nd entirely free from mist; and, seated there on my
lofty watch--pinnacle, I beheld a movement far away towards the rising
sun. I sprang to my feet and gazed eagerly forth. A curtain of cloud
was rising over the land-spreading higher and higher, rolling nearer and
nearer with great rapidity. Cloud? No. It was a curtain of dust.

"So immense was the space spread out beneath me that it seemed as though
I could see over the whole world. On swept this great dust-cloud, still
at an enormous distance, but nearing rapidly every moment. And then I
knew what caused it. That dust-cloud was stirred up by countless herds
of game fleeing in panic and terror. Then I called to my brother, who
sprang upon the rock beside me.

"`Look, Sekweni! Yonder the game is in full flight. Yonder are the
Zulu spears. The King's _impi_ is coming!'

"We stood for a little while longer, watching the dust-cloud till we
could see among it rolling, tumbling forms.

"`Go now, Sekweni, and cry aloud the news from post to post,' I said.
`I go to warn Umzilikazi, our father.'

"And as I sprang down the mountain-side, leaping from stone to stone,
from crag to crag, with the surefootedness and fleetness of a buck, long
before I reached the level I could see the flash and glitter of sparks
of flame through the towering dust-cloud, extending in a great line over
the plain. It was the glitter of innumerable spears. The host
advancing behind those flying game herds--advancing to destroy us--was
as the whole of Tshaka's army.

"How I ran! There was none who could run against me in those days,
_Nkose_. With head down, and panting for breath, yet far from being
exhausted, I rushed into the presence of Umzilikazi.

"`Greeting, father!' I cried. `They are at hand!'

"`Ha!' And the battle-light we who had followed him knew so well came
into the face of our chief.

"`How many regiments do they number, son of Ntelani?' he said, taking
snuff.

"`I know not, O my father. But it seems to me that half [this would
mean about 20,000 men] of the army of the Great King is advancing upon
us.'

"`And we number but half that. Well, Untuswa, get you back to your
watching-place with six others being young and swiftfooted, and send
them as messengers as there shall be aught to report. Go now!'

"I saluted the chief and bounded away like a buck. But when I had
regained the mountain height with the youths whom I had chosen as
runners, lo! the army of