choking volumes of smoke swept in upon us, blinding us
completely.

"If we would not see the end of our lives, we must get within the inner
wall, son of my father," I said.

Mgwali uttered not a word. A great cloud of smoke beat down upon us,
and, taking advantage of its folds, we climbed over the inner wall. As
we did so the smoke-cloud parted, and in the flash of a glance we could
see that the place was surrounded by a dense belt of Bakoni warriors,
many ranks deep, watching the place in motionless attention, their
spears and axes ready for us when we should attempt to break through, as
they were sure we must. No; there was no escape that way.

Once within the inner wall, we found we could breathe more freely. The
smoke rolled in its thick, choking fumes, but by crouching low to the
ground we could still find air; but what air there was we knew was
going: our senses were going, our heads grew hot, and our brain was
throbbing as though to burst. Then there came for the first time a
faint puff of air, followed by another less faint. We could see the sky
above. The wind was rising. The smoke-clouds were dispersing. From
that peril we were saved.

And now, as we crouched low in our place of refuge, it seemed to us that
the voices of the multitude without had taken a different tone. We
listened with wide ears. There was a hurrying to and fro of thousands
of feet--of eager feet, of frightened feet. Then, raising our heads
cautiously above the top of the wall, we peered forth.

The place was still engirdled by a ring of smouldering, glowing ashes,
the heat from whose red caverns almost blinded us at first. The smoke
had nearly all dispersed, and the whole of the plain stood revealed to
our gaze. But the dense belt of armed warriors which we had last seen
encompassing us had broken up, and its attention was but little given to
us at all.

Every eye was bent upon the distant sky-line, which was bordered by a
range of hills. From these the dust was now whirling in clouds,
sweeping on rapidly towards us--nearer and nearer--and behind it still,
black columns of smoke were mounting to the heavens. Our hearts were
ready to burst with wild delight, for well did we know the meaning of
this. But our enemies gazed upon it in blank and chill dismay, with
hearts turned to water; for its meaning they, too, began to read, as was
made clear by the wild hubbub of voices, some panic-stricken, but all
eager, all excite