Part 22 (1/2)
I a the four or five days that it took us to reach Dingaan's kraal they behaved very well to us With Kaood fellows in their way, I had many conversations, and from them learned much as to the state and custoh which we passed flocked round us at every outspan, for most of them had never seen a white ht us all the food that we required Indeed, the beads, or their equivalents, were nothing but a present, since, by the king's cohly For instance, when on the last day's trek, soave out, numbers of Zulus were inspanned in place of thereat kraal, Uned to us near to the house, or rather the huts, of a certain e had ventured into this country We were received with the utmost kindness by him and his wife and household, and it is impossible for s, inan educated man of my own race
Near to our ca after our arrival, I saw six or eight men executed in a way that I will not describe Their cri to Mr Oas that they had bewitched so from this dreadful spectacle, which, fortunately, Marie did not witness, the captain Ka with me the Hottentot Hans and two of the Zulus whooa Bay--for the royal orders were that none of the other white people were to coh the fence of the vast town in which stood two thousand huts--the ”multitude of houses” as the Zulus called it--and across a vast open space in the middle
On the farther side of this space, where, before long, I was fated to witness a very tragic scene, I entered a kind of labyrinth This was called ”siklohlo”, and had high fences with nuoing or to find the way in or out
Ultireat hut named ”intunkulu”, a word that , in front of which I saw a fat man seated on a stool, naked except for the moocha about his middle and necklaces and armlets of blue beads Tarriors held their broad shi+elds over his head to protect hih I felt sure that the nuuards, for I could hear the this place Ka the praises of which the king took no notice
Presently he looked up, and appearing to observe me for the first time asked:
”Who is that white boy?”
Then Kae, whom you commanded me to capture I have taken him and the Aht theaan ”The big Boer as here, and whoainst my will, said that he was a terrible reat harh it is true he does not look very terrible?”
”Because the king's as that I should bring hi,” answered Ka wishes it, I can kill hiaan doubtfully; ”perhaps he cana while, he bade a shi+eld-holder to fetch soht I to ht a kind of e seized me Why should e? And if it o alone?
In the inside pocket of ed coat I had a small loaded pistol with two barrels One of those barrels would kill Dingaan--at five paces I could not miss that bulk--and the other would blow out my brains, for I was not minded to have my neck twisted or to be beaten to death with sticks Well, if it was to be done, I had better do it at once Alreadytowards the pocket when a new idea, or rather two ideas, struck aan the Zulus would probably massacre Marie and the others--Marie, whose sweet face I should never see again
The second was that while there is life there is hope Perhaps, after all, he had not sent for an executioner, but for someone else I would wait A few
The shi+eld-bearer returned, ees, and after hi white lish He saluted the king by taking off his hat, which I remember was stuck round with black ostrich feathers, then stared at me
”O Tho-aan, ”tell me if this boy is one of your brothers, or is he a Boer?”
”The king wants to know if you are Dutch or British,” said the white lad, speaking in English
”As British as you are,” I answered ”I was born in England, and come from the Cape”
”That may be lucky for you,” he said, ”because the old witch-doctor, Zikali, has told hilish What is your name? Mine is Thomas Halstead I am interpreter here”
”Allan Quatermain Tell Zikali, whoever he ood present”
”What are you talking about?” asked Dingaan suspiciously
”He says he is English, no Boer, O king; that he was born across the Black Water, and that he comes from the country out of which all the Boers have trekked”
At this intelligence Dingaan pricked up his ears
”Then he can tell me about these Boers,” he said, ”and what they are after, or could if he were able to speak ue I do not trust you to interpret, you Tho-lowered at Halstead