saved him much pain, as he could never have lived, because of
the wounds his own people had inflicted upon him--and went our way
again.

"And now, a long distance in front of us, we could see those of whom we
were in pursuit, urging on their cattle. A long, steep, rugged slope
led up to the cliff-belted summit of the mountain, and the highest point
of this slope they had nearly gained. Then we saw the files of cattle
enter and disappear into what seemed the base of the cliff itself, and
after them their drivers. Ha! This, then, was their stronghold, a cave
or some such dark hole, whence we must dislodge them? At any rate,
there they were in a trap. At whatever loss to ourselves, we would
score them off the face of the earth. So we were commanded to march
slowly, in order that we might arrive sufficiently fresh to swarm up
that steep slope and carry the place by storm.

"Then, as we marched up that deep, narrow defile--a sea of fierce, eager
faces and glittering spear-points and tufted shields--we raised the
war-song of Umzilikazi:

"`Yaingahlabi leyo'nkunzi!
Yai ukufa!'

"And the great overhanging cliff walls flung back from one to the other
its booming thunder-notes in mighty echoes.

"When we arrived beneath their fastness, by order of Gungana one of our
men called aloud that the Baputi should come down--they and their
cattle, and their wives, and their children--and deliver themselves into
the hand of the great King, the Mighty Elephant of the Amandebili, whose
majesty they had offended, and this speedily, lest all be put to the
assegai. But, just when we thought we had cried to deaf ears, one of
them appeared suddenly and high above us, shouting in a dark and uncouth
tongue which none of as could understand. But he accompanied his speech
with laughter and the most insulting of actions, and this we could
understand; wherefore, at the word from Gungana, with a roar we surged
up the slope.

"_Whau, Nkose_! How shall I tell what followed? We had reached the top
of the slope, albeit somewhat breathless, and saw nothing before us but
the cliff face. Then suddenly the mountain seemed to crack and totter,
and there fell forward upon us with a sound as of thunder such huge
masses of rock that we thought the whole cliff had come away upon us.
_Hau_! that was a sight! Clouds of dust rose from the slope and towered
aloft to the heavens as these immense rocks struck the ground and went
tearing a