child of storm-第24章

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sadly　and　consoled　myself　by　reflecting　that　very　likely　the　issue　would
go　against　me；　and　that　my　own　existence　would　pay　the　price　of　the
venture　and　expound　its　moral。　　This　consideration　soothed　my　conscience
somewhat；　for　when　a　man　backs　his　actions　with　the　risk　of　his　life；
right　or　wrong；　at　any　rate　he　plays　no　coward's　part。

The　time　went　by　very　slowly　and　nothing　happened。　　The　waning　moon
shone　brightly　in　a　clear　sky；　and　as　there　was　no　wind　the　silence
seemed　peculiarly　intense。　　Save　for　the　laugh　of　an　occasional　hyena
and　now　and　again　for　a　sound　which　I　took　for　the　coughing　of　a　distant
lion；　there　was　no　stir　between　sleeping　earth　and　moonlit　heaven　in
which　little　clouds　floated　beneath　the　pale　stars。

At　length　I　thought　that　I　heard　a　noise；　a　kind　of　murmur　far　away。　　It
grew；　it　developed。

It　sounded　like　a　thousand　sticks　tapping　upon　something　hard；　very
faintly。　　It　continued　to　grow；　and　I　knew　the　sound　for　that　of　the
beating　hoofs　of　animals　galloping。　　Then　there　were　isolated　noises；
very　faint　and　thin；　they　might　be　shouts；　then　something　that　I　could
not　mistakeshots　fired　at　a　distance。　　So　the　business　was　afoot；　the
cattle　were　moving；　Saduko　and　my　hunter　were　firing。　　There　was　nothing
for　it　but　to　wait。

The　excitement　was　very　fierce；　it　seemed　to　consume　me；　to　eat　into　my
brain。　　The　sound　of　the　tapping　upon　the　rocks　grew　louder　until　it
merged　into　a　kind　of　rumble；　mixed　with　an　echo　as　of　that　of　very
distant　thunder；　which　presently　I　knew　to　be　not　thunder；　but　the
bellowing　of　a　thousand　frightened　beasts。

Nearer　and　nearer　came　the　galloping　hoofs　and　the　rumble　of　bellowings；
nearer　and　nearer　the　shouts　of　men；　affronting　the　stillness　of　the
solemn　night。　　At　length　a　single　animal　appeared；　a　koodoo　buck　that
somehow　had　got　mixed　up　with　the　cattle。　　It　went　past　us　like　a　flash；
and　was　followed　a　minute　or　so　later　by　a　bull　that；　being　young　and
light；　had　outrun　its　companions。　　That；　too；　went　by；　foam　on　its　lips
and　its　tongue　hanging　from　its　jaws。

Then　the　herd　appeareda　countless　herd　it　seemed　to　meplunging　up
the　inclinecows；　heifers；　calves；　bulls；　and　oxen；　all　mixed　together
in　one　inextricable　mass；　and　every　one　of　them　snorting；　bellowing；　or
making　some　other　kind　of　sound。　　The　din　was　fearful；　the　sight
bewildering；　for　the　beasts　were　of　all　colours；　and　their　long　horns
flashed　like　ivory　in　the　moonlight。　　Indeed；　the　only　thing　in　the
least　like　it　which　I　have　ever　seen　was　the　rush　of　the　buffaloes　from
the　reed　camp　on　that　day　when　I　got　my　injury。

They　were　streaming　past　us　now；　a　mighty　and　moving　mass　so　closely
packed　that　a　man　might　have　walked　upon　their　backs。　　In　fact；　some　of
the　calves　which　had　been　thrust　up　by　the　pressure　were　being　carried
along　in　this　fashion。　　Glad　was　I　that　none　of　us　were　in　their　path；
for　their　advance　seemed　irresistible。　　No　fence　or　wall　could　have
saved　us；　and　even　stout　trees　that　grew　in　the　gully　were　snapped　or
thrust　over。

At　length　the　long　line　began　to　thin；　for　now　it　was　composed　of
stragglers　and　weak　or　injured　beasts；　of　which　there　were　many。　　Other
sounds；　too；　began　to　dominate　the　bellowings　of　the　animals；　those　of
the　excited　cries　of　men。　　The　first　of　our　companions；　the
cattle…lifters；　appeared；　weary　and　gasping；　but　waving　their　spears　in
triumph。　　Among　them　was　old　Tshoza。　　I　stepped　upon　my　rock；　calling　to
him　by　name。　　He　heard　me；　and　presently　was　lying　at　my　side　panting。

〃We　have　got　them　all！〃　he　gasped。　　〃Not　a　hoof　is　left　save　those　that
are　trodden　down。　　Saduko　is　not　far　behind　with　the　rest　of　our
brothers；　except　some　that　have　been　killed。　　All　the　Amakoba　tribe　are
after　us。　　He　holds　them　back　to　give　the　cattle　time　to　get　away。〃

〃Well　done！〃　I　answered。　　〃It　is　very　good。　　Now　make　your　men　hide
among　the　others　that　they　may　find　their　breath　before　the　fight。〃

So　he　stopped　them　as　they　came。　　Scarcely　had　the　last　of　them　vanished
into　the　bushes　when　the　gathering　volume　of　shouts；　amongst　which　I
heard　a　gun　go　off；　told　us　that　Saduko　and　his　band　and　the　pursuing
Amakoba　were　not　far　away。　　Presently　they；　too；　appearedthat　is　the
handful　of　Amangwane　didnot　fighting　now；　but　running　as　hard　as　they
could；　for　they　knew　they　were　approaching　the　ambush　and　wished　to　pass
it　so　as　not　to　be　mixed　up　with　the　Amakoba。　　We　let　them　go　through
us。　　Among　the　last　of　them　came　Saduko；　who　was　wounded；　for　the　blood
ran　down　his　side；　supporting　my　hunter；　who　was　also　wounded；　more
severely　as　I　feared。

I　called　to　him。

〃Saduko；〃　I　said；　〃halt　at　the　crest　of　the　path　and　rest　there　so　that
you　may　be　able　to　help　us　presently。〃

He　waved　the　gun　in　answer；　for　he　was　too　breathless　to　speak；　and　went
on　with　those　who　were　left　of　his　followingperhaps　thirty　men　in
allin　the　track　of　the　cattle。　　Before　he　was　out　of　sight　the　Amakoba
arrived；　a　mob　of　five　or　six　hundred　men　mixed　up　together　and
advancing　without　order　or　discipline；　for　they　seemed　to　have　lost
their　heads　as　well　as　their　cattle。　　Some　of　them　had　shields　and　some
had　none；　some　broad　and　some　throwing　assegais；　while　many　were　quite
naked；　not　having　stayed　to　put　on　their　moochas　and　much　less　their　war
finery。　　Evidently　they　were　mad　with　rage；　for　the　sounds　that　issued
from　them　seemed　to　concentrate　into　one　mighty　curse。

The　moment　had　come；　though　to　tell　the　truth　I　heartily　wished　that　it
had　not。　　I　wasn't　exactly　afraid；　although　I　never　set　up　for　great
courage；　but　I　did　not　quite　like　the　business。　　After　all　we　were
stealing　these　people's　cattle；　and　now　were　going　to　kill　as　many　of
them　as　we　could。　　I　had　to　recall　Saduko's　dreadful　story　of　the
massacre　of　his　tribe　before　I　could　make　up　my　mind　to　give　the　signal。
　That　hardened　me；　and　so　did　the　reflection　that　after　all　they
outnumbered　us　enormously　and　very　likely　would　prove　victors　in　the
end。　　Anyhow　it　was　too　late　to　repent。　　What　a　tricky　and　uncomfortable
thing　is　conscience；　that　nearly　always　begins　to　trouble　us　at　the
moment　of；　or　after；　the　event；　not　before；　when　it　might　be　of　some
use。

I　raised　myself　upon　the　rock　and　fired　both　barrels　of　my　gun　into　the
advancing　horde；　though　whether　I　killed　anyone　or　no　I　cannot　say。　　I
have　always　hoped　that　I　did　not；　but　as　the　mark　was　large　and　I　am　a
fair　shot；　I　fear　that　is　scarcely　possible。　　Next　moment；　with　a　howl
that　sounded　like　that　of　wild　beasts；　from　either　side　of　the　gorge　the
fierce　Amangwane　free…spearsfor　that　is　what　they　wereleapt　out　of
their　hiding…places　and　hurled　themselves　upon　their　hereditary　foes。　
They　were　fighting　for　more　than　cattle；　they　were　fighting　for　hate　and
for　revenge　since　these　Amakoba　had　slaughtered　their　fathers　and　their
mothers；　their　sisters　and　their　brothers；　and　they　alone　remained　to
pay　them　back　blood　for　blood。

Great　heaven！　how　they　did　fight；　more　like　devils　than　human　beings。　
After　that　first　howl　which　shaped　itself　to　the　word　〃Saduko；〃　they
were　silent　as　bulldogs。　　Though　they　were　so　few；　at　first　their
terrible　rush　drove　back　the　Amakoba。　　Then；　as　these　recovered　from
their　surprise；　the　weight　of　numbers　began　to　tell；　for　they；　too；　were
brave　men　who　did　not　give　way　to　panic。　　Scores　of　them　went　down　at
once；　but　the　remainder　pushed　the　Amangwane　before　them　up　the　hill。　　I
took　little　share　in　the　fight；　but　was　thrust　backward　with　the　others；
only　firing　when　I　was　obliged　to　save　my　own　life。　　Foot　by　foot　we
were　pushed　back　till　at　length　we　drew　near　to　the　crest　of　the　pass。

Then；　while　the　issue　hung　in　the　balance；　there　was　another　shout　of
〃Saduko！〃　and　that　chief　himself；　followed　by　his　thirty；　rushed　upon
the　Amakoba。

This　charge　decided　the　battle；　for　not　knowing　how　many　more　were
coming；　those　who　were　left　of　the　Amakoba　turned　and　fled；　nor　did　we
pursue　them　far。

We　mustered　on　the　hill…top；　not　more　than　two　hundred　of　us　now；　the
rest　were　fallen　or　desperately　wounded；　my　poor　hunter；　whom　I　had　lent
to　Saduko；　being　among　the　dead。　　Although　wounded；　he　died　fighting　to
the