, it was not thou, but the King, and old
Masuka, perhaps." And then, as I saw her looking around for a weapon,
I--well, I gave her no opportunity of either finding one or losing one;
and, I think, _Nkose_, my _inkosikazi_ went to sleep that night feeling
as though she had been rolled down the rocky side of a very high
mountain; while I went to the huts of my two other wives, and we spent a
great part of that night in singing, and jests, and laughter. But the
fault lay with Nangeza's evil and inquisitive temper; and, more still,
with her attempts to rule me, as though I were the woman and she the
_induna_ of the King. Wherefore, from the intolerable weariness which
she had put upon me, I sought the company of my other wives, that they
might cheer and amuse me, which, indeed, they were very glad to do.

Now, on the morrow, Nangeza went and complained to the King as to the
punishment I had given her; but she might have spared herself the
trouble, for Umzilikazi only mocked her, telling her that she was
fortunate indeed in having to deal with me, and that warriors were not
to be ruled by women, but the other way round. Then he bade them drive
her from his presence. And afterwards he would often laugh with me
about this matter; but from that day Nangeza hated me with a surpassing
hatred, and set herself to work to bring about my ruin and downfall by
some method or other, even though it should cost her her life.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

"THE PLACE OF THE ALLIGATORS."

During this while, since we had "eaten up" the Bakoni, we had been
living in hastily run up huts. Many, indeed, had not even these, but
lived and slept in the open. But now the King gave orders that we
should remove a day's march further, and there build a large kraal.

The site of this was a pleasant open plain, well grassed, and sprinkled
with mimosa and other bush, and watered by a good-sized river.

The slaves and women were set to work; also the young regiments; the
great circles were marked out, and in a few days there stood a noble
kraal, built on the Zulu plan; the great open space ringed in by a
double thorn-fence as high as a man's head, between which stood the rows
of round-topped huts, and the _isigodhlo_, or royal enclosure, at the
upper end, partitioned off by a fence of fine woven grass. This kraal
was of greater size than Ekupumuleni, and the surroundings far
pleasanter, for there was abundance of grass, well watered by streams
which