never remember anything of the kind that affected me more than seeing
those gallant soldiers thus put out of pain by the red-handed medicine
men, except, indeed, on one occasion when, after an attack, I saw a
force of Swazis burying their hopelessly wounded _alive_.

Hurrying from this dreadful scene to the further side of the koppie, we
found Sir Henry, who still held a battle-axe in his hand, Ignosi,
Infadoos, and one or two of the chiefs in deep consultation.

"Thank Heaven, here you are, Quatermain! I can't quite make out what
Ignosi wants to do. It seems that though we have beaten off the attack,
Twala is now receiving large reinforcements, and is showing a
disposition to invest us, with the view of starving us out."

"That's awkward."

"Yes; especially as Infadoos says that the water supply has given out."

"My lord, that is so," said Infadoos; "the spring cannot supply the
wants of so great a multitude, and it is failing rapidly. Before night
we shall all be thirsty. Listen, Macumazahn. Thou art wise, and hast
doubtless seen many wars in the lands from whence thou camest--that is
if indeed they make wars in the Stars. Now tell us, what shall we do?
Twala has brought up many fresh men to take the place of those who have
fallen. Yet Twala has learnt his lesson; the hawk did not think to find
the heron ready; but our beak has pierced his breast; he fears to
strike at us again. We too are wounded, and he will wait for us to die;
he will wind himself round us like a snake round a buck, and fight the
fight of 'sit down.'"

"I hear thee," I said.

"So, Macumazahn, thou seest we have no water here, and but a little
food, and we must choose between these three things--to languish like a
starving lion in his den, or to strive to break away towards the north,
or"--and here he rose and pointed towards the dense mass of our
foes--"to launch ourselves straight at Twala's throat. Incubu, the
great warrior--for to-day he fought like a buffalo in a net, and
Twala's soldiers went down before his axe like young corn before the
hail; with these eyes I saw it--Incubu says 'Charge'; but the Elephant
is ever prone to charge. Now what says Macumazahn, the wily old fox,
who has seen much, and loves to bite his enemy from behind? The last
word is in Ignosi the king, for it is a king's right to speak of war;
but let us hear thy voice, O Macumazahn, who watchest by night, and the
voice too of him of the transparent eye."

"What sa