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soon　that　will　go　out　also；　and　then　perhaps　I　shall　understand。







CHAPTER　XXV



THE　WAR　WITH　THE　HALAKAZI　PEOPLE



Now；　my　father；　I　must　tell　of　how　Umslopogaas　the　Slaughterer　and

Galazi　the　Wolf　fared　in　their　war　against　the　People　of　the　Halakazi。

When　I　had　gone　from　the　shadow　of　the　Ghost　Mountain；　Umslopogaas

summoned　a　gathering　of　all　his　headmen；　and　told　them　it　was　his

desire　that　the　People　of　the　Axe　should　no　longer　be　a　little　people；

that　they　should　grow　great　and　number　their　cattle　by　tens　of

thousands。



The　headmen　asked　how　this　might　be　brought　aboutwould　he　then　make

war　on　Dingaan　the　King？　Umslopogaas　answered　no；　he　would　win　the

favour　of　the　king　thus：　and　he　told　them　of　the　Lily　maid　and　of　the

Halakazi　tribe　in　Swaziland；　and　of　how　he　would　go　up　against　that

tribe。　Now　some　of　the　headmen　said　yea　to　this　and　some　said　nay；　and

the　talk　ran　high　and　lasted　till　the　evening。　But　when　the　evening

was　come　Umslopogaas　rose　and　said　that　he　was　chief　under　the　Axe；

and　none　other；　and　it　was　his　will　that　they　should　go　up　against　the

Halakazi。　If　there　was　any　man　there　who　would　gainsay　his　will；　let

him　stand　forward　and　do　battle　with　him；　and　he　who　conquered　should

order　all　things。　To　this　there　was　no　answer；　for　there　were　few　who

cared　to　face　the　beak　of　Groan…Maker；　and　so　it　came　about　that　it

was　agreed　that　the　People　of　the　Axe　should　make　war　upon　the

Halakazi；　and　Umslopogaas　sent　out　messengers　to　summon　every

fighting…man　to　his　side。



But　when　Zinita；　his　head　wife；　came　to　hear　of　the　matter　she　was

angry；　and　upbraided　Umslopogaas；　and　heaped　curses　on　me；　Mopo；　whom

she　knew　only　as　the　mouth　of　Dingaan；　because；　as　she　said　truly；　I

had　put　this　scheme　into　the　mind　of　the　Slaughterer。　〃What！〃　she　went

on；　〃do　you　not　live　here　in　peace　and　plenty；　and　must　you　go　to　make

war　on　those　who　have　not　harmed　you；　there；　perhaps；　to　perish　or　to

come　to　other　ill？　You　say　you　do　this　to　win　a　girl　for　Dingaan　and

to　find　favour　in　his　sight。　Has　not　Dingaan　girls　more　than　he　can

count？　It　is　more　likely　that；　wearying　of　us；　your　wives；　you　go　to

get　girls　for　yourself；　Bulalio；　and　as　for　finding　favour；　rest

quiet；　so　shall　you　find　most　favour。　If　the　king　sends　his　impis

against　you；　then　it　will　be　time　to　fight；　O　fool　with　little　wit！〃



Thus　Zinita　spoke　to　him；　very　roughlyfor　she　always　blurted　out

what　was　in　her　mind；　and　Umslopogaas　could　not　challenge　her　to

battle。　So　he　must　bear　her　talk　as　best　he　might；　for　it　is　often

thus；　my　father；　that　the　greatest　of　men　grow　small　enough　in　their

own　huts。　Moreover；　he　knew　that　it　was　because　Zinita　loved　him　that

she　spoke　so　bitterly。



Now　on　the　third　day　all　the　fighting…men　were　gathered；　and　there

might　have　been　two　thousand　of　them；　good　men　and　brave。　Then

Umslopogaas　went　out　and　spoke　to　them；　telling　them　of　this

adventure；　and　Galazi　the　Wolf　was　with　him。　They　listened　silently；

and　it　was　plain　to　see　that；　as　in　the　case　of　the　headmen；　some　of

them　thought　one　thing　and　some　another。　Then　Galazi　spoke　to　them

briefly；　telling　them　that　he　knew　the　roads　and　the　caves　and　the

number　of　the　Halakazi　cattle；　but　still　they　doubted。　Thereon

Umslopogaas　added　these　words：



〃To…morrow；　at　the　dawn；　I；　Bulalio；　Holder　of　the　Axe；　Chief　of　the

People　of　the　Axe；　go　up　against　the　Halakazi；　with　Galazi　the　Wolf；

my　brother。　If　but　ten　men　follow　us；　yet　we　will　go。　Now；　choose；　you

soldiers！　Let　those　come　who　will；　and　let　those　who　will　stop　at　home

with　the　women　and　the　little　children。〃



Now　a　great　shout　rose　from　every　throat。



〃We　will　go　with　you；　Bulalio；　to　victory　or　death！〃



So　on　the　morrow　they　marched；　and　there　was　wailing　among　the　women

of　the　People　of　the　Axe。　Only　Zinita　did　not　wail；　but　stood　by　in

wrath；　foreboding　evil；　nor　would　she　bid　her　lord　farewell；　yet　when

he　was　gone　she　wept　also。



Now　Umslopogaas　and　his　impi　travelled　fast　and　far；　hungering　and

thirsting；　till　at　length　they　came　to　the　land　of　the　Umswazi；　and

after　a　while　entered　the　territory　of　the　Halakazi　by　a　high　and

narrow　pass。　The　fear　of　Galazi　the　Wolf　was　that　they　should　find

this　pass　held；　for　though　they　had　harmed　none　in　the　kraals　as　they

went；　and　taken　only　enough　cattle　to　feed　themselves；　yet　he　knew

well　that　messengers　had　sped　by　day　and　night　to　warn　the　people　of

the　Halakazi。　But　they　found　no　man　in　the　pass；　and　on　the　other　side

of　it　they　rested；　for　the　night　was　far　spent。　At　dawn　Umslopogaas

looked　out　over　the　wide　plains　beyond；　and　Galazi　showed　him　a　long

low　hill；　two　hours'　march　away。



〃There；　my　brother；〃　he　said；　〃lies　the　head　kraal　of　the　Halakazi；

where　I　was　born；　and　in　that　hill　is　the　great　cave。〃



Then　they　went　on；　and　before　the　sun　was　high　they　came　to　the　crest

of　a　rise；　and　heard　the　sound　of　horns　on　its　farther　side。　They

stood　upon　the　rise；　and　looked；　and　lo！　yet　far　off；　but　running

towards　them；　was　the　whole　impi　of　the　Halakazi；　and　it　was　a　great

impi。



〃They　have　gathered　their　strength　indeed；〃　said　Galazi。　〃For　every

man　of　ours　there　are　three　of　these　Swazis！〃



The　soldiers　saw　also；　and　the　courage　of　some　of　them　sank　low。　Then

Umslopogaas　spoke　to　them：



〃Yonder　are　the　Swazi　dogs；　my　children；　they　are　many　and　we　are　few。

Yet；　shall　it　be　told　at　home　that　we；　men　of　the　Zulu　blood；　were

hunted　by　a　pack　of　Swazi　dogs？　Shall　our　women　and　children　sing　THAT

song　in　our　ears；　O　Soldiers　of　the　Axe？〃



Now　some　cried　〃Never！〃　but　some　were　silent；　so　Umslopogaas　spoke

again：



〃Turn　back　all　who　will：　there　is　yet　time。　Turn　back　all　who　will；

but　ye　who　are　men　come　forward　with　me。　Or　if　ye　will；　go　back　all　of

you；　and　leave　Axe　Groan…Maker　and　Club　Watcher　to　see　this　matter　out

alone。〃



Now　there　arose　a　mighty　shout　of　〃We　will　die　together　who　have　lived

together！〃



〃Do　you　swear　it？〃　cried　Umslopogaas；　holding　Groan…Maker　on　high。



〃We　swear　it　by　the　Axe；〃　they　answered。



Then　Umslopogaas　and　Galazi　made　ready　for　the　battle。　They　posted　all

the　young　men　in　the　broken　ground　above　the　bottom　of　the　slope；　for

these　could　best　be　spared　to　the　spear；　and　Galazi　the　Wolf　took

command　of　them；　but　the　veterans　stayed　upon　the　hillside；　and　with

them　Umslopogaas。



Now　the　Halakazi　came　on；　and　there　were　four　full　regiments　of　them。

The　plain　was　black　with　them；　the　air　was　rent　with　their　shoutings；

and　their　spears　flashed　like　lightnings。　On　the　farther　side　of　the

slope　they　halted　and　sent　a　herald　forward　to　demand　what　the　People

of　the　Axe　would　have　from　them。　The　Slaughterer　answered　that　they

would　have　three　things：　First；　the　head　of　their　chief；　whose　place

Galazi　should　fill　henceforth；　secondly；　that　fair　maid　whom　men　named

the　Lily；　thirdly；　a　thousand　head　of　cattle。　If　these　demands　were

granted；　then　he　would　spare　them；　the　Halakazi；　if　not；　he　would

stamp　them　out　and　take　all。



So　the　herald　returned；　and　when　he　reached　the　ranks　of　the　Halakazi

he　called　aloud　his　answer。　Then　a　great　roar　of　laughter　went　up　from

the　Halakazi　regiments；　a　roar　that　shook　the　earth。　The　brow　of

Umslopogaas　the　Slaughterer　burned　red　beneath　the　black　when　he　heard

it；　and　he　shook　Groan…Maker　towards　their　host。



〃Ye　shall　sing　another　song　before　this　sun　is　set；〃　he　cried；　and

strode　along　the　ranks　speaking　to　this　man　and　that　by　name；　and

lifting　up　their　hearts　with　great　words。



Now　the　Halakazi　raised　a　shout；　and　charged　to　come　at　the　young　men

led　by　Galazi　the　Wolf；　but　beyond　the　foot　of　the　slope　was　peaty

ground；　and　they　came　through　it　heavily；　and　as　they　came　Galazi　and

the　young　men　fell　upon　them　and　slew　them；　still；　they　could　not　hold

them　back　for　long；　because　of　their　great　numbers；　and　presently　the

battle　ranged　all　along　the　slope。　But　so　well　did　Galazi　handle　the

young　men；　and　so　fiercely　did　they　fight　beneath　his　eye；　that　before

they　could　be　killed　or　driven　back　all　the　force　of　the　Halakazi　was

doing　battle　with　them。　Ay；　and　twice　Galazi　charged　with　such　as　he

could　gather；　and　twice　he　checked　the　Halakazi　rush；　throwing　them

into　confusion；　till　at　length　company　was　mixed　with　company　and

regiment　with　regiment。　But　it　might　not　endure；　for　now　more　than

half　the　young　men　were　down；　and　the　rest　were　being　pushed　back　up

the　hill；　fighting　madly。



But　all　this　while　Umslopogaas　and　the　veterans　sat　in　their　ranks

upon　the　brow　of　the　slope　and　watched。　〃Those　Swazi　dogs　have　a　fool

for　their　general；〃　quoth　Umslopogaas。　〃He　has　no　men　left　to　fall

back　on；　and　Galazi　has　broken　his　array　and　mixed　his　regiments　as

milk　and　cream　are　mixed　in　a　bowl。　They　are　no　longer　an　impi；　they

are　a　mob。〃



Now　the　veterans　moved　restlessly　on　their　haunches；　pushing　their

legs　out　and　drawing　them　in　again。　They　glanced　at　the　fray；　they

looked　into　each　other's　eyes　and　spoke　a　word　here；　a　word　there；

〃Well　smitten；　Galazi！　Wow！　that　one　is　down！　A　brave　lad！　Ho！　a　good

club　is　the　Watcher！　The　fight　draws　near；　my　brother！〃　And　ever　as

they　spoke　their　faces　grew　fiercer　and　their　fingers　played　with

their　spears。



At　length　a　captain　called　aloud　to　Umslopogaas：



〃Say；　Slaughterer；　is　it　not　time　to　be　up　and　doing？　The　grass　is　wet

to　sit　on；　and　our　limbs　grow　cramped。〃



〃Wait　awhile；〃　answered　Umslopogaas。　〃Let　them　weary　of　their　play。

Let　them　weary；　I　tell　you。〃



As　he　spoke　the　Halakazi　huddled　themselves　together；　and　with　a　rush

drove　back　Galazi　and　those　who　were　left　of　the　young　men。　Yes；　at

last　they　were　forced　to　flee；　and　after　them　came　the　Swazis；　and　in

the　forefront　of　the　pursuit　was　their　chief；　ringed　round　with　a

circle　of　his　bravest。



Umslopogaas　saw　it　and　bounded　to　his　feet；　roaring　like　a　bull。　〃At

them　now；　wolves！〃　he　shouted。



Then　the　lines　of　warriors　sprang　up　as　a　wave　springs；　and　their

crests　were　like　foam　upon　the　wave。　As　a　wave　that　swells　to　break

they　rose　suddenly；　like　a　breaking　wave　they　poured　down　the　slope。

In　front　of　them　was　the　Slaughterer；　holding　Groan…Maker　aloft；　and

oh！　his　feet　were　swift。　So　swift　were　his　feet　that；　strive　as　they

would；　he　outran　them　by　the　quarter　of　a　spear's　throw。　Galazi　heard

the　thunder　of　their　rush；　he　looked　round；　and　as　he　looked；　lo！　the

Slaughterer　swept　past　him；　running　like　a　buck。　Then　Galazi；　too；

bounded　forward；　and　the　Wolf…Brethren　sped　down　the　hill；　the　length

of　four　spears　between　them。



The　Halakazi　also　saw　and　heard；　and　strove　to　gather　themselves

together　to　meet　the　rush。　In　front　of　Umslopogaas　was　their　chief；　a

tall　man　hedged　about　with　assegais。　Straight　at　the　shield…hedge

drove　Umslopogaas；　and　a　score　of　spears　were　lifted　to　greet　him；　a

score　of　shields　hea