
bag； and I will give you the club！'
〃While she spoke thus people came out of the kraal and listened。
〃'Do not heed her； young man；' they said； 'unless you are weary of
life。 Do not heed her： she is crazy。 The mountain is haunted； it is a
place of ghosts。 Look at the stone Witch who sits upon it！ Evil
spirits live in that forest； and no man has walked there for many
years。 This woman's son was foolish： he went to wander in the forest；
saying that he cared nothing for ghosts； and the Amatongo； the ghost…
folk； killed him。 That was many years ago； and none have dared to seek
his bones。 Ever she sits here and asks of the passers by that they
should bring him to her； offering the great club for a reward； but
they dare not！'
〃'They lie！' said the old woman。 'There are no ghosts there。 The
ghosts live only in their cowardly hearts； there are but wolves。 I
know that the bones of my son lie in the cave； for I have seen them in
a dream； but； alas！ my old limbs are too weak to carry me up the
mountain path； and all these are cowards； there is no man among them
since the Zulus killed my husband； covering him with wounds！'
〃Now； I listened； answering nothing； but when all had done； I asked to
see the club which should be given to him who dared to face the
Amatongo； the spirits who lived in the forest upon the Ghost Mountain。
Then the old woman rose； and creeping on her hands went into the hut。
Presently she returned again； dragging the great club after her。
〃Look at it； stranger！ look at it！ Was there ever such a club？〃 And
Galazi held it up before the eyes of Umslopogaas。
In truth； my father； that was a club； for I； Mopo； saw it in after
days。 It was great and knotty； black as iron that had been smoked in
the fire； and shod with metal that was worn smooth with smiting。
〃I looked at it；〃 went on Galazi； 〃and I tell you； stranger； a great
desire came into my heart to possess it。
〃'How is this club named？' I asked of the old woman。
〃'It is named Watcher of the Fords；' she answered； 'and it has not
watched in vain。 Five men have held that club in war and a hundred…
and…seventy…three have given up their lives beneath its strokes。 He
who held it last slew twenty before he was slain himself； for this
fortune goes with the clubthat he who owns it shall die holding it；
but in a noble fashion。 There is but one other weapon to match with it
in Zululand； and that is the great axe of Jikiza； the chief of the
People of the Axe； who dwells in the kraal yonder； the ancient horn…
hafted Imbubuzi； the Groan…Maker； that brings victory。 Were axe；
Groan…Maker； and club； Watcher of the Fords； side by side； there are
no thirty men in Zululand who could stand before them。 I have said。
Choose！' And the aged woman watched me cunningly through her horny
eyes。
〃'She speaks truly now；' said one of those who stood near。 'Let the
club be； young man： he who owns it smites great blows indeed； but in
the end he dies by the assegai。 None dare own the Watcher of the
Fords。'
〃'A good death and a swift！' I answered。 And pondered a time； while
still the old woman watched me through her horny eyes。 At length she
rose； 'La！； la！' she said； 'the Watcher is not for this one。 This is
but a child； I must seek me a man； I must seek me a man！'
〃'Not so fast； old wife；' I said。 'Will you lend me this club to hold
in my hand while I go to find the bones of your son and to snatch them
from the people of the ghosts？'
〃'Lend you the Watcher； boy？ Nay； nay！ I should see little of you
again or of the good club either。'
〃'I am no thief；' I answered。 'If the ghosts kill me； you will see me
no more； or the club either； but if I live I will bring you back the
bones； or； if I do not find them； I will render the Watcher into your
hands again。 At the least I say that if you will not lend me the club；
then I will not go into the haunted place。'
〃'Boy； your eyes are honest；' she said； still peering at me。 'Take the
Watcher； go seek the bones。 If you die； let the club be lost with you；
if you fail； bring it back to me； but if you win the bones； then it is
yours； and it shall bring you glory and you shall die a man's death at
last holding him aloft among the dead。'
〃So on the morrow at dawn I took the club Watcher in my hand and a
little dancing shield； and made ready to start。