t rolling volume of the
warriors' chorus, which was caught up and tossed along the ranks as the
roaring of a mighty ocean--

"Who may fear
On the death-soaked field?
None who hear
The Song of The Shield."

As they marched past, a quick, keen flash darted down from heaven
immediately upon the singer, whom all men thought was stricken--yet not;
for in the sudden silence that followed, and the muttering rumble of the
thunder-tone, she still stood--that splendid daughter of a race of
kings--her eyes still turned skyward, her form outlined in its beautiful
curves against the livid blue of the storm-cloud.

After this we marched in silence, no more singing or noise of any kind
being allowed. But as we held on swiftly through the night, this great
array of armed men, like a destroying flight of locusts in its straight,
fell course, the echo of that wonderful song was still in every ear, its
burden in every heart; and it seemed to each warrior that he had the
strength of ten; for the Song of the Shield was surely the song of
victory.

To us came from time to time runners, bearing tidings from Mgwali. No
move forward had been made by the _impi_ from Zululand, yet now and
again, far below upon the plain, our outpost, which had taken the place
of that of Mhlangana, could discern a point of white, which was the
swift signal of those who had been posted at intervals to watch, and
pass along word to Dingane's leaders.

"_Whau_! We will give them a brave good-morning, Untuswa," said the
King, as, having gained our position along the ridges of Inkume, shortly
after midnight, the Great Great One and I had crept carefully up to
Mgwali's outlook. "See, now, I desire not to hurry the battle, yet the
sun will not be very high before we shall whisper them to come on. Thy
strategy has been good, Untuswa, yet perchance they will remember the
pass in the Kwahlamba and fear to enter this. Ah! would that we could
roll down the mountain itself upon them here as there. It would save us
many men."

This we could not do, for the straight cliffs shooting up from, the
defile were smooth and firm. No loose rocks were here, hardly a few
small stones, so firm were the iron crests of the mountain.

Now I had endeavoured to dissuade the King from accompanying us,
pointing out that in the event of our destruction he could, on receiving
tidings thereof, safely fall back upon Kalipe's _impi_ and thus retreat,
building up the