with a determined spirit, well
calculated to cope with the chances of a life such as he was evidently
leading.

"Is this, like my own, your first trial of life on the plains of South
Africa? If so we have begun well," asked Hughes.

"Oh, I could tell you of many a tale of life among the savages of the
Pacific, and of years passed with the hardly more civilised tribes of
North-Western India, and my very object here shows that I am not at my
maiden essay," replied Wyzinski, laughing. "Shall I tell you the
history of the land, and my own views at the same time?"

"Let us light our pipes first, and have some more wood thrown on the
fire. Hallo what's all that?" said Hughes, laughing.

What was it, indeed? for on the evening breeze there came sounds of
talking and laughter, and soon, over the plain, streamed the
missionary's followers, at once swelling the party to fourteen. With
them were Luji and the carcasses of the lioness and the koodoo, flung
across a horse, and as evening drew on there was high feasting in the
camp on the forks of the Limpolulo. Meat was plentiful, and the new
comers gorged themselves with it, singing, laughing, and dancing round
the camp fires. The lioness was skinned, and its hide stretched out on
the branches of a tree; the stars came out, and as they did so the
plains around woke into life. The cries of the jackals, the hyenas, and
the deer, came on the night air, and once or twice, too, a far away low
rumble told of the lion in the distant mountains, seeking, perhaps, his
dead mate. The air was warm and pleasant, as, reclining by the fire in
front of the tent, Hughes and the missionary talked on far into the
night.

"You are among a strange nation," continued the latter. "The first
history of the Zulus is that, in the year 1810, they conquered the land,
but where the nation came from or how it originated no one knows. It
sprang suddenly into notice under their King Chaka, who knew something
of military training, and brought his army into a high state of
discipline. After he had reigned thirteen years, his brother Dingaan
murdered him and then ascended the throne. This wily savage at once
opened out the country to the European traders and to us missionaries,
and the result was that the English annexed that part of the land now
called Natal. In 1829 another brother of the murdered Chaka revolted,
avenged his death by killing Dingaan, and under the title of King Panda
mounted the