child of storm-第21章

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Now；　I　am　minded　to　take　a　few　men　and　spear　this　hog；　Masapo；　before　we
go　up　against　Bangu；　for　then　he；　at　any　rate；　will　be　out　of　my　road。〃

〃If　you　do　anything　of　the　sort；　Saduko；　you　will　go　up　against　Bangu
alone；　for　I　trek　east　at　once；　who　will　not　be　mixed　up　with　murder。〃

〃Then　let　it　be；　Inkoosi；　unless　he　attacks　me；　as　my　Snake　send　that　he
may；　the　Hog　can　wait。　　After　all；　he　will　only　be　growing　a　little
fatter。　　Now；　if　it　pleases　you　order　the　wagons　to　trek。　　I　will　show
the　road；　for　we　must　camp　in　that　bush　to…night　where　my　people　wait
me；　and　there　I　will　tell　you　my　plans；　also　you　will　find　one　with　a
message　for　you。〃



CHAPTER　VI




THE　AMBUSH





We　had　reached　the　bush　after　six　hours'　downhill　trek　over　a　pretty　bad
track　made　by　cattleof　course；　there　were　no　roads　in　Zululand　at　this
date。　　I　remember　the　place　well。　　It　was　a　kind　of　spreading　woodland
on　a　flat　bottom；　where　trees　of　no　great　size　grew　sparsely。　　Some　were
mimosa　thorns；　others　had　deep　green　leaves　and　bore　a　kind　of　plum　with
an　acid　taste　and　a　huge　stone；　and　others　silver…coloured　leaves　in
their　season。　　A　river；　too；　low　at　this　time　of　the　year；　wound　through
it；　and　in　the　scrub　upon　its　banks　were　many　guinea…fowl　and　other
birds。　　It　was　a　pleasing；　lonely　place；　with　lots　of　game　in　it；　that
came　here　in　the　winter　to　eat　the　grass；　which　was　lacking　on　the
higher　veld。　　Also　it　gave　the　idea　of　vastness；　since　wherever　one
looked　there　was　nothing　to　be　seen　except　a　sea　of　trees。

Well；　we　outspanned　by　the　river；　of　which　I　forget　the　name；　at　a　spot
that　Saduko　showed　us；　and　set　to　work　to　cook　our　food；　that　consisted
of　venison　from　a　blue　wildebeest；　one　of　a　herd　of　these　wild…looking
animals　which　I　had　been　fortunate　enough　to　shoot　as　they　whisked　past
us；　gambolling　in　and　out　between　the　trees。

While　we　were　eating　I　observed　that　armed　Zulus　arrived　continually　in
parties　of　from　six　to　a　score　of　men；　and　as　they　arrived　lifted　their
spears；　though　whether　in　salutation　to　Saduko　or　to　myself　I　did　not
know；　and　sat　themselves　down　on　an　open　space　between　us　and　the
river…bank。　　Although　it　was　difficult　to　say　whence　they　came；　for　they
appeared　like　ghosts　out　of　the　bush；　I　thought　it　well　to　take　no
notice　of　them；　since　I　guessed　that　their　coming　was　prearranged。

〃Who　are　they？〃　I　whispered　to　Scowl；　as　he　brought　me　my　tot　of
〃squareface。〃

〃Saduko's　wild　men；〃　he　answered　in　the　same　low　voice；　〃outlaws　of　his
tribe　who　live　among　the　rocks。〃

Now　I　scanned　them　sideways；　while　pretending　to　light　my　pipe　and　so
forth；　and　certainly　they　seemed　a　remarkably　savage　set　of　people。　
Great；　gaunt　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…vogelsas　the　Dutch　call　vulturessit　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　not　said　that　you　come
out　to　conquer　or　to　die；　you　who　have　nothing　to　lose；　and　if　you
conquer；　you　conquer；　and　if　you　die；　you　die　and　the　tale　is　told。　　But
supposing　that　you　conquer。　　What　will　Panda；　King　of　the　Zulus；　say　to
you；　and　to　me　also；　who　stir　up　war　in　his　country？〃

Now　the　Amangwane　looked　behind　them；　and　Saduko　cried　out：

〃Appear；　messenger　from　Panda　the　King！〃

Before　his　words　had　ceased　to　echo　I　saw　a　little；　withered　man
threading　his　way　between　the　tall；　gaunt　forms　of　the　Amangwane。　　He
came　and　stood　before　me；　saying：

〃Hail；　Macumazahn。　　Do　you　remember　me？〃

〃Aye；〃　I　answered；　〃I　remember　you　as　Maputa；　one　of　Panda's　indunas。〃

〃Quite　so；　Macumazahn；　I　am　Maputa；　one　of　his　indunas；　a　member　of　his
Council；　a　captain　of　his　impis　＇that　is；　armies＇；　as　I　was　to　his
brothers　who　are　gone；　whose　names　it　is　not　lawful　that　I　should　name。　
Well；　Panda　the　King　has　sent　me　to　you；　at　the　request　of　Saduko　there；
with　a　message。〃

〃How　do　I　know　that　you　are　a　true　messenger？〃　I　asked。　　〃Have　you
brought　me　any　token？〃

〃Aye；〃　he　answered；　and；　fumbling　under　his　cloak；　he　produced　something
wrapped　in　dried　leaves；　which　he　undid　and　handed　to　me；　saying：

〃This　is　the　token　that　Panda　sends　to　you；　Macumazahn；　bidding　me　to
tell　you　that　you　will　certainly　know　it　again；　also　that　you　are
welcome　to　it；　since　the　two　little　bullets　which　he　swallowed　as　you
directed　made　him　very　ill；　and　he　needs　no　more　of　them。〃

I　took　the　token；　and；　examining　it　in　the　moonlight；　recognised　it　at
once。

It　was　a　cardboard　box　of　strong　calomel　pills；　on　the　top　of　which　was
written：　〃Allan　Quatermain；　Esq。：　One　_only_　to　be　taken　as　directed。〃　
Without　entering　into　explanations；　I　may　state　that　I　had　taken　〃one　as
directed；〃　and　subsequently　presented　the　rest　of　the　box　to　King　Panda；
who　was　very　anxious　to　〃taste　the　white　man's　medicine。〃

〃Do　you　recognise　the　token；　Macumazahn？〃　asked　the　induna。

〃Yes；〃　I　replied　gravely；　〃and　let　the　King　return　thanks　to　the　spirits
of　his　ancestors　that　he　did　not　swallow　three　of　the　balls；　for　if　he
had　done　so；　by　now　there　would　have　been　another　Head　in　Zululand。　
Well；　speak　on；　Messenger。〃

But　to　myself　I　reflected；　not　for　the　first　time；　how　strangely　these
natives　could　mix　up　the　sublime　with　the　ridiculous。　　Here　was　a　matter
that　must　involve　the　death　of　many　men；　and　the　token　sent　to　me　by　the
autocrat　who　stood　at　the　back　of　it　all；　to　prove　the　good　faith　of　his
messenger；　was　a　box　of　calomel　pills！　　However；　it　served　the　purpose
as　well　as　anything　else。

Maputa　and　I　drew　aside；　for　I　saw　that　he　wished　to　speak　with　me
alone。

〃O　Macumazana；〃　he　said；　when　we　were　out　of　hearing　of　the　others；
〃these　are　the　words　of　Panda　to　you：　'I　understand　that　you；
Macumazahn；　have　promised　to　accompany　Saduko；　son　of　Matiwane；　on　an
expedition　of　his　against　Bangu；　chief　of　the　Amakoba。　　Now；　were　anyone
else　concerned；　I　should　forbid