Part 29 (2/2)

”Woz'ubone! Nantz'indaba.

Indaba ka Matyobane.”

[See Note 1.]

Louder and louder, in its full-throated cadence, the national war-song rolled forth, thundrous in its wild weird strophes, to the accompaniment of stamping feet and clas.h.i.+ng of s.h.i.+elds--the effect of the deep humming hiss of the death chorus alone appalling in its fiendlike intensity.

The vast crescent of bedizened warriors swayed and waved in its uncontrollable excitement, and the dust clouds streamed overhead as an earnest of the smoke of burning and pillage, which was wont to mark the fiery path of this terrible race in its conquering progress. Louder, louder, the song roared forth, and then, when excitement had reached its highest pitch, silence fell with a suddenness as startling as the mighty outburst which had preceded it.

For the King had advanced from where he had been standing. Facing eastward he now stood. Poising the long, slender, casting a.s.segai in his hand with a nervous quiver, he hurled it far out over the stockade.

”Go now, children of Matyobane!” he cried in tones of thunder.

It was the signal. Rank upon rank the armed legions filed forth from the gates of the great kraal. In perfect silence now they marched, their faces set eastward--a fell, vast, unsparing host upon destruction bent. Woe to the invading force if it should fail to repel the might of these!

Note 1.

”Come behold come behold at the High Place!

That is the tale--the tale of the spears.

That is the tale? The tale of the nations?

n.o.body knows.

Come behold. That is the tale.

The tale of Matyobane.”

”Jji-jji!” is the cry uttered on closing in battle.

CHAPTER TWO.

”THE TALE OF THE SPEAR.”

”_Whau_!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Ziboza, one of the fighting indunas of the Ingubu Regiment. ”These two first.”

The two men const.i.tuting the picket are seated under a bush in blissful unconsciousness; their horses, saddled and bridled, grazing close at hand. Away over the veldt, nearly half a mile distant, the column is laagered.

In obedience to their leader's mandate a line of dark savages darts forth, like a tongue, from the main body. Worming noiselessly through the bush and gra.s.s, yet moving with incredible rapidity, these are advancing swiftly and surely upon the two white men, their objective the point where they can get between the latter and their horses.

These men are there to watch over the safety of the column laagered up yonder, but who shall watch over their own safety? Nearer--nearer! and now the muscles start from each bronze frame, and the fell, murderous a.s.segai is grasped in sinewy grip. Straining eyeb.a.l.l.s stare forth in bloodthirsty exultation. The prey is secure.

No. Not quite. The horses, whose keener faculties can discern the approach of a crowd of musky-smelling barbarians, while the denser perceptions of the two obtuse humans cannot, now cease grazing and throw up their heads and snort. Even the men can hardly close their eyes to such a danger signal as this. Starting to their feet they gaze eagerly forth, and--make for the horses as fast as they can.

Too late, however, in the case of one of them. The enemy is upon them, and one of the horses, scared by the terrible Matabele battle-hiss, and the waving of s.h.i.+elds and the leaping of dark, fantastically arrayed forms, refuses to be caught. The owner starts to run, but what chance has he against these? He is soon overtaken, and blades rise and fall, and the ferocity of the exultant death-hiss of the barbarians mingles with the dropping rifle. Are they are keeping up on his fleeing companion, and the sputter and roll of volleys from the laager. For this is what has been happening there.

Steadily, ever with the most perfect discipline and organisation, the column had advanced, and now after upwards of a month of care and vigilance, and difficulties met and surmounted, was drawing very near its goal.

The enemy had hovered, upon its flanks since the last pitched battle, now nearly a week ago, as though making up his mind to do something towards redeeming his defeat upon that occasion; but unremitting vigilance together with a few timely and long range sh.e.l.ls had seemed to damp his aspirations that way.

”I wonder if they'll try conclusions with us once more, before we get there,” observed the commanding officer, scanning the country, front and flank, with his field gla.s.ses. ”What do you think, Blachland?”

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