purpose of digging out the ore. They took a small herd of
cattle for immediate use as food, but they depended upon proximate
spoil for future sustenance. After crossing the Pongola river, the
party made a detour inland so as to avoid a collision with the
Amaswazi, with whom Kondwana did not want, just then, to fight. This
took them through some very mountainous country, where they suffered
grievously from cold. Some of the men in whose blood germs of fever
still remained, began to sicken, and were mercifully put to death. But
as it advanced through the mountains the little party had some very
enjoyable fighting and looting, the Mantatee tribelets offering no more
resistance than afforded pleasant exercise. The loot was ample, and the
soldiers simply feasted on meat. At night they often warmed themselves
before the burning huts. They obtained from the vanquished Mantatees
many soft, warm skins, for the mountain tribes, living under a
comparatively cold climate, had become very expert in tanning. These
skins were carried for them by the good-looking young women of the
kraals which were "eaten up," for the lives of such, when their
services were required, were generally spared.

It was only the veterans of the Zulu army that wore head-rings, but
there was one man with Kondwana's contingent whose head was ringless.
This was Senzanga, the son of Kondwana's elder brother Kwasta. Senzanga
had been spared by a fortunate accident when his father's kraal and its
inhabitants had been destroyed a few months previously by Tshaka's
order. Being fleet of foot, he had escaped to the bush, and he had
ever since had a precarious existence as a fugitive, being fed by some
women at the risk of their lives. Hearing through them of an expedition
under the command of his uncle, he went, on ahead, and at the Pongola
appeared and asked for Kondwana's protection, as well as for leave to
accompany the expedition. Kondwana knew that he ran a serious risk in
not killing Senzanga at once, but after consulting with his officers,
he decided on venturing to spare the young man's life, meaning to
deliver him as a prisoner to Tshaka on the return of the expedition,
and then pray that he might be pardoned for the fault he had not
committed, and which had been so heavily punished.

After getting well past the Amaswazi country, the expedition left the
mountains, and traveled through the low, wooded plains that lie between
the Drakensberg on the north