llets.

"Smart work," said one of the officers, who seemed rather to enjoy the
excitement; "I don't think I ever ran so far before." Another officer
said, "I tell you what it is, youngster, you are well up in this kind of
work."

As we rowed down the bay I heard a voice shouting from one of the
islands in the bay, and asking what number of Zulus there were. I told
the Caffre about five hundred.

I now asked the officers to stop the boat, because near the head of the
bay I saw some dust rising, and I suspected that this was caused by some
of Umnini's warriors who had been assembled to resist any attack the
Zulus might make. The rapidity with which these people could arm and
assemble was very great. From a distant kraal men would arm and run
towards the point of danger. As they passed the various kraals on the
way they would be joined by the warriors from these kraals, and as every
full-grown man was a warrior, the army soon swelled to a considerable
size. I should have liked to join Umnini's people in what I expected
would be an attack on the Zulus, but I did not like to take the officers
with me, and they said they would not allow me to leave them; so we kept
the boat in deep water, and beyond where an assagy could be cast on to
the boat. The Zulus, who had followed us down to the water, had
concealed themselves in the bush as soon as we had secured our retreat;
but they now evidently had some knowledge of the approach of Umnini's
men, as they were moving rapidly through the bush, and calling to one
another. The distance from the head of the bay to where the Zulus had
followed us was not very far, and I knew that the rapidity with which
the Caffres moved would soon enable them to attack the Zulus. The
latter, however, either thought the numbers of their enemies too great,
or else they did not wish to fight, as there was nothing to fight for,
no cattle being near enough for the Zulus to carry off, even if they
gained the victory; so they retreated rapidly towards the Umganie river,
followed by Umninis people.

I knew that, from the summit of some tall trees on the shore of the bay
near the bluff, a view could be obtained of the coast even beyond the
Umganie; so I suggested to the officers that we pulled down the bay, and
ascended the high land, so as to obtain a view of what was taking place.
We soon reached the shore beneath the bluff, and ascending it found
that we could see both the Zulus and Umnini's Caf