child of storm-第48章
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this； my own royal regiment； under the command of Maputa the skilled in
war to spy out the battle； and I pray that you will go with it； that you
may give to the General Maputa and to the captains the help of your
wisdom。 Now these are my orders to you； Maputa； and to you； O
captainsthat you take no part in the fight unless you should see that
the Elephant； my son Umbelazi； is fallen into a pit； and that then you
shall drag him out if you can and save him alive。 Now repeat my words
to me。〃
So they repeated the words； speaking with one voice。
〃Your answer； O Macumazana；〃 he said when they had spoken。
〃O King； I have told you that I will gothough I do not like warand I
will keep my promise；〃 I replied。
〃Then make ready； Macumazahn； and be back here within an hour； for the
regiment marches ere noon。〃
So I went up to my wagons and handed them over to the care of some men
whom Panda had sent to take charge of them。 Also Scowl and I saddled
our horses； for this faithful fellow insisted upon accompanying me；
although I advised him to stay behind； and got out our rifles and as
much ammunition as we could possibly need； and with them a few other
necessaries。 These things done； we rode back to the gathering…place；
taking farewell of the wagons with a sad heart； since I； for one； never
expected to see them again。
As we went I saw that the regiment of the Amawombe； picked men every one
of them； all fifty years of age or over； nearly four thousand strong；
was marshalled on the dancing…ground； where they stood company by
company。 A magnificent sight they were； with their white
fighting…shields； their gleaming spears； their otter…skin caps； their
kilts and armlets of white bulls' tails； and the snowy egret plumes
which they wore upon their brows。 We rode to the head of them； where I
saw Maputa； and as I came they greeted me with a cheer of welcome； for
in those days a white man was a power in the land。 Moreover； as I have
said； the Zulus knew and liked me well。 Also the fact that I was to
watch； or perchance to fight with them； put a good heart into the
Amawombe。
There we stood until the lads； several hundreds of them； who bore the
mats and cooking vessels and drove the cattle that were to be our
commissariat； had wended away in a long line。 Then suddenly Panda
appeared out of his hut； accompanied by a few servants； and seemed to
utter some kind of prayer； as he did so throwing dust or powdered
medicine towards us； though what this ceremony meant I did not
understand。
When he had finished Maputa raised a spear； whereon the whole regiment；
in perfect time； shouted out the royal salute； 〃Bayete〃； with a sound
like that of thunder。 Thrice they repeated this tremendous and
impressive salute； and then were silent。 Again Maputa raised his spear；
and all the four thousand voices broke out into the Ingoma； or national
chant； to which deep； awe…inspiring music we began our march。 As I do
not think it has ever been written down； I will quote the words。 They
ran thus：
〃Ba ya m'zonda；
Ba ya m'loyisa；
Izizwe zonke；
Ba zond'； Inkoosi。〃*
＇*Literally translated； this famous chant； now； I think； published for
the first time； which； I suppose； will never again pass the lips of a
Zulu impi； means：
〃They ＇i。e。 the enemy＇ bear him ＇i。e。 the King） hatred；
They call down curses on his head；
All of them throughout this land
Abhor our King。〃
The Ingoma when sung by twenty or thirty thousand men rushing down to
battle must； indeed； have been a song to hear。 EDITOR。＇
The spirit of this fierce Ingoma； conveyed by sound； gesture and
inflection of voice； not the exact words； remember； which are very rude
and simple； leaving much to the imagination； may perhaps be rendered
somewhat as follows。 An exact translation into English verse is almost
impossibleat any rate； to me：
〃Loud on their lips is lying；
Red are their eyes with hate；
Rebels their King defying。
Lo！ where our impis wait
There shall be dead and dying；
Vengeance insatiate！〃
It was early on the morning of the 2nd of December； a cold； miserable
morning that came with wind and driving mist； that I found myself with
the Amawombe at the place known as Endondakusuka； a plain with some
kopjes in it that lies within six miles of the Natal border； from which
it is separated by the Tugela river。
As the orders of the Amawombe were to keep out of the fray if that were
possible； we had taken up a position about a mile to the right of what
proved to be the actual battlefield； choosing as our camping ground a
rising knoll that looked like a huge tumulus； and was fronted at a
distance of about five hundred yards by another smaller knoll。 Behind
us stretched bushland； or rather broken land； where mimosa thorns grew
in scattered groups； sloping down to the banks of the Tugela about four
miles away。
Shortly after dawn I was roused from the place where I slept； wrapped up
in some blankets； under a mimosa treefor； of course； we had no
tentsby a messenger； who said that the Prince Umbelazi and the white
man； John Dunn； wished to see me。 I rose and tidied myself as best I
could； since； if I can avoid it； I never like to appear before natives
in a dishevelled condition。 I remember that I had just finished
brushing my hair when Umbelazi arrived。
I can see him now； looking a veritable giant in that morning mist。
Indeed； there was something quite unearthly about his appearance as he
arose out of those rolling vapours； such light as there was being
concentrated upon the blade of his big spear； which was well known as
the broadest carried by any warrior in Zululand； and a copper torque he
wore about his throat。
There he stood； rolling his eyes and hugging his kaross around him
because of the cold； and something in his anxious； indeterminate
expression told me at once that he knew himself to be a man in terrible
danger。 Just behind him； dark and brooding； his arms folded on his
breast； his eyes fixed upon the ground； looking； to my moved
imagination； like an evil genius； stood the stately and graceful Saduko。
On his left was a young and sturdy white man carrying a rifle and
smoking a pipe； whom I guessed to be John Dunn； a gentleman whom； as it
chanced； I had never met； while behind were a force of Natal Government
Zulus； clad in some kind of uniform and armed with guns； and with them a
number of natives； also from Natal〃kraal Kafirs；〃 who carried stabbing
assegais。 One of these led John Dunn's horse。
Of those Government men there may have been thirty or forty； and of the
〃kraal Kafirs〃 anything between two and three hundred。
I shook Umbelazi's hand and gave him good…day。
〃That is an ill day upon which no sun shines； O Macumazana；〃 he
answeredwords that struck me as ominous。 Then he introduced me to
John Dunn； who seemed glad to meet another white man。 Next； not knowing
what to say； I asked the exact object of their visit； whereon Dunn began
to talk。 He said that he had been sent over on the previous afternoon
by Captain Walmsley； who was an officer of the Natal Government
stationed across the border； to try to make peace between the Zulu
factions； but that when he spoke of peace one of Umbelazi's brothersI
think it was Mantantashiyahad mocked at him； saying that they were
quite strong enough to cope with the Usututhat was Cetewayo's party。
Also； he added； that when he suggested that the thousands of women and
children and the cattle should be got across the Tugela drift during the
previous night into safety in Natal； Mantantashiya would not listen； and
Umbelazi being absent； seeking the aid of the Natal Government； he could
do nothing。
〃Quem Deus vult perdere prius dementat〃 ＇whom God wishes to destroy； He
first makes mad＇； quoted I to myself beneath my breath。 This was one of
the Latin tags that my old father； who was a scholar； had taught me； and
at that moment it came back to my mind。 But as I suspected that John
Dunn knew no Latin； I only said aloud：
〃What an infernal fool！〃 （We were talking in English。） 〃Can't you get
Umbelazi to do it now？〃 （I meant； to send the women and children across
the river。）
〃I fear it is too late；
