he Great Great One and I--
that it seemed he must have been present concealed on the spot where we
had lain and listened to it. But all this he told in a very low, and
scarcely audible, voice, only to be heard by such few as were
immediately bending over him, among whom was myself; for the King had
beckoned me to his side. Then, when he had finished, he lay as still as
though dead, and the faces had faded out of the _muti_ bowl, whose
contents were as smooth and shining as before.

"I think we have heard enough," said Umzilikazi. Then turning to the
_izimbonga_, he bade them cry aloud to the people to depart, but that,
until the third day after the new moon, none should venture beyond the
chain of the furthest tattle-posts. And the people leaped gladly to
their feet, shouting the _Bayete_, for their hearts were light again.
Death had passed through their ranks, yet there were still many left.

As for those _izinduna_ who were named last, few at that time knew what
their fate was, or what became of them, nor yet of Notalwa, the head of
the _izanusi_, who lay at first pretending to be dead. But I knew;
likewise did I know that every one of those who had gone forth that day
to the hill of slaughter was concerned in the treasonable plot which had
for its object the death of the King. Yet, because of its mystery, and
the witch-finding on such a large scale, and the slaughter of so many
warriors as _abatagati_, a great fear rested upon all the people for
many days. And the marvellous power of Masuka as a magician was in the
minds of all; for, of course, none knew that the Great Great One and I
had witnessed that dark and treasonable midnight gathering; nor, indeed,
that any had.

CHAPTER FIVE.

THE BOER LAAGER.

It was our custom, _Nkose_, when a man was smelt out as _umtagati_, that
his whole family and kraal should be eaten up too; but Umzilikazi, who
loved not killing for its own sake, except in war, forbore to observe
this custom in its entirety. He spared the relatives of those who had
been named, allowing their wives and children to live, only exacting a
fine of cattle from each house. But the case of Ncwelo he regarded as
the worst of the lot; for Ncwelo occupied a position of trust at an
important outpost; and this position he had turned to account by
hatching treason; wherefore, immediately upon his being named, a party
of armed men was sent out to put every one of his house to the assegai--
even t