Child of Storm

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

answered--words 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 brothers--I think it was

Mantantashiya--had mocked at him, saying that they were quite strong

enough to cope with the Usutu--that 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 away--quite two

miles, I should think--and 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't--well, fight, I suppose. And you, Mr. Quatermain?"