rder too, I hope. I think it was not wise
of Retief to leave his guns behind him, for a savage is ever a
treacherous creature."

"Ah! Retief fancied he had won Dingaan over to his side, and he went
with so many men because he wanted to show his power to the Zulus: if he
had followed the advice given, he would have taken only four or five
men, with the cattle that he captured from Sikonyella."

"Do you think we are strong enough, Piet," inquired Hans, "to meet the
Zulus in bush country?"

"I think we are; but we will try not to meet them there: we will meet
them in the open country. Dingaan has never yet fought against men
armed with fire-arms and mounted on horses; if he had he might be more
careful than I expect he will be when he hears there are only 400 men
come to invade his territory."

"We shall kill many hundred Zulus if they attempt to fight us as do the
Matabili. It is only the Amakosa who have been taught lessons, and who
keep to the bush, as they know their weakness."

"Zulu spies are out," said Victor, who had returned from some
neighbouring hills, near which he had been on watch. "I saw three men
running rapidly over the open ground beyond my station; they are going
to report to Dingaan our approach."

"We shall be ready for him whenever he shows himself," exclaimed Uys;
"and we have our relatives and friends to avenge; so let us remember
this as well as that our own safety depends upon the defeat of the
Zulus."

"I cannot help thinking," whispered Hans to Victor, "that if we had more
men it would be better for us. I understand that some of our people,
with some English and deserters from the Zulus, are making an attack on
Dingaan from near the coast; if now we all were to join, it would be
better. One stick is easy to break after another, but if you tie ten
together it is not so easy."

"We must trust to our leaders, Hans," replied Victor, "and fight well
for our cause."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

THE BOERS ADVANCE TOWARDS ZULU LAND--THEIR BATTLE WITH THE ZULUS--HANS'
DANGER--LOST--THE ARTIFICE--THE RACE FOR LIFE.

The emigrant fanners advanced through the ceded territory of Natal,
crossed the Tugela river, and approached the kraal of Dingaan. Only a
few spies were observed in their march, and it was feared that the Zulu
monarch had become alarmed, and had retreated into some stronghold in
the interior.

Near the kraal of Um kung kunglovo, Dingaan's residence, there was a
defile betwe