like cattle-slaying, falling upon these
unresisting people, who had no fight in them. What we desired was to
meet an enemy in arms, and some, fired with all this blood-shedding,
even whispered of turning back to meet the _impis_ of Tshaka in fair
fight. However, when we came near the country of the Basutu we got
fighting enough, for these people were brave, and though they would not
meet us in the open, would retire to their cliff dwellings and hill
forts and resist us fiercely, studding the approaches to their
strongholds with assegai points to cut our feet and legs to pieces as we
drew near, or rolling down showers of rocks upon us, so that we must
flee or be crushed. This sort of fighting was not to our tastes, and we
would taunt them and call them cowards for skulking behind rocks instead
of coming forth to meet us in the open, man to man; and yet they were
not cowards, for every race has its own method of fighting--besides, had
not we ourselves adopted that very plan?--and the Basutu were brave
enough in their own way.

"At that time I had found great favour with the King, who had created my
father, Ntelani, one of his _indunas_. Boy as I was, I was tall and
straight and active, and afraid of nothing. I could outstrip the
fastest runner among us, and, indeed, all the younger ones were ordered
to compete in foot-racing, both short and long distances. I was first
in all these, and the King appointed me his chief messenger. I was
incorporated into his bodyguard, and was never far from the King's
person. Indeed, he would often talk with me alone, as though I were his
son; and being young and unthinking in those days, I soon began to fancy
myself a much bigger man than my own father. So one day I went boldly
to the King, and asked leave to _tunga_ [Literally `sew' the head-ring;
i.e., to marry], for by this time we had many women-captives among us,
over and above those we had been able to bring with us from Zululand.

"Umzilikazi burst out laughing.

"`What!' he said. `You, a boy--a mere child yesterday--thinking to
_tunga_! Go, go! You are fleet of foot, Untuswa, but I have never
heard that you had done anything especially brave--braver than your
fellows, that is. What claim, then, have you to sue for the privilege
which is granted to tried warriors alone?'

"`Give me but the chance, O King; give me but the chance!' I cried. `I
will surpass everyone for valour, for I know not what fear is.'

"Umzili