The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-09-02


fence before ever came to save him
who was my brother from the spear of
Masilo, the murderer, whose spear stole
away the life Of kingF'
81 remember those words also. o
kingI" | said. lis it the will Of the
king that an impi should be gathered to
eat up this upstart? Such was the com
mand of one who is gone, given, as it
were, with his last breath"
NAY, Mopo. this is not my viii. If
no impi can be found by thee to wipe
away the Halakazi and bring one whom
| desire to light my eyes, then surely
none can be found to eat up the Slaugh-
terer and his people. Moreover, Bula-
Ito, chief Of the People Of the Ak. has
not offended against me. but against an
elephant whose trumpetings- are done.
Now this is my will. MOpO, my servant.
that thou shouldst take with thee a few
men only and go gently to this Bulalio
and say to him: "A greater elephant
stalks through the land than he who has
gone to sleep, and it has come to his cars
that thou, chief Of the People of the
AK, dost pay no tribute, and hast said
that because of the death Of q certain
Mopo thou wilt have nothing to do with
him whose shadow lies upon the land.
Now one MOpo is sent to thee. Slaughter
er, to know if this tale is true; for. if it
be true. then shalt thou learn the weight
of the hoof of that elephant who trum-
pets in the kraal Umgugundhlovu.
Think, then, and weigh thy words be-
fore thou dost answer, Slaughterer.
Now |. Mopo, heard the commands
of the king, and there had arisen in me
a great desire to see this Bulalio. who
spoke of vengeance to be taken for one
Mopo. Therefore answered:
Il hear the king. The kings word
shall be done, though. . king. thou
sendest big man upon little errand. I"
mot 80. Mopo," answered Dingaan.
My heart tells me that this chicken of
a Slaughterer will grow to a great cock
if his comb Is not cut presently: and
thou, Mopo, art versed in cutting combs.
even of the tallest.
Il hear the king" answered again.
So, my father, it came about that on
the morrow. taking with me but ten
chosen men, l, Mopo, started on my
journey toward the Ghost mountain,
and as jo1rneyed thought much of
how had trod that path in bygone
days. Then Macropha my wife. and
NADIA my daughter, and Umslopogaas
the son of Chaka, who was thought to
be my son, walked at my side. Now,
as imagined, all were dead and
walked alone; doubtless 1 also should
soon be dead. Well, what did it matter?
AT the least had wreaked vengeance
on Chaka.
At length | came one night to that
lonely spot where we had camped IN
the evil hour when Umslopogaas was
borne away by the hol.ess. aud once
more looked upon the cave whence he
had dragged the cub and upon the awful
face of the Stone Witch, who sits aloft
upon the Ghost mountain forever and
forever.
So sat and gazed on the mountain.
and as ! gazed l heard n sound that
came from far away, out of the heart of
the forest as it seemed. AT first it was
faint and far off, a distant thing like
the cry Of children in a kraal across a
valley; then it grew louder, but still |
could not say what it might be: now it
swelled and swelled, and | knew tit
was the sound OF wild beasts at chase.
That pack was great which ran a-hunt-
ing through the silent night; and now
it was nigh, on the other side of the
slope only, and the sound swelled 80
loud that those who were with me woke
also and looked forth.
Now of sudden a great koodoo bull
appeared for an instant standing out
against the sky on the crest of the ridge
then vanished in the shadow. He was
running toward us; presently we saw
him again speeding on his path with
great bounds. We saw this also-forlns
gray and gaunt and galloping, in num-
Der countless, that leaped along upon
his path, appearing on the crest of the
rise. disappearing in the shadow, seen
again on the slope. lost in the valley. and
with them two other shapes. the shapes
Of men. Now the big buck bounded
past us not half spears throw away
and behind him streamed the countless
wolves. and from the threats Of the
wolves went up that awful music. And
who were these two that came with the
wolves. shapes Of men great and strong?
They ran silently and swift; wolves
teeth CLEANED upon their heads, wolves
hides hung about their shoulders. In
the hand OF one was an ax-the moon
light shone upon tin the hand of the
other heavy club. Neck and neck they
ran; they came, they passed, they were
gone.
fCONTINURD.l A..