of his men went out, and when they arrived within about a hundred yards
of the others, stuck their spears into the ground and called out to the
Makalakas to do the same, which they did. The two parties then met, and
began to discuss matters.

The Makalaka spokesman inquired of Kondwana who he and the men were,
and why they were making war on the Makalaka nation. Kondwana replied
to the effect that he and his men were Zulus sent by Tshaka to obtain
copper; that they did not want to make war, and had only done so
because they found armed men assembled to oppose them.

It could at once be seen that the mere name of Tshaka made a
considerable impression. The spokesman replied that the Makalakas did
not want to fight with the Zulus, that the copper ore was found in the
country of the Balotsi, to the northward, and that a party which the
Makalaka chief had sent in the previous year for the purpose of
fetching a supply of the ore, had never returned.

It was finally agreed that Kondwana's explanation should be
communicated to the Makalaka Chief, and then the two parties separated,
after arranging to meet again on the following day.

Next morning the three Makalakas returned, and the spokesman told
Kondwana that guides would be provided by the Chief to lead the
expedition to the place in the Balotsi country where the ore had been
found, and that food for the use of the Zulus on the journey would be
provided. All this was due to the fact that the terror of Tshaka's name
had penetrated even thus far. Moreover, up to this, none of the
Makalakas had come near enough to the main body of the Zulus to be able
to see in what force the latter were, and those who had escaped from
the slaughter of two nights previous, had greatly exaggerated the
number of the assailants.

So on the following day, the Zulus started for the Balotsi country,
under the guidance of five old Makalakas, who were stated to have
accompanied a copper-seeking expedition many years back. A large herd
of cattle, a few of which were pack oxen, had been sent down by the
Chief. They loaded the pack oxen with their picks, and with the
remainder of the millet which they found in the grain pits at the
captured kraal.

The men who had lost their weapons re-armed themselves with the best of
those of the slaughtered Makalakas. Such were, however, but poor
substitutes for the terrible broad-bladed, thick-handled spears which
had been lost, yet they were better than no