child of storm-第49章

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Umbelazi　to　do　it　now？〃　（I　meant；　to　send　the　women　and　children　across
the　river。）

〃I　fear　it　is　too　late；　Mr。　Quatermain；〃　he　answered。　　〃The　Usutu　are　in
sight。　　Look　for　yourself。〃　　And　he　handed　me　a　telescope　which　he　had
with　him。

I　climbed　on　to　some　rocks　and　scanned　the　plain　in　front　of　us；　from
which　just　then　a　puff　of　wind　rolled　away　the　mist。　　It　was　black　with
advancing　men！　　As　yet　they　were　a　considerable　distance　awayquite　two
miles；　I　should　thinkand　coming　on　very　slowly　in　a　great　half…moon
with　thin　horns　and　a　deep　breast；　but　a　ray　from　the　sun　glittered　upon
their　countless　spears。　　It　seemed　to　me　that　there　must　be　quite　twenty
or　thirty　thousand　of　them　in　this　breast；　which　was　in　three　divisions；
commanded；　as　I　learned　afterwards；　by　Cetewayo；　Uzimela；　and　by　a　young
Boer　named　Groening。

〃There　they　are；　right　enough；〃　I　said；　climbing　down　from　my　rocks。　
〃What　are　you　going　to　do；　Mr。　　Dunn？〃

〃Obey　orders　and　try　to　make　peace；　if　I　can　find　anyone　to　make　peace
with；　and　if　I　can'twell；　fight；　I　suppose。　　And　you；　Mr。　
Quatermain？〃

〃Oh；　obey　orders　and　stop　here；　I　suppose。　　Unless；〃　I　added　doubtfully；
〃these　Amawombe　take　the　bit　between　their　teeth　and　run　away　with　me。〃

〃They'll　do　that　before　nightfall；　Mr。　　Quatermain；　if　I　know　anything
of　the　Zulus。　　Look　here；　why　don't　you　get　on　your　horse　and　come　off
with　me？　　This　is　a　queer　place　for　you。〃

〃Because　I　promised　not　to；〃　I　answered　with　a　groan；　for　really；　as　I
looked　at　those　savages　round　me；　who　were　already　fingering　their
spears　in　a　disagreeable　fashion；　and　those　other　thousands　of　savages
advancing　towards　us；　I　felt　such　little　courage　as　I　possessed　sinking
into　my　boots。

〃Very　well；　Mr。　Quatermain；　you　know　your　own　business　best；　but　I　hope
you　will　come　out　of　it　safely；　that　is　all。〃

〃Same　to　you；〃　I　replied。

Then　John　Dunn　turned；　and　in　my　hearing　asked　Umbelazi　what　he　knew　of
the　movements　of　the　Usutu　and　of　their　plan　of　battle。

The　Prince　replied；　with　a　shrug　of　his　shoulders：

〃Nothing　at　present；　Son　of　Mr。　Dunn；　but　doubtless　before　the　sun　is
high　I　shall　know　much。〃

As　he　spoke　a　sudden　gust　of　wind　struck　us；　and　tore　the　nodding
ostrich　plume　from　its　fastening　on　Umbelazi's　head…ring。　　Whilst　a
murmur　of　dismay　rose　from　all　who　saw　what　they　considered　this　very
ill…omened　accident；　away　it　floated　into　the　air；　to　fall　gently　to　the
ground　at　the　feet　of　Saduko。　　He　stooped；　picked　it　up；　and　reset　it　in
its　place；　saying　as　he　did　so；　with　that　ready　wit　for　which　some
Kafirs　are　remarkable：

〃So　may　I　live；　O　Prince；　to　set　the　crown　upon　the　head　of　Panda's
favoured　son！〃

This　apt　speech　served　to　dispel　the　general　gloom　caused　by　the
incident；　for　those　who　heard　it　cheered；　while　Umbelazi　thanked　his
captain　with　a　nod　and　a　smile。　　Only　I　noted　that　Saduko　did　not
mention　the　name　of　〃Panda's　favoured　son〃　upon　whose　head　he　hoped　to
live　to　set　the　crown。　　Now；　Panda　had　many　sons；　and　that　day　would
show　which　of　them　was　favoured。

A　minute　or　two　later　John　Dunn　and　his　following　departed；　as　he　said；
to　try　to　make　peace　with　the　advancing　Usutu。　　Umbelazi；　Saduko　and
their　escort　departed　also　towards　the　main　body　of　the　host　of　the
Isigqosa；　which　was　massed　to　our　left；　〃sitting　on　their　spears；〃　as
the　natives　say；　and　awaiting　the　attack。　　As　for　me；　I　remained　alone
with　the　Amawombe；　drinking　some　coffee　that　Scowl　had　brewed　for　me；
and　forcing　myself　to　swallow　food。

I　can　say　honestly　that　I　do　not　ever　remember　partaking　of　a　more
unhappy　meal。　　Not　only　did　I　believe　that　I　was　looking　on　the　last　sun
I　should　ever　seethough　by　the　way；　there　was　uncommonly　little　of
that　orb　visiblebut　what　made　the　matter　worse　was　that；　if　so；　I
should　be　called　upon　to　die　alone　among　savages；　with　not　a　single
white　face　near　to　comfort　me。　　Oh；　how　I　wished　I　had　never　allowed
myself　to　be　dragged　into　this　dreadful　business。　　Yes；　and　I　was　even
mean　enough　to　wish　that　I　had　broken　my　word　to　Panda　and　gone　off　with
John　Dunn　when　he　invited　me；　although　now　I　thank　goodness　that　I　did
not　yield　to　that　temptation　and　thereby　sacrifice　my　self…respect。

Soon；　however；　things　grew　so　exciting　that　I　forgot　these　and　other
melancholy　reflections　in　watching　the　development　of　events　from　the
summit　of　our　tumulus…like　knoll；　whence　I　had　a　magnificent　view　of　the
whole　battle。　　Here；　after　seeing　that　his　regiment　made　a　full　meal；　as
a　good　general　should；　old　Maputa　joined　me；　whom　I　asked　whether　he
thought　there　would　be　any　fighting　for　him　that　day。

〃I　think　so；　I　think　so；〃　he　answered　cheerfully。　　〃It　seems　to　me　that
the　Usutu　greatly　outnumber　Umbelazi　and　the　Isigqosa；　and；　of　course；
as　you　know；　Panda's　orders　are　that　if　he　is　in　danger　we　must　help
him。　　Oh；　keep　a　good　heart；　Macumazahn；　for　I　believe　I　can　promise　you
that　you　will　see　our　spears　grow　red　to…day。　　You　will　not　go　hungry
from　this　battle　to　tell　the　white　people　that　the　Amawombe　are　cowards
whom　you　could　not　flog　into　the　fight。　　No；　no；　Macumazahn；　my　Spirit
looks　towards　me　this　morning；　and　I　who　am　old　and　who　thought　that　I
should　die　at　length　like　a　cow；　shall　see　one　more　great　fightmy
twentieth；　Macumazahn；　for　I　fought　with　this　same　Amawombe　in　all　the
Black　One's　big　battles；　and　for　Panda　against　Dingaan　also。〃

〃Perhaps　it　will　be　your　last；〃　I　suggested。

〃I　dare　say；　Macumazahn；　but　what　does　that　matter　if　only　I　and　the
royal　regiment　can　make　an　end　that　shall　be　spoken　of？　　Oh；　cheer　up；
cheer　up；　Macumazahn；　your　Spirit；　too；　looks　towards　you；　as　I　promise
that　we　all　will　do　when　the　shields　meet；　for　know；　Macumazahn；　that　we
poor　black　soldiers　expect　that　you　will　show　us　how　to　fight　this　day；
and；　if　need　be；　how　to　fall　hidden　in　a　heap　of　the　foe。〃

〃Oh！〃　I　replied；　〃so　this　is　what　you　Zulus　mean　by　the　'giving　of
counsel；'　is　it？you　infernal；　bloodthirsty　old　scoundrel；〃　I　added　in
English。

But　I　think　Maputa　never　heard　me。　　At　any　rate；　he　only　seized　my　arm
and　pointed　in　front；　a　little　to　the　left；　where　the　horn　of　the　great
Usutu　army　was　coming　up　fast；　a　long；　thin　line　alive　with　twinkling
spears；　their　moving　arms　and　legs　causing　them　to　look　like　spiders；　of
which　the　bodies　were　formed　by　the　great　war　shields。

〃See　their　plan？〃　he　said。　　〃They　would　close　on　Umbelazi　and　gore　him
with　their　horns　and　then　charge　with　their　head。　　The　horn　will　pass
between　us　and　the　right　flank　of　the　Isigqosa。　　Oh！　awake；　awake；
Elephant！　　Are　you　asleep　with　Mameena　in　a　hut？　　Unloose　your　spears；
Child　of　the　King；　and　at　them　as　they　mount　the　slope。　　Behold！〃　he
went　on；　〃it　is　the　Son　of　Dunn　that　begins　the　battle！　　Did　I　not　tell
you　that　we　must　look　to　the　white　men　to　show　us　the　way？　　Peep　through
your　tube；　Macumazahn；　and　tell　me　what　passes。〃

So　I　〃peeped；〃　and；　the　telescope　which　John　Dunn　had　kindly　left　with
me　being　good　though　small；　saw　everything　clearly　enough。　　He　rode　up
almost　to　the　point　of　the　left　horn　of　the　Usutu；　waving　a　white
handkerchief　and　followed　by　his　small　force　of　police　and　Natal　Kafirs。
　Then　from　somewhere　among　the　Usutu　rose　a　puff　of　smoke。　　Dunn　had
been　fired　at。

He　dropped　the　handkerchief　and　leapt　to　the　ground。　　Now　he　and　his
police　were　firing　rapidly　in　reply；　and　men　fell　fast　among　the　Usutu。　
They　raised　their　war　shout　and　came　on；　though　slowly；　for　they　feared
the　bullets。　　Step　by　step　John　Dunn　and　his　people　were　thrust　back；
fighting　gallantly　against　overwhelming　odds。　　They　were　level　with　us；
not　a　quarter　of　a　mile　to　our　left。　　They　were　pushed　past　us。　　They
vanished　among　the　bush　behind　us；　and　a　long　while　passed　before　ever　I
heard　what　became　of　them；　for　we　met　no　more　that　day。

Now；　the　horns　having　done　their　work　and　wrapped　themselves　round
Umbelazi's　army　as　the　nippers　of　a　wasp　close　about　a　fly　（why　did　not
Umbelazi　cut　off　those　horns；　I　wondered）；　the　Usutu　bull　began　his
charge。　　Twenty　or　thirty　thousand　strong；　regiment　after　regiment；
Cetewayo's　men　rushed　up　the　slope；　and　there；　near　the　crest　of　it；
were　met