按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
death was in his eyes； and like a buck he sniffed the air； scenting
the air of slaughter。 He lifted his assegai； and a silence fell； only
the sound of chanting still rolled along the hills。
〃Where are the children of Zwide？〃 he shouted； and his voice was like
the voice of a bull。
〃Yonder； father；〃 answered the regiments。 And every spear pointed
across the valley。
〃They do not come；〃 he shouted again。 〃Shall we then sit here till we
grow old？〃
〃No； father；〃 they answered。 〃Begin！ begin！〃
〃Let the Umkandhlu regiment come forward！〃 he shouted a third time；
and as he spoke the black shields of the Umkandhlu leaped from the
ranks of the impi。
〃Go； my children！〃 cried Chaka。 〃There is the foe。 Go and return no
more！〃
〃We hear you； father！〃 they answered with one voice； and moved down
the slope like a countless herd of game with horns of steel。
Now they crossed the stream； and now Zwide awoke。 A murmur went
through his companies； lines of light played above his spears。
Ou！ they are coming！ Ou！ they have met！ Hearken to the thunder of the
shields！ Hearken to the song of battle！
To and fro they swing。 The Umkandhlu gives wayit flies！ They pour
back across the streamhalf of them； the rest are dead。 A howl of
rage goes up from the host； only Chaka smiles。
〃Open up！ open up！〃 he cries。 〃Make room for the Umkandhlu GIRLS！〃 And
with hanging heads they pass us。
Now he whispers a word to the indunas。 The indunas run； they whisper
to Menziwa the general and to the captains； then two regiments rush
down the hill； two more run to the right； and yet another two to the
left。 But Chaka stays on the hill with the three that are left。 Again
comes the roar of the meeting shields。 Ah！ these are men： they fight；
they do not run。 Regiment after regiment pours upon them； but still
they stand。 They fall by hundreds and by thousands； but no man shows
his back； and on each man there lie two dead。 Wow！ my father； of those
two regiments not one escaped。 They were but boys； but they were the
children of Chaka。 Menziwa was buried beneath the heaps of his
warriors。 Now there are no such men。
They are all dead and quiet。 Chaka still holds his hand！ He looks to
the north and to the south。 See！ spears are shining among the trees。
Now the horns of our host close upon the flanks of the foe。 They slay
and are slain； but the men of Zwide are many and brave； and the battle
turns against us。
Then again Chaka speaks a word。 The captains hear； the soldiers
stretch out their necks to listen。
It has come at last。 〃Charge！ Children of the Zulu！〃
There is a roar； a thunder of feet； a flashing of spears； a bending of
plumes； and； like a river that has burnt its banks； like storm…clouds
before the gale； we sweep down upon friend and foe。 They form up to
meet us； the stream is passed； our wounded rise upon their haunches
and wave us on。 We trample them down。 What matter？ They can fight no
more。 Then we meet Zwide rushing to greet us； as bull meets bull。 Ou！
my father； I know no more。 Everything grows red。 That fight！ that
fight！ We swept them away。 When it was done there was nothing to be
seen； but the hillside was black and red。 Few fled； few were left to
fly。 We passed over them like fire； we ate them up。 Presently we
paused； looking for the foe。 All were dead。 The host of Zwide was no
more。 Then we mustered。 Ten regiments had looked upon the morning sun；
three regiments saw the sun sink； the rest had gone where no suns
shine。
Such were our battles in the days of Chaka！
You ask of the Umkandhlu regiment which fled。 I will tell you。 When we
reached our kraal once more； Chaka summoned that regiment and mustered
it。 He spoke to them gently； gently。 He thanked them for their
service。 He said it was natural that 〃girls〃 should faint at the sight
of blood and turn to seek their kraals。 Yet he had bid them come back
no more and they had come back！ What then was there now left for him
to do？ And he covered his face with his blanket。 Then the soldiers
killed them all； nearly two thousand of themkilled them with taunts
and jeers。
That is how we dealt with cowards in those days； my father。 After
that； one Zulu was a match for five of any other tribe。 If ten came
against him； still he did not turn his back。 〃Fight and fall； but fly
not；〃 that was our watchword。 Never again while Chaka lived did a
conquered force pass the gates of the king's kraal。
That fight was but one war out of many。 With every moon a fresh impi
started to wash its spears； and came back few and thin； but with
victory and countless cattle。 Tribe after tribe went down before us。
Those of them who escaped the assegai were enrolled into fresh
regiments； and thus； though men died by thousands every month； yet the
army grew。 Soon there were no other chiefs left。 Umsuduka fell； and
after him Mancengeza。 Umzilikazi was driven north； Matiwane was
stamped flat。 Then we poured into this land of Natal。 When we entered；
its people could not be numbered。 When we left； here and there a man
might be found in a hole in the earththat was all。 Men； women； and
children； we wiped them out； the land was clean of them。 Next came the
turn of U'Faku； chief of the Amapondos。 Ah！ where is U'faku now？
And so it went on and on； till even the Zulus were weary of war and
the sharpest assegais grew blunt。
CHAPTER VI
THE BIRTH OF UMSLOPOGAAS
This was the rule of the life of Chaka； that he would have no
children； though he had many wives。 Every child born to him by his
〃sisters〃 was put away at once。
〃What； Mopo；〃 he said to me； 〃shall I rear up children to put me to
the assegai when they grow great？ They call me tyrant。 Say； how do
those chiefs die whom men name tyrants？ They die at the hands of those
whom they have bred。 Nay； Mopo； I will rule for my life； and when I
join the spirits of my fathers let the strongest take my power and my
place！〃
Now it chanced that shortly after Chaka had spoken thus； my sister
Baleka； the king's wife； fell in labour； and on that same day my wife
Macropha was brought to bed of twins； and this but eight days after my
second wife； Anadi； had given birth to a son。 You ask； my father； how
I came to be married； seeing that Chaka forbade marriage to all his
soldiers till they were in middle life and had put the man's ring upon
their heads。 It was a boon he granted me as inyanga of medicine；
saying it was well that a doctor should know the sicknesses of women
and learn how to cure their evil tempers。 As though； my father； that
were possible！
When the king heard that Baleka was sick he did not kill her outright；
because he loved her a little； but he sent for me； commanding me to
attend her； and when the child was born to cause its body to be
brought to him； according to custom； so that he might be sure that it
was dead。 I bent to the earth before him； and went to do his bidding
wit