Part 15 (1/2)

”The prince wishes to see the great hunter face to face,” answered the chief; ”and he and his followers, with his waggon and cattle, will accompany us forthwith. The word has been spoken. The order must be obeyed.”

”We must submit to these fellows,” said Hendricks, turning to his English companions. ”But load your rifles, and be prepared to act as I may direct you, though there is, I fear, but little chance of making our escape.”

The Zulus had now gathered closely round their prisoners, whom, however, they did not ill-treat, but allowed them to walk as they liked.

”I fear that my people in the camp, when they see you coming, will take to flight,” said Hendricks to the chief. ”Let me go on first, and I will tell them that you come as friends. Will you trust me?”

The chief looked at him. ”Yes,” he said, ”I know that I can trust the word of a white chief, and you may go forward.”

”Halt here, then, for a few minutes, to give me time to get ahead of you,” said Hendricks, ”and I will trust you also with my people, that you will not injure them.”

The chief, on this, ordered his followers to halt, while Hendricks went on with rapid strides towards the camp. On his arrival, he found his people in a state of great consternation, they having just caught sight of the Zulus, and they confessed that in another minute they would have fled, believing that he and those with him had been killed.

He managed, however, to quell their fears by the a.s.surance that Cetchwayo would not injure them, though he might delay their journey.

This was of greater consequence to him than to them. In a short time the Zulus were seen advancing. On their arrival, the chief told Hendricks that he must at once inspan and proceed towards Cetchwayo's camp, which was much nearer than had been supposed. On Hendricks, however, representing to him that he and his people had been without meat the whole day, the chief consented to their waiting until some had been cooked, observing that he would take charge of the remainder. He did so, by dividing it among his followers, who forthwith lighted several fires, and cooking it after their barbarous fas.h.i.+on, quickly ate the whole of it up, scarcely leaving a few sc.r.a.ps for the hungry dogs.

This was not a little provoking to the hunters, but it allowed them some time to rest and recover from the fatigue they all felt.

As soon as the feast was over, Hendricks gave the word to inspan. The chief somewhat demurred on seeing his prisoners preparing to mount their horses, naturally fearing that they would try to make their escape, but on Hendricks a.s.suring him that they would accompany him to Cetchwayo's camp, he consented to their riding, though he took good care so to place his people on either side, that they would have found it a difficult matter to get off, even had they been so disposed.

CHAPTER NINE.

KING PANDA.

The band of Zulus, with the captives in their midst, were compelled to move at a slow pace; for the Hottentot drivers of the waggon, uncertain of the reception they might meet with at the end of their journey, would not hasten on the oxen even when the ground was level, and it was frequently rough, with steep hills to ascend or descend, so that a quicker pace was impossible. The warriors belonged to a regiment of unmarried men or boys, as could be seen from their heads wanting the ring at the top, which is the mark of those who have been allowed by the king to take to themselves wives. As they marched along they shouted and sang songs descriptive of the deeds they had performed, or of those they intended to do, referring sometimes to their prowess in having captured a party of white men, who had not ventured to strike a blow for freedom; while they boasted especially of the way they intended to annihilate Umbulazi and his followers. Some gave way to their exuberant spirits by leaping and dancing in a fas.h.i.+on which offered a curious contrast to the march of a regiment of life guards. They shrieked, they quivered their a.s.segais, and clashed their s.h.i.+elds together, until Crawford, who had never before seen an exhibition of the sort, began to fear that they might take it into their heads to kill him and his companions.

”I think we should be prepared for an attack from these savages,” he said to Denis, gravely. ”For my part, I hope that we shall sell our lives dearly, if they attempt to take them.”

”No fear of that for the present,” answered Denis; ”they are only in somewhat high spirits at the thought of having soon to engage in battle.

You see Hendricks rides on as composedly as ever, so does Lionel, who perfectly understands what they are saying. They don't intend us any harm. However, I confess that it is possible their mood may change, and it would be as well not to do anything to offend them. Hendricks knows them better than most people, and will take care to keep them in good humour. I shall be very glad when we are out of their company notwithstanding.”

”So say I,” exclaimed Crawford. ”I confess that had I known what savages they are, I should not have been so eager to come into their country.”

”As to that, I do not suppose they are worse than other tribes,” said Denis; ”they are certainly more intelligent and brave. My chief regret is that we shall have further delay in going in search of my father. I wish that you were to accompany us instead of stopping with Captain Broderick, although I daresay Percy will be very glad of your company; and he has some sisters, who won't be ill pleased to have an English gentleman to talk to, as they must lead a somewhat monotonous life in that out-of-the-way spot, with only an occasional visit from a Dutch boer and his frau, or, when the weather is not too hot, a gallop through the wilds.”

”I am half inclined to ask Hendricks to let me accompany him on his expedition into the interior,” said Crawford. ”I am afraid I should get tired of the sort of life you describe. However, I shall be able to judge better when I have seen the place.”

”Or the young ladies, eh?” observed Denis; ”I fancy something will depend upon that, won't it?”

Crawford made no reply.

This conversation caused the journey to appear shorter than might otherwise have been the case. Lionel and Percy, who generally kept together, amused themselves by talking away in a lively fas.h.i.+on, while Hendricks rode ahead, thinking over his plans for the future, and considering how he could best get free from King Panda and his son, the Prince Regent, for such was the rank held by Cetchwayo at that time. At length a kraal was seen on the slope of a hill, rising gradually from the plain. It was at present the habitation of Panda. The warriors raised a shout, intended as a compliment to the king, and again beating their s.h.i.+elds and shaking their a.s.segais, they made signals to the drivers to urge on the waggon at a faster speed than heretofore. The Hottentots, observing their threatening gestures, obeyed, and the ground being even, the oxen pulled away, incited by the lash of the drivers, which came down with incessant whisks on their flanks.

Hendricks, knowing the customs of the country, put his horse into a trot, Crawford and Denis and the two boys imitating him, and thus the warriors and their captives appeared to be rus.h.i.+ng forward eagerly towards the palace of the king. The chief who had captured them hurried on first to announce the success of his expedition. Just before he reached the kraal he was met by a tall stout chief, evidently a person of much consideration, for as he approached he bowed again and again, and then crouched down to the ground, apparently not daring to look up at his face. The tall chief wore, like the others, a cap stuck full of ostrich and crane feathers, with lappets of monkey skins, a kilt of the same skins round his waist, and a sort of cloak hanging over his shoulders, fastened in front by numerous white ox-tails. His features were handsome for a Kaffir; in height he towered above those surrounding him; and though still young, he was remarkably stout. He was evidently also a powerful man, and he possessed the supposed attributes of high birth--wonderfully small hands and feet for a person of his size.

”Who can he be?” asked Crawford.

”A whopping big fellow, at all events,” answered Denis; ”I'll ask Hendricks.”

”That is no other than Cetchwayo, the real ruler of Zululand,” said Hendricks; ”he has come here probably on a visit to his father, and he it was who ordered our seizure. I have always been on good terms with him, and must try and induce him not to detain us. It will not do, however, to approach him on horseback. We must show him some respect, though we need not bow and cringe as that fellow is doing.”