eir
vengeance. Now, if those comparatively few whom we had slain--some
score and a half of families--had fought so fiercely and dealt so much
death amid our ranks with their long guns, what sort of foes would their
kinsfolk prove, assailing us in force and unhampered by women and
children? Or they might form a temporary alliance with Dingane; and
then how should we stand against the combined strength of two such
terrible and formidable foes?

All these considerations were debated gravely by the King and a secret
council of the _izinduna_, of whom I was one, and it was decided to
abandon Ekupumuleni and the surrounding country, and to march upon and
seize the fair lands occupied by the People of the Blue Cattle, upon
which I had reported. Howbeit, the real reason for this decision was
not to be talked about, a good and sufficient reason for the people at
large being that the land upon which we meant to swoop down was better
than that wherein we now dwelt.

It took time to send round to all the cattle outposts and muster the
nation at large, but this was done at last. The cattle and the movable
property was sent on in charge of the women and slaves, and for several
days the _izanusi_ were busy making _muti_, and doctoring us all for our
new undertaking. Then came the last night we were to spend in
Ekupumuleni, and through the hours of darkness the wild howlings of the
_izanusi_ sounded at intervals; for it was no light thing thus quitting
the place which had been our home for so long a time.

But with dawn of day, when all men turned out fully armed--for a muster
of our whole fighting strength had been ordered to march out from
Ekupumuleni in fitting state--a shiver of amazement, and horror, and
dismay ran through all. And well it might. For in the middle of the
great open space had been reared four stakes, and, impaled upon each,
quivered the trussed-up body of a man; and the groan of horror and of
fear deepened, for in the agonised, distorted features of those four all
men recognised the traitorous _izinduna_ and the head witch-doctor,
Notalwa.

This, then, was the secret of their fate, which so far had lain in dark
and terrible mystery. They had been kept for such an end.

Five chief traitors had there been; yet here were but four! The first
astonishment over, men looked at each other--their eyes asking in mute
surprise where was the fifth? And of those who thus marvelled none
wondered more than myself.