This task Zinti undertook gladly, for he loved following a spoor, which was a gift that Nature had given him; also he was weary of being cooped up like a fatting fowl upon the mountain Umpondwana.

When Zinti had gone Sihamba summoned other messengers, and commanded them to travel swiftly to the kraal Umgungundlhovo, bearing her homage to Dingaan, king of the Amazulus, and asking whether he had lost any of the cattle from his royal herds, since certain white oxen had been found among her beasts, though how they came there she could not tell.  These men went also, though in fear and trembling, since in those days none loved to approach the Lion of the Zulu with tales of cattle of his that had strayed among their herd.  Still they went, and with doubt in her heart Sihamba sat awaiting their return.

CHAPTER XXVIII

THE COMING OF THE IMPI

Sihamba had not very long to wait, for on the evening of the fifth day from the starting of the messengers they came back at great speed, having run so fast that they could scarcely speak for want of breath, and telling her that a Zulu impi, numbering more than three thousand spears, was advancing upon the Umpondwana to destroy them.  It seemed that long before the king’s oxen had been found mixed with her herd it had been reported to Dingaan that Sihamba had stolen them, which was not altogether strange, seeing that Swart Piet travelled with the impi.  As she suspected, he had caused the oxen to be stolen, and now he had fixed the deed upon her, knowing well that Dingaan only sought a pretext to destroy her tribe, with which the Zulus had an ancient quarrel.

Now there was but one thing to be done—­to make ready their defence, so, without more ado, Sihamba summoned her council and told them that a Zulu impi was at hand to eat them up because of the white cattle that had been placed among the herds.  Then the councillors wrung their hands, and some of them shed tears even, although they were aged men, for the name of the Zulus struck terror to their hearts, and they expected nothing less than death for themselves, their wives, and their children.

“It is best that we should fly while there is yet time,” said the captain of the council.

“There is no time,” answered Sihamba; “the impi will be here by dawn and will cut you up upon the plain.”

“What then shall we do?” they asked; “we who are already dead.”

“Do?” she cried.  “You shall fight as your fathers fought before you, and beat back these dogs of Dingaan.  If you will but be brave, what have you to fear from them?  You have water, you have food, you have spears, and even the Zulus have not wings like eagles with which to fly over your walls of cliff.  Let them come, and if you will but obey me, I promise you that they shall return again to make report to the ‘Elephant’ many fewer than they left his kraal.”