Suzanne--for they would take no other--that no spear should be lifted
against them, they sent the true Batwa, a beautiful but sullen girl, to
Sigwe, taking back the old Batwa, who departed cursing him and all his
race. With her they returned also the thousand head of cattle which he
had paid and twelve hundred more by way of fine, for the balance was
remitted by agreement.

And so came to an end the war of Sigwe with the Endwandwe, which among
the Kaffirs is still spoken of as the "War of the White Swallow," or
sometimes as "The War of the Clean Spear," because no blood at all was
shed in it, and not a man was killed by violence, although when Sigwe
passed through that country on his journey home, by means of a clever
trick the Pondo chief re-captured most of the cattle that had been taken
from him.

CHAPTER XXIII

HOW SUZANNE BECAME A CHIEFTAINESS

So the cattle were handed over, and the girl Batwa was given to Sigwe,
whom by the way she made unhappy for the rest of his days. Indeed, she
brought about his ruin, for being ambitious she persuaded him to make
war upon the white people in the Transkei, of which the end was that
from a great chief he became a very small one. When all was accomplished
Sigwe waited upon Suzanne.

"Lady Swallow," he said, "in three days I begin my homeward march, and
now I have come to ask whither you wish to go, since you cannot stop
here in the veldt alone."

"I would return with you to the Transkei," she answered, "and seek out
my own home."

"Lady," he said shamefacedly, "alas! that may not be. You remember the
dream of the diviner, and you know how that all which she foretold, and
more, has come to pass, for you, the White Swallow, appeared and flew
in front of my impi, and from that hour we have had the best of luck.
By your wisdom we outwitted the Pondos and seized their cattle; by your
wisdom we have conquered the Endwandwe without lifting a single spear,
and that Batwa, whom I desired, is mine; while of the great force which
came out with me to war but twenty-one are dead, twelve by drowning,
eight by sickness, and one by snakebite. All things have gone well,
and she who dreamed the dream of the White Swallow is the greatest of
diviners.

"But, lady, this was not all the dream, for it said that if you, the
Swallow, should set your face southward with us then the best of luck
would turn to the worst, for then utter misfortune should overwhelm me
and my regiments. No