nt fellows with tangled hair, who wore tattered skins upon
their shoulders and seemed to have no possessions save some snuff, a few
sleeping-mats, and an ample supply of large fighting shields, hardwood
kerries or knob-sticks, and broad ixwas, or stabbing assegais. Such
was the look of them as they sat round us in silent semicircles, like
aas-vogels--as the Dutch call vultures--sit round a dying ox.

Still I smoked on and took no notice.

At length, as I expected, Saduko grew weary of my silence and spoke.
"These are men of the Amangwane tribe, Macumazahn; three hundred of
them, all that Bangu left alive, for when their fathers were killed,
the women escaped with some of the children, especially those of the
outlying kraals. I have gathered them to be revenged upon Bangu, I who
am their chief by right of blood."

"Quite so," I answered. "I see that you have gathered them; but do they
wish to be revenged on Bangu at the risk of their own lives?"

"We do, white Inkoosi," came the deep-throated answer from the three
hundred.

"And do they acknowledge you, Saduko, to be their chief?"

"We do," again came the answer. Then a spokesman stepped forward, one of
the few grey-haired men among them, for most of these Amangwane were of
the age of Saduko, or even younger.

"O Watcher-by-Night," he said, "I am Tshoza, the brother of Matiwane,
Saduko's father, the only one of his brothers that escaped the slaughter
on the night of the Great Killing. Is it not so?"

"It is so," exclaimed the serried ranks behind him.

"I acknowledge Saduko as my chief, and so do we all," went on Tshoza.

"So do we all," echoed the ranks.

"Since Matiwane died we have lived as we could, O Macumazana; like
baboons among the rocks, without cattle, often without a hut to shelter
us; here one, there one. Still, we have lived, awaiting the hour of
vengeance upon Bangu, that hour which Zikali the Wise, who is of our
blood, has promised to us. Now we believe that it has come, and one and
all, from here, from there, from everywhere, we have gathered at the
summons of Saduko to be led against Bangu and to conquer him or to die.
Is it not so, Amangwane?"

"It is, it is so!" came the deep, unanimous answer, that caused the
stirless leaves to shake in the still air.

"I understand, O Tshoza, brother of Matiwane and uncle of Saduko the
chief," I replied. "But Bangu is a strong man, living, I am told, in a
strong place. Still, let that go; for have you