ried the monotony of the march by a little sport they were promptly
repressed, for this was one of the king's preserves, and woe betide him
who should violate, it. And then at last one morning a halt was called,
and weapons and shields were furbished up, and full war-gear, laid aside
for the march, was donned. Away in the distance, far up the valley, but
just discernible from their elevation on the hill slope, a light veil of
smoke hung upon the morning air. It was the King's town.

And now, as the march was resumed, our two friends saw, for the first
time, something of the people of the country into which they had been
brought; for those inhabiting the outlying villages, both men and women,
came swarming down to meet the returning impi. Most of the women, they
noticed to their surprise, were inclined to be rather short and squat,
though there were some of good height among them. But these stared at
the two Englishmen in wild surprise, uttering remarks which, to
Haviland, at any rate, who understood them, were not calculated to
enhance self-esteem. The main centre of attention, however, was the
presence of the captive slave-hunters, and here the fury of the
undisciplined savage nature broke forth, and the air rang with wild
howls and threats of impending vengeance. And this awful tumult
gathered volume as it rolled along the valley, for, drawn by it, others
came down in every direction to swell the tide of dark, infuriated
humanity; and, lo! the returning impi seemed a mere handful in the midst
of the crowd that poured round it on every hand, roaring like beasts,
clamouring for the blood and anguish of their hated foes; and the dust
swirled heavenward in a mighty cloud, while the earth shivered to the
thunder of thousands and thousands of feet.

In the midst of all this horrible tumult, our two friends were straining
their eyes through the blinding dust-clouds to catch a first glimpse of
the town, and it was not until they were right upon it that they did so.
Contrary to their expectation, however, it bore no resemblance what
ever to a Zulu kraal, for it was square in shape and fenced in with a
formidable stockade. Some twenty yards back from it was another and a
similar stockade, and they reckoned that the space enclosed by this was
fully a mile each way. The huts, or houses, were also square, except in
some instances where they were oblong, and many of them were of some
size. From these dark forms could be s