ver the rough, stony ground caused torture. Every now and then
men dropped, unable to proceed further, and were at once speared by
their companions.

On the evening of the day after they had struck into the mountains, the
Zulus reached the forest-belt on the coast slope, and in front of them,
distant about two days' easy march, could be seen the shining,
wood-fringed reaches of the Limpopo, beyond which lay their only chance of
salvation. But between them and the Limpopo was the Makalaka army.

That night the Zulus lay close to the upper margin of the forest,
keeping neither watch nor ward. When the darkness set in, they could
see below them the watch-fires of their foes, and they were thus able
to tell approximately where the Makalakas were in greatest force.

It now became quite apparent to Kondwana that there was still a slender
chance of escape if the men could only hold on a little longer without
food. The left wing of the Makalaka army was slightly to the left of
the Zulus, and if the latter could only manage to trend off a little
more to the right, and find a passage through the forest, they might be
able to creep past the Makalakas and even reach the river before being
overtaken. As a matter of fact, the Makalaka Chief had again
underestimated the marching capacity of the Zulus, and had not come far
enough along the foot of the mountain range to the south-west, to
intercept them.

Kondwana expounded his view of the situation to the men, who were
almost in despair, and then called for volunteers to cross a valley and
ascend a spur to the left, and there kindle fires. This spur was almost
in front of the main division of the Makalaka army. Ten men volunteered
for this service, and returned late in the night, after having
performed it effectively.

Towards morning the Zulus again moved on, bearing down cautiously
through the forest to their right. The Makalakas thought that
Kondwana's fires were signals from the Balotsi to indicate that the
fugitives were in the forest below the spur. They never supposed that
the Zulus would indicate their whereabouts by lighting fires. So when
daylight came, the Zulus had succeeded in outflanking their foes, and
were making, as fast as starvation and their lacerated feet would let
them, for the river.

Towards noon, a herd of cattle was seen. This was at once taken
possession of, and soon a number of the beasts were slaughtered. The
starving men tore the raw, smoking flesh,