child of storm-第43节

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！


watch；　or　perchance　to　fight　with　them；　put　a　good　heart　into　the
Amawombe。

There　we　stood　until　the　lads；　several　hundreds　of　them；　who　bore　the
mats　and　cooking　vessels　and　drove　the　cattle　that　were　to　be　our
commissariat；　had　wended　away　in　a　long　line。　　Then　suddenly　Panda
appeared　out　of　his　hut；　accompanied　by　a　few　servants；　and　seemed　to
utter　some　kind　of　prayer；　as　he　did　so　throwing　dust　or　powdered
medicine　towards　us；　though　what　this　ceremony　meant　I　did　not
understand。

When　he　had　finished　Maputa　raised　a　spear；　whereon　the　whole　regiment；
in　perfect　time；　shouted　out　the　royal　salute；　〃Bayete〃；　with　a　sound
like　that　of　thunder。　　Thrice　they　repeated　this　tremendous　and
impressive　salute；　and　then　were　silent。　　Again　Maputa　raised　his　spear；
and　all　the　four　thousand　voices　broke　out　into　the　Ingoma；　or　national
chant；　to　which　deep；　awe…inspiring　music　we　began　our　march。　　As　I　do
not　think　it　has　ever　been　written　down；　I　will　quote　the　words。　　They
ran　thus：

〃Ba　ya　m'zonda；
Ba　ya　m'loyisa；
Izizwe　zonke；
Ba　zond'；　Inkoosi。〃*

＇*Literally　translated；　this　famous　chant；　now；　I　think；　published　for
the　first　time；　which；　I　suppose；　will　never　again　pass　the　lips　of　a
Zulu　impi；　means：

〃They　＇i。e。　the　enemy＇　bear　him　＇i。e。　the　King）　hatred；
They　call　down　curses　on　his　head；
All　of　them　throughout　this　land
Abhor　our　King。〃

The　Ingoma　when　sung　by　twenty　or　thirty　thousand　men　rushing　down　to
battle　must；　indeed；　have　been　a　song　to　hear。　EDITOR。＇

The　spirit　of　this　fierce　Ingoma；　conveyed　by　sound；　gesture　and
inflection　of　voice；　not　the　exact　words；　remember；　which　are　very　rude
and　simple；　leaving　much　to　the　imagination；　may　perhaps　be　rendered
somewhat　as　follows。　　An　exact　translation　into　English　verse　is　almost
impossibleat　any　rate；　to　me：

〃Loud　on　their　lips　is　lying；
　　　Red　are　their　eyes　with　hate；
Rebels　their　King　defying。
　　　Lo！　where　our　impis　wait
There　shall　be　dead　and　dying；
　　　Vengeance　insatiate！〃

It　was　early　on　the　morning　of　the　2nd　of　December；　a　cold；　miserable
morning　that　came　with　wind　and　driving　mist；　that　I　found　myself　with
the　Amawombe　at　the　place　known　as　Endondakusuka；　a　plain　with　some
kopjes　in　it　that　lies　within　six　miles　of　the　Natal　border；　from　which
it　is　separated　by　the　Tugela　river。

As　the　orders　of　the　Amawombe　were　to　keep　out　of　the　fray　if　that　were
possible；　we　had　taken　up　a　position　about　a　mile　to　the　right　of　what
proved　to　be　the　actual　battlefield；　choosing　as　our　camping　ground　a
rising　knoll　that　looked　like　a　huge　tumulus；　and　was　fronted　at　a
distance　of　about　five　hundred　yards　by　another　smaller　knoll。　　Behind
us　stretched　bushland；　or　rather　broken　land；　where　mimosa　thorns　grew
in　scattered　groups；　sloping　down　to　the　banks　of　the　Tugela　about　four
miles　away。

Shortly　after　dawn　I　was　roused　from　the　place　where　I　slept；　wrapped　up
in　some　blankets；　under　a　mimosa　treefor；　of　course；　we　had　no
tentsby　a　messenger；　who　said　that　the　Prince　Umbelazi　and　the　white
man；　John　Dunn；　wished　to　see　me。　　I　rose　and　tidied　myself　as　best　I
could；　since；　if　I　can　avoid　it；　I　never　like　to　appear　before　natives
in　a　dishevelled　condition。　　I　remember　that　I　had　just　finished
brushing　my　hair　when　Umbelazi　arrived。

I　can　see　him　now；　looking　a　veritable　giant　in　that　morning　mist。　
Indeed；　there　was　something　quite　unearthly　about　his　appearance　as　he
arose　out　of　those　rolling　vapours；　such　light　as　there　was　being
concentrated　upon　the　blade　of　his　big　spear；　which　was　well　known　as
the　broadest　carried　by　any　warrior　in　Zululand；　and　a　copper　torque　he
wore　about　his　throat。

There　he　stood；　rolling　his　eyes　and　hugging　his　kaross　around　him
because　of　the　cold；　and　something　in　his　anxious；　indeterminate
expression　told　me　at　once　that　he　knew　himself　to　be　a　man　in　terrible
danger。　　Just　behind　him；　dark　and　brooding；　his　arms　folded　on　his
breast；　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　ground；　looking；　to　my　moved
imagination；　like　an　evil　genius；　stood　the　stately　and　graceful　Saduko。
　On　his　left　was　a　young　and　sturdy　white　man　carrying　a　rifle　and
smoking　a　pipe；　whom　I　guessed　to　be　John　Dunn；　a　gentleman　whom；　as　it
chanced；　I　had　never　met；　while　behind　were　a　force　of　Natal　Government
Zulus；　clad　in　some　kind　of　uniform　and　armed　with　guns；　and　with　them　a
number　of　natives；　also　from　Natal〃kraal　Kafirs；〃　who　carried　stabbing
assegais。　　One　of　these　led　John　Dunn's　horse。

Of　those　Government　men　there　may　have　been　thirty　or　forty；　and　of　the
〃kraal　Kafirs〃　anything　between　two　and　three　hundred。

I　shook　Umbelazi's　hand　and　gave　him　good…day。

〃That　is　an　ill　day　upon　which　no　sun　shines；　O　Macumazana；〃　he
answeredwords　that　struck　me　as　ominous。　　Then　he　introduced　me　to
John　Dunn；　who　seemed　glad　to　meet　another　white　man。　　Next；　not　knowing
what　to　say；　I　asked　the　exact　object　of　their　visit；　whereon　Dunn　began
to　talk。　　He　said　that　he　had　been　sent　over　on　the　previous　afternoon
by　Captain　Walmsley；　who　was　an　officer　of　the　Natal　Government
stationed　across　the　border；　to　try　to　make　peace　between　the　Zulu
factions；　but　that　when　he　spoke　of　peace　one　of　Umbelazi's　brothersI
think　it　was　Mantantashiyahad　mocked　at　him；　saying　that　they　were
quite　strong　enough　to　cope　with　the　Usututhat　was　Cetewayo's　party。　
Also；　he　added；　that　when　he　suggested　that　the　thousands　of　women　and
children　and　the　cattle　should　be　got　across　the　Tugela　drift　during　the
previous　night　into　safety　in　Natal；　Mantantashiya　would　not　listen；　and
Umbelazi　being　absent；　seeking　the　aid　of　the　Natal　Government；　he　could
do　nothing。

〃Quem　Deus　vult　perdere　prius　dementat〃　＇whom　God　wishes　to　destroy；　He
first　makes　mad＇；　quoted　I　to　myself　beneath　my　breath。　　This　was　one　of
the　Latin　tags　that　my　old　father；　who　was　a　scholar；　had　taught　me；　and
at　that　moment　it　came　back　to　my　mind。　　But　as　I　suspected　that　John
Dunn　knew　no　Latin；　I　only　said　aloud：

〃What　an　infernal　fool！〃　（We　were　talking　in　English。）　　〃Can't　you　get
Umbelazi　to　do　it　now？〃　（I　meant；　to　send　the　women　and　children　across
the　river。）

〃I　fear　it　is　too　late；　Mr。　Quatermain；〃　he　answered。　　〃The　Usutu　are　in
sight。　　Look　for　yourself。〃　　And　he　handed　me　a　telescope　which　he　had
with　him。

I　climbed　on　to　some　rocks　and　scanned　the　plain　in　front　of　us；　from
which　just　then　a　puff　of　wind　rolled　away　the　mist。　　It　was　black　with
advancing　men！　　As　yet　they　were　a　considerable　distance　awayquite　two
miles；　I　should　thinkand　coming　on　very　slowly　in　a　great　half…moon
with　thin　horns　and　a　deep　breast；　but　a　ray　from　the　sun　glittered　upon
their　countless　spears。　　It　seemed　to　me　that　there　must　be　quite　twenty
or　thirty　thousand　of　them　in　this　breast；　which　was　in　three　divisions；
commanded；　as　I　learned　afterwards；　by　Cetewayo；　Uzimela；　and　by　a　young
Boer　named　Groening。

〃There　they　are；　right　enough；〃　I　said；　climbing　down　from　my　rocks。　
〃What　are　you　going　to　do；　Mr。　　Dunn？〃

〃Obey　orders　and　try　to　make　peace；　if　I　can　find　anyone　to　make　peace
with；　and　if　I　can'twell；　fight；　I　suppose。　　And　you；　Mr。　
Quatermain？〃

〃Oh；　obey　orders　and　stop　here；　I　suppose。　　Unless；〃　I　added　doubtfully；
〃these　Amawombe　take　the　bit　between　their　teeth　and　run　away　with　me。〃

〃They'll　do　that　before　nightfall；　Mr。　　Quatermain；　if　I　know　anything
of　the　Zulus。　　Look　here；　why　don't　you　get　on　your　horse　and　come　off
with　me？　　This　is　a　queer　place　for　you。〃

〃Because　I　promised　not　to；〃　I　answered　with　a　groan；　for　really；　as　I
looked　at　those　savages　round　me；　who　were　already　fingering　their
spears　in　a　disagreeable　fashion；　and　those　other　thousands　of　savages
advancing　towards　us；　I　felt　such　little　courage　as　I　possessed　sinking
into　my　boots。

〃Very　well；　Mr。　Quatermain；　you　know　your　own　business　best；　but　I　hope
you　will　come　out　of　it　safely；　that　is　all。〃

〃Same　to　you；〃　I　replied。

Then　John　Dunn　turned；　and　in　my　hearing　asked　Umbelazi　what　he　knew　of
the　movements　of　the　Usutu　and　of　their　plan　of　battle。

The　Prince　replied；　with　a　shrug　of　his　shoulders：

〃Nothing　at　present；　Son　of　Mr。　Dunn；　but　doubtless　before　the　sun　is
high　I　shall　know　much。〃

As　he　spoke　a　sudden　gust　of　wind　struck　us；　and　tore　the　nodding
ostrich　plume　from　its　fastening　on　Umbelazi's　head…ring。　　Whilst　a
murmur　of　dismay　rose　from　all　who　saw　what　they　considered　this　very
ill…omened　accident；　away　it　floated　into　the　air；　to　fall　gently　to　the
ground　at　the　feet　of　Saduko。　　He　stooped；　picked　it　up；　and　reset　it　in
its　place；　saying　as　he　did　so；　with　that　ready　wit　for　which　some
Kafirs　are　remarkable：

〃So　may　I　live；　O　Prince；　to　set　the　crown　upon　the　head　of　Panda's
favoured　son！〃

This　apt　speech　served　to　dispel　the　general　gloom　caused　by　the
incident；　for　those　who　heard　it　cheered；　while　Umbelazi　thanked　his
captain　with　a　nod　and　a　smile。　　Only　I　noted　that　Saduko　did　not
mention　the　name　of　〃Panda's　favoured　son〃　upon　whose　head　he　hoped　to
live　to　set　the　crown。　　Now；　Panda　had　many　sons；　and　that　day　would
show　which　of　them　was　favoured。

A　minute　or　two　later　John　Dunn　and　his　following　departed；　as　he　said；
to　try　to　make　p