ter and his party had been taken
prisoners, inquired the news from Natal, the price of cattle, and talked
about other similar subjects.

Hendricks, knowing that it would be useless to plead with Panda against
Cetchwayo's decision, having answered his questions, simply expressed
his pleasure at seeing the king look so well.

The old fellow grimly smiled, and stroked his stomach as if he
considered himself still capable of swallowing an unlimited quantity of
beef and mealy cakes. Yet this mountain of flesh had unlimited power
over the lives of his subjects, which he showed before the day was over
by ordering one of his courtiers, who had offended him somehow or other,
to be put to death. Some thirty of those standing round darted off with
their assegais in their hands. Just at that instant the unhappy
offender appeared, coming to ask pardon of the king, and to explain the
reason of his apparent negligence. He was met by the executioners of
the king's pleasure, and before he could open his mouth he was pierced
through and through by a score of assegais. When his dead body was
dragged up to the waggon, the king simply nodded his approval of the
act. The body was then dragged off again to be buried. None of the
man's relatives or friends dared to utter a word of complaint. Soon
after Hendricks and his companions had reached the waggon, an ox was
driven towards them by some of the attendants of the king, who had sent
it as a return for the presents he had received. It was at once
slaughtered, and the meat was spitted, and placed before the fire to
cook, greatly to the satisfaction of the Kaffir and Hottentot servants,
who had begun loudly to complain of being starved. Hendricks had still
some hopes that Cetchwayo would allow him to continue his journey the
next morning; but the prince sent word that he must remain another day,
as he was not prepared to commence his march.

This was a further trial of temper to Hendricks, and by the way he bore
it he set a good example to his young followers. Guards were placed
round the camp by Cetchwayo's orders, so that no one could leave it
without permission. It was thus very evident that he intended to adhere
to his first intention, of compelling the white men to accompany him on
his expedition against his brother. There was no help for it. The
whole party turned in to sleep, satisfied, at all events, that they were
not likely to be disturbed by a lion or rhinoceros, or a