The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-11-14

rOr Inere, on Gne CREST OF Inc n11l, aDOuL
ten spear throws away. were party Of
six armed men, and these men people Of
my own tribe-children of my father
Makedama-who still pursued us to take
us or slay us. They saw us; they raised
a shout and began to run. We too
sprang up and ran.
Before us the ground was open and
sloped down to the banks of the White
Umfolozi. We ran for the river After
us came the warriors. Now we neared
the banks of the river; it was full and
wide. Above us the waters ran angrily,
breaking into swirls of white where they
passed over sunken rocks; below was a
rapid, in which none might live; be-
tween the two deep pool where the
water was quiet but the stream strong.
"Ah! my brother, what shall we dor
gasped Baleka.
"There is this to choose" answered
perish On the spears of our people or
try the river
"Easier to die by water than on iron, :"
she answered.
"Goodv' said. "Now may our snakes
look toward us and the spirits of our
fathers be with us! At the least we can
swim" And led her to the head of the
pool. We threw away everything ex-
:ept an assegai-which l held in my
seeth-and plunged in, wading and swim
ming, the dog Koos leading the way.
Then it was that the soldiers appeared
apon the bank "Ahl little people, s.
one cried 'you swim, do you? Well
you will drown; and if you do not
drown we know a ford, and we will
catch you and kill you" And he hurled
An asseagi after us, which fell between
us.
4 Now we swan hard, for we could
swim we'll. It was just this: If we
could reach the bank before we got into
the rapids we were safe; if not, then
good night! We strained, we struggled
Baleka was brave girl, and she swan
bravely; but the water pushed her down
below me, and | could do nothing to
help her. got my foot upon the rock
and looked around. There she was, and
eight PAGES from her the broken water
boiled could not go back. But the
dog Koos saw. He swan to her bark
ing, then turned around heading for the
shore. She grasped him by the tail
with her right hand. She too struck
out with her feet and her left hand, and
slowly, very slowly, drew near. Then
stretched out the handle of my assegai
toward her. She caught it with her
left hand. pulled and Koos pulled,
and we brought her to the bank, and
there she fell gasping.
1, Now when the soldiers on the other
bank saw that we had crossed, they
shouted threats at us, then ran away
down the bank.
!, arise, Baleka," said; ''they have
gone to seek ford"
Il ''Ah, let me der she answered.
But forced her to rise, and we walked
on till at last far away, we saw large
J. kraal.
| Keep heart" l said. See. there is
the kraal of Chaka."
Presently we came to path that ra1
to the kraal from the ford of the Um
folozi. We followed the path till Al
last we were but half an hours journey
from the kraal. Then we looked back
and lol there behind US were the pursuers
Again we ran, but they gained upo1
US. Then once more thought Of tn,
dog. Icalled him and told him what t.
do. He understood, and few toward
them growing. They tried to kill hin
with spears and kerries, but he jumped
around them, biting at them and KEEP
them back. At last man hit him, ant
he sprang up and seized the man by tn
throat. There he chung, man and dot
rolling over and over together, till tn
end of it was that they both died to
gether.
] Meanwhile we were but three hundred
PAGES from the gate Of the kraal.
Run on. Baleka, run ont" said
dropping behind. Now she staggered
on toward the kraal sat down to ge
my breath again, for was about to fgh
four men.
The men were running, two and two
with the length of spear throw between
them. But of the first pair one was fiv
or six PAGES in front Of the other. Thi
man shouted out loud and charged me
shield and spear up. stood waiting fo
him till he drew back the spear to sta
. me. Then suddenly dropped to m
= knees and thrust upward with all m
a strength beneath the rim Of his shield
a and he also thrust, but over me, hi
y spear only cutting the skin of my shou
? der. And my assegai? All! it ra
!. through and through his middle. b
!. rolled over and over on the plain
was now weaponless, for the haft of m
= spear-it was but light throwing ass,
gai-broke in two, leaving nothing BIT
+ little bit of stick in my hand. An
4 the other one was on me! He looked ia
:, as tree above me.
l fell onto my hands and knees an
:. flung myself over sideways. My bod
if struck the legs of the man about to sta
me, lifting his feet from beneath hin
% Down he came heavily. Before he ha
"a touched the ground was off it. 81
d spear had fallen from his hand. lstool
ed, seized it, and as he rose stabbed hi
n through the back. In the shake of
W leaf he also was dead. Then ran, f,
= my valor was gone. About a hundre
n.1 So.