Now it was after this, on the northern borders of Zululand, that Zikali’s Great Medicine, as Hans called it, really played its chief part, for without it I think that we should have been killed, every one of us.  I do not propose to set out the business in detail; it is too long and intricate.  Suffice it to say, therefore, that it had to do with the plots of Umslopogaas against Cetywayo, which had been betrayed by his wife Monazi and her lover Lousta, both of whom I have mentioned earlier in this record.  The result was that a watch for him was kept on all the frontiers, because it was guessed that sooner or later he would return to Zululand; also it had become known that he was travelling in my company.

So it came about that when my approach was reported by spies, a company was gathered under the command of a man connected with the Royal House, and by it we were surrounded.  Before attacking, however, this captain sent men to me with the message that with me the King had no quarrel, although I was travelling in doubtful company, and that if I would deliver over to him Umslopogaas, Chief of the People of the Axe, and his followers, I might go whither I wished unharmed, taking my goods with me.  Otherwise we should be attacked at once and killed every one of us, since it was not desired that any witnesses should be left of what happened to Umslopogaas.  Having delivered this ultimatum and declined any argument as to its terms, the messengers retired, saying that they would return for my answer within half an hour.

When they were out of hearing Umslopogaas, who had listened to their words in grim silence, turned and spoke in such fashion as might have been expected of him.

“Macumazahn,” he said, “now I come to the end of an unlucky journey, though mayhap it is not so evil as it seems, since I who went out to seek the dead but to be filled by yonder White Witch with the meat of mocking shadows, am about to find the dead in the only way in which they can be found, namely by becoming of their number.”

“It seems that this is the case with all of us, Umslopogaas.”

“Not so, Macumazahn.  That child of the King will give you safe-conduct.  It is I and mine whose blood he seeks, as he has the right to do, since it is true that I would have raised rebellion against the King, I who wearied of my petty lot and knew that by blood his place was mine.  In this quarrel you have no share, though you, whose heart is as white as your skin, are not minded to desert me.  Moreover, even if you wished to fight, there is one in the waggon yonder whose life is not yours to give.  The Lady Sad-Eyes is as a child in your arms and her you must bear to safety.”

Now this argument was so unanswerable that I did not know what to say.  So I only asked what he meant to do, as escape was impossible, seeing that we were surrounded on every side.

“Make a glorious end, Macumazahn,” he said with a smile.  “I will go out with those who cling to me, that is with all who remain of my men, since my fate must be theirs, and stand back to back on yonder mound and there wait till these dogs of the King come up against us.  Watch a while, Macumazahn, and see how Umslopogaas, Bearer of the Axe, and the warriors of the Axe can fight and die.”