Soon they arrived. They were but a few men, with their servants.

Dingane received them in but quiet state, seated at the head of the great open s.p.a.ce of the kraal. Save the King's body-guard, but few warriors were visible, yet so little did we trust the Amabuna that every hut in Nkunkundhlovu held two or three armed men ready to spring forth on a given signal, the while relays of spies watched their distant camp, so as to pa.s.s the word should any sudden and hostile movement be made thence.

The leaders of the Amabuna rode into the kraal. They were required to leave their guns with their horses in the centre of the kraal. This they did not at all like, even when told that it was death for any man-- black or white--to come armed into the presence of the King. But they had to do it, or return as they came.

"Ah, ah! This is not the head of the snake, only its tongue," growled Tambusa aside to some of us as we watched the approach of the white men.

"Soon shall we have its head."

Dingane was seated in his chair of state, and received the Amabuna pleasantly. Bowls of _tywala_ were handed round, and then, sitting in a half circle in front of him, the _indaba_ commenced.

They had travelled far, they said, even as the People of G.o.d in old times, seeking a land where they might dwell in peace. Such a land they had found, a land over which the Zulu King claimed ownership, but which was little used, if at all, by him or his people. Now this land, which lay between the Tugela and the Umzimvubu, they desired to treat for.

For it they would give part payment in cattle and horses, and part payment in acting as friends to the Zulu people, supporting them by force of arms in all their lawful quarrels. So should two peoples flourish and grow great, dwelling in peace side by side, the waters of the Tugela alone dividing them.

"I know not," answered Dingane, speaking pleasantly. "When two great bulls stand looking at each other over one fence, are they friends for long?" And we all murmured aloud in praise of the wisdom of the King.

But the Amabuna replied that the land on each side of the proposed boundary was large enough for both.

"The kraal in which stands each of those bulls is large enough for him,"

said Dingane, still speaking pleasantly; "yet it is not long before one of them is through the fence to drive out the other. Then he rules over both kraals."

What the King said was very true; yet it would not be so in this case, urged the Amabuna, for there could be no reason why either should seek a quarrel with the other. The people of their race sought a quarrel with no man. They only desired to be let alone.

"Why, then, did ye leave your own land?" asked Dingane. "Why did ye not stay the other side of Kwahlamba?"

We, who sat around the King, narrowly watching the countenances of the Amabuna, could see that these men did not like that question at all.

They did not answer for a moment; then they said, through him who spoke as their tongue, for they knew not ours:

"We crossed the mountains in obedience to the will of G.o.d. It was His will that we should seek out a new land for our wives and our children, and His finger it was that guided us. .h.i.ther. We are even as the People of G.o.d in old times, who went to dwell in the land which He had promised them; and, even as they, we are ruled and led by the Great Book."

Now we who listened could have laughed aloud, for we had heard something of that people of old to which the Amabuna referred. Many a tale had the _Umfundisi_, who dwelt hard by, told us of that people; how it swept onward, a fierce and unsparing scourge, destroying and enslaving tribes and nations, and seizing their flocks and their herds and their women; and we liked to listen to such tales, for they were those of a right valiant warrior race--indeed, me they reminded of our fierce and destroying flight under Umzilikazi. But now we thought those Amabuna must be fools, indeed; for if they were the children of that people, still less did we desire them as neighbours.

"So ye are the people of G.o.d, brothers?" said the King softly, his head on one side.

"That is so, King," they answered, looking upward solemnly.

"Why then, indeed, should we be as brothers, for _we_ are the People of the Heavens," [Such is the literal meaning of "Amazulu"] said Dingane.

"Talk we now of the land. As ye say, I have not much use, nor my people, for this land--yet it is a large country. I know not. I must consider it further. Yet stay, there is somewhat ye can do for us as a pledge and an earnest of our future friendship."

"And that?"

"Yonder in the mountains dwells a dog, the head of a tribe of dogs--not large, but difficult to come at, because of the ruggedness of the country they inhabit. This dog has stolen much cattle and many horses from my people and hidden them away in his mountain retreats. Now I am without warriors, for the army is away on two expeditions to the northward."

We who listened thought we saw the countenances of the Amabuna change at this, and inwardly we laughed. If they only knew--ah, if they only knew!

"Wherefore," went on the King, "if as an earnest of your friendship ye will go and retake this our property, and restore it to us, then it may be we may grant you the use of the land ye need."

"And what is the name of the chief of these robbers, King?" asked the Amabuna.

"U' Sikonyela."

"The cattle shall be restored, King. Do you require Sikonyela to be delivered up to you?"

"No. I am merciful, and will spare him this time. Only warn him that now the Amazulu and the Amabuna are brothers. Now, fare-ye-well. When ye have obtained the restoration of our property, then return hither, and we will talk further about the land."

Then the Amabuna rose and shook the King by the hand, and we, as they took leave of us, all called out "_Hambani-gahle_!" ["Go ye in peace"]

with right good-will. So they took their horses and guns and rode away from Nkunkundhlovu, very pleased with themselves and with the King. But the mult.i.tude of armed warriors concealed within the huts were not pleased, in that there was no work for their spears that day; but that was to come. Ah, yea! plenty of work would there be for their spears before many moons were dead.

And we _izinduna_, how we laughed among ourselves, for we knew the mind of Dingane. These people must in truth be mad, and worse than mad, to think that the King would give them a vast tract of country in exchange for their friendship and a few cattle--would welcome this swarm of buzzing devouring locusts beating down upon our lands. _Hau_! Mad, indeed, were they. They opened their mouth wide--very wide--and we thought we knew how we would fill it, but not with the country that lay between the Tugela and the Umzimvubu. Oh, no!

There were some among us who would have persuaded Dingane to order the death of the _Umfundisi_, for we feared lest he should warn the Amabuna; but this the King refused to do. The white teacher was not of their race, and he had no quarrel with the English; besides, the very feet of a white man being slain would implant suspicion in the minds of the new arrivals. But the _Umfundisi_, unknown to himself, was closely watched, and meanwhile our plans were fully matured.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE.

No great time went by before those Amabuna returned, having sent word that they were bringing the cattle and horses taken from Sikonyela.

There were about three-score and ten, and with them, their slaves-- yellow men--to attend them and their horses.

Dingane had received them in but little state before. Now, however, he received them in a great deal. He was attended by all his _izinduna_ and war captains, with the shield-bearer, and the praisers shouting aloud his names with all the power of their mighty voices; and as the Amabuna rode into Nkunkundhlovu by the lower gate and paced, two by two, up to the centre of the great s.p.a.ce, two regiments, in full war array, began a grand dance on either side of them, singing a new song in honour of our guests:

"The mouth of the white man is open; It shall be filled--it shall be filled.

Wide, wide, is it open; Full, full, very full shall it be filled.

"Lo! they come, the friends of the Amanita; Full, full, shall their mouths be filled.

The lion of Zulu is as the sun in the heavens; In his warmth--in his warmth shall his new brothers grow great."

This and much more did the warriors sing, _Nkose_, all referring to the hunger for land of these invading whites. They little knew in what manner their mouths were destined to be filled.

"Now we have the head of the snake at last," growled Tambusa to us in an undertone, during the thunder and din of the singing. "Soon shall his tail, too, cease its writhings."

Signing the dance and song to cease, the King ordered the cattle taken from Sikonyela to be brought up. The herd was driven past, outside the fence of the kraal. It was not much of a herd, but Dingane was as full of delight over its recovery as though it represented the wealth of a whole nation. Now, he said, he felt sure of the friendship and good faith of these his new brothers; but we, watching, thought: "Can these people be such fools as to think we shall give them half our country in exchange for a few miserable beasts like this?"

Then, while talking about the cattle, Dingane asked the Amabuna to show him how they took cattle from other people in war. This they were very ready to do, and the King having sent the herd some little distance away over the plain, the Amabuna sprang upon their hones and galloped to the place. They dismounted and fired their guns--loaded with powder only-- leaping into the saddle again and reloading as they rode; then returning and firing again upon our people, who had been told off to take part in this mimic war. Finally, while some kept on firing, others got between the cattle and our men, and, with shouts and yells, swept the beasts forward. On they came at full gallop, then letting the herd rush wildly by, these three-score and ten Amabuna, as they came before the King, drew up their horses suddenly and in line, and fired their guns in the air in royal salute.

It was well and cleverly done, _Nkose_, and Dingane was delighted with it, and so, indeed, were we--looking at it as a spectacle. But more than ever were we agreed that men who could make war in that fashion were not the people to welcome as neighbours in a country as large as our own, and with nothing but a river between us and them. Oh, no!

For two whole days the Amabuna remained in their camp outside, and most of the time was spent in talking over the question of the large piece of our country they expected to swallow up. They were well entertained-- for many oxen were slaughtered--and the King ordered abundance of beef and beer to be supplied to them--and, indeed, everything they should want. But during this time our spies and runners had reported that their main camp, where the bulk of their people, with their cattle and women, were left, was peaceful and unsuspicious, and that the men were spread out over the country far and wide, hunting and looking at the land--_our_ land--which they hoped should soon be theirs.

On the third night, when all men slept, the King took secret counsel of his princ.i.p.al _izinduna_, and among them was I; for by reason of having met these people in battle, whereas as yet the Amazulu had not, my opinions carried weight.

"Now I think the time has come to stamp out this locust swarm," said Dingane.

"We have here the head of the snake," said Tambusa.

"That shall be crushed to-morrow," said the King.

"But the writhings of its tail will shake the earth, bringing another snake from over the mountains," put in Umhlela, thinking of the waggon camp and all the Amabuna left there.