sons of my
own; besides, I am not a soldier of Dingaan," he answered.
Then the captain turned and commanded such men as had battle axes to cut
down three of the longest trees, which they did, although the task was
difficult, for the wood was hard and their axes were light. When at
length the trees were down they rolled them uphill to a spot where the
ridge of rock ended, which was not more than thirty paces from the face
of the outer wall. Now it was that Sihamba guessed their purpose for the
first time, for until then she had believed that they were cutting the
trees to use them as battering rams against the walls.
"They are coming on us by the path of the river," she said, and called
for men to sally out and prevent them making the bridge from the bank to
the saddle. But none answered her, for they dared not face the Zulus in
the open.
"The water will sweep them away," they said; "moreover, when they try to
land we can spear them."
"Cowards," she moaned, "on your own heads be your doom."
So the Umpondwana contented themselves with standing behind the first
wall and casting volleys of spears at those who thrust out the trees
within thirty paces of them, while Zinti shot at them with his gun,
killing several. But coming between, the Zulus made a shield hedge to
protect their comrades, so that the light throwing assegais did little
hurt, and of the few that the gun killed they thought nothing.
Presently the ends of the trees lay beneath the water on the ridge
of rock, and the captain commanded a certain _induna_ to lead his men
across. Now all natives fear a wet death, and though he was a brave man
who would gladly have rushed the fortifications alone had he been so
commanded, this soldier to whom the captain spoke looked askance at the
furious torrent and hesitated. But that captain had served under Chaka,
and knew how to deal with those who showed doubt or fear. Lifting his
heavy assegai, he drove it through the man, so that he fell dead, and as
he smote cried, "Coward, take this gift from the king!"
Then, calling to the soldiers, he himself ran out upon the bridge of
tree-trunks and leaped into the water that rose to his middle. In an
instant he would have been swept away, for the current was very fierce,
had not those who followed sprang down at his side and behind him. For
a moment they managed to keep their feet till others came, giving them
support and being themselves protected by a breakwater built
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