led to a chief who was sitting at a distance, and pointed to
me attentively, and then said--

"Who are you?"

"I am an Umlungo who has been kept among these people," I replied, "and
they have made me a chief."

"Where do you come from?"

"I came in a ship which was wrecked on the coast; all the men were
killed except me."

"When do you expect your men to return?"

"I don't know; they have gone to fight with the Amakosa against my
people."

"Why did they not take you?"

"I could not fight against my own tribe." The chief waited for a short
time, looking at me attentively, and then said, "You will return with
us; attempt to escape, and twenty assagies will be in your body." He
then turned away, and walked to his seat outside the circle.

I was struck with the dignity and manner of this chief. He seemed one
born to command, to be self-possessed, calm, and decided. He walked
like a chief, and I could easily understand how it was that the Zulus
were so powerful if they possessed many men like this one. I felt being
tied, as it was very painful. So I spoke to one of the men near me, and
said that, if the chief would unfasten my arms and legs, I would promise
not to attempt to escape; but if I remained tied, I should not be able
to move when they did unbind me. The Zulu carried my message to the
chief, who nodded, and the young Zulu came and unbound me. I rose to my
feet, but felt very sick and giddy from the blow I had received from the
knob-kerrie on my head, and was obliged to sit down again. The chief
then called me, and I went over to where he sat, and he asked me if I
was hurt. I pointed to a lump on my head where I had been hit. He felt
my head, and said, "That is nothing." He then inquired how many guns
had been taken by the warriors who had gone with the Amakosa.

I told him eight; and, thinking it better to deal fairly with him, I
told him that in the thatch of my hut there was my gun.

He immediately sent a man into my hut to search, and shortly my gun was
brought out. The chief examined this carefully--a gun was evidently new
to him--and I explained how it was loaded and fired. He was much
interested in all I said. So, being anxious to gain his favour, I told
him there was something else more wonderful still that I could show him.
He told me to bring whatever it was. So I brought him my
field-glasses, and, adjusting them for a long sight, I placed them in
his hands, and told him to loo