ns and peoples, is the tale, _Nkose_,
which you would desire to hear rather than the escapes and wanderings of
one man.

Two moons had reached their full, and had died again, and by then it
seemed to me that once more I was coming among my own people, for I
heard our tongue spoken in all its fulness; and the kraals were even as
our kraals, with the ringed fence and domed huts, and the women at work
in the corn lands wore their hair gathered up in the _impiti_, or
reddened cone, even as our women wear it. Now I judged it time to enter
in among them; and one day, feeling hungry, I stopped at a small kraal--
one of several--and gave greeting. None but women were there at the
time, but presently from the other kraals men came hurrying, all armed.
These were young and unringed, and seeing before them a _kehla_, and a
man of my warrior aspect, their bearing, which had seemed somewhat
hostile, became respectful, and they gave me greeting deferentially; and
presently the women brought me _tywala_ and ears of green corn roasted,
for they might not open the milk-sacks, the heads of the houses being
absent.

Now, desiring information, I found a way of asking as to the head of
this group of kraals, whereat I saw surprise and some suspicion in their
faces as they exchanged glances, for taking me for an induna of high
import, they could little understand my ignorance on that point. They
answered that it was the country of Nomapela, who was absent on an
expedition into the territory of the Amaswazi, wherein he was acting as
the chastising right arm of the King; but that, from day to day, they
had been expecting his return.

"Then I will await the return of Nomapela, my children," I answered.

"We hear you, father," they said. And then I was shown to a hut and
provided with entertainment, yet I knew that these young men were all
suspicious of me, for I myself had come from the direction of the Swazi
country, and might well be one of that people.

But not long had I to wait, for presently runners came in, and soon
afterwards, great dust clouds, arising from the valley in the hills
through which I myself had come, announced the arrival of the _impi_.
But before it, streaming out through the defile, like a torrent when the
rain is falling among the hills, came a great herd of cattle. _Whau_!
it was a goodly sight to see the beasts as they poured onwards, the
crashing of horns, as great bulls would now and then turn to fight each