llan Quatermain and Dingaan; that he also had written to Retief and
tried to speak to him but was refused a hearing. Thereon he had ridden
away from Umgungundhlovu to try to save his daughter and warn the Boers.
That was all he had to say.

As there were no further witnesses for the prosecution I cross-examined
these two at full length, but absolutely without results, since every
vital question that I asked was met with a direct negative.

Then I called my witnesses, Marie, whose evidence they refused to hear
on the ground that she was my wife and prejudiced, the Vrouw Prinsloo
and her family, and the Meyers. One and all told a true story of my
relations with Hernan Pereira, Henri Marais, and Dingaan, so far as they
knew them.

After this, as the commandant declined to take the evidence of Hans
because he was a Hottentot and my servant, I addressed the court,
relating exactly what had taken place between me and Dingaan, and how I
and Hans came to escape on our second visit to his kraal. I pointed out
also that unhappily for myself I could not prove my words, since Dingaan
was not available as a witness, and all the others were dead. Further,
I produced my letter to Marie, which was endorsed by Retief, and the
letter to Retief signed by Marais and Pereira which remained in my
possession.

By the time that I had finished my speech the sun was setting and
everyone was tired out. I was ordered to withdraw under guard, while
the court consulted, which it did for a long while. Then I was called
forward again and the commandant said:

"Allan Quatermain, after prayer to God we have considered this case to
the best of our judgment and ability. On the one hand we note that
you are an Englishman, a member of a race which hates and has always
oppressed our people, and that it was to your interest to get rid of two
of them with whom you had quarrelled. The evidence of Henri Marais and
Hernan Pereira, which we cannot disbelieve, shows that you were wicked
enough, either in order to do this, or because of your malice against
the Boer people, to plot their destruction with a savage. The result is
that some seven hundred men, women, and children have lost their lives
in a very cruel manner, whereas you, your servant, your wife and your
friends have alone escaped unharmed. For such a crime as this a
hundred deaths could not pay; indeed, God alone can give to it its
just punishment, and to Him it is our duty to send you to be judged.