obtained the
sanction of the Holy Three to conveying himself and his belongings
across the bridge and into the veldt, where he expected to find
excellent pasturage for his cattle, there being no animals of any kind
on the outer side of the chasm. This herd the Zulu had looted most
successfully, without the Mormon having an idea where a round dozen of
his finest beasts had gone; and so disgusted was he thereat, that after
a trial of one month he again betook himself to the inner lands, _minus_
the pick of his herd. The meat thus feloniously obtained, Amaxosa had
carefully dried and laid up--with most unusual forethought for one of
his colour--against a rainy day.

Just before sunset, therefore, the whole party, bearing as much dried
flesh as they could conveniently carry, took leave of their comfortable
shelter, and cautiously retraced their steps to the glade where Levert
had met his death, and where they found his body still lying, just as
they had left it.

It being no part of Grenville's new programme that the corpse should be
discovered as yet, it was hastily concealed; and then, rapidly passing
on, the party reached the open veldt just before sunset, rested there
until the moon rose, and two hours later were safely entrenched in a
spot which had previously impressed itself upon Grenville's retentive
memory as being singularly adapted for a sustained defence in the event
of a protracted siege.

Their new shelter consisted of a curious-looking table-topped rock,
quite fifty feet high and some thirty yards in length by about as many
in breadth. From inside this rock flowed a small stream, which, as in
the case of the cave they had just deserted, obtained exit through a
rent about four feet wide in the massive wall of stone. In the interior
of this rock, which was hollowed out into two separate caves of
singularly angular and distorted appearance, the water welled up cool,
fresh, and clear as crystal. The floor was of sandy gravel, and the
rock, which was apparently of ironstone formation, had evidently been at
one time struck by lightning, and was rent in every direction, in such a
way as to leave most convenient loopholes for shooting through.

Altogether, it was a very strong place indeed, stood alone in a forest
glade with six hundred yards of clear ground on every side of it, the
only cover being low scrub; yet it was only one mile from the edge of
the veldt, and perhaps twenty from the great stairway. W