sengers to their countrymen, demanding
aid; but having heard that the English settlers at Natal Bay, and the
other emigrants near there, had been defeated in their attack on
Dingaan, they gave up all hope for the present of any favourable results
of an expedition against the strong chief of the Amazulu.

When Hans found himself on the slope of a hill, with no signs either of
his friends or enemies, he knew his position was one of extreme danger.
One of two courses he intuitively knew must be adopted: either to try at
once to overtake his friends, or to lie concealed until the night, and
then to endeavour to find his way towards the Bay of Natal or the lager
of his friends. After a short reflection he decided on the latter plan,
and had no sooner done so than he was convinced of its being the safer
of the two, for he saw several parties of Zulus on the hill-tops before
him on the watch, either to pick off the stragglers, or to observe the
proceedings of the retreating enemy.

Having, with the caution and skill which his hunter's experience had
enabled him to adopt, forced his way into the densest part of the bush,
and left scarcely any trail, Hans remained perfectly quiet, though he
was enabled to see the hills on both sides of him, and even to hear the
triumphant shouts of the Zulus, as they carried off the spoils of the
veteran leader and his son. Hans, however, knew that the slightest
movement on his part, even so much as would cause a branch to shake,
would most probably attract the attention of his watchful enemies. Thus
he dare not move hand or foot, but remained as still as was his brave
leader. He had determined to sell his life dearly if he should be
discovered, and only to cease using his weapons when he himself was
slain. He had some hopes that his countrymen would halt as soon as they
had cleared the unfavourable ground from which they had retreated, and
either wait there for stragglers to rejoin them, or return and inflict a
defeat on the Zulus.

During the whole day Hans remained concealed, and as dusk was setting in
he ventured to raise his head among the bushes, in order to examine the
surrounding country, so as to decide which would be the safest direction
for him to pursue. Whilst thus looking about him he observed a
whitish-looking object in the bush about two hundred yards from him,
which at first he believed to be a portion of the dress of a white man.
After examining this more carefully, Han