child of storm-第17章

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small　parties；　to　avoid　leaving　a　spoor；　and　avoided　all　kraals；　still；
some　rumour　of　our　approach　might　have　reached　the　Amakoba；　or　a　party
of　hunters　might　stumble　on　us；　or　those　who　sought　for　lost　cattle。

Indeed；　something　of　this　sort　did　happen；　for　about　midday　we　heard　a
footfall；　and　perceived　the　figure　of　a　man；　whom　by　his　head…dress　we
knew　for　an　Amakoba；　threading　his　way　through　the　bush。　　Before　he　saw
us　he　was　in　our　midst。　　For　a　moment　he　hesitated　ere　he　turned　to　fly；
and　that　moment　was　his　last；　for　three　of　the　Amangwane　leapt　on　him
silently　as　leopards　leap　upon　a　buck；　and　where　he　stood　there　he　died。
　Poor　fellow！　　Evidently　he　had　been　on　a　visit　to　some　witch…doctor；
for　in　his　blanket　we　found　medicine　and　love　charms。　　This　doctor
cannot　have　been　one　of　the　stamp　of　Zikali　the　Dwarf；　I　thought　to
myself；　at　least；　he　had　not　warned　him　that　he　would　never　live　to　dose
his　beloved　with　that　foolish　medicine。

Meanwhile　a　few　of　us　who　had　the　quickest　eyes　climbed　trees；　and
thence　watched　the　town　of　Bangu　and　the　valley　that　lay　between　us　and
it。　　Soon　we　saw　that　so　far；　at　any　rate；　Fortune　was　playing　into　our
hands；　since　herd　after　herd　of　kine　were　driven　into　the　valley　during
the　afternoon　and　enclosed　in　the　stock…kraals。　　Doubtless　Bangu
intended　on　the　morrow　to　make　his　half…yearly　inspection　of　all　the
cattle　of　the　tribe；　many　of　which　were　herded　at　a　distance　from　his
town。

At　length　the　long　day　drew　to　its　close　and　the　shadows　of　the　evening
thickened。　　Then　we　made　ready　for　our　dreadful　game；　of　which　the　stake
was　the　lives　of　all　of　us；　since；　should　we　fail；　we　could　expect　no
mercy。　　The　fifty　picked　men　were　gathered　and　ate　food　in　silence。　
These　men　were　placed　under　the　command　of　Tshoza；　for　he　was　the　most
experienced　of　the　Amangwane；　and　led　by　the　three　guides　who　had　dwelt
among　the　Amakoba；　and　who　〃knew　every　ant…heap　in　the　land；〃　or　so　they
swore。　　Their　duty；　it　will　be　remembered；　was　to　cross　the　valley；
separate　themselves　into　small　parties；　unbar　the　various　cattle　kraals；
kill　or　hunt　off　the　herdsmen；　and　drive　the　beasts　back　across　the
valley　into　the　pass。　　A　second　fifty　men；　under　the　command　of　Saduko；
were　to　be　left　just　at　the　end　of　this　pass　where　it　opened　out　into
the　valley；　in　order　to　help　and　reinforce　the　cattle…lifters；　or；　if
need　be；　to　check　the　following　Amakoba　while　the　great　herds　of　beasts
were　got　away；　and　then　fall　back　on　the　rest　of　us　in　our　ambush　nearly
two　miles　distant。　　The　management　of　this　ambush　was　to　be　my　chargea
heavy　one　indeed。

Now；　the　moon　would　not　be　up　till　midnight。　　But　two　hours　before　that
time　we　began　our　moves；　since　the　cattle　must　be　driven　out　of　the
kraals　as　soon　as　she　appeared　and　gave　the　needful　light。　　Otherwise
the　fight　in　the　pass　would　in　all　probability　be　delayed　till　after
sunrise；　when　the　Amakoba　would　see　how　small　was　the　number　of　their
foes。　　Terror；　doubt；　darknessthese　must　be　our　allies　if　our
desperate　venture　was　to　succeed。

All　was　arranged　at　last　and　the　time　had　come。　　We；　the　three　captains
of　our　divided　force；　bade　each　other　farewell；　and　passed　the　word　down
the　ranks　that；　should　we　be　separated　by　the　accidents　of　war；　my
wagons　were　the　meeting…place　of　any　who　survived。

Tshoza　and　his　fifty　glided　away　into　the　shadow　silently　as　ghosts　and
were　gone。　　Presently　the　fierce…faced　Saduko　departed　also　with　his
fifty。　　He　carried　the　double…barrelled　gun　I　had　given　him；　and　was
accompanied　by　one　of　my　best　hunters；　a　Natal　native；　who　was　also
armed　with　a　heavy　smooth…bore　loaded　with　slugs。　　Our　hope　was　that　the
sound　of　these　guns　might　terrify　the　foe；　should　there　be　occasion　to
use　them　before　our　forces　joined　up　again；　and　make　them　think　they　had
to　do　with　a　body　of　raiding　Dutch　white　men；　of　whose　roersas　the
heavy　elephant　guns　of　that　day　were　calledall　natives　were　much
afraid。

So　Saduko　went　with　his　fifty；　leaving　me　wondering　whether　I　should
ever　see　his　face　again。　　Then　I；　my　bearer　Scowl；　the　two　remaining
hunters；　and　the　ten　score　Amangwane　who　were　left　turned　and　soon　were
following　the　road　by　which　we　had　come　down　the　rugged　pass。　　I　call　it
a　road；　but；　in　fact；　it　was　nothing　but　a　water…washed　gully　strewn
with　boulders；　through　which　we　must　pick　our　way　as　best　we　could　in
the　darkness；　having　first　removed　the　percussion　cap　from　the　nipple　of
every　gun；　for　fear　lest　the　accidental　discharge　of　one　of　them　should
warn　the　Amakoba；　confuse　our　other　parties；　and　bring　all　our　deep…laid
plans　to　nothing。

Well；　we　accomplished　that　march　somehow；　walking　in　three　long　lines；
so　that　each　man　might　keep　touch　with　him　in　front；　and　just　as　the
moon　began　to　rise　reached　the　spot　that　I　had　chosen　for　the　ambush。

Certainly　it　was　well　suited　to　that　purpose。　　Here　the　track　or　gully
bed　narrowed　to　a　width　of　not　more　than　a　hundred　feet；　while　the　steep
slopes　of　the　kloof　on　either　side　were　clothed　with　scattered　bushes
and　finger…like　euphorbias　which　grew　among　stones。　　Behind　these　stones
and　bushes　we　hid　ourselves；　a　hundred　men　on　one　side　and　a　hundred　on
the　other；　whilst　I　and　my　three　hunters；　who　were　armed　with　guns；　took
up　a　position　under　shelter　of　a　great　boulder　nearly　five　feet　thick
that　lay　but　a　little　to　the　right　of　the　gully　itself；　up　which　we
expected　the　cattle　would　come。　　This　place　I　chose　for　two　reasons：
first；　that　I　might　keep　touch　with　both　wings　of　my　force；　and；
secondly；　that　we　might　be　able　to　fire　straight　down　the　path　on　the
pursuing　Amakoba。

These　were　the　orders　that　I　gave　to　the　Amangwane；　warning　them　that　he
who　disobeyed　would　be　punished　with　death。　　They　were　not　to　stir　until
I；　or；　if　I　should　be　killed；　one　of　my　hunters；　fired　a　shot；　for　my
fear　was　lest；　growing　excited；　they　might　leap　out　before　the　time　and
kill　some　of　our　own　people；　who　very　likely　would　be　mixed　up　with　the
first　of　the　pursuing　Amakoba。　　Secondly；　when　the　cattle　had　passed　and
the　signal　had　been　given；　they　were　to　rush　on　the　Amakoba；　throwing
themselves　across　the　gully；　so　that　the　enemy　would　have　to　fight
upwards　on　a　steep　slope。

That　was　all　I　told　them；　since　it　is　not　wise　to　confuse　natives　by
giving　too　many　orders。　　One　thing　I　added；　howeverthat　they　must
conquer　or　they　must　die。　　There　was　no　mercy　for　them；　it　was　a　case　of
death　or　victory。　　Their　spokesmanfor　these　people　always　find　a
spokesmananswered　that　they　thanked　me　for　my　advice；　that　they
understood；　and　that　they　would　do　their　best。　　Then　they　lifted　their
spears　to　me　in　salute。　　A　wild　lot　of　men　they　looked　in　the　moonlight
as　they　departed　to　take　shelter　behind　the　rocks　and　trees　and　wait。

That　waiting　was　long；　and　I　confess　that　before　the　end　it　got　upon　my
nerves。　　I　began　to　think　of　all　sorts　of　things；　such　as　whether　I
should　live　to　see　the　sun　rise　again；　also　I　reflected　upon　the
legitimacy　of　this　remarkable　enterprise。　　What　right　had　I　to　involve
myself　in　a　quarrel　between　these　savages？

Why　had　I　come　here？　　To　gain　cattle　as　a　trader？　　No；　for　I　was　not　at
all　sure　that　I　would　take　them　if　gained。　　Because　Saduko　had　twitted
me　with　faithlessness　to　my　words？　　Yes；　to　a　certain　extent；　but　that
was　by　no　means　the　whole　reason。　　I　had　been　moved　by　the　recital　of
the　cruel　wrongs　inflicted　upon　Saduko　and　his　tribe　by　this　Bangu；　and
therefore　had　not　been　loath　to　associate　myself　with　his　attempted
vengeance　upon　a　wicked　murderer。　　Well；　that　was　sound　enough　so　far　as
it　went；　but　now　a　new　consideration　suggested　itself　to　me。　　Those
wrongs　had　been　worked　many　years　ago；　probably　most　of　the　men　who　had
aided　and　abetted　them　by　now　were　dead　or　very　aged；　and　it　was　their
sons　upon　whom　the　vengeance　would　be　wreaked。

What　right　had　I　to　assist　in　visiting　the　sins　of　the　fathers　upon　the
sons？　　Frankly　I　could　not　say。　　The　thing　seemed　to　me　to　be　a　part　of
the　problem　of　life；　neither　less　nor　more。　　So　I　shrugged　my　shoulders
sadly　and　consoled　myself　by　reflecting　that　very　likely　the　issue　would
go　against　me；　and　that　my　own　existence　would　pay　the　price　of　the
venture　and　expound　its　moral。　　This　consideration　soothed　my　conscience
somewhat；　for　when　a　man　backs　his　actions　with　the　risk　of　his　life；
right　or　wrong；　at　any　rate　he　plays　no　coward's　part。

The　time　went　by　very　slowly　and　nothing　happened。　　The　waning　moon
shone　brightly　in　a　clear　sky；　and　as　there　was　no　wind　the　silence
seemed　peculiarly　intense。　　Save　for　the　laugh　of　an　occasional　hyena
and　now　and　again　for　a　sound　which　I　took　for　the　coughing　of　a　distant
lion；　there　was　no　stir　between　sleeping　earth　and　moonlit　heaven　in
which　little　clouds　floated　beneath　the　pale　stars。

At　length　I　thought　that　I　heard　a　noise；　a　kind　of　murmur　far　away。　　It
grew；　it　developed。

It　sounded　like　a　thousand　sticks　tapping　upon　something　hard；　very
faintly。　　It　continued　to　grow；　and　I　knew　the　sound　for　that　of　the
beating　hoofs　of　animals　galloping。　　Then　there　were　isolated　noises；
very　faint　and　thin；　they　might　be　shouts；　then　something　that　I　could
not　mistakeshots　fired　at　a　distance。　　So　the　business　was　afoot；　the
cattle　were　moving；　Saduko　and　my　hunter　were　firing。　　There　was　nothing
for　it　but　to　wait。

The　excitement　was　very　fierce；　it　seemed　to　consume　me；　to　eat　into　my
brain。　　The　sound　of　the　tapping　upon　the　rocks　grew　louder　until　it
merged　into　a　kind　of　rumble；　mixed　with　an　echo　as　of　that　of　very
distant　thunder；　which　presently　I　knew　to　be　not　thunder；　but　the
bellowing　of　a　thousand　frightened　beasts。

Nearer　and　nearer　came　the　galloping　hoofs　and　the　rumble　of　bellowings；
nearer　and　nearer　the　shouts　of　men；　affronting　the　stillness　of　the
solemn　night。　　At　length　a　single　animal　appeared；　a　koodoo　buck　that
somehow　had　got　mixed　up　with　the　cattle。　　It　went　past　us　like　a　flash；
and　was　followed　a　minute　or　so　later　by　a　bull　that；　being　young　and
light；　had　outrun　its　companions。　　That；　too；　went　by；　foam　on　its　lips
and　its　tongue　hanging　from　its　jaws。

Then　the　herd　appeareda　countless　herd　it　seemed　to　meplunging　up
the　inclinecows；　heifers；　calves；　bulls；　and　oxen；　all　mixed　together
in　one　inextricable　mass；　and　every　one　of　them　snorting；　bellowing；　or
making　some　other　kind　of　sound。　　The　din　was　fearful；　the　sight
bewildering；　for　the　beasts　were　of　all　colours；　and　their　long　horns
flashed　like　ivory　in　the　moonlight。　　Indeed；　the　only　thing　in　the
least　like　it　which　I　have　ever　seen　was　the　rush　of　the　buffaloes　from
the　reed　camp　on　that　day　when　I　got　my　injury。

They　were　streaming　past　us　now；　a　mighty　and　moving　mass　so　closely
packed　that　a　man　might　have　walked　upon　their　backs。　　In　fact；　some　of
the　calves　which　had　been　thrust　up　by　the　pressure　were　being　carried
along　in　this　fashion。　　Glad　was　I　that　none　of　us　were　in　their　path；
for　their　advance　seemed　irresistible。　　No　fence　or　wall　could　have
saved　us；　and　even　stout　trees　that　grew　in　the　gully　were　snapped　or
thrust　over。

At　length　the　long　line　began　to　thin；　for　now　it　was　composed　of
stragglers　and　w