ture and fierce aspect with that of their own people, and saying if
we were representatives of that horrible race--of which they had already
begun to hear--then, indeed, they were as good as dead. Moreover, while
not appearing to do so, I took note of the high fortified hill, which
lay a little way back from the town, and thought I could find a way up
it--wherein, however, I might have been wrong.

The men of the nation were gathered in an immense half-circle, like the
formation of one of our _impis_ when throwing out flanking "horns."
They sat at the upper end of a great open square, and in the bend of the
half-circle were grouped the principal councillors and chiefs, and, a
little in advance of the rest, clothed in the skin of a maned lion, and
wearing ornaments of gold, sat the chief, Tauane. Behind were several
huts of much larger size than any of the others.

Although those immediately in front of us were not armed, yet the ranks
on either side showed a perfect glitter of spears. The shields were
square, and not made of oxhide, like ours, but of wood. We knew at a
glance that, were our death intended, we should stand no chance
whatever. Two men, however brave, however well armed, would be nothing
among these.

"Greeting, Chief of the Blue Cattle!" I said, as we drew near.
"Remember you the name of Untuswa, son of Ntelani, and an _induna_ of
the Great King? It is a name I promised you should hear again."

Tauane frowned, and I could see his gaze rest meaningly on our weapons.
These we had gone so far as to hold in our left hands only, extending
the right, open and in greeting. Further, he expected we should have
bent down before him; but I, an _induna_ of the King, a Zulu of pure
blood, and coming of a kingly house, thought myself an immeasurably
greater man than even the head chief of such a large and wealthy tribe
as this.

"Is the nation gathered to hear my message, the `word' of the Great
Great One?" I asked, without further ceremony.

"Speak it, stranger," said the chief shortly.

"This it is, then, Chief of the Blue Cattle, and councillors and people
of the Bakoni. The `word' of Umzilikazi, the Great King--the Black
Elephant, whose tread shaketh the world--is short, even as the measure
he meteth out to they who think to defy him. This it is:--`Go, now, to
this chief, Tauane, the lion-cub, and say that not many days off there
draweth near an old lion, whose roar is louder than his own--that un