ts about Natal. This was good news to all the Caffres about
us, and was celebrated by one of the largest dances I had ever seen.
There were more than a thousand men assembled, all in full war-costume,
each with a shield, a knob-kerrie, and five assagies. They danced and
ate, and danced again and ate again, during the whole night. To me was
given the honour and glory of having killed the elephants, and I had to
enter the centre of the ring of men, and describe and act the whole
scene. I told how we climbed the tree; how I heard the elephants
coming; how I sent my arrow first into one then into the other elephant;
how these elephants paid no attention to so small a thing as an arrow,
fired by me, a boy; but how this arrow was stronger than the elephant,
and at last killed him. I went through all the movements of creeping
through the bush on the track of the elephant, sitting down to listen,
and at length seeing the elephant. I then lay on the ground just as did
the elephant, and swung my arm about to imitate the movements of the
animal's trunk, and at length died just as did the elephant.

The shouts and dancing after this performance were of the most exciting
description, and lasted for a long time. When, suddenly, a very old
chief came into the centre of the circle, and raising his arm to command
silence, spoke in a loud clear voice words of which the following is a
translation:--

"My people, we have been delivered from the elephants; the elephants
that have often destroyed our corn, and brought us to starvation. And
how have we been delivered? Not by two hundred warriors armed with
assagies, many of whom were killed by the elephants; not by digging
holes, and the elephants tumbling into them; but there have been two
large elephants killed by our white companion who came out of the sea.
He alone thought out of his own head how to kill the elephants, and
though very young, has the mind of an experienced chief and the courage
of a warrior. We have held a council and have decided that he be from
this time forth a chief, and that he be called `Umkunkinglovu.' What
say you, men?"

A tremendous shout was given by the assembled crowd at the termination
of this speech; and then one of the oldest warriors came into the ring,
and placed round my neck a necklace made out of leopards' claws, whilst
all the men called out "Inkosi!" The dancing and feasting were then
continued till the first sign of daylight appeared,