ba with them, they ran into the gorge leading to
the flat top of the mountain, and blocked it with great stones that were
ready. And so it came about that the Zulus won this fight, though with
great loss to themselves, and cut off the Umpondwana from their main
supply of water.

But though they had won the fight they had not won the mountain. After
resting a while they began the work of storming the narrow gorge that
led upwards to the tableland, for this gorge was its only gate, and
at first were suffered to pull down or climb over the walls which were
built across it with but little resistance. Soon, however, they found
out the reason of this, for when a number of them were in the gorge
stones began to roll upon them from the edges of the cliffs above,
crushing the life out of many, so that presently they were driven back
to the head of the river. Afterwards they searched long and earnestly
but could find no other path by which to attack, for there was none.

"Well," said the Zulu captain, "it seems that we must fight the fight of
'sit-down,' and since these rock-rabbits will not let us come to them we
must wait till they come to us to ask for water."

So they waited for seven whole days, setting guards about the mountain
in case there should be secret ways of egress of which they knew
nothing.

When they reached the tableland Sihamba spoke words so bitter to her
councillors and captains that some of them stopped their ears that they
might hear no more, while others answered that they could do nothing
against men who walked upon the boiling waters.

"Now, indeed, you can do nothing against them," Sihamba cried, "for
Thirst will fight for them, and he is the best of friends. Because of
your cowardice we must perish, everyone of us, and for my part I should
be glad of it were it not that you have given the Lady Swallow to death
also."

Then she buried her face in the ground and would say no more, even when
they told her that the Zulus had been beaten back by the rocks that were
rolled down upon them.

For some days the little spring gave enough water for the thousands of
people who were crowded upon the mountain top, though there was none
to spare for the cattle. But on the third night the poor beasts being
maddened by thirst, broke out of the kraal and rushing to the spring,
so trampled it with their hoofs that its waters were sealed up, and only
very little could be obtained even by digging, for here the r