UC-NRLF 
 
 *B S72 5DE 
 
THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND 
 
 MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID 
 
ZULU LAND 
 
 Ite'SBitt Sports 
 
 AND 
 
 SAVAGE LI FE. 
 
 HUGH MULLENEUX (WALMSLEY, 
 
 COLONEL OTTOMAN IMPERIAL ARMY, 
 
 AUTHOR OF "THE CHASSEUR D'AFRIQUE," " THE LIFE GUARDSMAN, 
 "BRANKSOME DENE." 
 
 w 
 
 LONDON • 
 FREDERICK WARNE AND CO., 
 
 BEDFORD STREET, STRAND. 
 [The Right of Translation is Reserved.} 
 

 127? 
 
 TO THE MEMORY OF 
 
 MY BROTHER, 
 
 CAPTAIN WALMSLEY, F.R.G.S., 
 
 LATE GOVERNMENT AGENT, ZULU FRONTIER, NATAL, 
 
 1 fctbirat* iht* D-crlum*, 
 
 FOUNDED ON A MANUSCRIPT I RECEIVED FROM HIM. 
 
 H. M. W. 
 
 MS\0£33 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 A great part of the matter contained in the following 
 pages appeared in the form of a book, entitled, "The 
 Ruined Cities of Zulu Land." 
 
 It has been revised, altered and compressed, and is 
 now launched into the world, as intended to fill a void 
 much felt at the present time. 
 
 The country traversed by the daring men whose 
 adventures are related in the following pages is still 
 to be fully explored. The ruins of the fort of Sofala 
 even now lie buried in the sand heaped up on them 
 by the waters of the Indian Ocean. 
 
 On the mountain heights of Gorongoza still lie the 
 strange slabs of stone, encrusted with the grime of ages 
 and the veil of mystery yet shrouds the crumbling re- 
 mains of the Ruined Cities of savage Zulu Land. 
 
 M310233 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 I. BELLARY FORT . . • , . .1 
 II. THE "HALCYON" BRIG . . • .12 
 III. THE LIONESS OF ZOUTPANSBURGH . .25 
 IV. MOZELKATSE 30 
 
 V. THE LIVING BUSH . . • . • .46 
 
 VI. THE MATABELE HUNT 54 
 
 VII. A NARROW ESCAPE . • • . . 6 1 
 
 VIII. THE FIRST ELEPHANT J 2 
 
 IX. THE MONKEY AND THE POWDER-FLASK . 78 
 
 X. THE RUINS OF SOFALA . . . . 87 
 XI. GORONGOZA 103 
 
 XII. THE RUINED CITIES OF ZULU LAND . . 1 1 3 
 
 XIII. UMHLESWA'S BARGAIN . . . . 1 29 
 
 XIV. THE. DEAD CHIEF . . • . . 1 36 
 XV. THE AUTO DA FE ♦ , • . . 147 
 
 XVI. THE WIFE'S REVENGE . . • * . 1 53 
 
 XVII. FEVER STRICKEN. . » . , . 167 
 
 XVIII. LOTUS-EATING ON THE ZAMBESI . . .178 
 
 XIX. ELEPHANT HUNTING ON THE SHIRE RIVER • 1 85 
 
viii CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 XX. THE "HALCYON" 1 99 
 
 xxi. st. augustine's bay. — the missionary's 
 
 TALE 221 
 
 XXII. ST. AUGUSTINE'S BAY. — THE PIRATES . 234 
 
 XXIII. THE DAY AFTER THE FIGHT . . . 245 
 
 XXIV. THE PIRATE SCHOONER . „ . .257 
 XXV. THE PIRATE'S FATE 277 
 
 XXVI. THE RAFT 291 
 
 XXVII. SAIL HO ! 302 
 
 XXVIII. THE RESCUE . . . . • 3 2 3 
 
 XXIX. THE MASSACRES OF CAWNPORE . . 336 
 
 XXX. THE RELIEF OF CAWNPORE . * . 345 
 
 XXXI. THE KAFFIR BRIDE . . . . 362 
 
WILD SPORTS AND SAVAGE LIFE 
 
 IN 
 
 ZULU LAND. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 EELLARY FORT. 
 
 There are few hotter places, and few more unhealthy 
 ones among our Indian up-country stations than Bellary, 
 in the Madras Presidency, garrisoned in the year 1856 
 by her Majesty's 150th Regiment of Infantry. Let the 
 reader imagine the lines of a fort drawn round a bare 
 sugar-loaf hill, on which an Indian sun pours its rays for 
 months. Thoroughly heated by this process of roasting, 
 the arid rock gives out all night the caloric absorbed 
 during the day, and a three years' residence in the fort of 
 Bellary, such as had been passed by the officers and men 
 of the 150th Regt, was about equivalent to the same 
 period in a baker's oven. Years passed, and the English 
 Government had at last perceived that it was madness to 
 keep troops within the lines of the old fort when a rich and 
 well-timbered plain lay around it. Barracks had been 
 built outside ; and about three quarters of a mile distant 
 
3 WILD SPORTS- IN ZUL U LAND. 
 
 from the main gate of Bellary, white bungalows, with 
 their green verandahs, and their well-kept compounds, lay 
 scattered here and there among the trees, while far away, 
 under the moon's rays, on the night when our tale opens, 
 a beautiful one in December, stretched the rich plain, with 
 its piles of rock rising like huge black molehills here and 
 there, giving welcome shelter to the wild-cats, jackalls, 
 and hyaenas, whose cries might be heard from time to time 
 ringing over the plain. The mess-house of the regiment 
 consisted of the usual large commodious building, with its 
 many outhouses or godowns, the whole surrounded by a 
 low wall, and that again protected by a strong hedge of the 
 prickly pear. A broad verandah ran round the main 
 building, and a flight of steps led up to the house, where 
 some half-dozen of the officers of the corps, dressed in 
 white, with nothing to distinguish them except the forage- 
 cap bearing the number of the regiment, were seated 
 chatting and smoking. The day had been very hot, but 
 a pleasant breeze was blowing over the plain ; the click of 
 the billiard-balls was heard from an adjoining room, whose 
 windows, thrown wide, open, cast a stream of light into the 
 compound, and the hum of voices from the mess-room 
 told of the dinner only just finished, and of the party of 
 seasoned old soldiers who were even then loath to quit the 
 pleasures of the table and the bottle of Madeira which 
 had crossed the line four times, and for which particular 
 wine the 150th had long been justly famous. 
 
 " I am half sorry that my leave has arrived, just as we 
 are expecting the route," said an officer, puffing out a 
 long spiral wreath of smoke as he spoke, and reaching 
 out his hand towards the tumbler of weak brandy pawnee 
 standing on a small table by his side. 
 
 " Hear him, the impostor !" laughed a second. "Two 
 
BELLARY FORT. 
 
 years of leave, after nearly nine of foreign service, and he 
 talks of regret." 
 
 The first speaker was rather a slight figure, but withal 
 strongly built ; thin and wiry, he showed no superfluous 
 flesh. The rather prominent forehead was tanned to a 
 deep brown, save where the line of the forage-cap showed 
 the white skin of the European ; the cheeks were sunken, 
 and bore the sallow tinge of sickness, while the aquiline 
 nose, the well-cut mouth, and the rather heavy under 
 jaw, spoke of determination and vigour of character. 
 Nearly six feet in height, he lay languidly back in his 
 chair, the dark masses of hair curling under the forage- 
 cap, and the large black eyes giving a still more marked 
 appearance of illness to his features. 
 
 " If I could shake off this, Harris," he replied, " get rid 
 of this terrible Bellary fever, you may depend upon it I 
 would throw up my leave. One's regiment becomes one's 
 family after nearly twelve years' service, nine of which 
 have been passed in India." 
 
 " And you are only captain," replied the other. " A 
 pretty look-out for me, an ensign yet. You had better 
 stop and give me a lift, by making a death vacancy. 
 Do, Hughes, there's a good fellow." 
 
 Captain Hughes laughed. 
 
 " We shall have the route to-morrow ; and if the march 
 to Secunderabad be anything like what ours was from 
 Madras, you won't want for death vacancies." 
 
 " Was it such a terrible one ?" asked the other in a 
 serious tone. 
 
 "Terrible," replied Major Ashley, who had just left 
 the table, and was lighting his third cigar since dinner, 
 " why, a march up-country in India is always terrible work, 
 as you'll find out before you are many weeks oldec 
 
 1—2 
 
4 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 There was some dispute about our destination when we 
 were ordered up here three years since," continued the 
 Major, "and so we were detained until the hot weather 
 set in, and cholera caught us up. The road we took may 
 even yet be traced by the mounds of stones which cover 
 our dead." 
 
 " It was a fearful time," said Captain Hughes. "When 
 we arrived in sight of the walls of yonder fort, the men 
 were dropping fast, the sentries over the hospital had often 
 to be changed from outside to inside the tent, the surgeon 
 and assistant-surgeon had to be carried to see their sick, 
 so worn were they with fatigue, while round our lines all 
 night long the wailing of the camp-followers was to be 
 heard, for they perished by hundreds, the dead being 
 found, when the grey light of morning broke, lying stiff 
 and stark among the tent ropes." 
 
 "But you reached the fort at last?" asked the 
 Ensign. 
 
 "Yes, we did reach it at last, didn't we, Hughes?" 
 answered Major Ashley. " Do you remember the day 
 an orderly rode into our lines, bearing an order from 
 General Black Jack, as we used to call him, forbidding us 
 to enter the fort ; and how, for the sake of doing some- 
 thing, we marched short marches daily round yonder walls, 
 until at last our colonel saw that the men were growing 
 mutinous, and told Black Jack that he would storm the 
 fort if not allowed to enter ?" 
 
 " I remember it well ; and he gave way. The gates 
 were thrown open, and the scourge left us. But it's late; 
 and if we are to have any chance of the tiger, you had 
 better get your rifles, and we will have the sheep picketed. 
 See, they are closing the mess-room doors, and putting 
 out the lights." 
 
BELLARY FORT. 
 
 "So they are," returned a third, yawning ; "I shall wish 
 you luck, and turn in." 
 
 " I say, Harris, mind you don't make a vacancy in the 
 Light Company yourself," said a captain of Grenadiers, 
 as a group of the late billiard-players went laughing and 
 talking down the steps into the moonlight. "I don't 
 believe you ever saw a tiger, or know anything about a 
 rifle." 
 
 " Never fear for me, Hunt ; an ensign's not worth a 
 tiger's trouble. If you would consent, now, to be picketed 
 instead of the sheep, Captain " 
 
 "Go to the devil ! Goodnight, Hughes." And "Good 
 night — a pleasant journey," rang out cheerily from one 
 after another as they crossed the mess-compound, and 
 took their way to their respective quarters. 
 
 " You are an old hand, Hughes," said the Ensign, after 
 a short pause. " Do you remember the Rajah who was 
 a prisoner on the top of Bellary rock ?" 
 
 " Don't I !" replied the Captain. " I say, Curtis," he 
 continued, addressing a lieutenant of his own company, 
 " you relieved the man who so nearly let the old Rajah 
 loose." 
 
 " Ay, poor old fellow ; he's dead now, and can't ask 
 his old, well-known question." 
 
 " What was it, Curtis? What did he ask, and who was he? 
 
 " Well, wait till I have lit this cigar, and I'll tell you," 
 answered Curtis. " We have an hour yet before the moon 
 gets low, and those black palkywallers are making such a 
 row." 
 
 The cigar was lighted, the brandy-and-water carefully 
 mixed and placed on an adjoining table within reach, and 
 comfortably settling himself on his seat, Lieutenant Curtis 
 began his history. 
 
6 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 " On the top of yonder sugar-loaf hill, in the centre of 
 Bellary Fort, a prisoner was confined, and the daily duty of 
 the officer of the guard was to visit him. He was an old, 
 worn-out man, whose hair had grown grey a captive, and 
 I can tell you, Harris, it was no joke to have to plod up 
 the steps cut in the face of the rock every morning, to 
 ask the old man the stereotyped question, ' Did he want 
 anything ?' 
 
 " He had been a sovereign of some petty state, and 
 our people wanted the land, so they took it, and to keep 
 its former owner quiet, confined him to the top of yon 
 granite rock ; so daily the subaltern on guard mounted 
 the steps, and asked the usual question, every time re- 
 ceiving the same reply, — 
 
 " ' Yes, I want my liberty and the land you stole from 
 me, nothing else !' " 
 
 " And did he ever get it ?" asked IT—ris, 
 
 " He very nearly did," replied Captain Hughes. " But 
 go on with your tale, Curtis." 
 
 The officer addressed took a steady pull at the brandy 
 pawnee by his side, puffed out a heavy cloud of smoke, 
 and continued, — 
 
 " One day the old man received by stealth a consider- 
 able sum of money, and with this and the promise of more 
 he succeeded in bribing an officer of a native regiment, 
 then doing duty with us in the fort. The officer went up 
 with his palky several times pretexting illness, and no 
 notice was taken of it j at last, one day the bearers, who 
 had been also well paid, felt by the weight that the 
 prisoner was inside. They took up the palky, which had 
 been standing near the gate, and lazily followed by the 
 sick officer, who inspected the sergeant's «uard as he 
 passed, took their way down. 
 
BELLARY FORT. 
 
 " It was well contrived, but old Sergeant Flack of ours 
 noticed the weight of the empty palky, and as soon as he 
 had turned in his guard, went to his prisoner's quarters to 
 find the bird flown. 
 
 "The subaltern and the palanquin with its bearers parted 
 company at the foot of the hill, he taking his way to the 
 main guard, a richer, but dishonoured man : the poor pri- 
 soner, his heart beating wildly at the now sure prospect of 
 liberty, was borne along towards the gates of the fort. 
 There an armed party of his former subjects waited him : 
 so once outside and mounted he would be safe, and if it 
 had not been for Flack he would have been. 
 
 " Just as he neared the gate, the old Sergeant came up 
 breathless, and the loud cry of ' Guard, turn out t was 
 heard, while the next moment the palanquin was sur- 
 rounded by the bayonets of our fellows, and the poor 
 grey-headed Rajah found himself, half-an-hour later, once 
 more seated in the quarters assigned him on the top of 
 the rock." 
 
 " Poor fellow ! and what became of him?" asked Harris. 
 
 " He never again made an attempt to escape, but 
 native-like, bowed submissively to his fate, and every 
 morning gave the reply I have already repeated, to the 
 officer of the guard. It was his only revenge, and until 
 he died this little solace seemed agreeable to him." 
 
 " And the officer who connived at the escape ?" asked 
 Curtis. 
 
 " It could never be proved against him," answered the 
 other. " The old Rajah always sternly denied having had 
 any collusion with him. The bearers had bolted in the 
 confusion : and though he was sent down to Madras and 
 tried by court-martial, he was not convicted, for there was 
 no proof." 
 
8 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 " Ay, but he resigned his commission at once, left for 
 England, and from a poor man, rose into one of fair 
 moderate means," remarked Captain Hughes. " But see, 
 the moon is low now, your fellow has picketed the sheep, 
 and if we are to do any good, silence must be the order 
 of the night." 
 
 A tiger had lately committed some ravages within the 
 lines of the 150th, and the night before had actually 
 entered the mess-compound of the corps. It was a man- 
 eater, too, and when once these ferocious animals take to 
 preying on the human species, they acquire a love for the 
 food, which never leaves them. Lieutenant Curtis and 
 the Ensign had volunteered to kill it, while Captain 
 Hughes, who was to start for Madras on two years' leave, 
 had gladly joined the party. 
 
 Silence now fell on the watchers, the moonlight grew 
 more and more feeble, the red ends of the cigars gleamed 
 under the shadow of the verandah, in one corner of 
 which . stood the Captain's palanquin, its bearers thrown 
 down on the chenam floor beside it, sleeping soundly. 
 The stars were shining brightly, and the cries of the 
 hyaenas on the plain beyond were answered from time to 
 time by the bleat of the sheep, picketed in the centre of 
 the yard. Hour passed after hour, and the moon had 
 quite disappeared. The youngest of the party, unused to 
 the long watch, had fallen fast asleep and his head being 
 thrown back in an uneasy position, was snoring loudly. 
 
 " Confound that fellow, he is enough to frighten a 
 Bengal tiger ; just prod him up, Hughes, will you i" said 
 Curtis, in an undertone. 
 
 The Ensign's rifle leaned against one of the pillars 
 of the verandah. Those of the other two lay across their 
 knees, and Hughes, giving two or three pokes with the 
 
BELLARY FORT. 
 
 muzzle of his, between the sleeping lad's ribs, tried to 
 wake him. Worn out with the heat and watching, the 
 boy muttered . some unintelligible words, and, turning, 
 was again fast asleep in a moment. 
 
 " And you don't mean to go to England ?" continued 
 Curtis, speaking in a guarded tone. 
 
 " No, I don't," returned Hughes in the same low voice. 
 " You and I, Curtis, are the crack shots of the regiment, 
 and my rifle at least shall be heard on the plains and by 
 the rivers of South Africa." 
 
 " How I wish I could start with you, old fellow," said 
 Curtis with a sigh. 
 
 "How I wish you could; but it's no use wishing, 
 Curtis. You have had so much leave of late that you 
 can't ask, and if you did, your application would not be 
 forwarded." 
 
 " No, I suppose not. Colonel Desmond's a good fel- 
 low ; but I should not like to ask him. Have you any 
 one you know in South Africa ?" 
 
 "Yes, I've a relation who has been for many years 
 Government Agent on the Zulu frontier, and he promises 
 me a fit out, and a. letter to Panda, the King of the 
 Zulus." 
 
 " Won't you have splendid elephant hunting, and may 
 be join again with a Kaffir wife." 
 
 Hughes laughed. " How that sheep bleats ; and hush, 
 Curtis — there's a scurry among the jackals. Do you hear ? 
 Hush !" 
 
 " Hardly had he spoken when the sharp click of the 
 rifle locks was heard, as their owners brought them to full 
 cock, and almost at the same moment, with a loud growl, 
 a dark, massive form topped the low wall, and with one 
 blow of his powerful fore-arm the man-eater struck down 
 
io WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 its prey. The tiger turned to fly, carrying with it the 
 dead sheep, but the rope by which it was tied to the 
 stake stopped it. With a low growl of anger the brute 
 glanced round, as though not understanding the reason o 
 the check. The starlight streamed over his painted hide, 
 and the simultaneous reports of the two rifles rang out on 
 the air. Hard hit," the tiger turned, dashed at the 
 wall, clearing it once more, but as he did so received the 
 contents of the two remaining barrels of the rifles, dis- 
 appearing with a howl of pain and rage. 
 
 Harris, worn out by heat he was little accustomed to, 
 had dropped into that dead sleep which invariably over- 
 powers Europeans not broken to an Indian climate. 
 Awoke suddenly by the growl of the tiger, closely followed 
 by the reports of the rifles, it took him some seconds to 
 realize the situation. Even then his faculties seemed con- 
 fused, for, seizing his rifle, he dashed, without speaking a 
 word, through the gate in the low compound wall, followed 
 by the loud laughter of his comrades. 
 
 (i Hallo ! stop, you sleepy hunter of tigers !" shouted 
 Curtis, as soon as he could speak for laughter. A fierce 
 growl from the other side of the compound was heard, a 
 long snarl of mingled anger and pain dying away into a 
 deep moan, the report of a rifle ringing loudly on the 
 night air, and all was still. 
 
 The two officers looked at each other for a second, 
 then, their emptied pieces in their hands, they also dashed 
 through the gateway, followed, at a cautious distance, how- 
 ever, by the now thoroughly awakened bearers, who had 
 been sleeping beside the palanquin. 
 
 The starlight showed the tiger lying dead, and 
 beside it in a half-sitting posture, Ensign Harris, with his 
 rifle across his knees. 
 
BELLARY FORT. \i 
 
 The wounded brute, after clearing the low wall, had 
 fallen, then dragged itself heavily forward, just passing 
 the gateway, when Harris, at top speed, dashed out, to pitch 
 head foremost over the writhing body in its death-struggle. 
 The rifle fell from his hand, and the tiger, though dying, 
 eager for revenge, struck out at the youth's body, as he 
 rolled over and over, carried on by the speed at which he 
 had been running. 
 
 " By Jove ! you've had a narrow escape, my boy. It's 
 not every fellow clears a tiger that way," exclaimed Hughes, 
 as the two stood leaning on their rifles by the carcass of 
 the dead animal. 
 
 " I haven't got clear/' replied the Ensign, rising to one 
 knee, and wincing with pain as he did so ; "but you will 
 find my ball in the tiger's head, and so I have fairly 
 earned the skin." 
 
 " Here, you fellows, fetch the palky," cried Curtis. " It 
 is a question of your own skin, not the tiger's. Wounds 
 are never so easily cured under the sun of India as at 
 home." 
 
 " Oh, it's only a scratch, Curtis," said the brave lad, as 
 the palanquin came up, and his comrades placed him in it. 
 
 " I tell you there's no such thing as only a scratch here. 
 
 If you will go with him to his quarters, Hughes, I'll 
 send Chapman." 
 
 The Ensign's bungalow was close by ; Chapman, the 
 assistant-surgepn of the regiment, was soon awoke, the 
 wound found to be a severe but not dangerous one, the 
 tiger, having struck forward like a huge cat with its power- 
 ful fore-arm, just catching the youngster's leg, scoring 
 deeply into the flesh, and tearing off the light shoe. The 
 wounds were bandaged, and Ensign Harris's name placed 
 on the sick-list. 
 
12 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 "Good night, Hughes, and a pleasant journey to you," 
 said Curtis, as the two shook hands at the entrance of the 
 compound. 
 
 The air was fresh and cool, the " Southern Cross " was 
 just dipping towards the distant horizon, the long mourn- 
 ful howl of a far away hyaena came across . the plain, and 
 on the white dusty road stood the dark-looking palanquin, 
 with its group of dusky bearers. Wringing his brother 
 officer's hand, Captain Hughes stepped into it, and with 
 a sing-song chaunt the palkywallers shouldered their bur- 
 den, and moved away on the first stage, which was to lead 
 to the broad plains and well-stocked prairies of that Shi- 
 karee's heaven, the hunting-fields of South Africa. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE " HALCYON " BRIG. 
 
 " Sail, ho I" shouted the look-out in the foretop of the 
 merchant brig, the " Halcyon," one fine afternoon just 
 four months after the events narrated in the preceding 
 chapter. 
 
 The sun was setting in the western horizon, tinging 
 the trembling waves with a golden hue. The brig was 
 making good weather of it, and she looked a likely craft 
 to do so. Her long, low, black hull supported a pyramid 
 of white canvas, every sail drawing to a nicety, as, with a 
 fresh breeze right over the quarter, she held her course 
 to the northward and westward, bound for the coast of 
 Africa. Three men only were pacing her quarter-deck. 
 The one, a middle-sized, stout-built man, his face tanned 
 
THE "HALCYON" BRIG. 13 
 
 to the colour of mahogany, was evidently the master of 
 the brig. The second, much younger, was his first mate ; 
 while leaning over the bulwarks, lazily looking into the 
 sea, a solitary passenger, who had been taken on board 
 when the brig lay in Madras roads, completed the trio. 
 Forward, on the forecastle, was a group of sailors, thrown 
 here and there under the weather bulwarks, some asleep, 
 some telling tales of former adventures in the land now a 
 hundred miles away on the brig's larboard bow, and which 
 they hoped to sight in the morning. 
 
 " Sail, ho !" shouted the look-out, and Captain Weber 
 stopped suddenly in his walk, turning to windward, his 
 long grey hair streaming out on the breeze as he did so. 
 His was the seaman's face of the old type. The forehead 
 low and massive 3 the thick eyebrows overshadowing 
 small piercing eyes; the large good-humoured mouth 
 ever ready to smile, and showing as he did so a range of 
 white teeth ; bushy grey whiskers ; and a skin tanned to 
 a good standing mahogany colour. His short sturdy 
 frame was clothed in a slop suit of pilot cloth, and a plain 
 cap with a heavy peak completed the picture. 
 
 Captain Weber had entered the merchant service as a 
 boy ; had been pressed on board a man-of-war ; had seen 
 some service, and was now part owner of the brig he 
 commanded. Mr. Blount, his first officer, was a man of 
 another school. Taller, and more finely formed, the 
 straight Grecian nose, dark hair, and carefully trimmed 
 whiskers, were adorned by a naval cap having a thin strip 
 of gold lace round it, and the short monkey jacket showed 
 also on the cuffs of the sleeves the same bit of coquetry 
 in the shape of gold lace, it and the waistcoat boasting 
 brass buttons. 
 
 'Where away, Smith?— point to her," replied the 
 
H WILD SPORTS IN ZUL U LAND. 
 
 latter, as he too stopped in his walk, and looked 
 aloft. 
 
 This was a phrase lately introduced into the Royal 
 Navy, and copied by the old captain. In a gale, when 
 the look-out's voice could hardly be heard above the roar 
 of the wind, the pointing in the given direction supplanted 
 the voice, and was a useful innovation. The man's hand, 
 on this occasion, was held straight out, pointing to lee- 
 ward, and there, sure enough, the loftier sails of a full- 
 rigged ship could be seen, standing in the same direction 
 as themselves. The two seamen, shading their eyes from 
 the last gleam of the sun, which was sinking like a ball 
 of red fire into the tumbling waves, gazed at the distant 
 sail, making her out to be a ship lying to, perhaps a whaler. 
 
 " It's a queer thing, that a whaler should be lying to 
 so near land, Blount," said Captain Weber, after he had 
 looked long and attentively in the direction of the ship. 
 
 " Hand me the glass." 
 
 At this moment, the passenger, waking up from his fit 
 of abstraction, joined the two seamen. 
 
 " A ship lying to — and what is there strange in that ?". 
 was the question he asked. 
 
 " Why, Captain Hughes," replied the mate (Captain 
 Weber being too busy with the glass to reply), " a mer- 
 chantman generally makes the best of her way from port 
 to port. With her, time is money, while one of Her 
 Majesty's cruisers (God bless her !) would be jogging 
 along under easy sail, not caring either for time or 
 money ; but certainly not hove to. No : yonder ship 
 must be a whaler; but it's not often those fellows find 
 their fish in such high latitudes." 
 
 " There," said Captain Hughes, for it was indeed he 
 who was the " Halcyon's " solitary passenger. " There — 
 she fills." 
 
THE "HALCYON" BRIG. 15 
 
 "You have a quick eye for a soldier," exclaimed 
 Captain Weber. " Yonder ship has indeed filled, as you 
 call it ; but allow me to tell you, as a general rule, that 
 square-rigged craft brace up, while fore-and-aft vessels fill, 
 as they have no yards to brace up." 
 
 " That's logical, at all events," answered the soldier. 
 
 "Ay, and it's seamanlike," replied Captain Weber. 
 " Fore-and-aft vessels, when hauling to the wind, get a 
 pull at the sheets, so as to get their sails to set flatter ; 
 but you are not absolutely wrong, for, after lying to, both 
 square rigged and fore-and-aft vessels may be said to fill 
 and make sail. Correctly speaking, yonder whaler has 
 braced up her yards." 
 
 " We shall near her rapidly then ?" inquired the soldier. 
 
 " We are running on two converging lines, which at a 
 given point must meet, and if yonder craft wishes to 
 speak us, she will have it in her power to do so," replied 
 the precise old man. " Here's the steward to announce 
 dinner. The wind seems falling, Mr. Blount. Shake out 
 the reefs in our topsails, and join us. Come, Captain 
 Hughes, if your appetite is as sharp as your eyes, you 
 won't be sorry to go below." 
 
 The momentary bustle consequent on the making sail 
 followed ; the deck was then handed over to the second 
 mate, Mr. Lowe (for Captain Weber, contrary to the 
 usual rules of the merchant service, had a first and 
 second mate), and all relapsed into the usual silence ; the 
 soughing of the wind through the spars and rigging, and 
 the splash of the waves as they struck against the brig's 
 bows, alone breaking the silence. The stars peeped out, 
 the wind falling with the setting sun, while as the brig 
 was running free, the motion was slight. Now and then 
 the ship's bell rang out on the still night air, marking the 
 
16 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 passing hours, and the monotonous tread of the officer in 
 charge as he paced the deck, with occasionally a loud 
 laugh from the men forward, was heard. 
 
 Mr. Lowe's watch was just ending, and the clear silver 
 tones of the bell had rung out eight times, when the first 
 mate stopped in his walk, looking at the binnacle light. 
 
 " Have you remarked that red star yonder, Mr. Lowe ?" 
 asked the old salt at the helm. 
 
 " No, Adams ; what do you make of it ?" replied the 
 officer, turning towards the point indicated. 
 
 " Leastways, I don't think it's a star. Shouldn't that 
 whaling chap be down yonder away, sir ?" 
 
 The second mate took the night-glass, and was in the 
 act of adjusting it, when a bright vivid flame shot up from 
 the sea, and the black hull and spars of a ship were dis- 
 tinctly seen vomiting forth a volcano of flame; then a 
 low smothered thud came booming over the ocean, and 
 for an instant all was dark and silent. It was but for a 
 few seconds, however, for then a small quivering point of 
 flame danced on the waves ; it spread, increasing rapidly 
 in volume ; the red light ran up the ropes and rigging of 
 the ship, which was only a few miles to leeward of the 
 ." Halcyon." Her sails, one by one, caught fire, while 
 explosion after explosion followed, and by the lurid glare 
 the crew of the doomed craft might be seen moving about 
 in helpless confusion. 
 
 "Starboard — starboard, you may, Adams." It was 
 Captain Weber who spoke. " Lay her head straight for 
 the wreck. Take a pull at the weather-sheets and hal- 
 liards, my lads. Cheerily, so — steady, Adams — steady. 
 Get the royals on her, Mr. Lowe. Watch and idlers, 
 make sail." 
 
 It was a splendid but a terrible sight, as the " Hal- 
 
THE "HALCYON" BRIG. i 7 
 
 cyon," under her additional sail, plunged through the long 
 seas, straight for the burning ship. Soon the cries of the 
 men on board her could be heard, and the mainmast fell. 
 The flames rose some two hundred feet into the air, the 
 sea being lighted up all round, while slowly surging 
 through the ocean came the dark hull of the " Halcyon," 
 all possible sail set, on her mission of mercy. 
 
 Nearer and nearer came the brig. 
 
 "See," said Captain Weber, pointing with his hand, 
 " the boats have been blown away, and the poor fellows 
 have no means of leaving the wreck. 
 
 "Ay, and she must have powder on board, for the 
 hatchways are blown off, and the solid timbers of her 
 decks forced up." 
 
 At this moment a fresh and fiercer burst of flame shot 
 up into the air, and the crew of the burning vessel could 
 be seen jumping into the waves. It was but a choice of 
 deaths, the fierce volcano under foot, or the surging seas 
 around. Captain Weber stamped' with impatience ; his 
 clipper brig had never seemed to him to move so slowly, 
 and yet every sail drew , and the green water swirled 
 under her counter as she cut her way through the seas. 
 
 The ship was a complete wreck, her cargo was on fire, 
 there were not any boats ; and a few men, clinging to 
 some spare spars, which had been thrown overboard 
 evidently with the intention of making a raft, were now 
 all that were left to be saved. 
 
 Suddenly she gave one heavy lurch, and went down 
 head foremost, leaving what remained of her crew float- 
 ing on the waste of waters. 
 
 " See the boats all clear, Mr. Lowe ; burn a blue light 
 on the forecastle, and have every man at his post ready 
 to hand the royals and heave the brig to." 
 
 2 
 
18 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 Hardly had the words been spoken by Captain Weber 
 when a shriek of anguish rose from the ocean. The 
 cargo of the doomed ship had been composed of naphtha, 
 and now all at once it rose to the surface, spreading over 
 the waves and burning furiously. The sailors on the 
 spars were floating in a sea of fire, and a wail of anguish 
 was given out by the perishing men. It was a fearful 
 sight as the brig rapidly neared the fiery spot on the 
 black ocean, the sharp death-cries ceasing as the fierce 
 flame circled round the unhappy crew. Minutes seemed 
 hours, and discipline was for the moment lost on board the 
 brig, her crew crowding the gangways, and shouting to 
 the perishing men words of encouragement. The oldest 
 sailor there had never before witnessed such a sight as 
 that presented by this red seething sea of flame, with the 
 writhing forms of the crew of the lost ship perishing 
 miserably before their eyes. 
 
 " Silence, fore and aft !" shouted Captain Weber. 
 " Heave to, Mr. Blount. Stand by to lower away the 
 cutter. Hold on with the blue light, Mr. Lowe, until 
 the boat is lowered." 
 
 "Ay, ay, sir," answered the mate; and then his voice 
 was heard over the efeakiflg of the tackles, the soughing 
 of the breeze, giving the necessary words of command, 
 and before the cutter was ready to be lowered the bows 
 of the " Halcyon" sheered up into the wind, her royals 
 were let fly, her fore and mainsail hung flapping in the 
 brails, and the brig was rising and falling on the waves 
 under her foretopsail, jib, and boom-mainsail. 
 
 " Hush !" said the captain, after the cutter had pulled 
 some distance, "hush ! I thought I heard a hail." 
 
 The men lay on their oars, the blazing light had gone 
 out as suddenly as it had been kindled, and the long 
 
THE " HALCYON" BRIG. 19 
 
 swell of the ocean tossed the small boat to and fro under 
 the starlight as though she were a plaything. The blue 
 light was burning on the " Halcyon's" forecastle, giving 
 her a ghastly and spectre-like appearance, lighting up her 
 spars, sails, and rigging, and casting a strange glare on 
 the sea around. 
 
 "Brig ahoy! brig ahoy!" came from out the dark- 
 ness. 
 
 " Hallo ! give way, my lads," and on went the cutter, 
 the stout ash staves bending as the men forced her 
 through the water. 
 
 " Brig ahoy !" came the feeble shout, and giving the 
 cutter a yaw to port her bows, grazed a large spar, while 
 the bowman holding on with his boat-hook, the forms of 
 two men were seen lashed to it. They were soon hauled 
 on board, and the cutter again in motion. For fully an 
 hour did Captain Weber row over the spot, but uselessly. 
 There were remains of wreck, of broken, half-charred 
 planks and shattered timbers ; but, with the exception 
 of these, and the two men first met with, not a vestige 
 of the stately ship remained. 
 
 " Fill and make sail, Mr. Blount," said the captain, as 
 he once more put his foot on the quarter-deck ; " send 
 those two poor fellows below, and let my steward see to 
 their comfort. We will hear their tale presently." 
 
 " Had we not better lie to till morning ; may there not 
 yet be some other survivor ?" 
 
 * Not a chance. I have pulled round the whole spot 
 over and over again. We have done all we can do. 
 Lay her head again for Delagoa Bay," replied Captain 
 Weber, as he went below, and so the yards were braced 
 round, the courses sheeted home, the royals once more 
 set, and with a fair wind the brig found herself, when 
 
WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 morning dawned, seventy miles from the scene of the 
 late disaster. The horizon was clear, not a sail being in 
 sight ; the whistling of the wind, the scream of the gulls, 
 which were now wheeling round the brig, showing he 
 proximity to land, those and the whish of the breaking 
 wave being the only noises heard. The decks had been 
 holystoned, the sailors were busy coiling down spare ropes 
 or cleaning the brasswork, which was already as bright 
 as could be, and the regular step of the officer of the 
 watch could be heard as he paced the deck by those 
 below. 
 
 The party in the cabin consisted of Captain Weber, 
 his first officer, his passenger, and the master of the 
 " Argonaut," the ship which had been burned at sea the 
 previous night. Of the whole crew the captain and one 
 seaman only had been saved. 
 
 Sad enough he looked as he sat at the well-furnished 
 breakfast table, his hair singed with fire, and his right arm 
 in a sling. 
 
 " We were bound for England, and our cargo consisted 
 of five hundred barrels of naphtha," he said, in reply to 
 a question addressed to him by the first officer of the 
 " Halcyon." 
 
 " Why were you lying to when we first sighted you } 1) 
 asked Captain W T eber. 
 
 " I thought our cargo had shifted a little in the late gale, 
 and I had been overhauling it. That night I was seated 
 with my first mate in the cabin, when a furious explosion 
 shook the ship. I was thrown down, and how long I re- 
 mained insensible I don't know. When I did come to, I 
 found myself surrounded with" wreck, everything smashed, 
 the bulkheads driven in, and the ship split in her water 
 way. Hardly had I realised the extent of the misfortune 
 
THE " HALCYON " BRIG. 21 
 
 when the cry of fire was heard. In a moment the re- 
 mainder of the naphtha was in flames, and I had hardly 
 time to get on deck." 
 
 " And the boats ?" asked Captain Hughes. 
 
 " Blown to chips," was the reply. " I ordered the main 
 mast to be cut away, but the flames were too quick for us, 
 and all we could do was to cut adrift the mainboom. I 
 and Miller managed to reach it. The ship was now burn- 
 ing fore and aft, and presently, as you saw, went down 
 bodily, the whole of the naphtha rising to the surface in a 
 sea of flame. I saw many of my poor fellows swim in 
 this bath of fire. My mate and steward went down beside 
 me. The cook had lashed himself to a piece of wreck, 
 and for a quarter of an hour I heard his cries, then they 
 ceased suddenly. The rest you know." 
 
 A bustle on deck, a loud shout, and then a voice re- 
 peating the welcome words " Land ho !" disturbed the 
 breakfast party, who hurried up the hatchway, the poor, 
 spirit-broken master of the " Argonaut " alone remaining 
 below. What to him was land ? He had no ship, no 
 crew to care for. The fierce flame and the seething ocean 
 had brought him ruin. 
 
 The wind was now well abaft the beam, and even to 
 those on deck the long cloud-like outline of land was 
 soon visible, as, every sail set that would draw, the brig 
 worked her way on, rising and falling on the long seas, 
 now rolling heavily to leeward as she sank in the green 
 trough, now lifting on the surging wave and heeling over 
 as her loftier canvas felt the full force of the breeze, until 
 she showed her bright clean copper nearly to her keel, only 
 the next moment to dash her wedgelike bows into the 
 foam, sending the glittering particles high into the air, 
 deluging the forecastle with green water, as she drove on- 
 
22 WILD SPORTS IN ZUL U LAND. 
 
 ward towards land. Above, the bright clear sky of an 
 African day : the gulls and the Mother Carey's ;chickens 
 wheeling and circling round the masts. Captain Weber, 
 proud of his brig, felt she was doing her best, while by 
 his side walked the captain of the " Argonaut," sad, and 
 dispirited, his one hand thrust deeply into his pocket, the 
 other supported by a sling, his burned hair and scorched 
 face looking melancholy even beneath the bright susshine. 
 To Captain Hughes, the long cloud-like line of the coast 
 was a promised land, where the mighty elephant, the 
 lordly lion, and the fierce rhinoceros waited him ; and so 
 the day wore on, and afternoon came. 
 
 " Watch and idlers, shorten sail ! In royals, start tacks 
 and sheets !" and soon the fore and main-royals were fly- 
 ing loosely in the wind, and the ready seaman busy 
 securing the flapping canvas. 
 
 Broad on the port bow the high land of Cape Colato 
 could be seen, as well as a lower bluff stretching away as 
 it were to meet it, but failing in its .object, leaving an 
 opening between the two headlands, thus forming the 
 harbour called Delagoa Bay, for which port the "Halcyon" 
 was bound. 
 
 On she flew, the wind freshening and the green waves 
 seeming to lift the brig forward on her ocean path. " Let 
 fly the top-gallant sheets," and soon the yards slowly 
 settled down. " Take the foresail off her, Mr. Blount. 
 Forward there, see the anchor all clear." The cheerful 
 " Ay, ay, sir," came back in reply to the loud tone of 
 command from the quarter-deck ; for much as a sailor 
 loves his ship, he is always pleased at the sight of the 
 port for which that ship is bound ; and now the small 
 island of Inyak, nestled within the bay, and the houses 
 of the town, with their light verandahs and white walls. 
 
THE "HALCYON" BRIG. 23 
 
 were seen plainer and plainer, seeming to rise like a 
 mirage from the sea, as the entrance to the bay was 
 opened. The brig's helm being jammed hard down, the 
 graceful craft flew up into the wind with a broad sheer, 
 and soon she rose and fell on the waves under her main- 
 topsail, jib, and boom-mainsail, her foresail hanging in 
 the brails, and her foretopsail still flying loose. A puff of 
 white smoke from her bows followed, and a small flag run 
 up in the shape of a ball, and only breaking when it 
 reached its position aloft, was the signal for the pilot, 
 which was soon answered : a minute black speck, now 
 mounting on the seas, now disappearing in the deep 
 trough, telling of the signal being seen and complied with. 
 
 Glad to reach the land he had so long looked forward 
 to, and yet at the same time sorry to leave companions 
 whose life, perils, and pleasures he had shared for two 
 months, Captain Hughes stood watching the shore-boat 
 as it pulled towards the ship. 
 
 " You'll be glad to land, Captain," said a voice by his side, 
 and as he turned, he saw close to him, leaning over the bul- 
 warks, the melancholy-looking master of the burned ship. 
 
 " Well, yesterday I would have said 'Yes,' and somehow 
 to-day I must say ' No/ " replied Hughes. 
 
 " Ay, ay," struck in Captain Weber, as he paused in his 
 quarter-deck walk, taking off his seaman's cap, and push- 
 ing back the long white hair from his weather-tanned fore- 
 head, "you are as much a sailor as you are a soldier. 
 Well, I shall work the old bark up the coast, trading here 
 and there. I have still some months to spare, for mine is 
 a three-year voyage, and if you are for a passage home 
 before we leave, look out for the ' Halcyon.' " 
 
 " I'll land here, and work my way to London," said the 
 captain of the " Argonaut." 
 
24 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 " No, no, old fellow, we must not part so. I picked 
 you up floating on a loose spar, and I am not going to 
 cut you adrift. Take share and share with me, and our 
 return voyage will be all the merrier." 
 
 The old man shook his head, for the loss of his ship, 
 and the fearful fate of his crew, who had perished before 
 his eyes by a death so terrible, and so totally unforeseen, 
 had shaken his intellects, and from a bold, daring seaman, 
 he had in one night become completely changed. 
 
 Captain Weber saw this, and, with his usual kindness 
 of heart, pitied his less fortunate brother, as taking his 
 arm, he led him away, the two diving below to seek con- 
 solation in the seaman's universal panacea — a glass of 
 grog, leaving Captain Hughes gazing over the sea, and 
 wondering why he was not pleased to land. 
 
 The creaking of the oars in the rowlocks was soon 
 heard, as the shore-boat, impelled by the efforts of four 
 powerful men, came sweeping up on the brig's quarter. 
 A rope was hove, and a half-naked Malay catching at the 
 lee shrouds as the " Halcyon" heeled over, swung himself 
 on board, losing as he did so his high conical hat, which, 
 with a scanty covering round the waist, formed his only 
 clothing. 
 
 " Up with the helm, ease off the jib sheets, fill the 
 maintopsail," were the words of command given the mo- 
 ment the Malay pilot touched the deck and walked aft. 
 The brig's head paid off, her sails filled, and, gathering 
 headway, she once more surged through the seas, running 
 slowly into the bay, and ultimately dropping her anchor 
 not more than fifty yards from the town, where she was 
 quickly surrounded by a whole fleet of shore-boats, eager 
 to sell fresh vegetables, bread, or anything else saleable. 
 
THE LIONESS OF ZOUTPANSBVRGH. 25 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE LIONESS OF ZOUTPANSBURGH. 
 
 It was a glorious April morning, and the scene was plea- 
 sant enough on the banks of the Limpolulo, not far from 
 a small kraal of native huts called Origstadt, where a tri- 
 butary stream runs into the river. A light subaltern's 
 tent, with its single pole, was pitched under a clump of 
 spreading trees ; close to it stood a waggon, with a hooped 
 tilt and strong canvas covering, while fourteen powerful 
 oxen were browsing near. Behind the tent two horses 
 were picketed. Seven men were variously employed, 
 some cutting wood for the fire, which blazed up merrily 
 under a tree, some cooking, and others mending the 
 heavy harness in readiness for the morrow's march. On 
 a branch near hung the carcass of a fat eland, from which 
 animal a strongly-built Hottentot was employed cutting a 
 large slice with his long sharp knife. In front of the tent, 
 with a couple of Madras cowrie baskets at his feet, busily 
 engaged sponging out a rifle, Captain Hughes was seated. 
 There was not much water in the river, though there had 
 been trouble enough in crossing it the day before with the 
 waggon, on account of the huge boulders of stone rolled 
 down during the rainy season. A rich plain stretched 
 away towards the mountains, which were those of the 
 Drakenburgh range, and the course of the river, as it 
 weund here and there, could be easily marked until it 
 was lost in the thick woods near the hills. Unlike the vast 
 dried-up plains of India, this African land was undulating, 
 dotted with clumps of trees and covered with grass, which 
 here and there near the river grew to a great height. A 
 
26 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 conical hill, called the Silver Mountain, rose about ten 
 miles away, and beyond the Drakenburgh range lay the 
 country ruled by the powerful native chief Mozelkatse. 
 In the trees by the water-side the parrots were screaming 
 and chattering, and some beautiful squirrels were playing 
 among the branches) or chasing each other in the sun- 
 shine. 
 
 A deep dead silence reigned around, broken only by 
 the murmur of the water, the occasional scream of the 
 parrots, and the hum of 'the mosquitoes, which were so 
 numerous on the banks of the Limpolulo as to be nearly 
 unendurable, even to the practised Indian. A more 
 peaceful scene could not be imagined, when suddenly the 
 silence was broken, and a long peculiar melancholy cry 
 was heard. 
 
 Starting up, the rifle in two pieces in his hand, the sol- 
 dier listened eagerly. The men had evidently heard it 
 too, for their chattering ceased ; the tall, powerful Kaffir, 
 who had been cutting up the eland, pausing with the knife 
 between his teeth, a large lump of meat in either hand, 
 and his head bent on one side, in an attitude of deep 
 attention, a perfect bronze statue. An interval of silence 
 intervened, and then once more the same prolonged, tre- 
 mulous, far distant cry, came floating as it were down on 
 the breeze. 
 
 "No Zulu cry that, master," said Luji, dropping, as he 
 spoke, the knife from between his teeth, and his frame 
 relaxing from its stiffened position of intense listening. 
 Again the tremulous cry came, sounding so far away that 
 even in that clear air it seemed as though the final notes 
 of the word " coooi," long dwelt upon, alone reached 
 the river bank. 
 
 " I have it, Luji !" suddenly exclaimed Hughes. " Put 
 
THE LIONESS OF ZOVTPANSBURGR. 27 
 
 that venison down, get your rifle, and follow me." The 
 Kaffir obeyed, dropping the two huge lumps of meat into 
 a cauldron, which, half filled with mealies, was destined to 
 make a stew for the twelve o'clock meal, and then, deli- 
 berately washing his hands in the water, he went to the 
 waggon, disappeared under the tilt for a moment, the 
 next stood by his master's side, armed with a heavy rifle. 
 
 " What master think the cry ?" he asked. 
 
 " I think it is the Australian bush-cry, which I never 
 heard before, but which I have read of; and if I am right, 
 there must be a European not able to find our camp." 
 
 Luji, as has already been said, was a Hottentot, and a 
 true type of his class. He was not brave to rashness, but 
 was a merry, careless fellow, ever ready for anything, and 
 reckless and improvident to a degree seldom equalled. 
 He was no beauty, his woolly hair surmounting a yellow- 
 black face, ornamented by a mouth large enough to suffice 
 for even his enormous appetite. High cheek bones, the 
 elongated eyes peculiar to his race set widely apart, a 
 broad powerful chest, and sinewy limbs, complete the 
 portrait. 
 
 He was faithful, very idle, and a fair shot ; merry as a 
 child when pleased, but if wronged or annoyed, passionate 
 and revengeful. He spoke the language of the Zulu 
 Kaffirs, had a fair smattering of English, and was a good 
 cook. 
 
 Over-readiness with his long knife was a fault in him, 
 and had already given much trouble. The rest of the 
 men were Kaffirs and Bechuanas, one of them named 
 Noti being a good shot, and a well-known hunter ; and 
 all were picked men, models of manly beauty cast in 
 bronze. 
 
 Restless, active, and unused to control, the whole band 
 
28 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 were difficult to manage, but far above the average stamp 
 of their class — waggon, horses, and men having been care- 
 fully selected by the Government Agent on the Zulu 
 frontier, one who had enjoyed a long experience in the 
 country. 
 
 So long as the way lay across the plain, all was simple 
 enough, and the two followed a sort of rough trampled 
 path made by the antelope. Now dipping into a deep 
 hollow where the grass grew luxuriantly, now topping a 
 gentle rise, and pausing to listen for the direction whence 
 came the guiding cry, they neared the forest land at the 
 foot of the mountain range of the Drakenburgh. Troops 
 of eland crossed their path from time to time ; but their 
 minds being pre-occupied with the thought of some danger 
 abroad, these were not molested. At last, just after having 
 mounted the slope of one of the undulating rises, they 
 entered upon a green plain, where, feeding about a hun- 
 dred yards away, were a herd of antelope, such as Captain 
 Hughes had not yet met with. They were of a grey 
 colour, while a narrow white line, taking its origin between 
 the shoulders, ran to the base of the tail, following exactly 
 the vertebral column. From this line seven or eight others 
 of a similar colour ran downwards towards the belly. The 
 horns were beautifully twisted, like corkscrews, and the 
 grey colour of the face was broken by an angular white 
 bar. Shading his eyes with his hand, Hughes gazed at 
 these graceful antelope. 
 
 " They are koodoos, master," whispered Luji. 
 
 The herd was led by a noble buck, and showed no fear, 
 approaching the two strange figures with signs of great 
 curiosity. Advancing to within thirty paces, they stood 
 still and gazed. No sportsman could resist the opportu- 
 nity, and as they turned to fly the report of the rifle was 
 
THE LIONESS OF ZOUTPANSBURGH. 29 
 
 heard, and the buck, which stood at least four feet high, 
 bounded into the air and fell dead, the ball having entered 
 just behind the shoulder. Leaving it where it lay right in 
 their return path, the remainder of the herd having gal- 
 loped away at a tremendous pace, the rifle was again 
 loaded, and the two pursued their way. They had ad- 
 vanced about six miles across the plain, hearing the cry 
 from time to time, and replying, when suddenly it ceased, 
 just as their onward path seemed barred by a closely set 
 forest of mahunoo trees, with an undergrowth of dwarf 
 acacia and tangled creepers. It seemed impossible to 
 pass, but at length, after long search, the dry bed of a 
 stream was found, up which there seemed a chance of 
 progressing. Slowly and with much difficulty they made 
 their way on ; sometimes crawling on hands and knees, 
 dragging their rifles after them, and winning patiently 
 yard by yard ; at others fairly stopped by masses of rock, 
 and forced to cut their way through the spiky branches of 
 the mimosa, bound together with the wild vines and creep- 
 ing cane-like plants. For fully half a mile did the two 
 thus work their way onwards, their clothes torn and their 
 hands bleeding. The cry had come from the thicket, and 
 yet further progress seemed hopeless, and they were fairly 
 exhausted. Pausing to rest, the deep stillness of the 
 African plain seemed oppressive, when suddenly Luji put 
 his black hand on the Captain's shoulder, wildly signing 
 to him to listen, his great mouth working convulsively. 
 Nothing was to be seen as they crouched in the bed of 
 the stream, and, for Hughes at least, nothing to be heard. 
 A few seconds passed thus, when, from the tree tops, the 
 long, plaintive, trembling cry peculiar to the Australian 
 bushranger came, quivering and undulating through the 
 air. There was no mistake now ; it was close to them, 
 
5o WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 whatever it was ; and sounded like the cry of some enor- 
 mous bird in pain. Luji seemed dreadfully agitated, and 
 then for the first time, his hearing sharpened by his posi- 
 tion, the soldier could distinguish sounds the more prac- 
 tised Hottentot had heard before. The noise was that of 
 bones being crunched by powerful teeth. This then was 
 the meaning of the long mournful cry which had come 
 sweeping down to them on the banks of the Limpolulo, 
 and perhaps it was over the remains of a fellow creature 
 some savage animals were holding high carnival. The 
 soldier's blood ran cold as his imagination pictured the 
 scene passing close to him, while Luji's eyes seemed to 
 roll in their sockets as he gesticulated wildly and signed 
 to his master to retreat, hoarsely muttering in his ear, 
 " Lions, master ; two, three lions !" 
 
 Gently putting aside the brushwood which seemed to 
 bar all onward progress, while he trailed his gun after 
 him, Captain Hughes advanced up the bed of the stream. 
 There was stern resolution in the knit brow and firmly 
 compressed lips. The tangled bushes closed after him, 
 and the great powerful Hottentot turned, to work his way 
 back, leaving his master to face the danger alone. Once 
 the man hesitated, turned again, took two or three paces, 
 as if to follow, and then stopped. At this moment a tre 
 mendous roar rang through the thicket. It decided the 
 matter, and Luji never halted until he gained the edge of 
 the mahunoo grove, and, rifle in hand, climbed up a tree, 
 where he sat patiently waiting the denouement 
 
 Foot by foot, yard by yard, the more determined soldier 
 now alone worked his way on, the growlings and snappings 
 growing more and more distinct, until at last he reached 
 the foot of a large " masuku" tree, whose roots ran down 
 the bank into the bed of the stream, the action of running 
 
THE LIONESS OF ZOUTPANSBURGH. 31 
 
 water having bared them. Suddenly a roar which sounded 
 close to him made him crouch down. It was the same 
 which had decided Luji's retreat. He almost fancied the 
 beating of his own heart could be heard, mixed with the 
 snarling and snapping of some wild animals, and the rend- 
 ing of flesh. His breath seemed to come quick, as, grasp- 
 ing the tap-root of the tree with the left hand, slowly and 
 cautiously he raised himself to a level with the bank. It 
 was a splendid sight for an African hunter. An open 
 space in the bush was before him, and at the further end, 
 where a narrow path seemed to lead into the forest, lay 
 the headless and torn carcass of a horse. An English 
 saddle with its broken girths had fallen from its back, 
 while to the right an enormous lioness, turned from him, 
 was gently moving her tail to and fro like a great cat, as 
 she contemplated her two cubs rending the dead horse. 
 
 Slowly and with great care bringing up his rifle, the 
 hunter aimed deliberately behind the shoulder, knowing 
 that there the shot must prove mortal, the lioness not 
 being ten paces away as he pulled the trigger. Hearing 
 some noise, the watchful animal sprang up just as the re- 
 port rang out, and the ball, striking too low, instead of 
 killing, wounded her. The next moment lioness and man 
 were rolling together at the bottom of the gully, the growl 
 of the wounded animal ringing savagely among the rocks 
 and bushes. Gripping the helpless hunter by the shoulder, 
 the lioness sprang with him up the bank. The trusty rifle 
 lay at the bottom of the nullah, but still the main did not 
 lose his presence of mind. The pistols at his belt might 
 yet serve him. Slipping his hand down, he found they 
 were gone, doubtless dropped also in the nullah, and then 
 only a shout of agony came from his lips as he found 
 himself, helpless and defenceless, a prey to the lioness. 
 
32 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 Her eyes seemed to gleam with fury as she looked into 
 his. Oh, the agony of that moment, as bleeding and im- 
 potent, his head pressed again st her shaggy neck, he was 
 dragged up the bank bodily, the sharp fangs meeting in the 
 flesh of the shoulder. Reaching the open, the great brute 
 for an instant relaxed her hold, probably only to secure a 
 firmer grip, and the unfortunate hunter fell to the ground. 
 Placing her huge paw on the prostrate man's breast, she 
 looked upwards and growled savagely. The sharp ring 
 of a heavy rifle seemed to mix with the voice of the 
 lioness, and a stream of warm blood deluged the face and 
 breast of the fallen hunter, as the whole weight of the 
 dying animal fell upon and almost crushed him, while 
 consciousness, for the first time in his life, departed. 
 
 " Her head was within a foot of you when I fired," 
 were the first words which greeted his ears as he revived, 
 and saw a stranger standing beside him, endeavouring to 
 drag away the carcass. The cubs had bolted precipitately 
 at the first shot, and presently Luji, who had heard the 
 double report, coming cautiously up, the hunter was 
 freed from the weight of the dead animal, a hole was 
 scooped in the sandy bed of the nullah, fresh water pro 
 cured, and, some two hours afterwards, the two who 
 had thus strangely met were comfortably seated outside 
 the little tent on the forks of the Limpolulo, discussing 
 the eland and mealie stew which had been prepared for 
 dinner. 
 
 " A curious situation for you, a missionary, to be in," 
 said Hughes, continuing a conversation which the process 
 of dinner-eating had interrupted. 
 
 "Curious enough, and not a very pleasant one," re- 
 plied the new comer. " I was returning from the country 
 of the Matlokotlopo, where I had been to find the chief 
 
THE LIONESS OF ZOUTPANSBURGH. 33 
 
 Mozelkatse, without whose permission I knew it would 
 be useless for me to attempt penetrating further." 
 
 The speaker was of German origin, though his name 
 smacked more of Polish or Hungarian ancestry. He 
 was a man evidently past his prime, and his spare 
 muscular frame, his dark hair slightly flecked here and 
 there with grey, his sunken cheeks and high cheek-bones, 
 told of years of care, hardship, and, perhaps, of dangers 
 bravely faced ; while the bright, black, restless eyes, the 
 broad, high forehead, the finely-chiselled lines of the 
 mouth, and the firm, erect carriage, promised intellectual 
 intelligence, combined with a determined spirit, well cal- 
 culated 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. 
 
 " 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 car- 
 casses of the lioness and the koodoo, flung across a horse, 
 and as evening drew on there was high feasting in the 
 
 3 
 
34 WILD SPORTS IN ZUI+U LAND. 
 
 camp on the forks of theLimpolulo. 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 hyaenas, 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. 
 
 " And why. should you wish so strongly to get into the 
 interior?" asked Hughes. " Is your object to found new 
 missions, or are you seeking a crown of martyrdom ?" 
 
 " Neither one nor the other," replied the missionary, 
 " and I must go back some six hundred and thirty years 
 before the birth of our Saviour, to explain my object to 
 you." 
 
 " Go ahead !" said Hughes. 
 
 "Well, then, about that period, Pharaoh Necho was 
 king of Egypt, and he collected a large fleet, consisting of 
 one hundred ships, great and small, in the Red Sea, and 
 if he had not done this, you and I would not be talking 
 at this moment on the banks of the Limpolulo." 
 
 " I don't exactly see what the Egyptian king has to 
 do with the matter. Listen, Wyzinski, there's the lion 
 again 1" 
 
 " Well, King Necho's fleet sailed right into the Southern 
 Ocean, until winter came with its cold and storms, against 
 Ivhich the frail ships of that day could not contend. They 
 then ran for the nearest harbour, and the crews landing 
 tilled the soil until the fine season came round again. 
 
THE LIONESS OF ZOUTPANSBURGH. 35 
 
 Then, reaping their crops, with a well-filled hold they 
 made sail for other lands, and thus those adventurous sea- 
 men roamed about the then unknown ocean, passing Aden, 
 Zanzibar, and Mozambique, and on one occasion winter- 
 ing in a beautiful inlet hereaway to the northward, called 
 Santa Lucia Bay." 
 
 " And were none of the ships lost ?" asked Hughes. 
 '''Some on this very coast," replied Wyzinski ; " and 
 their crews, unable to return to Egypt, settled in this 
 land, and it is believed by many, by none more firmly 
 than myself, that the present race of Zulus, incontestably 
 the finest in Southern Africa, sprang from the fusion of 
 Pharaoh's seamen with the then cultivators of the soil. 
 Others go further still, and say that this now almost savage 
 land was the ancient Ophir, discovered by Pharaoh's fleet, 
 and from which at a later period the ships of Tarshish 
 drew gold, cedar-wood, and precious stones. Some of 
 our brethren who have dwelt long in the land tell of a 
 geological stratum promising great mineral wealth." 
 
 " Then you are in search of gold ?" asked Hughes, with 
 a slight curl of the lip, for he could not help, when gazing 
 on the intelligent face of the man before him lighted up by 
 the fitful gleams of the fire, regretting that a missionary 
 should show such a thirst for gold. 
 
 " Diamonds, gold, and precious stones are said to 
 exist, as also vast forests of ebony and cedar trees," 
 continued the missionary, gazing abstractedly into the 
 fire; "but with these I have nothing to do. I seek 
 the dark mysterious Zulu cities, now perhaps hidden 
 among the forests of a trackless land, built of stone, 
 where no quarry is known, and of whose builders not a 
 trace remains. What are diamonds and gold to me ? 
 Even Livingstone's foot has never trod the land I seek. 
 
 3—2 
 
36 WILD SPORTS TN ZULU LAND. 
 
 The wildest dreams of the most daring have never realised 
 what I am about to dare. Away yonder"— and the mis- 
 sionary pointed to the north and the west — " lie the gold 
 fields of Solomon j but I heed them not. What I look 
 for are the cities of the grand old Egyptians. Traditions 
 of these ruins have reached us missionaries, and with 
 these revelations came strange tales as to their existence 
 almost swallowed up by giant forest growth : the remains 
 of a mighty but extinct race, said to lie three weeks' journey 
 to the north and west of our settlement at Santa Lucia 
 Bay." 
 
 " And Mozelkatse's pass is necessary to reach them ?" 
 asked Hughes. 
 
 " Yes ! will you join me ?" replied the missionary, 
 eagerly, pausing for a while as the other looked moodily 
 into the embers without replying; and then continu- 
 ing, "I must not deceive you as to the difficulty and 
 even the danger of the search. Efforts have already been 
 made to reach the ruins, and they have ever failed. The 
 jealous care of the native chiefs surrounds them with at- 
 tributes of sanctity; the terrible tetse fly haunts the country; 
 and the waggons must be left behind. There is danger 
 and difficulty in the path, but it is one which has never yet 
 been trodden by European foot. Up to the present mo- 
 ment all efforts made to penetrate the country have failed, 
 and the old temples and palaces of a once glorious race, 
 if indeed they do exist, serve as a den for the beasts of 
 prey, or a refuge for the hardly less savage Kaffir." 
 
 The missionary's pale face and sunken cheek was lighted 
 up with an enthusiastic glow. The scene was a strange 
 one, the dancing fire-light, the blue sky overhead, the far- 
 away ghost-like outline of the mountains, the loud laughter 
 of the Kaffirs, as they gorged themselves with eland and 
 
THE LIONESS OF ZOUTPANSBURGH. 37 
 
 koodoo meat, the white tent gleaming under the starlight, 
 and the strange cries of the wandering inhabitants of the 
 African plain. Then, too, the words, " difficulty and 
 danger." Could he refuse to share them with the man 
 who had that day saved his life ? 
 
 He struck his hand into the missionary's opened and 
 muscular palm. 
 
 " Willingly I will go with you, sharing your danger, 
 your triumph, or your defeat. But what about the pass 
 from Mozelkatse ? Did you obtain it ?" he asked. 
 
 " No. As I told you, I was returning from the country 
 of the Matlokotlopo, where I had been for the purpose. 
 I had left my people at Zoutpansburgh to follow me, and 
 came on alone, intending to camp on the banks of this 
 river. In the grey of the morning I was waylaid by the 
 lioness, and rode for my life. In the open I held my own 
 easily, but once entangled in the bush, was forced to leave 
 my horse, and had barely time to climb a tree, losing every- 
 thing save my rifle. The lioness pulled down my horse 
 in a moment, and her cubs soon joined her. My rifle was 
 a single one, while all my powder and ball were left in my 
 holsters. I tried the cry used in the Australian bush, re- 
 serving my fire until the last moment. The rest you know." 
 
 " But what about Mozelkatse ? On your own showing, 
 it is useless to proceed unless you have his protection," 
 asked Hughes. 
 
 " He is to be back in seven days, having left his kraal, 
 on a grand hunting expedition, at the foot of yonder 
 mountains, and he sent me a messenger saying he would 
 be glad to meet me," replied the missionary. 
 
 "Then there are seven days for me to get rid of the marks 
 of that confounded lioness. Good night, Wyzinski; it is 
 getting late, and my day has been rather an exciting one." 
 
3 3 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 MOZELKATSE. 
 
 Thanks to a vigorous constitution and to temperate 
 habits, wounds which might have been troublesome under 
 a warm climate soon closed, and though for days the torn 
 shoulder gave a good deal of pain, yet it rapidly healed. 
 Game was plentiful, and the koodoos easily approached, 
 so that Luji and the Kaffir Noti kept the camp provisioned 
 during the week the tent remained pitched on the banks 
 of the Limpolulo until a runner from Mozelkatse arrived, 
 summoning the travellers to meet him at Zoutpansburgh, 
 then a native kraal of some importance, about twenty miles 
 to the northward and westward, on a spur of the Draken- 
 burgh range. The life was a pleasant one. The break- 
 fast round the remains of the camp-fire. The loud shouts 
 of the men as they chased and harnessed the lazy oxen. 
 The cracking of the long whip as the lumbering waggon 
 moved off. The mount and the gallop over the plain, 
 with herds of deer flying before the hunters. The dinner 
 under some spreading tree, the house on wheels, oxen and 
 men around it. The tales told round the blaze, as the 
 difficulties of the day were discussed, and those of the 
 morrow canvassed; and then the sound sleep so well 
 earned by fatigue. The evening of the seventh day after 
 the affair with the lioness, the party outspanned at the 
 foot of the mountain range, close to the native kraal 
 Zoutpansburgh, the morrow being fixed by Mozelkatse 
 for the audience. 
 
 The morning came bright, warm, and glorious, as usual, 
 and the little camp was early astir. 
 
 The interview was an important one. The name of 
 
MOZELKATSE. 39 
 
 Mozelkatse was known all through the land, and his 
 power was great. So implicitly did his people believe in 
 him, that they actually asserted that it was he who had 
 made the moon and the sun, and it was utterly useless 
 to attempt to proceed without his authority. Captain 
 Hughes had been furnished by his relative with a letter 
 to this potentate, and both he and the missionary had 
 resolved that unless the reply given was encouraging 
 they would not go on. It was, therefore, not without 
 some anxiety as to the result, that orders were given to 
 all the men to dress themselves out in any little finery 
 they possessed, an English Union Jack was mounted on 
 a lance, and, the one dressed in the time-stained uniform 
 of the gallant 150th Regiment, the other in his priestly 
 robes, took their way followed by their men, to the enclo- 
 sure Avhere the king was to receive them, deeming them- 
 selves lucky in that the hunting party had led the chief 
 in their direction to this outlying village, and so spared 
 them a long journey to his capital. They saw but few 
 of Mozelkatse's personal guards, most of the motley 
 tribe through which they took their way, preceded by 
 Luji as standard-bearer, being natives belonging to the 
 outlying tribe, and as they gained the enclosure, which 
 was at the same time council chamber and reception hall, 
 the gathering seemed a numerous one, for there were 
 upwards of a hundred braves then present, and the num- 
 ber was rapidly increasing. A covering of skins was 
 fastened round the waist of each, and broad rings of 
 copper were worn round the arms and ankles of the 
 chiefs. Plumes of feathers adorned the heads of the 
 principal men, while, hanging behind, somewhat after 
 the fashion of a Hungarian pelisse/ each warrior wore a 
 panther or other similar skin. The array of dusky 
 
4 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 savages looked imposing enough, and all were well 
 armed. The left hand supported a shield of tanned 
 buffalo hide, surmounted with plumes of ostrich feathers. 
 The same hand grasped a long spear, while the right 
 firmly held a short stout stick with a heavy knob. 
 Round the neck was a necklace, from which hung a 
 dagger, while the short beard, grizzly black moustache, 
 and clean cut limbs, made Mozelkatse's braves look 
 formidable as they closed in, forming a circle round the 
 visitors, whose flag waved from the end of an assegai 
 planted in the centre of the circle. The enclosure itself 
 was formed of the branches of the mimosa, strongly and 
 tightly interlaced, and from the height on which it 
 stood, a magnificent view of the plain below, watered by 
 the Limpopo, was obtained. All round were situated 
 the huts of the tribe, looking like beehives, and near 
 each a little walled space, wherein was kept their wealth, 
 in the shape of oxen. No women were permitted to 
 enter the enclosure ; and hardly were the new comers 
 arrived when Mozelkatse stalked into the ring. His 
 hut was the only one opening on the enclosure, and 
 a murmur of applause ran through the ranks of his 
 braves as he made his appearance. 
 
 In compliment, perhaps, to the tribe, he wore nearly 
 the same dress. Slowly seating himself on a rudely 
 chiselled stone, Mozelkatse glanced around his warriors 
 proudly, without noticing his visitors. He was a man of 
 large size, apparently in the full vigour of his age, and of 
 great muscular development, the colour of his skin alone 
 detracting from his appearance. 
 
 There was an air of thought and command in his 
 face, and, unlike his warriors', his hair was thrown- 
 back, his broad forehead being encircled with a fillet 
 
MOZELKATSE. 41 
 
 of ostrich feathers, terminating in a single plume hanging 
 behind. 
 
 Heavy rings of highly-polished copper spanned the 
 thick part of the arms, and lighter ones the wrist. The 
 neck was adorned with a necklace, partly formed of bits 
 of gold strung together, from which depended a dagger, 
 and over the broad, hairy, black breast, floated one mag- 
 nificent ostrich plume. A tawny lion skin was thrown 
 over the stone on which he sat, while a robe of panther 
 skins hung from his waist. 
 
 His right hand held the same kind of short stick car- 
 ried by the warriors, while the left rested on his naked 
 knee. Only that the forehead was rather low, and the 
 mouth too large, Mozelkatse might have passed muster 
 as a splendid specimen of coloured humanity. 
 
 A chief named Masheesh now stepped forward and 
 presented the soldier and the missionary to the king, 
 briefly explaining in his own tongue the object which 
 led the strangers to the* country. The missionary 
 spoke next, asking his acceptance of the presents, 
 which were laid at his feet by Luji, wrapped in an 
 ox hide, the principal object being a handsome pair of 
 pistols, silver-mounted, which seemed to please Mozel- 
 katse. Bowing his head in token of acceptance, his ma- 
 jesty waved his hand, and two braves stepping forward 
 took up the hide and its contents, conveying them into 
 the king's hut. 
 
 Settling himself, Mozelkatse looked round the circle, 
 and all at once poured forth a torrent of words, which 
 were those of welcome to the white men who had 
 come to see him, ending with a request that they would 
 settle among and trade with his people. The circle of 
 black warriors applauded, striking their shields with their 
 
42 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 spears, and as their numbers had greatly increased, there 
 not being less than two hundred and fifty armed men in 
 the enclosure, the applause was noisy enough. As it 
 died away, Wyzinski rose and stood before the chief, his 
 clear silvery voice ringing through the enclosure. 
 
 " Some years since," said he, " I was travelling with 
 my brethren, far away on the banks of the Limpopo. I 
 saw much of the various nations around, and by chance 
 met with intelligent men of the tribe which calls Mozel- 
 katse king." 
 
 The savage bent his head in token of acknowledgment 
 of the compliment, glancing round the circle of his 
 braves proudly. 
 
 " I began," continued Wyzinski, "to speak their lan- 
 guage, and as I did so became aware of strange stories 
 as to a spot far away towards the north, where stone 
 buildings exist. One of these I was told was as large as 
 Mozelkatse's kraal, having an opening about half its 
 height, through which they who desire to see the ruins 
 must pass. My Matlokotlopo brethren told also of 
 strange figures cut in stone, and of curiously carved 
 birds also in stone. These houses must have once been 
 the dwellings of the white man, and the legends our 
 fathers have taught tell us of such, white men, who came 
 many thousand years since from the regions of the rising 
 sun, landing on these shores. To reach these ruins, to 
 prove that our fathers spoke the truth, is our object, and 
 in the name of our ancestors we ask thy protection, 
 chief." 
 
 Drawing his robes round him, Wyzinski sat down, and 
 for fully a minute there was a dead silence. 
 
 " The broken huts exist," at length replied the king, 
 " though none of us have ever seen them, and none know 
 
MOZELKATSE. 43 
 
 what far away tribe made them. To reach them my white 
 brethren must pass over the vast plains which lie between 
 the Limpopo and the Zambesi, which the foot of the 
 white man has never yet trod. The elephant and the 
 lion abound there. The savage moohoohoo breed undis- 
 turbed, and not less cruel tribes, to whom Mozelkatse's 
 name carries no terror, inhabit them. Let my white 
 brethren stay to hunt and to trade with us. A party of 
 my braves shall seek the fallen huts, and bring back the 
 images." 
 
 The rattling sound of the rude applause was once more 
 heard. 
 
 " No, chief/' replied Wyzinski ; " we are not traders. 
 We have turned from our road to ask your aid ; give it, 
 and we shall succeed. The report will go far and wide 
 that through the protection of a great king our fathers' 
 truth has been manifested, and traders will follow in our 
 footsteps. Speed us on our journey, chief." 
 
 Mozelkatse did not reply, and for a few moments there 
 was a deep silence. It was broken in a sudden and 
 startling manner. A little man, almost a dwarf, deformed 
 in person and fearfully ugly, leaped into the circle. Exe- 
 cuting a wild dance, which he accompanied with shrill 
 screams, he spun round, the warriors crouching down and 
 applauding, not as heretofore with their spears, but by 
 beating on the hard baked ground with their sticks, some- 
 times altogether, sometimes in an irregular manner. 
 
 Stopping as suddenly as he had begun in his mad 
 dance, the sorcerer, for such he was, threw himself vio- 
 lently on the ground at Mozelkatse's feet, breaking as he 
 did so a necklace of bones which he wore round his neck. 
 For the first time the living circle of dusky braves gave 
 way, and all able to do so crowded round the sorcerer, 
 
44 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 who with fixed and straining eyes was staring at the 
 masses of bones lying here and there, from the position 
 of which the augury was to be drawn. Luckily for the 
 travellers, the omen was tolerably propitious, the seer pro- 
 nouncing that though there was danger in the path, the 
 white chiefs should return in safety. 
 
 The circle was again formed, and a long discussion 
 ensued, in the course of which several of the more noted 
 chiefs joined in, and the result was a mass of evidence as 
 to the existence of ruins somewhere in the neighbourhood 
 of Manica, a country lying to the northward, well watered 
 by tributaries of the Zambesi, all the evidence being, how- 
 ever, merely hearsay. Eventually the king's aid and pro- 
 tection were promised, and Mozelkatse retired, two braves 
 as he did so advancing, and taking from their sheaves the 
 long glittering knives, performed a curious dance round 
 the strangers, eventually cutting away the grass upon 
 which they had sat, and burying it in a hole under the 
 stone which had served as a throne. This being a cere- 
 mony always performed by the chief who wishes to retain 
 the friendship of his visitors during their temporary absence, 
 was of good augury. The audience was at an end, the 
 king disappearing inside his hut, and the Union Jack 
 being struck, the new comers, escorted by a band of 
 armed braves, singing a monotonous song, and accompany- 
 ing themselves with the regular but discordant noise of 
 the spears striking against the shields, marched off to the 
 camp, where an ox previously purchased was slaughtered, 
 cut up, and distributed among the braves, the absent but 
 friendly sorcerer not being forgotten. 
 
 " A curious interview, Wyzinski, and one I am not 
 sorry to have got through," observed Hughes, as the two 
 were seated that evening near the camp fire. 
 
MOZELKATSE. - 45 
 
 " At all events, we may look upon the point as gained, 
 and from this day will date our search for the ruined cities 
 of Zulu Land," replied Wyzinski. 
 
 The night was dark, and the radius lit up by the blaze 
 was of small extent. Luji and his man had lit their fire 
 under a huge boulder of rock, which had rolled down ap- 
 parently from the mountain range, at whose feet they 
 were encamped. The Matlokotlopo fires could be seen 
 twinkling on the hill-top, and before them lay the plain, 
 watered by the Limpopo, whose sinuous course they had 
 marked, running like a blue thread through the land, from 
 the rude council chamber of the tribe. From the boulder 
 round which the men were squatted came the noise 01 
 many tongues, among which that of Luji played a promi- 
 nent part ; away on the plain the jackals and hyaenas were 
 to be heard, and the night breeze came rustling the leaves 
 of the tree underneath which the two were talking by the 
 fire. 
 
 " I wonder will that savage, Mozelkatse, keep his word?" 
 asked Hughes at last, breaking a long silence. 
 
 " Mozelkatse never told a lie," replied the missionary, 
 
 " he is " The sentence was not finished, for a black 
 
 arm and hand seemed to glide out of the darkness, and 
 was laid on his shoulder. 
 
 Starting up, he seized the intruder by the throat, but 
 instantly released him, laughing. It was Masheesh, the 
 Matabele brave, who had presented them that day to 
 Mozelkatse, and as it may be easily imagined that the 
 king, though able to create the sun and moon, was readier 
 with his spear than his pen ; the credentials, which were 
 to make his protection of the party known, assumed the 
 tangible form of the chief who thus unceremoniously 
 startled them, and who_; soon, squatted beside the blaze, 
 
46 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 proceeded gravely to light his pipe and smoke in silence. 
 The fire grew low, the two Europeans retired into the 
 tent, but Masheesh smoked on quietly and composedly. 
 One by one the Kaffirs and Hottentots lay down, but still 
 the glow of the chief's tobacco could be seen by the fire- 
 side. Rising at last, he heaped fresh wood on the 
 embers, and calmly taking his place by the tent door, and 
 outside, though he had but to lift it to enter, Masheesh 
 rolled himself in his buffalo hide, and, gorged with meat 
 and tobacco, soon slept as soundly as the rest 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE LIVING BUSH. 
 
 Masheesh had been deputed by Mozelkatse to accom- 
 pany them, and there was now nothing to stay their pro- 
 gress northward. The country, too, at the foot of the 
 the mountains was comparatively bare of game, so early 
 the following morning the small party outspanned, and 
 took their way across the plain to strike the banks of the 
 Limpopo. 
 
 " How easily the Matabele falls into our ways !" said 
 Wyzinski, as on the morning of the second day after leav- 
 ing the mountains, the two were riding about half a mile 
 ahead of the waggon, which was coming lumbering along 
 behind them, the shouts of the drivers and the cracking 
 of the long whip reaching their ears. 
 
 " It seems strange to see him take the management of 
 our people, and at the same time associate himself with 
 us on a footing of perfect equality," replied Hughes, " he 
 a half naked and totally uneducated savage." 
 
 " Turn it the other way, Hughes ; he is a chief in the 
 
THE LIVING BUSH. 47 
 
 land, known and respected ; we are strangers, with nothing 
 but the white man's prestige placing us at all on the foot- 
 ing of his equal. Masheesh is naturally the leader of our 
 party, and is responsible to his chief for our safety. It is 
 orf this I rely." 
 
 The Matabele rode well, and he now came dashing 
 along bestriding a small horse which had been given him. 
 He disdained the use of a saddle, and as he came along 
 at full speed, his ostrich feather streaming on the wind, 
 the loose panther skin floating behind, and his long black 
 legs nearly touching the ground, there was something- 
 grotesque and yet striking in his appearance. He held 
 his slender assegai in his hand. Dashing up to the two 
 in front, he checked his horse suddenly, bringing it 
 instantly to a standstill, and sending the ground and grit 
 beneath its hoofs flying into the air. Bending down over 
 its shoulder, the savage pointed with the spear head to 
 some marks on the earth, and then looking up into the 
 soldier's face, uttered some words in a low guttural tone, 
 and laughed. 
 
 " The track of elephants," said the missionary, who 
 spoke the Zulu tongue, though imperfectly. In a moment 
 Hughes was off his horse, and stooping low as he ex- 
 amined for the first time the footprint of the mighty 
 denizen of the African forests. Masheesh rode on, and 
 in a few moments, a low guttural cry was heard, and the 
 Matabele was seen, halting under a tree, and signing with 
 his spear for the rest to come on. The path had led 
 through a forest, the trees not growing thickly together, 
 but at intervals, and now and then broken by rich undu- 
 lating plains. Following the direction of the chiefs 
 assegai, the two halting by his side under the shade of 
 the mohunno trees, saw stretched before them the wind- 
 
48 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 ing silver line of the Limpopo, one of the favourite 
 hunting-grounds of the Bazizulu. 
 
 Herds of antelope, and of hartebeest, were feeding 
 over the vast plain. They could be counted by thou- 
 sands, and it was indeed a glorious sight for the hunter's 
 eye, that vast undulating plain, whose gentle rises con- 
 cealed the distance, and were covered with rich pasture, 
 over which were feeding great herds of cattle, who owned 
 no master. About five miles distant the line of the 
 Limpopo, bordered by trees, was seen glistening through 
 .the foliage as it sparkled in the morning sun. To the 
 right and close to them a large snake was curling along 
 the ground like a big black sinuous branch, making off 
 for the shelter of the wood, while a troop of monkeys 
 over head were grinning and chattering at the intruders, 
 and flights of parrots were screaming among the branches. 
 
 A sense of wildness and of vastness creeps over those 
 who look upon these wide plains in their native grandeur 
 and stillness — a feeling of freedom, and of liberty, and at 
 the same time of respect and adoration for the great 
 Creator of all. Deeply feeling this for several minutes, 
 the three gazed in silence, then as the distant shout of 
 the drivers came on the breeze, the nearest troops of 
 antelope stopped feeding, raised their heads, sniffed the 
 air, and moved off— the next taking alarm in the same 
 way — until the whole plain, far as the eye could roam, 
 was covered with droves of antelope, galloping here and 
 there, and crossing each other in wild confusion. It 
 looked like an intricate and mazy dance, the performers 
 in the wild ballet on the plains of South Africa being the 
 antelope. 
 
 " His are the cattle on a thousand hills," exclaimed the 
 missionary, breaking silence at last, and reverently un- 
 covering himself. 
 
THE LIVING BUSH. 49 
 
 " Some of them shall be mine before long," replied the 
 matter-of-fact soldier ; ■" if you will get the chief to ride 
 back and stop those fellows shouting." 
 
 " I'll do so myself," answered the missionary. " I 
 will halt them here, give you an hour's advance, and 
 then move straight forward for the Limpopo, where we 
 will outspan. We want meat in the camp." 
 
 "And shall have it. Come along, Masheesh," cried 
 Hughes, elated beyond measure, and letting the Arab he 
 rode feel the spur, he dashed away, followed by the Mata- 
 bele brandishing his assegai. It looked very easy to 
 procure meat among such countless herds, but an hour 
 of violent exertion proved it was not so. The Arab was 
 untrained, could not be brought to a standstill instantly, 
 and was fidgety, so that it was impossible to aim from the 
 saddle. Shy and timid, the hartebeest moved along in 
 herds seldom exceeding ten in number, ever led by some 
 old and cautious buck. 
 
 Of a yellowish orange colour, striped with black under 
 the horns and down the forehead, they had seemed 
 heavy, lumbering animals. The thighs and extremities 
 were tinged with black, and the horns most curiously 
 formed, curving at first backward and outward, but sub- 
 sequently sweeping inwards, the eyes being like most of 
 the antelope tribe, large and full. Ever on the watch, 
 the hunters quite failed to get near them, and just as, 
 after long and cautious labour, they would be almost 
 within shot, away would scamper the herd, in Indian file, 
 and clumsy and ungainly as they were in their move- 
 ments, all attempts to cut them off utterly failed. Con- 
 vinced at last of the impossibility, Hughes followed the 
 advice given him by the Matabele, and, dismounting, 
 concealed himself behind a clump of trees, Masheesh, 
 
50 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 Luji, and others of the hunters who had now found them, 
 making a long sweep to drive the antelope towards him. 
 This at last proved successful. 
 
 A herd of hartebeest came cantering along, the leader 
 pausing within ten paces of the clump where he lay hid. 
 The moment sufficed, as a ball crashed through his skull, 
 and he fell heavily, stone dead. The herd instantly 
 turned to fly, but not before another shot had bowled 
 over a second deer. 
 
 The buck was a noble animal, measuring seven feet ten 
 inches from the nose to the base of the tail, and carrying 
 a splendid pair of horns, one foot ten inches in height ; 
 the second being a female, and consequently much 
 smaller in every respect. The deer were slung across the 
 horses and sent to camp, where they proved a most sea- 
 sonable supply, and after a rest under the trees the hunters 
 prepared to follow. Before them lay a green rise, hardly 
 to fee called a hill, and yet high enough to conceal the 
 country beyond. Masheesh, no longer dressed in his 
 savage finery, but quite nude save a hide girded round 
 his loins, was stalking on some paces in advance, the 
 soldier following, and looking with a covetous eye at the 
 troops of deer which he could not approach. Suddenly 
 Masheesh threw himself flat on his face, as though he had 
 been shot, motioning to the other to do the same. Cau- 
 tiously and noiselessly the two dragged themselves up the 
 rise, and peeping over its crest, saw spread out before 
 them a rich undulating valley, the grass land broken here 
 and there by groves of mimosa trees, a small river wander- 
 ing through it on its way to join the Limpopo. The 
 country of the Batonga lay mapped before them, while 
 far to the westward rose the hills of the Drakenburgh 
 ran#e. 
 
THE LIVING BUSH. 51 
 
 Feeding not five hundred yards from the crest of ths 
 rise, was a herd of strange animals. The head and breasl 
 had the appearance of buffalo on a small scale, the horns 
 of the males being enormous, and very dangerous looking. 
 Twisting spirally downwards when starting from the head, 
 they then curved upwards like a hook. The head and 
 chest were covered with dark shaggy hair, the eyes look- 
 ing fiercely from under the tangled covering. The shoul- 
 ders and neck carried a mane like that of a horse, while 
 the remainder of the body and hind quarters were those ot 
 a pony, except the tail, which was that of a cow, and the 
 legs, which were those of an antelope. 
 
 These strange animals seemed full of fun. Tossing 
 their shaggy, fierce-looking heads, one would leave the 
 rest, tear round in a ring at full gallop, and then dash into 
 the centre of the herd, pulling up suddenly. 
 
 Captain Hughes seemed lost in contemplation, but 
 Masheesh, laying his hand on his shoulder, signed to him 
 to come away, and both letting themselves slide down 
 the slope, the herd remained quite unconscious of their 
 presence. 
 
 The two were silent for some time, but when the savage 
 deemed they were far enough distant to allow of it without 
 giving the alarm, he spoke rapidly enough. Luji coming 
 up at the moment, Hughes learned that the strange 
 animals were gnus, and a whispered conversation followed, 
 it being agreed that under cover of the crest, or green 
 ridge, Hughes and Masheesh should gain the outlet of the 
 valley, while Luji and Noti were to make a long de'tour, 
 and coming down the wind, drive the herd before them. 
 
 The savage carefully posted his companion, and then 
 pointing to a bend in the valley, about forty paces distant, 
 uttered some sentences volubly, and going away buried 
 
 4—2 
 
$2 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND, 
 
 himself in a neighbouring thicket. All seemed dead 
 silence, and the watcher soon grew weary of it. A quarter 
 dragged itself on into half an hour, and still nothing save 
 the deep silence of the African plain. Suddenly the 
 soldier, who had been watching the serried ranks of the 
 ants, as they marched along in countless numbers, ever 
 in a straight line, became conscious of a clump of bushes, 
 at the bend of the valley to which Masheesh had pointed, 
 which certainly was not there a quarter of an hour before. 
 The bush had a curious motion, and Captain Hughes 
 concluded there was some wild animal concealed therein 
 — a lion probably, watching the distant herd, and by its 
 presence hindering the gnus coming. His rifle on full 
 cock, firmly grasped in his hands, he eagerly watched the 
 bush. Yes, it certainly moved, slowly but surely. 
 
 Raising the deadly rifle, the hunter took a deliberate 
 aim right into its centre. Just as the finger was about to 
 pull the trigger, the thought flashed over him, that if it 
 concealed a lion, and the fire were not fatal, the risk 
 would be great. Lowering the weapon, he watched the 
 bush intently, determining to wait until the lion made its 
 spring, or to fire if he could get a glimpse of the animal. 
 An hour had passed, and the temptation returned in full 
 force. 
 
 The dead deep silence weighed upon him, the strange 
 motions of the bush made him nervous. Again the rifle 
 was raised, when a loud trampling noise was heard, as 
 with their heads down, and their spiral horns glittering in 
 the sun, the troop of gnus came on at top speed. A more 
 ferocious looking lot could hardly be imagined, as they 
 headed dead down the valley. Still the hunter's attention 
 was divided, and more engrossed with the bush than with 
 the game. The gnus rapidly neared it, urged on by the 
 
THE LIVING BUSH. 53 
 
 shouts of Noti, while Luji's voice was plainly to be heard 
 far away in rear. They were close to it ; about to pass in 
 safety, when a piercing yell rang from the bush, and a 
 bright spear glancing in the sunshine struck the leading 
 gnu, while Masheesh, casting his leafy covering, sprang to 
 his feet. The report of the soldier's rifle followed, and 
 one of the herd rolled heavily forward, breaking its horns 
 in the impetus of the fall. 
 
 The animal struck by the spear halted at once, stamping 
 violently with its forefoot, and lowering its head for the 
 charge. The savage stood awaiting it, his knobstick in 
 his left hand, the long glittering dagger in his right, tall, 
 erect, and fearless, the very picture of a dusky brave. With 
 an angry snort the bull rushed on, but the savage stepped 
 lightly aside, and the steel sank deep into the flesh near 
 the spine. Again the gnu turned to charge, for a moment 
 hesitating, as it lowered its shaggy head, but at that in- 
 stant a ball from the deadly English rifle struck right 
 between the eyes, and it fell heavily close to Masheesh, 
 the blood gushing from its mouth. It was a much larger 
 one than that first killed, when measured proving fully 
 seven feet four inches from the top of the nose to the base 
 of the tail. The horns were one foot ten inches in length, 
 and the animal stood at least four feet in height at the 
 shoulder. The hoof, as Captain Hughes and the de- 
 lighted Masheesh stood beside the carcass, seemed too 
 large for the legs, and the knee joints were covered with 
 a hard substance like those of a tame ox. In fact the 
 animal seemed to resemble much the half wild oxen of 
 India, and, before it charged, the wounded gnu pawed 
 with the forefoot, tossing its head exactly as a wild bull 
 would have done. Hughes now learned that the natives 
 regularly hunt the antelope and zebra in the way Mash' 
 
54 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 eesh had done that day, whole herds feeding carelessly 
 up to the supposed bush, but on this occasion the con- 
 cealed man had run unconsciously a terrible risk. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE MATABELE HUNT. 
 
 The sun was sinking towards the west, telling that it was 
 time to strike the river, by whose banks the rest of the 
 party had outspanned : so leaving Luji, Noti, and one of 
 the Kaffirs to cut up and bring in the meat, the two 
 stepped out for the Limpopo. Masheesh could endure 
 any fatigue or privation, but even such manual labour as 
 this, of cutting up the carcasses of the slain, he utterly 
 disdained. It was sunset when the camp was at last 
 reached, and then a messenger from Mozelkatse was 
 found. 
 
 " It would appear," said the missionary, who was busy 
 preparing some skins of birds he had shot, " that a strong 
 party of the Matabeles have joined their king." 
 
 " Well, all I can say is a good wash and something to 
 eat are of more importance to me just now than all the 
 kings in the world. You don't know how tired I am, 
 and then nothing to eat besides." 
 
 " Look at Masheesh, whom you called an uneducated 
 savage this morning," replied Wyzinski, pointing towards 
 the individual named, who after a drink of water had 
 quietly seated himself, not even noticing the runner of 
 his people, and was smoking, varying the amusement 
 with an occasional pinch of snufi' and waiting calmly 
 until some meat should be cooked by some fwe, he 
 
THE MATABELE HUNT. 5 J 
 
 cared not by whom, provided he had nothing to do 
 with it. 
 
 " Well, I suppose you don't want 'me to smoke and 
 take snuff as proofs of civilisation." 
 
 "You have heard of the man, have you not, who 
 thanked God he had at least reached a civilised country 
 on seeing a gibbet? However," continued Wyzinski, 
 " yonder runner brings us an invitation from Mozelkatse, 
 to join a great hunt in which the tribe is taking part on 
 the banks of the Limpopo." 
 
 " That will be worth seeing. And when is it to take 
 place ?" asked Hughes, forgetting hunger and fatigue, 
 
 " To-morrow." 
 
 " Accept it, by all manner of means." 
 
 Masheesh was interrupted in the tobacco-smoking pro- 
 cess. The runner, who since his arrival in camp had 
 been gorging himself with meat, was sent back; great 
 steaks and collops of venison cut from the hartebeest 
 were grilling on the clear wood fire, and soon the howl- 
 ing of the hyaenas, as they tore the bones of what had 
 been left behind of the two gnus, as not worth bringing 
 away, were the only sounds which disturbed the quiet of 
 the little camp on the banks of the Limpopo. 
 
 Early morning saw the whole party afoot. 
 
 " Had we not better send Luji back to the tent ?" said 
 Hughes as, the morning light becoming clearer, they 
 looked back from the crest of a rise, and saw it gleaming 
 in the early sunbeams. 
 
 " We shall need him as an interpreter, perhaps. I can 
 just manage, and that is all, to be understood," replied 
 Wyzinski ; " everything is safe. Noti will keep a look-out." 
 
 " See, there are a lot of Matabeles !" exclaimed Hughes 
 " They are quite naked, and have bows and arrows." 
 
56 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 "And there are more. Look in what numbers they 
 are turning out ! Yonder fellows have flint mus- 
 kets ; where] did they get them, Luji?" asked the mis- 
 sionary. 
 
 " The Portuguese on the Zambesi — him sell, Master," 
 was the answer. 
 
 And now detachment after detachment came on, spread- 
 ing out across the country, like infantry skirmishers, some 
 carrying only spears, others bows and arrows, and a few — 
 a very few — muskets, but always in line : shouting, yell- 
 ing, and driving everything before them. Soon the ante- 
 lopes came bounding past, endeavouring to escape, but 
 were driven back again, as the long line of savages, throw- 
 ing forward the two flanks, enclosed them in a crescent 
 miles in length, and drove them back on the river. Herds 
 of koodoos, eland, and hartebeest came scouring along, 
 attempting to break through in vain, while the painted 
 zebra, the graceful leche, with its long, tapering horns, 
 were remorselessly driven back by the yells and shouts of 
 the Matabele. 
 
 " I suppose we must find Mozelkatse. Tell Masheesh 
 of our wish, Luji," said the missionary. He alone of the 
 whole party was mounted, being weak from the effects of 
 fever, and as he spoke they topped the crest of one of the 
 green ridges so common to the undulating plains border- 
 ing the Limpopo, and on passing it the whole party were 
 stopped by the presence, right in their path, of a huge 
 rhinoceros. 
 
 He was quietly standing under a tree, apparently study- 
 ing the landscape, and not seeming to think of the distant 
 noise. At the foot of the tree rose one of those curious 
 structures, the nest of the African ant, while a strange 
 little animal, covered with thickly-plated scales of a yel- 
 
THE MATABELE HUNT. 57 
 
 lowish tint, the under part of the belly only being unde- 
 fended, was feeding on the ant-hill. In length the ant- 
 eater was not more than three feet, and it was engaged 
 shooting out its tongue into the heap, which tongue, being 
 covered with some glutinous substance, always returned 
 black with ants. The spot was comparatively quiet, for 
 the time at least, and the rhinoceros did not seem in the 
 least alarmed. He was a huge, heavy, massive creature, 
 of a pale brown colour, carrying two horns, one very long 
 and pointed, the second short, strong, but blunt. The 
 longer one rose just above the tip of the nose, and seemed 
 a most dangerous arm. Above the shoulders was a kind of 
 hump. An uglier brute certainly could not have barred 
 the path which ran towards the river. The moohoohoo 
 would have been perhaps inoffensive, but Masheesh — con- 
 fiding, doubtless, in the power of the English rifle — 
 crept towards him, throwing his spear. 
 
 The weapon struck fairly and well, but glanced from 
 the tough hide as though it had been hurled against a 
 brick wall, and, being made of the soft native iron, it literally 
 curled up with the force of the blow. Having thrown his 
 spear, which elicited only a wrathful grunt from the animal, 
 Masheesh bolted, just as the huge mass put itself in mo- 
 tion, advancing straight up the path. Luji and the rest 
 disappeared among the reeds and bushes, but Captain 
 Hughes had just time to fire, the ball glancing from the 
 mailed coat like a child's marble. 
 
 " Look out f shouted the missionary ; but it was too 
 late, and the next moment the unlucky soldier was lying 
 on the ground, with the enormous bulk of the rhinoceros 
 standing over him. 
 
 " Lie still, for God's sake !" cried Wyzinski, as he wi- 
 shing the heavy rifle, seeing that the animal did not 
 
5 8 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 strike at the fallen man. He was just in the act of raising 
 it to his shoulder, when, attracted by the horse, the 
 moohoohoo suddenly charged, the long pointed horn 
 literally burying itself in the pony's flank, just behind the 
 rider's leg, the rifle harmlessly exploding as horse and 
 rider rolled over. Not pausing for a second blow, the 
 enraged brute drove on, eventually shambling through the 
 line of natives, who opened their ranks gladly to let him 
 pass. 
 
 Rising unwounded, but sorely shaken, Hughes extri- 
 cated the missionary. 
 
 " Are you hurt, Wyzinski ?" he asked, anxiously. 
 
 <l Not a bit," was the reply ; " but look at the poor 
 grey." 
 
 "He is past saving," answered Hughes; and it was 
 evident it was so, for so frightfully had the sharp horn 
 done its work, that the entrails were hanging out, and 
 the animal fast bleeding to death. 
 
 Placing his revolver to the psny's head, the report rang 
 out ; a few convulsive movements, and the carcass of the 
 horse lay still. 
 
 "Where is Hasheesh?" enquired Hughes, as he re- 
 turned the smoking weapon to his belt. " If it had not 
 been for his nonsense, that pistol-shot would have been 
 saved. 
 
 Wyzinski had seated himself on the grass, for the whole 
 thing had passed so quickly, that it was difhult to realise 
 the danger. 
 
 Slowly stalking out of the bushes, Masheesh, as though 
 nothing had happened, gravely walked to the foot of the 
 tree, took up the ant-eater, which, alarmed at the noise, 
 had rolled itself up like a hedgehog, and brought it to 
 where the missionary was seated. 
 
THE MATABELE HUNT. 59 
 
 " What on earth does he want with that hedgehog ? " 
 asked Hughes. The Matabele, speaking quickly, and in 
 an excited voice, looked up at the missionary as he did 
 so, pointing to the little animal. 
 
 " He says it is a great prize," returned the other, " and 
 consoles him for the loss of his spear. It appears that 
 these ant-eaters are scarce, and the possession of one 
 guarantees its owner against loss or sickness among his 
 cattle." 
 
 " The loss of his cattle ! He nearly lost our lives for 
 us, confound him !" replied Hughes, with some show of 
 humour. " He don't seem to think of that." 
 
 " A native never does, it is not in their nature, and life 
 is held very cheap. Look at yonder group moving over 
 the plain in a line with that stunted acacia. The king 
 Mozelkatse must be among them." 
 
 " Can you walk, do you think, Wyzinski ?" 
 
 " Oh, yes. I'm a good deal shaken, but that will wear 
 away. Let us join the king." 
 
 The rifles were loaded, and the whole party moved off 
 once more, leaving the carcass of the grey pony lying in a 
 pool of blood where it had fallen, to become a prey to 
 the jackals and hyenas, those scavengers of the African 
 plains. 
 
 Mozelkatse, in a state of nudity nearly as complete as 
 that of his subjects,, was in high good humour, and wel- 
 comed them warmly. The hunt, he told them, promised 
 well, and a vast number of deer of all kinds were hemmed 
 in between the horns of the living crescent. He mo- 
 tioned them to take their places by the side of the trap, 
 or barricade, into which the herds were to be forced. 
 Masheesh temporarily left them to place his prize, the 
 ant-eater, in safety; and as the line of beaters was 
 
60 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 still far distant, there was ample time to examine the 
 stockade. 
 
 The whole was something like a lobster-trap without a 
 top, or like one of the salmon weirs to be found running 
 out into the sea on the Welsh coast. It was made of 
 stout branches driven deeply into the ground, with lighter 
 ones interlaced horizontally between the upright poles. 
 The opening was at least fifty paces in breadth, gradually 
 narrowing, and as the horns of the living crescent drew 
 inwards, it was the only outlet for the frightened game. 
 It led to a deep square pit, which must have taken the tribe 
 long to dig, whose sides were quite smooth and perfectly 
 steep. Once in it, the deer could not get out, and to- 
 wards this all the game was being driven. The process 
 was a slow one, and it was afternoon before the long line 
 of the Matabele approached. It was a curious sight. 
 The shouts, screams, and yells of the men as they drove 
 before them antelopes of all kinds, and then the excite- 
 ment of those near the trap, as herd after herd would 
 come down, find the barricade, and, suspecting danger, 
 turn back. At first the different animals kept to them- 
 selves ; but as the circle narrowed, quaggas, zebras, ante- 
 lopes of various forms would become mixed together, 
 while the Matabele would rush among them, brandishing- 
 their long spears, and frantically striking their ox-hide 
 shields, shrieking, howling, and spearing right and left, 
 until the affrighted wretches, surrounded on every side by 
 the yelling savages, took the only outlet left them, and 
 dashing madly down the path between the stockades, 
 leaped wildly into the pit, falling pell-mell in. On they 
 came, quaggas, koodoos, springbok, hartebeest, the 
 shouting and spearing becoming wilder. Hundreds 
 turned, and forced their way through the ever narrowing 
 
THE MATABELE HUNT. 61 
 
 circle of yelling Matabele, the spears sticking in their 
 bloody hides, while fuller and fuller became the pit, until 
 it was heaped with the dead, dying, and maimed. There 
 was the ferocious-looking gnu, the painted hide of the 
 zebra, the graceful-limbed springbok, the long spiral- 
 horned leche, all heaped together in one boiling, seething 
 mass of pain and suffering, the Matabele above, with 
 savage cries, spearing those who in their agony tried to 
 climb the sides of the pit, while still the yelling savages 
 continued driving herd after herd, until, like the fire wor- 
 shippers' trap in Moore's beautiful poem, the pit was full 
 and would hold no more. There was high feasting in the 
 Matabele camp that night, for the hunt had been most 
 successful, and the slaughter immense ; but it was with 
 feelings of pleasure the travellers had a farewell interview 
 with Mozelkatse, and then passing among the dancing, 
 singing savages, took their way across the plain, lighted 
 by a brilliant moon, to their quiet camp by the side of the 
 Limpopo. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 A NARROW ESCAPE. 
 
 Two days after the Matabele hunt, the vast plains were 
 once more silent, Mozelkatse, at the head of his gorged 
 hunters, having left Zoutpansburgh for his own kraal, and 
 the party of which the white men were the chiefs having 
 resumed their journey northward. The waggon and horses 
 had not yet been sent back, but the onward march was 
 slow and tedious, and passing through the country of the 
 Batonga, it took five days' toilsome work before the tent 
 was pitched on a bend of the Suave river. The weather 
 
6- WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 had gradually increased in heat,the kraals were few and 
 small, and what was worse, the natives themselves seemed 
 more and more unsociable, if not actually unfriendly. 
 
 The white man appeared known among them, but as 
 the distance from the English frontier daily increased, 
 this knowledge seemed only drawn from that of the Por- 
 tuguese traders on the Zambesi, a degenerate race, who 
 were looked down upon by the blacks. The plains 
 swarmed with game of every kind, and fruits of different 
 sorts were to be found near the rivers ; but as the little 
 party advanced, the forest land became more frequent and 
 more dense. The tall palmyra and the stately moshanna 
 trees grew luxuriantly. Squirrels of various sorts haunted 
 the grove and thickets, more particularly one species of a 
 pale yellow colour, touched up with black, about eight 
 inches long in the body, and being remarkable for its 
 magnificent tail, also pale yellow, barred with black, and 
 fully as long as the body. This beautiful little animal 
 seemed to look for its food among the stones, and Avas 
 quite fearless. The pitfalls dug by the natives were so 
 artfully concealed as to be very annoying, and even dan- 
 gerous. On one occasion a Kaffir fell into one, and was 
 released with some? difficulty.- One was found close to 
 the. banks of the Suave river, and into it a splendid 
 panther had fallen. It must have been days since it had 
 been there, for the sides of the pit were scored with its 
 claws ; however, a pistol-shot killed it, and its skin was a 
 most beautiful one. The mosquitoes and the soldier ants 
 were another source of trouble ; and what with the heat, 
 and the too constant meat diet, sores attacked the whole 
 party, breaking out on all parts of the body. 
 
 Night had closed round the little camp on the Suave 
 river; the day had b*en hot and sultry, and the route 
 
A NARROW ESCAPE. 63 
 
 had lain over plains covered with wild cotton, and among 
 groves of trees closely resembling the orange, but at that 
 time of the year not bearing fruit. Masheesh, who had 
 been a day's journey to the eastward of north, in order to 
 strike a large native kraal and obtain information, had 
 just rejoined the camp, but his tidings were of a very 
 mixed description. The tent was pitched under the 
 spreading branches of a mashonga tree. A huge fire was 
 lighted, a good supper had closed the fatigues of the day, 
 and the men were fast asleep round the blaze, having 
 gorged themselves with eland meat. 
 
 Captain Hughes was engaged sponging out a rifle, and 
 near him, in the full blaze of the fire, Luji was skinning a 
 small animal shot that day. It was a beautiful little crea- 
 ture of the squirrel tribe, about a foot long, of a bright 
 yellowish red, barred here and there with black. The 
 tail was at least three inches longer than the animal 
 itself, and glossy black at the end. Wyzinski was ear- 
 nestly studying a piece of broken stone, on which ap- 
 peared some rude and defaced carvings ; while, squatted 
 on the ground, looking up into the missionary's face, 
 quite naked, and his head ornamented with the waving 
 ostrich plume, the firelight danced over Masheesh's black 
 face and quick intelligent eyes. 
 
 " The Batonga tell," said he, " of a range of mountains 
 to the northward and eastward, called f Gorongoza.' " 
 
 " It is not the place we seek. Gorongoza is known to 
 the Portuguese." 
 
 " The white chief seeks the broken stone huts," replied 
 Masheesh, " and the Batonga tell of graves marked by 
 stones lying on the mountain range of Gorongoza." 
 
 " And do not they know of others ?" asked the mis- 
 sionary. 
 
64 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 " Yes," replied the chief ; " far to the eastward. Neat 
 the mouth of the river lie ruins, looking over the big 
 water; it is from these that the stone which my father 
 holds in his hand came." 
 
 Wyzinski stooped over the fire and carefully examined 
 the fragment. That it had been carved was evident, but 
 it was so broken and defaced that he could make nothing 
 of it. The chief continued — 
 
 "These ruins by the big water the Batonga call 'Sofala,' 
 but to the northward and westward lies a large kraal. 
 It is some days' journey from Sofala and Gorongoza. 
 Near Manica lie great forests of strange trees, and among 
 those trees lie broken stone huts. In the mountains are 
 caves, where the leopards and the lions hide. The white 
 chief may leave his life there, but he will not see them. 
 The broken huts are sacred, and if the stranger saw them 
 no rain would fall in the country for three years." 
 
 The voices of the speakers as they conversed eagerly 
 together, with the wail of the jackals and hyaenas, the 
 barking of the foxes, the snort of the hippopotami on the 
 river bank, broke the silence of the starlight night. The 
 blaze occasionally flared up, and then died away, lighting 
 up all to within a certain radius. 
 
 Luji was just finishing his squirrel, and Hughes had 
 put his rifle together and was trying the lock, when a tre- 
 mendous roar, apparently close to, startled all, and the 
 flickering blaze of the firelight danced for an instant on 
 the dark hide of a lion, as he dashed past, the next 
 moment passing through the midst of the astonished 
 group, bearing with him the carcass of an eland that day 
 shot. 
 
 For a moment all was confusion, for no one could tell 
 how soon the lion might return. Besides, the roar of a 
 
A NARROW ESCAPE. 65 
 
 second had been heard. Rifles were hastily snatched up 
 and looked to. The whole party waited anxiously, but 
 as hour after hour passed on quietly, the alarm caused by 
 so terrible and unexpected a visitor gradually wore away. 
 
 The night was dark, the country unknown; dense 
 thickets existed on the banks of the river — and so aware 
 that it was useless to pursue, agitation wore itself out. 
 Fresh wood was heaped with a liberal hand on the fire, 
 the whole camp was soon asleep, the task of following up 
 the spoor of the lion being deferred till next morning. 
 
 The day's march, it was determined, should be a shorl 
 one, for Masheesh, who was down at the river side before 
 daylight, had fallen on the remains of the eland some way 
 off, just where the Suave discharged itself into another 
 and larger stream. " It would seem," said Hughes, when 
 relating the matter to Wyzinski, " that the lion must have 
 been actuated by a spirit of fun, for he certainly was not 
 hungry. The greater part of the eland lies in the brush 
 near the river side." 
 
 "We will move on a few miles, and camp on the 
 mountain slope," replied the missionary. "The lion is 
 sure to return for the remains of the eland. You have 
 but to watch for him ; and if you don't, the chances are 
 he follows the camp and pays us another visit." 
 
 " More than that," returned the soldier, " the grass is 
 very much trampled near the pool formed by the junction 
 of the two rivers. Many wild animals must frequent it, 
 and perhaps elephants \ but first we must replace the 
 stolen meat," he continued, shouldering his rifle and 
 moving off, followed by the others across the plain, for 
 eland were very numerous at the foot of the mountain 
 range. Bounding along in single file, led by some old 
 antelope, they looked very pretty, the herds made up into 
 
66 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 parties of from six to ten, having many young ones among 
 them. 
 
 The colour of the males is a rusty yellow, with a 
 brownish tinge here and there, giving place to reddish 
 tufts of hair running down the face. The head small in 
 proportion to the body, which is heavily and powerfully 
 built. The eyes full, large, and soft, and the horns 
 sloping backwards and twisted spirally. Taught by 
 former experience, the hunter lay concealed behind the 
 rocks. Masheesh, Luji, and Noti making a long circuit, 
 came upon the rear of the eland, who were quietly 
 grazing like tame deer in a park. The old buck, who 
 generally led the herd, would soon take the alarm, and, 
 raising his head, gaze around. Uttering a whistling cry, 
 the rest would gather round him, as they moved away in 
 single file for the hill side, The alarm would spread, and 
 at one moment there could not have been less than a 
 hundred and fifty eland moving near them across the 
 plain. Still the hunter's rifle was not heard, for the deer 
 had taken a wrong direction. At length, a troop of ten 
 headed straight for the rock where Captain Hughes lay ; 
 the loud report of his rifle rang out, still more startling 
 the flying antelope, while a deer, bounding several feet 
 into the air, fell stone dead, shot through the heart. The 
 eland was a female, easily distinguished as such from the 
 very great difference of colour, being of a light pale 
 yellow, with a splendid pair of spirally-twisted horns. 
 Without moving, the hunter waited, hoping that some of 
 the herds, now wildly scouring the plain, would come 
 within shot. Trotting jauntily along, his little feet hardly 
 seeming to touch the ground, a young eland came to the 
 side of the dead mother. It was of a different colour to 
 the female. Of a pale orange tint, the horns were shnrf , 
 
A NARROW ESCAPE. 67 
 
 and not twisted. There were many mouths to feed in 
 camp, and the child eland was three parts grown. Again 
 the sharp crack of the rifle was heard ringing across the 
 plain, and the young antelope fell dead close to the 
 mother, just as a herd of seven came bounding along at 
 top speed within fifteen paces of the ambush. Seizing a 
 spare rifle, the hunter sighted the leader of the troop, and 
 a third sharp report woke up the echoes of the rocks. His 
 foreleg broken, the eland still galloped on, his speed 
 diminished but yet considerable. Dashing after the herd 
 came Masheesh, his long straight spear in his hand, his 
 ostrich plume streaming backwards in the wind, his 
 limbs naked save the usual ox hide round the waist. 
 Singling out the wounded buck, the Matabele brave 
 followed it. Its foreleg hanging useless, still the antelope 
 struggled on, bidding fair to get away, but Noti headed it, 
 and the animal came struggling along, in a direction which 
 would lead it to within ten paces of the savage chief. 
 Poising the long bright assegai, Masheesh stood for a 
 moment motionless, while a gleam of light seemed to 
 traverse the air, and the antelope fell heavily forward. 
 The next, Masheesh bent over the struggling deer, the 
 sharp curved knife flashed across the throat, a stream of 
 blood followed, a few convulsive efforts, and all was still. 
 This was a noble buck, measuring nine feet from the 
 horns to the base of the tail, while the length of the horns 
 was fully three, the deer standing nine feet high measured 
 at the shoulder. 
 
 Sending the eland meat to camp, the hunters took their 
 way to the river bank, searching for the spoor of the lion. 
 Right opposite the spot where the remains of the deer lay, 
 the river running between, a deep hole was dug, so deep 
 that only the head and neck of a man standing in it would 
 
 £-2 
 
68 . WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 appear above the level ground. Between it and the re- 
 mains of the deer, the stream formed a kind of pool. To 
 the right ran the chain of mountains, while in front the 
 plain was clear, the water a little lower down, pouring 
 over a ledge of rock, so as to form a miniature cataract. 
 Heavy timber grew right down to the river's edge, the 
 branches of some of the trees dipping into the water. 
 The hole was dug at the foot of a tree, and all round it 
 grew long, rank grass, and tangled brushwood, save where 
 it was cleared away in front. 
 
 About nine o'clock that night, Captain Hughes, accom- 
 panied by Luji, who carried a spare rifle, took his way 
 down to the river. 
 
 " I climb in tree ?" asked Luji. " Master hid away in 
 hole ?" His English was plain enough, but not very gram- 
 matical. 
 
 " No, thank you, Luji," replied the soldier, laughing ; 
 " remember the lioness of Zoutpansburgh." 
 
 "Three lions there," replied the other ; " and Luji not 
 know missionary in tree." 
 
 "Well, well, just you bundle off to camp, Luji, and go 
 to sleep. If I am not back directly after daybreak, send 
 to look for me." 
 
 " Luji come himself," said the man, with the air of a 
 hero. " Good night, master." 
 
 " Good night, Luji." 
 
 The cracking of the brush was heard, then a monoto- 
 nous chaunt, as the careless fellow took his way back to 
 camp. Both sounds died away in the distance, and the 
 hunter felt himself alone, dependent only on himself, in 
 the middle of the African plain. The moon was in her 
 second quarter, but would not rise before eleven o'clock, 
 and the darkness grew dense. The silence of the day was 
 
A NARROW ESCAPE. 69 
 
 gradually broken into, the jackals and hyaenas began their 
 nightly music, and the watcher, though he could see nothing, 
 became aware that animals of some kind were splash- 
 ing and drinking in the water close to him. He strained 
 his eyes, but could not make out anything. Soon the 
 jackals scented the carrion, their peculiar wailing cry com- 
 ing nearer and nearer. Time wore on, the position in the 
 cramped-up hole, without the possibility of seeing anything, 
 was an irksome one, and the hunter, after the fatigues of 
 the day, felt sleep creeping over him. 
 
 He heard the jackals quarrelling and snarling over the 
 carrion; he heard the sound of the water as it flowed, 
 falling over the neighbouring ledge, with a continued mo- 
 notonous noise; he was with the 150th, telling many a 
 tale of African adventure ; in a word, he had fallen asleep, 
 when a soft, cold, hairy hand was laid on the back of his 
 neck, and a thrill of horror passed through his frame, as 
 he saw two large eyes looking through the darkness into 
 his. At this moment the lion roared on the mountain 
 side, and the jackals heard it, for they left the carrion, 
 giving a long mournful howl as they scurried away, and, 
 taking up a position about half a mile off, filled the air 
 with their plaintive music. Slowly the upper limb of the 
 moon rose above the mountains, when again the cold, 
 hairy touch was felt by the watcher, followed by a twitch 
 at the fur cap he wore, and now by the feeble light he could 
 distinguish an enormous monkey. It did not seem to have 
 the slightest fear, but clutched at the sealskin cap, clashing 
 its long teeth together, and grimacing hideously. Again 
 the lion roared, this time much nearer, as taking up a 
 broken branch, the hunter struck at the troublesome ba- 
 boon, who, chattering with fear, dashed into the tangled 
 brush. The lion was evidently coming up very cautiously, 
 
;o WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 but presently the snapping sound of breaking branches was 
 heard, as the animal forced its way onwards. Raising his 
 head to see that the rifles were in position, the startled 
 hunter received the soft, warm breeze right in his face, 
 becoming at once aware that the wind had changed, and 
 was bearing the scent straight down on the lion, who was 
 advancing up the wind, perfectly aware of the presence of 
 some enemy, while the brushwood on that side extended 
 for miles, right up to the mouth of the pit. Another roar, 
 this time close to him. What would the ambushed man 
 havegiven hadeven Lujibeen within range ? The perspira- 
 tion rolled down his face as he prepared to get out and 
 meet the "lord of the mountain" on the open. It was 
 too late, for a heavy bank of clouds rose, overshadowing 
 the moon, and the hoarse mutterings of distant thunder 
 came on his ear. The cracking of the brushwood, too, 
 sounded close to the mouth of the pit, as making himself 
 as small as possible, the unfortunate hunter crouched down 
 at the bottom of the hole, and, a cocked revolver in his 
 hand, prepared to meet his fate. A thrill of disgust shook 
 him, for, with a shrill cry, the baboon, startled by the lion's 
 approach, leaped into the pit, alighting on the hunter's 
 back, clasping him round the neck. It seemed to him 
 like a horrible nightmare, the long wail of the jackals 
 taking the place of the cry of the fabled Banshee over the 
 living dead. To add to the terror of the situation, the 
 thunder was heard, peal on peal, and the lightning flashed, 
 while the heavy rain-drops spattered on the leaves. He 
 heard, too, the brushwood part, and a deep, hoarse growl 
 told him the lion was looking into the ambush ; he fancied 
 he could feel his breath ; and then came a shriek of pain 
 from the baboon as his teeth met in the back of his 
 neck. Lying down at the mouth of the hole, like a huge 
 
A NARROW ESCAPE. 71 
 
 Newfoundland dog, the lion had reached down with his 
 powerful paw, endeavouring to get at the monkey. In 
 this he had so nearly succeeded, that his long claws had 
 scored the creatures back, and its warm blood was pouring 
 down the hunter's neck. A second time the lion made 
 the attempt, when, with a scream of agony, using the re- 
 cumbent figure for its spring, the baboon leaped out of 
 the pit. The lion was nearly as active, as, with a fierce 
 growl and a tremendous bound, it also cleared the mouth 
 of the hole. The hunter was saved. Covered with mud, 
 stained with dirt, and sorely frightened, Captain Hughes 
 arose just in time to see the animal, chattering with delight, 
 swing himself from branch to branch of a mowanna tree. 
 The lion having unearthed one, had not suspected the ex- 
 istence of another animal in the same place, and, roaring 
 once more loudly, it took its way towards the carrion, 
 where it began tearing and rending the flesh, the wounded 
 ape, now in safety, moaning bitterly, as the clouds cleared 
 away slowly to the southward, the storm passing along the 
 mountain range. At length the lion rose, and, with a 
 low growl as he passed the tree where the noisy baboon 
 was seated, walked down to the river to drink. He was 
 a very large one, his mane and tail being unusually dark. 
 Slowly and deliberately the magnificent animal walked 
 into the pool. The report of the heavy rifle rang out, the 
 ball striking him right between the eyes, as he stooped 
 his head to drink. With a wild convulsive bound, the 
 lion cleared the stream, falling heavily into the brushwood 
 beyond. Sounds somewhat between a moan of pain and a 
 growl of rage followed, one or two heavy sobs, the breaking 
 of the brushwood, as the huge carcass fell over on its side, 
 and then, save the cry of the jackals and hysenas, the moaning 
 of the ape, and the distant rattle of the thunder, all was still. 
 
72 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 THE FIRST ELEPHANT. 
 
 Nearly an hour passed, and the watcher, tired, wet, and 
 worn out. was thinking of the snug fire on the mountain- 
 side, and the tent pitched near it ; for certainly he had 
 passed through quite sufficient danger and emotion for 
 one night at least, when several spotted hyaenas came 
 down to drink. Some wild boar followed, and it was a 
 strong temptation to the hunter to fire, when a desperate 
 fight took place between two old boars close to him. The 
 storm had quite passed away, cooling the heated air ; 
 the moon and stars were shining brightly, and soon 
 bounding over the plain, with their peculiar dancing 
 motion, came a herd of springbok. : Moving along at a 
 great pace, springing from the ground into the air, and 
 hardly seeming to touch the earth again for the next 
 bound, on came the graceful antelope euchore. Even in 
 the daytime the motions of this animal are so quick, that 
 the eye cannot follow its bounds in their details, only 
 realising the pace as a whole, but in the clear silvery 
 moonlight they seemed like a troop of fairy elves, to the 
 tired watcher, as they came dancing along over the 
 African plain. Dashing fearlessly into the water, the 
 herd began to drink, with one exception. An old buck, 
 from whose gait the inference might have been drawn 
 that he had been previously wounded, stood sentinel on 
 the bank. There was meat and to spare in the camp, so 
 the hunter only watched the beautiful animals. The 
 sentinel seemed to suspect danger, and was fidgety and 
 impatient. Was it possible he knew of the ambush? 
 
THE FIRST ELEPHANT. 73 
 
 Captain Hughes asked himself; and yet from his motions 
 he could not but conclude he did, when all at once a 
 dark object sprang from the bush, and the sentinel spring- 
 bok was in a moment rolling on the ground, while the rest 
 of the herd were bounding madly over the plain in hurried 
 flight. For a few seconds there seemed to be one 
 writhing mass on the bank ; then the antelope lay still, 
 and a panther, with its beautiful spotted skin, walked 
 down to the river. Before reaching the water the animal 
 stopped, and began licking and polishing its hide, dis- 
 arranged in the combat. Again the sharp report of the 
 rifle was heard, and the panther, with a convulsive bound, 
 sprang into the bush, which it could be heard tearing with 
 its powerful jaws and claws in the death agony. Soon all 
 was again still, as, scrambling out of the pit, the hunter 
 crossed the river, and advanced cautiously towards the 
 carcass of the springbok, finding it still quivering with 
 muscular excitement. Holding his rifle at full cock, 
 slowly and deliberately he approached the bush. The 
 moonlight streamed over the painted hide of a large 
 panther, lying quite dead. 
 
 Leaving the carcass untouched, Captain Hughes man- 
 aged to drag the deer on one side, covering it in the 
 thick undergrowth, and then once more crossing the river 
 determined never again to leave the brush growing close 
 to the mouth of his hiding-place. That which had been 
 the sentinel springbok's fate had certainly been his, if the 
 panther had come that side of the river. 
 
 The report of the rifle had doubtless frightened the deer 
 around, for fully two hours passed without anything 
 coming to the water. The time seemed very long, and 
 the effect of the unusual excitement passing away, the 
 hunter again became drowsy. The position was a cramped 
 
74 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 one ; the first part of the night, before the thunderstorm 
 had cooled the air, had been hot and sultry ; the breeze, 
 heavily laden with the scent of the flowers of the mobala 
 trees, again came in hot puffs, bringing with it the cry of 
 the jackal and the hyasna, and the other thousand noises 
 of animal life which so distinguish night from dayamong the 
 wild plains of Southern Africa. Still nearer to the watcher 
 was to be heard the fall of the water over its ledge of rock, 
 the moaning of the wounded ape, and once or twice, and 
 that very distant, the roar of a lion. Spread out in the 
 moonlight lay the plain, stretching away towards the 
 eastern coast, watered by a small river, while to the right 
 rose the chain of mountain land in which the river took 
 its rise and whose slopes were dotted here and there by 
 what seemed large black patches of forest, principally 
 composed of trees exactly resembling the cedar. From 
 one of these patches there came every now and then the 
 sound of the splintering of wood, just as though a workman 
 were felling timber. This noise was quite inexplicable ; 
 and the baboon, too, was annoying, for not only did it 
 keep up its moaning, but would break off pieces of the 
 branches, and throw them at the hunter, generally with a 
 certain aim. The time wore wearily on, and Captain 
 Hughes had just dozed off, when his attention was sud- 
 denly roused by a noise like the bleating of a sheep. No 
 animal of any kind was in sight, and yet there it was, the 
 low, plaintive bleating of a sheep. It seemed to come 
 from the bush, and presently out of it came the beautiful 
 painted body of a large snake, some fourteen feet in length, 
 gliding along with a gentle, sinuous motion, and uttering 
 from time to time the strange bleat. Gaining the foot of 
 the tree where the baboon was, it wound itself round the 
 trunk, and crept up it. The moment the monkey 
 
THE FIRST ELEPHANT. 75 
 
 caught sight of it dragging its shining length upwards, it 
 evinced a deadly fear. Slowly, but surely, the nogaput- 
 sane neared its prey, while the unlucky animal chattering 
 and crying, seemed unable to escape. Moved by its dis- 
 tress, the hunter raised his rifle, but just as he was about 
 to fire the baboon jumped from the tree, and leaping 
 across the stream, seized one of the branches of a young 
 mimosa, swinging himself into it chattering with fright. 
 The large snake paused for a few minutes to look about 
 it, soon descending, and then starting in pursuit, the 
 nogaputsane came to the river, which it did not like, and 
 returned into the bush. 
 
 Time wore on ; the interest of the night seemed past, 
 and morning could not be far off. Fairly tired out, the 
 soldier began making his arrangements for a return to 
 camp, when he was stopped by seeing, or thinking he 
 saw, a black mass moving among the shadows on the 
 hill side, where the sound of the splintering wood was 
 heard. The cause of the noise was now made evident, 
 for moving along slowly, the watcher saw for the first 
 time the huge bulk of the African wild elephant. It was 
 advancing towards the river. Suddenly it stopped, and 
 for a few moments the hunter's heart beat quickly, think- 
 ing the chance lost, when, trotting along in a lumbering 
 fashion, there came from out of the shade of the cedar 
 and mashunga forests a second, but this time a young 
 elephant. On they came, right for the river, opposite 
 the hiding-place, the young one stopping from time to 
 time, and then coming on at a trot to rejoin its 
 mother. They neared the river, the old elephant 
 evidently carefully examining every yard of ground be- 
 fore putting her huge foot down. They passed under 
 the tree where the baboon was hid, and the spirit of 
 
76 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 mischief seemed to wake up in the wounded animal, not- 
 withstanding all that had happened to him that night 
 Breaking off a large bough, jabbering loudly, and making 
 the most diabolical faces, it took aim at the young 
 elephant, the wood hitting it a smart blow on the trunk. 
 The mother stopped dead, uttering a strange trumpeting 
 sound, then circling her trunk round the stem of the 
 young tree, began to shake it violently. The monkey, 
 active as he was, nearly came to the ground, holding 
 on with difficulty, and crying loudly. Then the crack- 
 ing of the stem was heard, just as the baboon, loosing 
 its hold, dropped on the ground, and with one wild 
 spring clambered into another tree, and swung him- 
 self from branch to branch, jabbering and whining with 
 fear. 
 
 Casting the sapling from it, the elephant, as if satisfied 
 with the lesson it had given, came down to drink. 
 Coming to the spot where the panther and springbok 
 had struggled, and where the grass and reeds were beaten 
 down, the animal halted, evidently suspecting one of 
 the native traps, and kneeling down on the edge it struck 
 the ground all round with its trunk. It was now within 
 thirty paces, but still the hunter's rifle remained silent. 
 Hoping to meet with an elephant, the heavier rifle was 
 loaded accordingly, the right-hand ban el with the usual 
 ball, but the left carrying one of Devisme's explosive 
 cartridges. Not able to detect anything wrong in the 
 trampled ground, still the cautious creature would not 
 tread on it, but circling round, broke her way through 
 the bush, coming as she did so, on the carcass of the 
 dead panther. This she examined very carefully, turning 
 it over with her trunk, and it was only when she had fully 
 satisfied herself that it was dead, that she called her 
 
THE FIRST ELEPHANT. 77 
 
 little one to her side. Standing in the bed of the stream, 
 the two sucked in vast volumes of water, discharging it 
 into their mouths, and having satisfied their thirst, the 
 old one began spouting the water over the back of its 
 young. Ever ready to fire, the hunter watched them for 
 a quarter of an hour ; but now the increasing coldness of 
 the morning warned him that dawn was at hand- The 
 heavier rifle had not yet been used Taking a deliberate 
 aim, he fired. For a moment the huge mass stood firm 
 and unmoved; the next, turning, the elephant crashed 
 through the bush towards the forest, the young one 
 remaining standing in the river, as though wondering 
 what all the noise was about Covering him with the 
 second barrel, and dreadfully vexed at his failure, Cap- 
 tain Hughes was about to fire, when the larger elephant, 
 missing its young, stopped, and began calling it Quickly 
 changing his aim, the report of the rifle rang out, the 
 explosive ball striking the elephant behind the shoulder, 
 and taking an upward direction. Moving heavily for- 
 ward, the enormous bulk of the animal seemed to waver, 
 and sway from side to side. Once it fell on its knees, 
 recovered itself, and then gained the forest, disappear- 
 ing with her young under the trees, the crash of break- 
 ing wood making itself heard once, and then all was 
 stilL 
 
 The cries of the jackals and hyaenas gradually ceased, 
 the air became colder and colder as the dawn appeared, 
 the light of the moon paled, and the noise of the falling 
 water, with the occasional croak' of a frog along the river 
 bank, were soon the only sounds disturbing the stillness 
 of the African plain, as, covered with the blood of the 
 wounded baboon, soiled with wet and sand, his limbs 
 stiff with cold and watching, as well as worn out with 
 
78 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 excitement, the weary hunter took his way up the 
 mountain slopes, to where he knew he should find the 
 camp. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE MONKEY AND THE POWDER-FLASK. 
 
 Long before the tired hunter woke, a party headed by 
 the missionary had brought in the carcass of the lion, as 
 well as those of the springbok and panther, and strange 
 to say the baboon had followed them, refusing to be 
 driven away. It was in vain to pelt it with sticks and 
 stones, for dashing away into the bush, it would climb a 
 tree, making the most hideous grimaces, chattering and 
 crying, but the moment all was quiet, back it would 
 come again. Worn out with fatigue and watching, the 
 soldier had slept late, and the sun was high in the 
 heavens when he awoke. 
 
 Looking about him, roused by the noise, he was just in 
 time to save the baboon's life. Luji had been engaged 
 for some time pelting it with sticks and stones, but the 
 agile brute was too much for him. Masheesh stood in 
 the act of poising his assegai, when Hughes stopped him. 
 
 "The monkey saved my life, Wyzinski," said he; 
 " and besides, it would be hard to kill the creature 
 which evidently trusts in us." 
 
 "Trust in you, it would appear," replied the other; 
 for at this moment, as if recognising Hughes, it came 
 towards him, showing the wounds on its back, and hold- 
 ing out its bloody hands. 
 
 " Fetch me the arnica and some water, Luji ; we will 
 soon put those scratches to rights, though they are caused 
 by the lion's claws," 
 
THE MONKE Y AND THE PO WDER-FLASK. 79 
 
 "The lion's claws !" asked the missionary; "why, what 
 had the monkey and lion in common ?" 
 
 " I'll tell you when I have had a good wash, and some 
 breakfast," replied the other. 
 
 The baboon was caught, and his back freely bathed with 
 the arnica water, when the intense smarting, and the gro- 
 tesque grimaces and loud chattering consequent on it, 
 caused shouts of laughter. 
 
 A good wash in the river, a hearty meal of eland meat, 
 with a dessert of the mobala fruit, strongly resembling in 
 flavour the English strawberry, and then the hunter told 
 his tale. The news as to the wounded elephant spread 
 through the little camp, and every one, from the missionary 
 downwards, was eager to follow up the spoor. 
 
 They soon found it, leading from the trampled river 
 bank up the slope, and entering the wood, they at once 
 came upon the animal itself, lying quite dead on its side ; 
 a young tree having been borne down by the heavy weight, 
 had broken short off and lay under it. Standing near was 
 the young elephant, waiting for its dead mother to wake, 
 and on the approach of the party it struck the carcass 
 several times with its trunk, and failing to rouse it, trotted 
 away in a lumbering fashion, its trunk raised in the air, 
 then turned to look. Like the baboon, it showed no fear, 
 barely refusing to be caught. The men were set to work to 
 cut out the tusks of the dead elephant, but being unprac- 
 tised hands, it took them all day to do it. The best parts of 
 the meat were brought into camp, and then the jackals and 
 hysenas assembled in large numbers, holding high carnival, 
 while the tusks, together with the panther and lion skins, 
 remained as a memento of the night. For two days the 
 party halted on this spot, and each night the one or other 
 watched the pool, with varying success, but not seeing 
 
8o WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 any more elephants, and only hearing the lions in the 
 distance. 
 
 Still travelling northwards, they pushed on through a 
 fertile country, which gradually became more and more of 
 forest. Elephants were often seen, but it was useless to 
 encumber their march by carrying the tusks, and Wyzinski's 
 sole purpose seemed to be the finding of the supposed 
 ruins. Giraffe, buffalo, antelope of all kinds, quaggas, 
 and zebra, were plentiful, while an occasional lion was 
 seen. The hippopotami and rhinoceros were often met 
 with, on the river banks. 
 
 The natives, who appeared from time to time, yet bore 
 the stamp of the Zulu race, but were not friendly, though 
 guilty of no overt act of enmity. They were men of good 
 stature, well formed, and clean limbed ; their woolly hair 
 often surmounted with plumes of ostrich feathers. They 
 were well armed. Vast forests of what appeared to be 
 magnificent cedars, impeded the way. The natives, both 
 men and women, were nearly naked, the latter particularly 
 showing great fear of the white men, so much so as to 
 leave their huts on the approach of the party, carrying with 
 them their children. In some of the huts slabs of stone 
 were seen, evidently having been fashioned by hand, and 
 used in the construction of some building, but no informa- 
 tion could be gathered. Gold was known, and its valu 
 appreciated among these tribes. The men, fully armed, 
 would venture into the camp, bringing with them quills 
 filled with gold, sealed at both ends, and offering them for 
 sale, evidently fancying the white men traders, and asking 
 for calico and beads in return. The young elephant ac- 
 tually followed the party for three days, and on the fourth 
 was found dead close to camp, evidently from its inability 
 to supply itself with the food its mother alone could give. 
 
THE MONKEY AND THE POWDER-FLASK. 81 
 
 The hippopotami were numerous on the rivers, and un- 
 like those more to the south, they showed little fear of 
 man. Shaped like a huge pig, the head massive, and the 
 eyes placed very high in the forehead, these ponderous 
 animals, whose carcass of a brownish-red looks like a 
 great barrel, have thick hanging lips, and such short 
 stumpy legs, that the belly nearly touches the ground. 
 All day long they might be seen feeding on the sweet 
 grasses ; and on the approach of strangers would slide off 
 the bank into the water, gradually subsiding until the 
 whole disappeared, and then rising again slowly for air. 
 On the Quissanga river they were very numerous. Heavy 
 and lumbering looking, none would give these animals 
 credit for the intelligence they really possess, and yet 
 they will only feed on the sweetest grasses, and are nearly 
 as cautious and cunning as the elephant, in avoiding the 
 traps and pitfalls of the natives. They display a strong 
 and peculiar affection for their young, and though quiet 
 and peaceable enough, will fight for them. 
 
 "See, Wyzinski," said Hughes one evening, as with 
 their rifles in their hands the two were walking up the 
 banks of the Quissanga river, "look at that unwieldy 
 young hippopotamus feeding alone. I'll give it a start." 
 
 " Take care what you are doing," replied the mission- 
 ary, who was busy watching some birds building near the 
 stream. 
 
 " Never fear for me," exclaimed the soldier, bent on 
 the fun of cutting off the lumbering young animal from 
 the water. 
 
 Resting his rifle against a tree, Hughes ran to intercept 
 it, which he easily did, for the ugly little brute did not see 
 him until he was quite close to it, and then it seemed to 
 lose its head, waddling away towards the bush, its pursuer 
 
 6 
 
82 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 shouting and laughing behind. A loud call from the 
 missionary caused Hughes to turn, and he at once saw- 
 that the situation of matters was reversed. Right up the 
 bank came a very large female hippopotamus, in pursuit 
 of him. Unarmed, there was nothing for it but to use his 
 legs, and this he did ; but the hippopotamus diverged, and 
 so the pursuer pursued must cross the line of its advance, 
 for the bush was too thick to be entered. 
 
 It was a question of speed, as the great beast came on, 
 its enormous mouth wide open and menacing. Slow as 
 its motion appeared, the animal would have cut off the 
 man, but just as they neared one another, a ball from 
 Wyzinski's rifle struck it in the open mouth. The hippo- 
 potamus stopped as the breathless soldier dashed by, and 
 seized his rifle, when a ball hit it right in the eye, and it 
 fell dead. 
 
 It measured eleven feet six inches in length, and in 
 girth ten feet five inches. No one of the party ever after 
 this attempted any trifling with the hippopotami. 
 
 The baboon had grown very tame, and had taken a 
 great fancy to Luji. The two lived together, and seemed 
 inseparable, and whenever it became tired on the march, 
 it would take its place on his shoulders. It was always in 
 mischief. Seated the same night, after the adventure with 
 the hippopotamus, round the camp fire, near the banks of 
 the Quissanga river, Wyzinski was laughing at the morning's 
 adventure. 
 
 " I hadn't a notion you could run so fast, Hughes," he 
 continued. 
 
 " Hadn't you ?" replied the soldier, not half liking the 
 missionary's quiet way of chaffing. 
 
 " No, indeed I hadn't," answered the other. " I see now 
 why they gave you the Light Company in the gallant 150th." 
 
THE MONKEY AND THE POWDER-FLASK. 83 
 
 Luji's wide mouth was opened to the fullest possible 
 extent. 
 
 " Master no like Quissanga hippopotamus ? Luji no 
 like Zoutpansburgh lion I" 
 
 " I'll tell you what, Wyzinski," answered Hughes, " I 
 may live to see you run just as fast yet." 
 
 A cry from Masheesh, at this moment, drew attention 
 for the time from the subject. The baboon darted out 
 of the small tent, holding something he had stolen. Luji, 
 with a loud shout, dashed after him. Away went the two 
 round and round, the monkey chattering and screaming, 
 but still firmly .grasping the object, which proved to be 
 the captain's powder-flask. 
 
 "You should try your hand, Hughes," drily remarked 
 the missionary. " Your pace beat that this morning." 
 
 Hardly were the words spoken when, with a scream of 
 delight, the baboon vaulted right over the stooping mis- 
 sionary, using his shoulders for the spring, and alighting 
 close to the fire, dropped the flask just into the centre of 
 the blaze, and then bounding off a few paces, stood jab- 
 bering and grimacing. 
 
 The tent was only a few yards away. 
 "Run, Wyzinski !" shouted the soldier; "all our pow- 
 der is in the tent." The whole thing was done in a 
 second, and the soldier and missionary scudding down 
 the slope at a tremendous pace the next. Losing his 
 footing, away went Wyzinski, rolling among' the stones 
 and bushes, just as the explosion took place. 
 
 Luckily there was little powder in the flask, but the 
 burning embers were blown right and left, and the tent 
 struck by them. The baboon was dreadfully singed and 
 awfully frightened, and, not a beauty before, became 
 literally hideous \ but no further harm was •' 
 
84 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 1 You had better exchange your robes against a sub- 
 altern's epaulettes in the Light Company of the 150th 
 Regiment," laughed Hughes. 
 
 " I'll think of it," replied the missionary; "but, Hughes, 
 will you give me a certificate ?" 
 
 " Most certainly. I can't hold a candle to you at 
 running away, Wyzinski," for the soldier thought he had 
 the best of it now. 
 
 " Oh, I didn't mean that sort of a certificate. Will you 
 certify there are no monkeys in your Light Company ?" 
 remarked the missionary. 
 
 " Good night, Wyzinski," was the only answer vouch- 
 safed ; and they both turned-in laughing. 
 
 Passing Quissanga and Goanha, the little caravan kept 
 steadily on to the northward, making short marches daily, 
 until a period of three weeks had elapsed since they had 
 outspanned from the banks of the Limpopo. Their camp 
 was pitched at the foot of the spur of the Nyamonga 
 mountain range called Gorongoza. It was a pleasant 
 spot, and here they determined to rest awhile. Several 
 streams of bright, clear, cold water burst from the moun- 
 tains, and, after wandering about for some distance, 
 threw themselves into a river which ran away towards the 
 sea. Forests of the cedar-trees clothed the mountain 
 sides, and to these Wyzinski pointed triumphantly, assert- 
 ing that they must now be close to the ruins. 
 
 " There they are," he would say ; " and though there 
 may exist a marked difference between them and the 
 far-famed cedar of Lebanon, though they may have de- 
 generated since the days when Pharaoh Necho's seamen 
 lived under their shade, yet in those cedar groves lie the 
 fallen ruins of the old cities of Zulu land, and there is 
 enough timber to supply the world." 
 
THE MONKE Y AND THE PO WDER-FLASK. 85 
 
 "I wonder what we should do without the custard- 
 apples ?" said Hughes, the evening of the day when they 
 arrived at Gorongoza. 
 
 " But why call it custard-apple, Hughes ?" 
 
 " Because it is exactly like the custard-apple of the 
 Madras Presidency — black, rough, and repulsive-looking 
 outside, and a white, delicious custard inside, cool as if 
 iced. It grows plentifully, like blackberries, up country 
 there." 
 
 " Well, I almost prefer the mobala fruit. Under the 
 tropical sun, which, by the way, has tanned you to a ma- 
 hogany colour, Hughes, it reminds one of the strawberries 
 of England. I shall open a campaign against the wild- 
 duck. There seems lots of them." 
 
 " Here comes the Matabele chief; what has he got ? 
 Eggs — ducks' eggs, as I am a sinner. Won't that be a 
 treat after weeks of venison diet ?" 
 
 The chief gravely stalked up to the two, and placing 
 his eggs on the ground, squatted down, and looking the 
 missionary full in the face, pointed down the course of 
 the river, merely uttering the word " Sofala," then 
 changing the direction of his finger, pointed to the north- 
 west, letting fall the dreaded word, " Tetze." 
 
 The two Europeans looked at each other. A volume 
 could not have better expressed his meaning. Down the 
 stream lay the ruins which had been formerly mentioned. 
 Right in their onward path was the dreaded tetze-fly, sure 
 death to cattle. 
 
 i( Let us hold a council of war, Wyzinski," said Hughes, 
 after the two had looked at each other in dead silence. 
 "Here, Luji, come here. We are going to have a 
 palaver." 
 
 " Masheesh, must we send back the waggon ?" 
 
86 WILD SPORTS IN ZUL U LAND. 
 
 The Matabele chief spoke volubly, frequently using 
 the word " Tati," and then pointing to the river which 
 was running near them, calling it sometimes the Sabe, 
 sometimes the Ouro. 
 
 " Do you hear ?" asked Wyzinski, eagerly. " The Tati 
 and the Ramaquoban rivers run into the Limpopo, and 
 this river he calls the Ouro, or golden river." 
 
 "Who owns the land, Luji?" asked Hughes. 
 
 "Mozelkatse once owned it, master. Now it is the 
 country of Machin, the Batonga, and the Banyai." 
 
 " Can Masheesh procure a canoe? and can we go down 
 the river ?" were the next questions. 
 
 Both were answered satisfactorily. TheBafonga were 
 a friendly people, like the Bechuanas, and feared the 
 Matabele Kaffirs, whose chief, Mozelkatse, had more than 
 once punished them ; and, after a long talk, it was deter- 
 mined to send back the waggon and horses to the nearest 
 mission, that at Santa Lucia Bay, and go down the river 
 to the sea, before breaking up the camp at Gorongoza. 
 
 ''It is hard to send back our waggon," exclaimed 
 Hughes, during a pause in the work of packing. 
 
 "We should but have to leave it and all it contains on 
 the way, if we met with the tetze'fly. Its sting is sure 
 death to cattle." 
 
 " And does it harm man," inquired Hughes. 
 
 " Singular to say it does not ; and I do not believe in 
 its existence so near this coast-line ; still it's no use run- 
 ning the risk." 
 
 " We then resolve to strike the Zambesi, somewhere 
 near Tete or Senna?" 
 
 "Yes, passing through the kingdom of this same 
 chief, Machin, who seems to be almost a rival to Mozel- 
 katse." 
 
THE RUINS OF SO FA LA. S7 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE RUINS OF SOFALA. 
 
 It was with feelings of regret the two travellers saw the 
 waggon with its great tilt disappear in the distance, on its 
 way for the station at St. Lucia Bay. It was no use to 
 grieve, for work was before them. The ground was 
 strewed with packages, and the party was now reduced 
 to its original number of seven, with the addition of 
 Masheesh and Wyzinski. Noti and Luji had made a 
 tent out of some spare canvas, and it was soon pitched 
 by the river side, under a group of trees. 
 
 No time was lost, and sunrise the following day found 
 them on their way for Sofala, the boat's crew consisting 
 of the missionary, Hughes, Masheesh, and the Kaffir 
 Noti. Luji being left in charge of the party at Goron- 
 goza. 
 
 Floating down the river between banks whose verdure 
 was most luxuriant, was a pleasant change after the days 
 of toilsome march. The palmyra, the wild date, mo- 
 hanno, mowanna, and many other tropical trees grew in 
 rich luxuriance, while the thick tangled undergrowth, 
 mixed up with a host of creeping cane-like plants, ren- 
 dered it impossible to penetrate the forest land. Long 
 reeds of various kinds hung over the banks, and beautiful 
 water-lilies of gigantic size floated on the water. Where- 
 ever a break occurred among the trees, grew grass, or 
 fields of wild maize or wild cotton were to be seen, an I 
 now and then the water antelope would dash into the 
 stream and swim across. The party trusted to their rifles 
 for food, and one of these antelopes coming well within 
 
88 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 range, Wyzinski fired, wounding the animal severely just 
 as he reached the shore. The canoe dashed on to over- 
 take it, which would easily have been done, for the deer 
 was unable to climb the steep bank, and twice failed in 
 the attempt, falling back imto the water, when a huge 
 alligator rose, showing his long, shovel-shaped snout above 
 the river. A ball struck the alligator, but without pene- 
 trating its mail. The deer struggled wildly for a moment; 
 several other dark log-like forms showed on the bank, and 
 the antelope disappeared, the water bubbling crimson for 
 a moment ; the next the canoe moved gently over the 
 reddened river, and all was still. 
 
 A second deer swam the stream, and this time it was 
 different. 
 
 "Let him go, Wyzinski," whispered Hughes; "the 
 alligators won't touch him while he is swimming." 
 
 "Take the shot yourself; see, he nears the bank." 
 
 The report of the rifle rang out just as the deer scram- 
 bled up it, startling whole flocks of wild duck out of the 
 reeds and rushes. The antelope, with a broken leg, fell, 
 but quickly struggling up again, would have escaped into 
 the bush, when a second ball from Wyzinski's rifle stop- 
 ped it. The deer proved to be a fine buck, of an ashy 
 grey, with long horns like a goat, of a yellowish-brown 
 colour. The horns at first when starting from the head 
 trended directly backwards, and then curved forwards, 
 the tips being very pointed. The legs were remarkably 
 short for a deer, and it could not be very swift on land 
 for, added to the shortness of limb, the girth round the 
 carcass was very large. The dead buck measured nearly 
 eleven feet in length, and ten in circumference. 
 
 " What a beautiful spot !" remarked Hughes towards 
 three o'clock in the afternoon, " The green bank slopes 
 
THE RUINS OF SOFALA. 89 
 
 down to the water's edge, and the turf, dotted with its 
 clumps of palmyra, acacia, and date trees, looks for all 
 the world like a gentleman's park. Behind rises the forest, 
 where we can suppose the baronial hall to lie, and in the 
 distance the lofty range of the Nyamonga mountains. 
 We only want the lodge gates to complete the picture." 
 
 "You are a bad auctioneer, Hughes," laughed his 
 comrade; "you have omitted the greatest charm. I 
 mean the river, with its beautiful reeds waving in the 
 breeze, its magnificent water-lilies, and the flocks of wild 
 duck floating in and out." 
 
 " Some of them are really very beautiful, and I never 
 saw any like them. Look at that lot sailing away before 
 us, their necks, backs, and throats a beautiful orange, 
 while the head is glossy black. They must be splendid 
 divers, and what a rate they go at." 
 
 " I never saw ducks before," replied the more scientific 
 missionary, " possessing the power of partially submerging 
 themselves ; only the head and top of the back is above 
 water as they paddle along. Steer the canoe in shore, 
 there are quantities of wild duck there." 
 
 " But not the same sort ; see, the head is brown, beauti 
 fully pencilled with black," said Hughes, as they all ceased 
 rowing, and the boat, left to the current, glided among the 
 broad leaves of the water-lilies, " the body and wings the 
 same, while a deep yellow ring runs round the neck. 
 There they go," he continued, "spattering along the 
 water, just like water-hens, and then diving." 
 
 Floating slowly on, the canoe entered a little bay, 
 where a quantity of drift wood had accumulated. 
 
 " Only look, Hughes : why there are hundreds of them 
 feeding apparently on insects found on the floating wood," 
 cried Wyzinski. 
 
9 o WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 "Again another species, for these are of a brownish 
 red, intermixed with dirty white. What say you to land- 
 ing in our park, taking possession, and having our dinner 
 there?" 
 
 " Agreed ; but first of all I must have that bird ; I never 
 saw one like it," replied the missionary. Strange birds 
 of brilliant plumage were flying about ; among others, a 
 small one, which hovered over the water like a hawk, 
 espying its finny prey doubtless from its dizzy height ; and 
 then, apparently shutting its wings, would drop or dart 
 into the river, like a stone, making the water splash 
 around. A shot gun had been placed in the boat, and 
 the missionary wounded one of these birds. For fully ten 
 minutes the canoe chased it, the bird diving and remain- 
 ing so long under water that it was almost impossible to 
 tell where it would rise, and eventually it got away. 
 
 The day was hot, although a cool breeze was blowing 
 on the river, bending down the long reeds on the 
 banks, as heated with their chase, and laughing at their 
 failure, the boat was forced through the drift wood into 
 the little bay, and eventually made fast by a rope to the 
 trunk of a tree. 
 
 " Here, Noti, help me to haul out the carcass of the 
 water-buck, and we'll make a fire under yonder clump," 
 shouted Hughes as he leaped ashore. 
 
 The fire was soon blazing merrily, and great collops of 
 venison roasting before it. The monkeys came grinning 
 and chattering among the branches, looking at the in- 
 truders, and occasionally pelting pieces of bark at them ; 
 strange birds of bright plumage circled round them, and 
 whole flocks of ducks went winding about among the 
 leaves of the water-lilies before their eyes. 
 
 Seated under the shade of a splendid tree, the bright 
 
THE RUINS OF S OF ALA. 91 
 
 knives were soon at work, and a hearty meal made, 
 washed down by clear cool water from the springs of 
 Gorongoza. 
 
 " What do you say to making an hour or two of halt 
 here, Wyzinski?" said Hughes, with his mouth full of 
 venison meat. "It's a sweet spot, and we could pull 
 gently down the rive^ *athe cool of the night." 
 
 " I should like very much to secure some specimens of 
 the strange birds, I see here," replied the missionary, 
 " and the moon rises early." 
 
 " Well, then, take Noti with you, and Masheesh and I 
 will be boat-keepers. I shall have a sleep." 
 
 Taking a shot gun, and calling to Noti to fetch his 
 rifle and follow him, Wyzinski strolled away leisurely into 
 the bush, having first taken the bearings of the place by 
 means of a small pocket compass he always carried. 
 
 Covering up the remains of the buck with green 
 branches to keep it fresh, Hughes took a good pull at 
 the gourd of water, and then lay down, Masheesh stroll- 
 ing towards the boat. The mosquitos were too trouble- 
 some, however, so he rose, joined the Matabele in pushing 
 off the canoe, anchored her by means of a rope and stone, 
 lay down, and was soon fast asleep at the bottom of the 
 boat. Half awake at first, the faint report of Wyzinski's 
 gun came now and then upon his ear, but at last sleep 
 prevailed. The sun was low, and his beams slanting 
 over the forest land, when, aroused by Masheesh shaking 
 the branches with which he had covered him, Captain 
 Hughes awoke. It is a peculiarity common to those 
 who lead a life of danger and adventure, that the moment 
 of awakening at once restores all their faculties. They 
 begin, as it were, where they left off. Such was the case 
 in the present instance, for one look at the Matabele's 
 
92 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 face at once told Hughes that something was wrong. 
 Carefully raising himself in the light canoe, a glance 
 showed the danger. There, on the beautiful green patch 
 where the party had eaten their meal, three splendid lions 
 were walking to and fro, rolling on the grass, growling and 
 playing, and a lioness with one cub had shown herself and 
 retired previously. It was a' splendid sight to watch 
 these magnificent animals at their gambols ; but what of 
 Wyzinski, what of Noti, the one armed with a shot gun, 
 the other with a rifle he only half understood, and what 
 was worse, both utterly unconscious of the presence of 
 the owners of the land. Presently one of the old lions 
 stopped for a moment, snuffing like a dog with his nose 
 in the air, and then walking deliberately to the traveller's 
 impromptu larder, drew forth the remains of the water- 
 buck. A second at once seized it, the third came up, 
 and a tremendous melee ensued, during which the body of 
 the deer was riven into pieces, and lions and carrion 
 seemed rolling about in one heap. Motioning to the 
 Matabele, and with his help gently lifting the anchor clear 
 of the ground, the boat was suffered to drop down the 
 stream, its occupants using their hands as paddles on the 
 off side. By this means it arrived within fifteen paces 
 of the bank, where the lions were now feeding quietly, 
 when the stone was again dropped, and the canoe swung 
 head to stream. They, thinking it to be an alligator, had 
 not taken the slightest notice of the boat, and went on 
 feeding, tearing and riving the flesh, but stopping now 
 and then to growl savagely at each other. Just then, 
 Hughes caught a faint report, and the noise of the shot 
 gun being, even at that distance, easily distinguished from 
 the sharper crack of the rifle, it told him that the mis- 
 sionary was as yet safe and far away, the report coming 
 to his ears only as a distant echo. 
 
THE RUINS OF SOFALA. 93 
 
 Thinking it better to leave the animals to feed, he and 
 Masheesh watched them. Half an hour passed, the flesh 
 "being nearly gone, and a few of the larger bones only 
 remaining. The ducks were sailing about the canoe, the 
 birds gliding here and there ; but sunset was approaching, 
 and it became absolutely necessary to get rid of them. 
 Leaning his rifle across the slight gunwale, Hughes took 
 a steady aim. Just in front of him sat a great lion, with 
 the last remnants of the buck's forequarters flung over his 
 paws, crunching at the bones. The report rang out, 
 startling the whole crew, but whether from nervousness, 
 or from some motion of the boat, he knew not, the shot 
 missed ; the startled animals, after gazing for a moment, 
 trotted deliberately off, Hughes firing another barrel after 
 them. One of them turned at the second shot, growling 
 fiercely, then the whole disappeared in the cover, while 
 the ring of the shot gun was heard about a mile away, 
 replying to that from the river. The report came from a 
 direction exactly opposite to that in which the lions had 
 disappeared. A quarter of an hour later the long plain- 
 tive cry of the Australian bushranger was heard and 
 replied to, and then Wyzinski made his appearance, 
 breaking his way through the bush, his dress torn, and 
 about thirty different kinds of birds dangling round his 
 waist. 
 
 To his great surprise, Hughes rushed forward and 
 shook him by the hand. 
 
 " Why, what's the matter ?" he asked. 
 
 " Matter enough • have you seen any lions ?" 
 
 " I have not seen anything except these birds, some 
 snakes, and a great many different kinds of monkeys, 
 some of them very large." 
 
 " Where's Noti ?" was the next question. 
 
94 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 " I'm sure I don't know," replied the missionary. " He 
 left me to follow a caracal." 
 
 " Did you hear any lions about ?" 
 
 "No, nor was I likely; that beast does not ramble 
 during the day. I saw great quantities of monkeys, I 
 repeat." 
 
 Hughes told his tale, and the full danger of Noti's situa- 
 tion was realized. Night, too, was now falling. The three 
 set to work to collect brushwood, and the shot gun soon 
 procured them some ducks for supper. A good fire 
 was lighted, and enough wood got together to keep it 
 up. All night long the lions were roaring, the cry of 
 the jackals and hyaenas showed that they too were very 
 numerous, and several large snakes, one of them more 
 than eight feet long, came within the light of the fire. 
 The bush swarmed with monkeys, and when the moon 
 rose, silvering the river with her light, two lions were 
 seen to cross the open. Still there were no tidings of 
 the missing Noti. The three men watched by turns all 
 night in the canoe, one of them landing from time to 
 time to keep up the blaze. Wyzinski's Australian bush- 
 cry rang out at times on the still air of the African night. 
 It was since the affair of the lioness of Zoutpansburgh 
 perfectly well known to all in camp, but no responsive 
 shout came back, though the night was so still that the 
 watchers often thought they could distinguish the roar of 
 the far distant surf. Morning dawned on the anxious 
 men, the birds woke up and began skimming about, the 
 ducks sailed out from among the reeds and water-lilies, 
 and still no signs of Noti. 
 
 " I fear we have lost one of our number," observed 
 the missionary, as he let fly into a flock of duck, 
 knocking over four. "Let us ask Masheeshto pluck 
 
THE RUINS OF SOFALA. 
 
 and cook those, and you and I go in search of poor 
 Noti." 
 
 " Agreed," replied the soldier, who was standing in the 
 water of a small pool, having a good wash. A loud cry 
 from Masheesh, who had just secured the fourth duck, 
 was heard, when a figure was seen staggering out of the 
 wood into the open. It was Noti, who came on, his 
 gun raised above his head, reeling like a drunken man, 
 and before he had traversed half the space, falling heavily 
 on his face to the ground. 
 
 Rising, the black stumbled forward a few paces and 
 again fell heavily. Lifting him gently, the three carried 
 the poor fellow to the canoe, placed him in it, washed 
 the clotted gore from his face, breast, and left side, 
 covering him with branches. 
 
 Attracted by the blood, the flow of which it was 
 impossible to stop, the flies came round in myriads, and 
 it was deemed best to paddle down the river, Masheesh 
 tending the dying man, for such he evidently was. 
 
 An hour afterwards, Noti was no more; but just 
 before he breathed his last, consciousness returned, and 
 he was able to tell his tale. 
 
 He had lost his way following the caracal, had wan- 
 dered about he knew not where. Had heard the shots 
 fired at the lions, and one of the animals passing not far 
 from him, he had climbed into a tree, knowing he would 
 not be deserted. All night long they had roamed about 
 him, one apparently wounded lying down under the tree 
 where he lay concealed. Towards morning it got up 
 and walked into the bush. 
 
 Guided by the Australian bush-cry, which he had 
 heard perfectly, Noti had come down from his tree. 
 Trembling with fear, the black moved cautiously on, and 
 
96 WILD SPORTS IN ZUL U LAND. 
 
 suddenly found himself face to face with the wounded 
 lion, who instantly sprang upon him. The rifle ex- 
 ploded, but how, the poor frightened wretch never 
 knew, for beast and man were rolling on the ground 
 together, and doubtless startled by the report, similar to 
 that which preceded his wound, the lion bounded awaf, 
 leaving the mangled insensible Noti on the ground. 
 Its claws had dreadfully disfigured his face, and the 
 powerful jaws had crushed in the ribs of the right side. 
 The whole had passed in a few seconds, and now at the 
 bottom of the boat lay the corpse of poor Noti. 
 
 About one o'clock that day the bar was reached, and 
 the three gazed upon the long blue line of ocean, with its 
 restless waves tipped with foam. " I had no idea the 
 river was so marshy at its mouth, nor that we should find 
 a bar," said Hughes. 
 
 " There is almost invariably one at the mouth of 
 African rivers; and look at the herons fishing. There 
 are quantities of these birds, and they seem smaller than 
 any I have seen before. What a beautiful dark purple ; 
 and the throat, too, streaked with purple lines, only they 
 have no tail," said Wyzinski. 
 
 "And the birds' nests, only see what a number of 
 them; they actually overhang the water, seeming to all 
 but touch the river." 
 
 "That is almost always the case where snakes abound," 
 replied the missionary. " The birds know that water is 
 their best protector from these reptiles ; and there are 
 the nest-builders, those bright yellow birds scarce seven 
 inches long. How active they are." 
 
 In truth the river abounded with life. There were 
 hawks and eagles soaring near, birds of beautiful colours 
 darting to and fro. The kingfisher, with its heavy scarlet 
 
THE RUINS OF SOFALA. 97 
 
 bill, and its wings of bright blue, came dashing past, 
 while another and even more beautiful bird kept crossing 
 before the canoe as if accompanying it, its head a bright 
 green colour, with wings of purple and green mixed, and 
 long dark purple tail. 
 
 " Well, I am not sorry to see the blue waves once more, 
 and to hear the scream of the gulls and Mother Carey's 
 chickens," exclaimed Hughes, as they stepped on shore, 
 and hauled the canoe up bodily on the bank. 
 
 "Look, yonder, under the palm and date trees, are some 
 Kaffir huts. Let us see what they are," said Wyzinski. 
 
 Telling Masheesh to stop by the boat, which yet con- 
 tained the body of the dead Noti, the two took their way 
 to the kraal. There were about twenty huts, and the 
 tribe seemed very poor. The first group they came to 
 was composed of women. 
 
 " There, Hughes," said the missionary, " that smacks 
 of Egyptian customs, anyway." 
 
 " What does ?" inquired the other. " I see nothing but 
 some women grinding maize." 
 
 " Just so, but look at the mode of doing it. The old 
 Egyptian hieroglyphics exactly reproduce it." 
 
 This was indeed the case, but the chief of the tribe 
 now advanced to meet them. He was a tall, long-limbed 
 man of a deep brown tint, with grey hair and regular 
 features — not in any one respect resembling the Kaffirs, 
 except as to dress, or rather the want of it. 
 
 " Well, that is strange," remarked Hughes. " If I was 
 in India, I should say I saw an Arab. Speak to him, 
 Wyzinski." 
 
 The missionary, using the Zulu dialect, asked his 
 name. 
 
 " Achmet Ben Arif/' replied the man. " It is the first 
 
 7 
 
98 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 time for many years the trader has reached the ruins of 
 Sofala." 
 
 " Ruins !" exclaimed Wyzinski, at once mounting his 
 favourite hobby. " Where are they ?" 
 
 The Arab, for such in effect he was, together with all 
 his tribe, raised his hand, pointing to a spot a few hun- 
 dred yards distant, where mounds and fragments of fallen 
 masonry were visible. 
 
 The missionary was moving away before the chief had 
 done speaking, eager to reach the ruins. 
 
 " But how," asked Hughes, speaking his own tongue, 
 which he had acquired during Eastern service, "how 
 comes an Arab tribe settled here ?" 
 
 " We know not," replied the chief. " For ages have 
 our fathers lived here, near the ruins of the white man's 
 fort." 
 
 " And yet you have preserved the language and the 
 Arab blood." 
 
 "Pure and unchanged, our customs, language, and 
 traditions remain as they were ; the dress of our people 
 alone is altered. And instead of the bournous of our 
 fathers, we wear skins like the Kaffir. It is our destiny. 
 We have gold if the white men will trade." 
 
 "We are not traders, chief. But what are the ruins 
 yonder ? Who built them ?" 
 
 " The fathers of your own people ; the white traders of 
 Te'te and the Zambesi." 
 
 These, then, were the ruins of the Portuguese fort of 
 Sofala, consequently the river the party had descended, 
 which Masheesh called the Golden River, was once the 
 means of extensive trade with the interior. Leaving the 
 chief, Hughes joined the missionary, communicating to 
 him the result of his conversation. The ruins of a large 
 
THE RUINS OF S OF ALA. 99 
 
 stone fort were crumbling away before them, the masses 
 of fallen masonry gradually disappearing before the slow 
 but steady action of time, besides being partially buried 
 in the sand drifted up before the winter gales. The Arab 
 chief followed them, after having spoken to the men near 
 him, several of whom started off in different directions, two 
 sauntering lazily down to the boat. The old man seemed 
 puzzled as to what interest could attach to the ruins. 
 
 " The stones," said he, raising his hand as he spoke, 
 and pointing over the ocean, whose waves were rolling in 
 thunder on the bar, — "the stones came from over the 
 big water to* build the white man's fort." 
 
 " That's nonsense," exclaimed the missionary, speak- 
 ing in English, and wandering from mound to mound. 
 " They were taken from some ruins in the interior, and it 
 is those we seek, The ruined cities of Zulu land." 
 
 " How firmly you have got that into your head, Wy- 
 zinski," replied his companion. 
 
 "Into my head? Do you not see — do you not re- 
 member what Masheesh told us this morning ?" returned 
 the missionary, in an excited tone. " Away yonder to the 
 north and west, running through a territory disputed be- 
 tween Mozelkatse and Machin, are the rivers Thati and 
 Ramaquotan. There lie the gold fields of Solomon. Some- 
 where in that neighbourhood, the ruined cities of the 
 mighty old Egyptians, the ancient gold-diggers, crumble 
 into dust." 
 
 " You are crazy on the subject, Wyzinski. What has an 
 old Portuguese fort to do with all this ?" replied Hughes, 
 seriously. 
 
 " You are blind, Hughes, or will not see," returned the 
 other, in a sharp tone. " Did not Masheesh call yonder 
 river the Golden River — and why V 
 
 7—2 
 
ioo WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 " Because gold may have been found in its banks, or 
 on its bar. The thing is simple enough, Wyzinski." 
 
 "It is you that are simple," said the excited man. 
 " The river brought down the boats with their cargo of 
 gold, dug near the sources of the Limpopo. The Sofala 
 of the Portuguese is the Ophir of Solomon. Here the 
 ships of Tarshish came, and from that trade in gold the 
 river took, and still keeps its name — the Golden River." 
 
 There was nothing for it but to accept the dogma. 
 The Arab chief looked on in grave silence, but no further 
 information could be extracted from him, and except the 
 direct visual evidence that a strong stone fort, had existed 
 here, which was known to have been Portuguese, nothing 
 could be discovered. The ruins were nearly buried in 
 sand, but there they still remain on the shores of South 
 Africa, the fort of Sofala being well known to all the 
 traders on the coast, and the high headland near them 
 being a much-used landmark for mariners. The moon 
 rose, and Masheesh having borrowed a hoe, the whole 
 party set to work to bury their dead. They took it in 
 turns, the Matabele chief at first objecting, but ultimately 
 taking his spell at it. Wyzinski was in the hole, working 
 vigorously and silently, the regular roll of the ocean on 
 the bar being the only sound heard. Masheesh was 
 squatted by the open grave, his knees drawn up and his 
 elbows resting on them, the palms of his hands supporting 
 his head. Hughes stood gazing over the broad expanse 
 of the Indian Ocean, with his forage cap in his hand, the 
 cool sea breeze playing amidst the heavy masses of dark 
 hair which waved uncared for over his sun-burnt forehead. 
 Suddenly the vigorous strokes of the hoe ceased, its sharp 
 broad edge had struck something, and the missionary 
 stooping lifted that something, tossed it on the bank, and 
 
THE RUINS OF SOFA LA. 16t 
 
 jumped out of the grave. A piece of massive masonry 
 overshadowed the spot, casting a long dark shadow over 
 the Kaffir's resting-place among the ruins of Sofala, as 
 snatching up what looked like a mere stone, Wyzinski 
 stepped into the moonlight and began rubbing away the 
 sand and dirt from what proved to be a bar of pure gold, 
 evidently smelted and worked into its present shape. It 
 was a curious sight, the moon shining brightly on the ruined 
 masses of masonry, streaming over the rolling ocean waves, 
 lighting up the date and palmyra trees, with their long fan- 
 like leaves, and showing the group eagerly bending over 
 the gold, while stiff and stark beside them lay the dead 
 body of the Kaffir, Noti. Then came a warning cry from 
 the Matabele warrior, and the next moment a line of dusky 
 savages, armed with their assegais and war-clubs, swept 
 round them. 
 
 It was a peculiarity of the missionary's never to lose the 
 quiet calmness of his manner, under any circumstances, 
 however trying. The greater the danger the more quiet, 
 cool, and methodical he seemed to become. Unarmed, 
 for their rifles were in the canoe, and consequently utterly 
 defenceless, the whole party stood among the ruins of So- 
 fala, surrounded by the. warriors of the Arab tribe, while 
 Wyzinski, as if nothing more than ordinary had happened, 
 seated himself on a ruined slab, more accurately to ex- 
 amine the bar of gold. 
 
 The old chief Achmet advanced, and using the Arab 
 tongue, addressed the soldier, who felt none of the stern 
 coolness of the missionary. 
 
 " I thought the white men were not merchants, and 
 refused gold," the old man remarked. " They are then 
 thieves who rob, and not fair traders who barter." 
 
 " We found the gold by chance, chief." 
 
102 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 The Arab laughed. " The white men came down the 
 river by chance, to the very spot where we find from time 
 to time the gold buried ; by chance they dig for it and find 
 it. Let them not laugh at an old man, whose grey hairs 
 will not bear it. Mashallah, let them give back the gold, 
 or my children take it." 
 
 " You are welcome, chief," replied the soldier, taking 
 the bar from Wyzinski, who seemed sunk in reverie, and 
 giving it to Achmet. " And now withdraw your warriors, 
 and let us finish what we are about." . 
 
 " Are the white men murderers as well as gold seekers ?" 
 asked Achmet Ben Arif, pointing to the dead body which 
 lay dark and motionless in the moonlight. 
 
 "Look for yourself, chief. The wounds will tell their 
 own tale," answered the other. 
 
 The old man bent over the corpse, putting his hand on 
 the torn face, and feeling the broken ribs. His fingers 
 followed the wounds for several minutes, then rising, " It 
 is a lion which has done this," he said. 
 
 " It is, chief," and Hughes told how the death had 
 occurred. 
 
 Achmet turned to his warriors, spoke a few words with 
 them, when they retired, vanishing among the trees as 
 silently as they had appeared, the old chief alone remaining. 
 
 " And you say," asked Wyzinski, " that you often find 
 worked and smelted gold here ?" 
 
 "Yes," replied the chief, "often." 
 
 " It is Portuguese, and wherever they have drawn it from 
 .is the country we seek, the ancient Ophir of Solomon. 
 There can be no doubt of that." 
 
 " Let the white men bury their dead," answered Achmet; 
 "and let them seek Machin, chief of Manica, and the Ma- 
 koapa." 
 
THE RUINS OF SOFA LA. 103 
 
 And so poor Noti was lowered into his grave, and the 
 missionary breathed the white man's prayer over the Kaffir 
 resting-place, among the crumbling ruins of Sofala. Heavy 
 stones were rolled over the spot to balk the jackals of their 
 prey, and the old chief stood calmly by, finally escorting 
 the party to their canoe. All that night and the following 
 they toiled up the stream, resting during the day, hearing 
 the roaring of the lion occasionally, and often startled by 
 the plop of the alligators, as they slid off the bank into the 
 water. The afternoon of the third day only, the camp at 
 Gorongoza was reached, their numbers reduced by one. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 GORONGOZA. 
 
 " I think," said Hughes, as the two sat outside the small 
 tent, pitched by the side of the stream, the morning after 
 their return from Sofala, — " I think we had better remain 
 here for a time." 
 
 " I agree with you ; and as there is not anyone to say us 
 No, let it be decided in the affirmative, There are large 
 quantities of wild ducks, and our fellows are so expert in 
 finding their eggs, that the great change to men who have 
 lived so long on nothing but venison must be beneficial." 
 
 " We have plenty of fruit, too, and the ground nuts are 
 not to be despised. These cool streams, which seem to 
 take their rise in yonder mountains, are another induce- 
 ment. Our lines are at present cast in pleasant places, 
 and what lies beyond seems uncertain. Let us profit by 
 the present." 
 
 " I want to go over all our baggage, and put our fellows 
 in light marching order. To look at our little camp now, 
 
104 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 without waggon or horses, without cattle, and our numbers 
 so reduced, we seem to resemble one of the parties so well 
 painted by Cooper in his Indian tales. Who are those 
 fellows r 
 
 A party of natives were seen approaching, among whom 
 was the Matabele chief. They were nearly naked, but 
 came on with a most assured air, squatting down in a half 
 circle before the tent, and employing all their powers in 
 staring stolidly at the strangers. 
 
 "Here, Luji," shouted Hughes, who was carefully 
 loading his rifle, "just see what these fellows want, will 
 you ?" 
 
 " Want calico, master," said Luji, after a great amount 
 of talk, " give gold/' 
 
 The Macombe, for such they were, produced from their 
 waist-belts quills closed at each end, which contained gold. 
 Some of the grains were of large size, and one of the na- 
 tives showed a small lump of the yellow metal. It was 
 quite evident that they knew where to procure it. 
 
 •' Does not all this go to prove my theory, Hughes ; and 
 are we not approaching a gold country ?" 
 
 " Tell them we are not traders, Luji. That we have not 
 any calico ; but ask if there is any large game about." 
 
 The scantily-dressed natives squatted on, looking fixedly 
 at the Europeans, and evidently not believing the asser- 
 tion. At length one of their number, touching a large 
 piece of canvas, which had been thrown on one side after 
 fashioning the small tent, spoke volubly, often pointing to 
 the mountain. 
 
 "The Macombe show master caracal for this," said 
 Luji, laughing. 
 
 " What's a caracal, Wyzinski ?" asked Hughes. 
 
 w Ob, these people call the leopard by that name ; but 
 
60R0NG0ZA. 105 
 
 the real caracal is the lynx or wild cat," answered the 
 missionary. 
 
 " Ask him where his caracal is, Luji ?" said Hughes. 
 
 The native pointed to a ledge of rock high up the 
 mountain side. 
 
 "Well, tell him he shall have it, Luji, if he shows me 
 the leopard. I'll leave you to the baggage department, 
 Wyzinski, and see whether I can get the caracal's skin. 
 Take the canvas, Luji, and come along. Tell him you 
 will give it him if I get a shot at the leopard." 
 
 Shouldering his rifle, Hughes moved on, beckoning to 
 the native and Luji to follow him. The former rose and 
 obeyed, while his comrades remained squatted before the 
 tent, steadfastly gazing at Wyzinski, their eyes following his 
 every movement, and so they remained stolidly staring for 
 hours, before they took their departure. 
 
 Wending his way among the men, who were busily em- 
 ployed plucking wild ducks, and preparing them for the 
 mid-day dinner, pounding up the manioc flour to make 
 cakes, or looking to the fires, Hughes took his way to- 
 wards the mountain, the native guide and Luji following. 
 Hardly had they left the outskirts of the camp, when the 
 monkey came bounding after them. 
 
 "Let him alone, Luji ; you can't drive him away," said 
 Hughes, as with a leap the mischievous brute ensconced 
 himself on the man's shoulders, the Macombe looking at 
 the scene in great astonishment. 
 
 Toiling up the face of the hill- side, they reached at last 
 the ledge of rock. It would have been very hazardous 
 to face the leopard with so small a footing ; besides, the 
 animal, of course, had a refuge there. Making a wide 
 circuit, the party, accompanied by the monkey, gained a 
 height immediately above the ledge. Posting Luji at a 
 
106 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 spot where he judged he might prove useful in case the 
 leopard bolted and the Hottentot did not, Captain 
 Hughes, lying flat on his face, leaned over the edge of 
 the precipitous rock, and looked down on to the ledge. 
 It was a very awkward position, and when far enough 
 over to enable the hunter to fire, he found himself nearly 
 overbalanced. 
 
 The ledge was empty, but after watching for an hour, 
 and when nearly wearied out, the leopard at last came out 
 of his cave, and began walking up and down the narrow 
 space. 
 
 Just as the animal, in one of his turns, arrived under 
 him, the hunter fired. The ball struck obliquely, where 
 the spine joins with the head, and, slanting off, lodged in 
 the brain, death being instantaneous, but the hunter was 
 nearly overbalanced. Just as he struggled to his knees, 
 the baboon, with a tremendous spring, lighted right on his 
 shoulders. The sudden shock destroyed his equilibrium, 
 and clutching at the bushes, which gave way slowly, one 
 by one, Hughes went over the precipice. 
 
 They luckily saved him, but, bruised and shaken, he 
 fell on the ledge close to the dead leopard, the lock of 
 the rifle being broken in the fall. Looking up, he saw 
 the monkey, peering over, and grimacing, for so nimble 
 was it, that it had not shared the fall. Shaking his fist, 
 in return for which he received a shower of stones and 
 dirt, Hughes moved cautiously along the ledge. The 
 leopard was quite dead. A cave lay a little farther on, 
 and as he entered it, he was almost driven back by the 
 close smell of decaying flesh. It was heaped with bones 
 and remains of deer, and must have been used for many 
 years. 
 
 The leopard was a male, and the female might be near. 
 
GORONGOZA. 107 
 
 Advancing cautiously, his rifle, only one barrel of which 
 was available, in his hand, Hughes was astonished by the 
 great extent of the cavern. To the right, it soon became 
 black as night, and the sound of falling water was to be 
 heard. This might explain the extreme coldness and 
 clearness of the streams of Gorongoza, for doubtless 
 they took their rise in the heart of these mountains, flow- 
 ing perhaps for miles in darkness among the caverns. 
 The roof was covered with beautiful white stalactites, but 
 the eye could not penetrate the thick darkness in this 
 direction. To the left a kind of corridor led towards an 
 opening giving on the mountain side, and towards this 
 Hughes turned, glad to get away from the fetid exhala- 
 tions of the cavern. Two hedgehogs were travelling in 
 the same direction, the quills of which were very curious, 
 being differently coloured, some white, others black, and 
 some brown, the body, where it could be seen, entirely 
 black. The animals rolled themselves up securely, look- 
 ing just like parti-coloured balls. Emerging into daylight, 
 and stepping from ledge to ledge, Hughes gained the 
 mountain side, hearing from time to time Luji's shouts, as 
 the man searched for him, then crossing a deep cut, he 
 gained another spur of the Nyamonga range, higher far 
 than the hill of Gorongoza. 
 
 Shading his eyes with his hand, Captain Hughes paused 
 breathless on the mountain height. The whole country 
 lay spread like a map before him. Far away to the east 
 lay the face of a friend, for the blue line of the ocean 
 was distinctly visible. The mountain range on which he 
 stood ran nearly north and south, while the beautifully 
 wooded plain, across which the party had travelled, was 
 mapped out before his gaze, with Quissanga, Madanda, 
 and the country of the Batonga plainly visible — the rivere 
 
108 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 looking like silvery threads, and the vast forests like inky 
 spots on the sunlit plain. To the north, stretching away 
 from the foot of the mountains, lay the plains they were yet 
 to traverse, the unknown land of promise. It looked one 
 dense forest, broken at rare intervals with open, and 
 intersected by two rivers, one appearing a consider- 
 able sheet of water, while in the far distance a range 
 of lofty mountains loomed, dim, blue, and ghostlike in 
 their outline. 
 
 A deep interest attached itself to the scene, for be- 
 tween him and those mountains the Zambesi must run, 
 and somewhere among the forests must lie the ruined 
 cities of Zulu land, if indeed they existed at all, save in 
 the excited imagination of the missionary. An hour had 
 gone by, and still Hughes stood gazing over the scene, 
 when a shout came ringing up the hill-side, and soon a 
 dark speck was seen jumping from ledge to ledge. Re- 
 cognising his comrade, Hughes answered the cry. 
 
 " I was anxious about you," said Wyzinski, as he stood 
 breathless and panting on the summit. " The whole camp 
 is out in search of you ; Luji brought in a report that you 
 had pitched over the cliff." 
 
 " And so I did, thanks to his demon of a monkey." 
 
 " Yes ; we found the dead leopard, and when searching 
 I thought I saw something like a human outline on the 
 mountain." 
 
 " Now, "Wyzinski," asked his comrade, as he leaned on 
 his rifle, "where runs the Zambesi? for I suppose it is 
 between us and yonder mountains." 
 
 " Follow the coast line," returned the other. " There 
 lies Sofala, and some forty or fifty miles more to the 
 north the Zambesi must empty itself into the sea at Quil- 
 limane." 
 
GORONGOZA. 109 
 
 "Livingstone came as far south as that, and as far 
 north from the Cape as the Limpopo." 
 
 " He did ; but instead of travelling farther north as we 
 have done, he turned to the westward, visiting the Be- 
 chuanas and Mozelkatse's country; but see, what on 
 earth can that be ?" 
 
 The missionary pointed to a kind of cairn on the moun- 
 tain side. Beside it lay six slabs of stone, and that they 
 were the work of the white man was evident. Cracked, 
 blackened, and defaced, there was no mistake, the stones 
 were worked into flat slabs, but whose were the hands 
 that fashioned them ? 
 
 " There seems to be an inscription," said Wyzinski, as 
 he stooped over them. " I feel deep marks in the stone, 
 but the earth has given way beneath them, and creeping 
 plants have grown over them. All these three are cracked 
 and broken." 
 
 " Here are three out of the six in a better state," said 
 Hughes. "We can cut away the undergrowth." 
 
 " If we can get at one only, that will be sufficient," said 
 Wyzinski, eagerly, as the two cut away at the masses of 
 weed with their knives. * Should there be any inscrip- 
 tion, we may gain some knowledge to guide our future 
 course." 
 
 It took a long time and much labour to clear away the 
 undergrowth, and then but to meet with disappointment. 
 "The different wandering tribes who have camped 
 here have used the slabs as fire-places," observed Wy- 
 zinski, sighing. " We must have water, and how can we 
 get it here ?" 
 
 "Oh, easily," replied Hughes, whose experience of 
 Indian life came to his aid. "With a buffalo hide 
 we can make a bag which will hold water, and can 
 
no WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 be carried on a man's back. We call them bheasties in 
 Madras." 
 
 " The black grime and the dirt of ages seems encrusted 
 on the slabs of Gorongoza," remarked the missionary. "I 
 can feel that there is an inscription, but I can't make it 
 out. The dirt has become like stone, and will want long 
 softening before we can scoop it out." 
 
 " It seems to me, as far as fingers can tell, that the 
 cuttings are of European form. This would go against 
 your theory, Wyzinski." 
 
 " We will see that to-morrow," was the reply, as rising 
 and shutting their knives the two took their way down to 
 the plain, speculating moodily on the probable history of 
 the slabs of Gorongoza. 
 
 The night set in wild and stormy, the thunder echoing 
 among the mountains, and the rain falling in torrents, but 
 when morning dawned, waking up the wild ducks among 
 the long reeds, and bringing them out on the clear waters 
 of the Golden River, rousing up the parrots and the mon- 
 keys in the neighbouring groves, and hushing the cries of 
 the jackals on the plains, the air was cool and pleasant. 
 
 Clothes hung on the branches near, drying in the sun- 
 shine ; rifles and guns were being cleaned, the fires were 
 lighted, and the never-ceasing process of cooking was 
 going on. Luji and one of the Kaffirs were drawing the 
 sides of a buffalo hide together by means of a string, so 
 as to carry water, working under Hughes's direction. 
 The missionary was busy with a small tool-chest, care- 
 fully selecting the objects which would aid in the pro- 
 posed search. The leopard's skin, stretched on two sticks, 
 was drying in the morning sunshine, and the baboon 
 dodging here and there, doing all the mischief possible, 
 and stealing everything it could lay its hands upon. 
 
GORONGOZA. u* 
 
 Seizing on a wild duck, just ready for the fire, the in- 
 corrigible ape bounded off with it, pursued by one of the 
 Kaffirs. The monkey gained the neighbouring grove, and 
 plunged in, followed by its pursuer. The next moment 
 the animal dashed back, having dropped the bird, evi- 
 dently terribly alarmed, and chattering its teeth, took 
 refuge with Luji. 
 
 "There is something in the bush, Luji," said Hughes, 
 snatching up his rifle. "Wyzinski, look out, there is 
 something wrong yonder." 
 
 The Kaffir who had pursued the ape had halted, and 
 was staring fixedly in the direction of the wood. 
 
 "There's the solution of the mystery," returned the 
 missionary, calmly continuing his work as though nothing 
 had happened, while one by one in Indian file, some fifty 
 men, fully armed, and evidently belonging to a tribe not 
 yet met with, stepped out of the wood and advanced to- 
 wards the little camp. Halting about thirty paces distant, 
 the party squatted on the ground, holding their long 
 assegais in their hands, and having their shields in readi- 
 ness apparently for attack. 
 
 " Do you observe," remarked the missionary, raising his 
 head from his work, those men have none of the length 
 of limb of the Zulu race, but are, on the contrary, small 
 of stature and villanously ugly ? There is the chief ad- 
 vancing towards us." 
 
 " Well, he is certainly a curious object," replied the 
 soldier, leaning on his rifle. " I never saw a man with so 
 low a forehead, so prominent cheek-bones, or so flat a 
 nose. For all covering a piece of hide round the loins, 
 and what on earth has he on his face ? They look like 
 button mushrooms growing out of the flesh. Pah ! it's 
 enough to make one sick." 
 
j 12 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 Low of stature, very black, and having the peculiarities 
 named by Hughes, the chief's natural ugliness was greatly 
 heightened by a row of gold buttons, let into the flesh, 
 from the point of the nose to the root of the hair. 
 
 With a firm step and upright bearing, this hideous ob- 
 ject advanced into the camp. Masheesh joined the group, 
 and while the dusky braves, with their assegais and shields, 
 remained calmly looking on, a long parley took place be- 
 fore the tent. 
 
 The chief of this man's tribe had his kraal near Manica, 
 and was a dependent of the great Machin himself, a rival 
 of Mozelkatse. To him the Arab, Achmet Ben Arif, had 
 sent a runner, telling of what had passed at Sofala, and 
 also of the travellers' objects in thus seeking the interior. 
 The chief invited the whole party to his kraal at Busi, 
 and under the circumstances, with fifty lance-heads glitter- 
 ing in the sunshine, to enforce the proffered hospitality, 
 it was difficult to say " No." 
 
 " The direction, too," said the missionary, " is exactly 
 that we wish to take; and if even we could help ourselves, 
 which we can't, it will be better to go." 
 
 " Then we must leave the mysterious slabs on the top 
 of yonder mountain, with their tales untold." 
 
 "Our first object," replied the missionary, "is to dis- 
 cover the ruined cities of Zulu land ; we can return any 
 time to Gorongoza ; and who so likely to aid our search 
 as this chief of Manica ?" 
 
 " If he is anything like his envoy, I don't care much to 
 see him, for a more villanous lot I never saw." 
 
 " Tell him we will break ground at daylight to-morrow, 
 Matabele," said Wyzinski, and the interview ended. The 
 armed men lounged lazily about the camp, the luggage 
 was put in order, the slabs of Goronzoga were left 
 
GORONGOZA. 113 
 
 behind, and the next day having followed a northerly 
 direction, with some westing in it, the Mahongo river 
 was passed. With so strong a party it was easy to drive 
 the antelope, so hartebeest and eland meat was plentiful 
 in the camp. The route sometimes led through thick 
 forests, which the travellers would have had some diffi- 
 culty in threading unguided, and it was only on the tenth 
 day after quitting Gorongoza the party reached the kraal, 
 to find the chief absent, having been called to Manica, 
 on a great hunting expedition. Wyzinski wished to pro- 
 ceed to Manica, but they found themselves virtually pri- 
 soners though their arms were left, and a hut was assigned 
 to the white men, Luji remaining with them. The 
 baboon gained a great reputation, and the Hottentot 
 was looked upon as the "charmer" of the party, 
 which pleased his childish nature, and he enhanced 
 it by teaching the monkey all kind of tricks, and never 
 moving about without it. He was in consequence 
 regarded with some awe, and the baboon, supposed also 
 to possess the secret of " charms," was always respected. 
 A week passed by, and at its expiration, the shouts of 
 the men, and the shrill cries of the women, heralded the 
 return of the head warrior Umhleswa, and told that the 
 hunt had been a successful one. 
 
 I 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE RUINED CITIES OF ZULU LAND. 
 
 The morning after the chiefs arrival there was a great 
 commotion in the kraal. Men ran to and fro, there was 
 shouting and much talking, and at last, followed by his 
 warriors, the chief Umhleswa came down from the coun- 
 cil enclosure, and, taking his way among the huts, halted 
 
 8 
 
ii4 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 at the entrance of that which had been assigned to the 
 white men. Umhleswa found them seated under the 
 tree which overshadowed their home, and whatever he 
 might think of them, his own "appearance was in no way 
 prepossessing. Under the middle height, his legs were 
 curved, or bowed, his forehead low and retreating, the 
 part of the head behind the ears being very massive. 
 The ears themselves were enormous, and the mouth very 
 large ; the nose flattened, and the lips thick. He wore 
 the usual set of small buttons let into the flesh, but they 
 were of virgin gold ; and a panther skin was attached by 
 a golden clasp round the waist, falling like a Highland 
 kilt. A number of small objects of glass, beads, and 
 ivory hung down from his waist, making a rattle as he 
 walked. Round his ankles, wrists, and the fleshy part of 
 the arm were circles of copper. He carried no arms, 
 but held in his hand a stick, also of gold, about a foot 
 long, and his teeth were filed, giving an appearance of 
 savage ferocity to his repulsive face. The white men 
 rose, and some additional skins being brought, the three 
 chiefs, Umhleswa, the missionary, and the soldier, seated 
 themselves, the warriors squatting in a circle around. 
 
 " The white chiefs are not traders, but like gold," said 
 the savage, after a prolonged stare. " They seek some 
 fallen huts, formerly made by their white fathers ?" asked 
 he, speaking in the Zulu tongue. 
 
 " Achmet Ben Arif spoke truly when he told you so, 
 Umhleswa," was the reply. 
 
 "The white chiefs saw the fallen house at Sofala. In 
 the mountains at Gorongoza are caves ; the traders of the 
 Zambezi built the house, the worshippers of the white 
 man's God lived at Gorongoza. There are no other 
 remains of them." 
 
THE RUINED CITIES OF ZULU LAND. ii§ 
 
 "And the stone tablets on the mountain?" eagerly 
 asked the missionary. 
 
 The lips of the savage parted, showing the sharp filed 
 teeth. " They are the graves of those who served the 
 white man's God." 
 
 " And no other rained huts are here ?" 
 
 " None. Let the white chiefs hunt with my warriors, 
 they are welcome ; the elephant and the rhinoceros are 
 in plenty. The Zambesi is not far distant, when they are 
 tired of the hunt." 
 
 The missionary was terribly disappointed, for the 
 chiefs face bore on it a look of truthfulness. There was 
 no reason for doubting him, and he did not do so. 
 
 " Umhleswa would see the chiefs hunt himself. Cattle 
 were carried awa^y from his kraal last night. The robbers 
 were three in number, and are panthers. My scouts are 
 out on the spoor : will the white men join my braves this 
 day?" 
 
 "Willingly," replied the missionary, who at once ex- 
 plained what had passed to the soldier. Tired of a 
 week's inactivity, the latter was enchanted at the chance. 
 The rifles and ammunition were soon ready. One of 
 the scouts came in with his report that the spoor had 
 been followed into a neighbouring wood, and that the 
 three panthers had not left it. The party consisted of 
 the Europeans and the Matabele chief, together with 
 Umhleswa and about thirty of his tribe. The men were 
 armed with spears, some carrying bows and arrows, the 
 chief alone having an old Spanish long-barrelled fowling 
 piece, damascened with gold. 
 
 About four miles of plain lay stretched between the 
 Amatonga village and the forest line, and it was to this 
 the whole troop of noisy savages, headed by their chief 
 
 £— 2 
 
1 16 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 and the two white men, took their way in a body. The 
 forest land, broken at intervals by patches of plain 
 watered by a small stream, stretched away to the moun- 
 tains, and once it was reached, Umhleswa made his 
 arrangements. All the men armed with assegais were 
 told off as beaters, and advancing in a long line they 
 carried the bush before them. The rest, armed with 
 bows and arrows/ were stationed in small groups at the 
 further extremity of the thick cover. Several patches of 
 bush had thus been beaten out, and no game was found. 
 
 " What immense numbers of parrots these woods con- 
 tain," said Hughes. 
 
 " And how slowly and well the savages beat. I should 
 not like to face a panther with nothing but an assegai," 
 replied Wyzinski. 
 
 The two were standing close to the chief as the mis- 
 sionary spoke, a strong party of the bowmen near, when 
 a tremendous uproar took place among the spearmen, a 
 shrill, piercing scream sounding high above the clamour. 
 
 " The panther has struck down one of my braves," ex- 
 claimed the Amatonga chief, listening eagerly. 
 
 The clamour became louder and louder, seeming to 
 recede. 
 
 " Look out, Hughes, they are doubling back, and, if 
 they don't succeed, must break out." 
 
 Hardly had the words been uttered, when three 
 panthers dashed out from the cover, about twenty paces 
 only from where Umhleswa stood. They looked beauti- 
 ful but dangerous, as they crouched for a few moments 
 on their bellies in the sand, the bright sun streaming 
 over their painted hides, the end of the tail moving slowly 
 to and fro, and showing their white teeth ; then rising, the 
 three, evidently male and female, with their young one a 
 
THE R VI NED CITIES OF ZUL U LAND. 1 1 7 
 
 little behind them, came slowly forward, ever crouching 
 for the spring and snarling savagely. 
 
 "Are you ready, Wyzinski?" said Hughes, in a low 
 hoarse tone ; " take the female — it is nearest to you." 
 
 The men with the bows had disappeared ', not so 
 Umhleswa, who stood his ground firmly. 
 
 " Take the young one, chief," whispered the missionary 
 to the Amatonga. 
 
 Both the rifles united in one common report, the 
 Spanish piece ringing out a second later. The male 
 panther sprang into the air and fell, nearly at the feet of 
 the little party, quite dead. The female, badly wounded, 
 broke away towards the mountains, while the young one 
 made his spring, striking down the Amatonga chief, and, 
 dashing through a party of the assegai men, again sought 
 shelter in the bush. The fore-arm of the female panther 
 was broken, but it ultimately gained the mountains, with 
 a party of some dozen men after it, yelling, shouting, and 
 discharging their arrows at impossible distances. The 
 poor fellow who had been struck down in the bush was 
 dead, and his body, was laid beside the carcass of the 
 leopard. Umhleswa was a good deal hurt ; the blow 
 having struck his head, but the animal being young, weak, 
 and frightened, had inflicted only a scalp wound ; never- 
 theless, the chief was stunned, and it was an hour before 
 he recovered consciousness. 
 
 For the first time since their arrival among the Ama- 
 tongas the white men were left to their own devices. The 
 confusion was very great, and all assembled round their 
 unconscious chief. A litter was constructed, and they 
 started for the kraal, the whole party of savages accom- 
 panying it. 
 
 The two Europeans, having once more loaded their 
 
n8 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 rifles, stood watching the retiring and discomfited 
 savages. 
 
 " We ought to have that second tiger, Wyzinski ; you 
 fired too low," at last observed Hughes. 
 
 "I suppose I did, confused doubtless by the three 
 leaping animals. I am sorry for it. Umhleswa missed 
 his, and it is humiliating that I only wounded mine." 
 
 " Well, what say you, shall we follow the spoor ? it will 
 lead us to yonder mountains, where we shall in all proba- 
 bility find the wounded panther." 
 
 " What if we were to follow the young one ?" 
 
 " No, it would lead us into the forest, and besides it is 
 unwounded. The Amatonga chief missed, and his braves 
 ran away ; let us bring in the female ; and besides that, 
 now that the hope of finding your cherished ruins has 
 vanished, we have nothing to do but look for sport. The 
 more reason we should not lose this chance." 
 
 The missionary stood leaning on his rifle, and he slowly 
 shook his head as he answered, — 
 
 " My faith in the existence of those ruins is unshaken ; 
 but there was a look of truth in the face of the savage 
 when h« assured us none such existed here. Well, we 
 will go to Manica, and perhaps Machin, who is repre- 
 sented as a powerful chief, may throw some light on that." 
 
 " Ay, but how will you get over the sacred nature of 
 the ruins if they do exist ?" 
 
 " By bribery ; depend upon it, nothing succeeds better 
 with the virtuous Amatonga." 
 
 "Well, good-bye to the ruins at present; and whether 
 Solomon knew the land or not, or whether Ophir be here 
 or elsewhere, our object is the skin of the panther." 
 
 Their rifles at the trail, the two hunters moved forward 
 towards the mountains, from which they were separated 
 
THE RUINED CITIES OF ZULU LAND. 119 
 
 by several belts of forest, guided by the gouts of blood 
 which the wounded animal had left. These tracks led at 
 first across the open. Here there could be no mistake 
 for the bowmen had followed the animal for some dis- 
 tance, shouting and firing off their arrows,, but the two 
 hunters soon struck into the brush once more, and still 
 guided by the spots of blood, pressed on cautiously but 
 quickly. Hardly a word was spoken as they forced their 
 way onward, the yells and shouts of the Amatongas dying 
 away ; and, with the exception of the breaking of the 
 branches, and the sound of running water in the bed of 
 the stream, all was still. After heavy rains this river must 
 be a considerable one, but at that moment it was small, 
 so the hunters followed, so far as practicable, its course, 
 the wounded panther having done the same. After 
 having proceeded thus some two miles in the brush, 
 sometimes stumbling over the boulders of stone, some- 
 times with difficulty forcing a pathway among the trees 
 and bushes, the river turned suddenly to the right, and as 
 suddenly the forest ceased. 
 
 The missionary halted, and looked about him anxiously. 
 
 " What's the matter f" asked Hughes in a low tone, 
 cocking his rifle as he spoke. 
 
 "See," answered the other, "the stream has been 
 dammed up here, and there are evident traces of masonry. 
 This is strange." 
 
 "We are close to the end of the belt of this forest-land, 
 and shall soon solve the mystery, if there be one." 
 
 " There is a considerable sheet of water here, and why 
 should it exist ? Can we be near some large kraal ?" 
 
 Slowly the two moved forward, and as they did so the 
 trees became gradually further apart, the banks of the 
 stream seemed quite clear, even from brushwood. A 
 
120 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 sharp bend led to the right, and there before them, 
 tumbled here and there among the mighty trees, looking 
 like masses of rock, lay scattered far as the eye could 
 reach, following the bend of the river, fallen masonry. 
 
 Both stopped dead in utter astonishment, looking like 
 men at once frightened and bewildered, the missionary's 
 usually calm and impassive countenance growing one 
 moment deadly pale, the next flushing a deep crimson. 
 So great was the shock, so totally unexpected the event 
 — for he had perfectly believed in what the Amatonga 
 had said — that the tears stood in his eyes. 
 
 Here, then, was a confirmation of all his theories. 
 Here, the vast ruins among the gold-fields of king 
 Solomon ; here the source of the Sabe, or Golden River, 
 down whose stream the boats of bygone days floated gold, 
 cedar-wood, and precious stones. An Englishman's first 
 impulse at once seized on Hughes, and, yielding to it, 
 the two exchanged a vigorous shake of the hand. 
 
 "What could induce Umhleswa to tell us such an un- 
 truth ?" were the first words which broke from the mis- 
 sionary's lips. 
 
 "Because the ruins are sacred, and these people 
 believe no rain will fall for three years if they be molested," 
 was the reply. 
 
 A sense of the danger now stole upon Wyzinski's mind 
 as his comrade spoke. 
 
 " Hughes, I shall go on ; but I have no right and no 
 wish to endanger your life. Leave the adventure to me \ 
 return to camp while there is yet time." 
 
 The soldier's face flushed to the roots of his hair, and 
 he made no reply, simply grasping his rifle and moving 
 jorward. 
 
 " Stay," urged the missionary, laying his hand on the 
 
THE RUINED CITIES OF ZULU LAND. 121 
 
 other's shoulder, " I meant no unkindness. As a matter 
 of simple prudence you ought to return. If harm hap- 
 pened to one of us, it would not matter as far as the 
 world is concerned ; if to both, this secret would be lost 
 with us." 
 
 " Don't talk nonsense," replied Hughes, firmly, " but 
 come along. We are comrades in danger as in all else. 
 What one shares, the other does too. This must have 
 been once a vast pile." 
 
 "Gold, cedars, and now the ruins; we have found 
 all," muttered the missionary, as, yielding the point, he 
 strode onward, once more sinking into reverie. 
 
 There rose right in front of them two massive ruins of 
 pyramidical form, which must at one time have been of 
 great height. Even now, broken and fallen as they were, 
 the solid bases only remaining, they were noble and im- 
 posing. Part had come tumbling down, in one jumbled 
 mass, into the bed of the river, while the dwarf acacia 
 and palm were shooting up among the stones, breaking 
 and disjointing them. The two gazed long and silently 
 at these vast mounds, the very memory of whose builders 
 had passed away. 
 
 Awe-struck and surprised, they sat down by the stream, 
 and, without exchanging a word, drank of the clear water. 
 Their clothes torn, hands and faces bleeding from the 
 exertions made in forcing their way through the bush, 
 their skin tanned to a deep mahogany colour, there they 
 stood at last among the ruined cities of a lost race. By 
 the banks of the stream the pomegranate, the plantain, 
 and the mango, were growing in wild luxuriance — trees 
 not known in the land, consequently imported. 
 
 Overshadowing the fallen blocks of stone, the date- 
 tree and palmyra waved their fan-like leaves. Dense 
 
122 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 masses of powerful creepers twined up the ruins, rending 
 the solid masonry ; and the seeds of the trees dropping 
 year by year had produced a rapid undergrowth, those 
 which had once been valuable fruit trees having degene- 
 rated into wild ones. Chaos had, in a word, re-appeared 
 where once trade and prosperity, order and regularity 
 reigned. 
 
 " Let us gather some of the custard apples, and climb 
 yonder ruin/' said the missionary, speaking for the first 
 time. 
 
 It was no easy task ; for the accumulation of fallen 
 masonry, and the dense growth of the brush, rendered it 
 often necessary for the onward path to be cleared by the 
 use of the knife. The whole mass appeared at one time 
 to have been encircled by a wall, now fallen, the 
 entrances to which could be distinctly traced, and this 
 confirmed the report which had been gathered by the 
 missionaries of Santa Lucia Bay. 
 
 Slowly the two forced their way towards the vast 
 ruined mound they were striving to gain, often stumbling 
 and falling among the loose stones and treacherous 
 creepers. 
 
 A maze of half-fallen passages led away to right and 
 left, terminating in what appeared to be a court-yard, in 
 which were the remains of stone columns. 
 
 " There has once been carved work on these pillars, 
 Hughes," said the missionary, as they paused, breathless 
 with their exertions. * The action of ages has worn it 
 away." 
 
 "And what is more singular," replied Hughes, who 
 now seemed as much interested in the ruins as his com- 
 rade, " no mortar of any kind appears to have been used, 
 the massive stones fitting into one another exactly." 
 
THE RUINED CITIES OF ZULU LAND. 123 
 
 "This temple or palace has stood upon a kind of 
 platform of masonry," remarked the missionary, "with 
 broad steps leading up to it. What a commanding 
 object it must then have been." 
 
 " The difficulty will be to climb what was once the 
 flight of steps," said Hughes. " I don't see how we can 
 manage it." 
 
 Slinging their rifles behind them, and after many 
 failures, the two helping each other from time to time, 
 and taking advantage of every projection, stood at last 
 on the raised platform on which the building had rested. 
 Below them ran a labyrinth of crumbled galleries and court- 
 yards : and wherever the eye could penetrate, mounds of 
 fallen masonry cropped up amidst the dense forest growth. 
 
 The vast ruin itself was now a shapeless mass, being 
 utterly broken and defaced. The top of the mound was 
 overgrown by bush, interlaced with creeping plants, and, as 
 using their knives the two cut their way onward, the light 
 of day penetrated feebly into a ruined chamber of vast 
 size. A dead silence reigned therein, and as they paused 
 at the entrance and looked back on the scene which lay 
 below, perhaps the first Europeans who had stood on 
 that weird spot for many ages, the missionary could not 
 but feel dispirited. 
 
 "The day-dream of my life realized. I stand among 
 the ruins of the cities of old ; but where they begin, or 
 where they end I know not. The forest has re-asserted 
 her old rights, torn from her by the hand of civilisation," 
 he remarked. 
 
 " Look where you will there is nothing to be seen but 
 broken mounds and tottering walls ; it would require a 
 brigade of men and years of work to clear these ruins," 
 replied Hughes. 
 
124 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 " Yes, the extent of them is a mystery at present. We 
 can but affirm their existence. What a deep dead silence 
 hangs over the spot. Let us go on." 
 
 They penetrated the ruined chamber, but hardly had 
 they put their feet across the threshold, when bats in 
 vast numbers came sweeping along, raising, as they did 
 so, a fine dust, which was nearly blinding. The ruins 
 seemed their home, and there they lived, bred, and died 
 in countless numbers. Some were of a sickly-looking 
 greenish colour, and of heavy and lumbering flight, often 
 striking against the two explorers as they came along. 
 
 At one moment the missionary was surrounded by 
 these tenants of the ruined palace, these winged things 
 which had taken for themselves the abodes of the 
 Pharaohs of old. He struck out in self-defence and 
 killed several, measuring one for curiosity. Its length 
 was only between five and six inches, but when the wings 
 were spread it was at least nineteen from tip to tip. 
 Their numbers seemed to increase, for troops of others, 
 of a dull brownish red colour, joined their loathsome 
 companions, and then a third species of a chestnut 
 brown, mingled with dingy white, came trooping along. 
 What the building had been it was impossible to tell ; 
 but it must have once seemed a mighty pile standing on 
 its platform of stonework, with a flight of broad steps 
 leading to it. These steps had disappeared ; but remains 
 of them could be noticed, and from the elevation where 
 the two stood, the line which had once been the wall of 
 the town could be traced here and there. There were 
 not any remains of a purely Egyptian character, save a 
 worn arabesque representing the process of maize-grind- 
 ing ; but this was to be seen daily practised among the 
 tribes, and therefore proved nothing, for it remained an 
 
THE RUINED CITIES OF ZULU LAND. 14$ 
 
 open question whether the natives had taken it from the 
 sculptor, or whether he had imitated the natives. Here 
 and there were remains of carvings representing serpents, 
 birds, and beasts of uncouth form, leading to the belief 
 that the building had once been a temple. Passing 
 along, nearly blinded by the fine dust, their knives cut 
 them a way out, and the breeze and sunshine seemed 
 doubly welcome after the dank, confined air of the old 
 ruin. Huge lizards glided away among the broken 
 stones as they emerged from the corridor — for such it 
 seemed — and monkeys were to be seen darting away 
 among the trees as they let themselves down from the 
 platform. These animals had not any tails, resembling 
 those found among the Atlas mountains; while the 
 jackal and hyaena, surprised at the sight of human beings 
 in this solitary spot, sneaked away among the masses of 
 fallen masonry, snarling as they looked back. Near the 
 stream the spoor of the elephant was distinctly visible, 
 and it was evident this was one of their favourite feed- 
 ing grounds, for the banks were strewed with the broken 
 branches of the mashuka, and the debris of the plantains. 
 The tamarind-trees and palmyra grew luxuriantly, and 
 for hours the two wandered among the ruins, or, seated 
 on the fallen heaps, lost themselves in conjectures. 
 " It is impossible," at last said Wyzinski, seating him- 
 self, fairly wearied out, " for us to explore further these 
 relics of the past. We can but tell of their existence, I 
 repeat." 
 
 " The axe, or fire — perhaps both — would be necessary 
 before even their extent could be known," replied Hughes. 
 " Look at that mass of masonry, thickly hedged round 
 with date, camel thorn, and white mimosa. Mark the 
 thick undergrowth and the strange creeping vine-like 
 
: 26 WILD SPOR TS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 shrubs running along the ground, and festooning them- 
 selves to the trees, and the difficulty will be realized." 
 
 " There seem to me to be caves cut in yonder moun- 
 tain side : let us go there." 
 
 In rear of the ruins rose the slopes of the Malopopo 
 hills, and leading in that direction was a kind of passage 
 through a lower range, the river flowing in the middle. 
 On each side rose the rocks, scarped down towards the 
 bed of the stream, from which coal was cropping out. 
 The summits of the hills were worn and rounded by the 
 action of time, and here and there clumps of trees were 
 growing on the river banks. It was up this cut the two 
 advanced, Hughes leading. Stopping as he turned a 
 shoulder of the rock, the missionary joined him. Seven 
 rhinoceros were sleeping quietly by the water side 
 under the trees, the boughs of which were literally bend- 
 ing under the mass of nests made by the same bright 
 yellow bird which had been seen so numerous on the 
 Sofala river. 
 
 The animals were totally different from any other that 
 had been seen. 
 
 " They have a perfectly smooth skin," remarked 
 Hughes. 
 
 "Yes, and are of a pale yellow colour instead of 
 brown, like the one which treated me so unceremoniously 
 in the country of the Matabele. Both the horns are 
 pointed, and both long." 
 
 " We had better look out. See, they have awoke, and 
 are getting into line ready to charge us." 
 
 In fact the brutes seemed very savage, and so soon as 
 they perceived the intruders on their solitude, they 
 charged down the glen. Scrambling up a rock, the 
 danger was easily avoided. The herd passed on except 
 
THE RUINED CITIES OF ZULU LAND. 127 
 
 one old cow with its young one, who halted after having 
 gone some twenty yards, and turning deliberately round 
 returned, gazing with apparently great curiosity at the 
 white men. It was impossible to pass ; and there stood 
 the great lumbering animal fairly mounting guard over 
 the two who, perched on. the rock, were only wishful to 
 be left alone. 
 
 There was nothing for it, however, but to get rid of 
 the troublesome visitor ; so, leaning the rifles on the flat 
 rock on which they were lying, by agreement both aimed 
 for the centre of the forehead. The two reports seemed 
 as one, as for a moment the rhinoceros stood firmly, and 
 then fell over into the river, dyeing the water with blood. 
 It was a great size, measuring close upon twelve feet in 
 length, and ten in girth, while the horns were so nearly 
 matched that there was not a quarter of an inch difference 
 between them. The openings of several caves were to 
 be seen, and near one there appeared to have been some 
 fight lately, for blood, evidently quite fresh, was lying 
 about. 
 
 To this cave the two climbed, entering very cautiously. 
 Chance had again favoured them, for there lay the leopard 
 quite dead. Bones of different kinds were heaped about, 
 showing that for a time at least it had been the abode of 
 wild animals. It was about twenty feet high, and there 
 were some curious carvings on the walls, the entrance 
 having evidently been scarped down by the hand of man. 
 Close to the doorway were two colossal carvings, as if to 
 guard the mouth of the cave. Each represented the 
 figure of a nearly naked warrior, having a covering only 
 round the loins , and each held in his hand two spears, 
 and not having any shield — in this widely differing from 
 the present race. The faces of these figures seemed of 
 
128 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 an Arab type. There was no trace of door, but some 
 broken remains would seem to indicate that the entrance 
 had once been walled up, while close by lay a slab of 
 stone bearing a tracing on it of the figure of the African 
 elephant. There were many similar caverns here and 
 there in the mountain side. 
 
 "The sun is sinking, Wyzinski," said Hughes. "It 
 will be impossible to retrace our way in the darkness, and 
 the moon does not rise until eleven o'clock ; we had 
 better stay where we are." 
 
 " I am tired out," replied the missionary. " I don't 
 doubt but that these caverns have once been the graves 
 of the dead belonging to yonder city. This may well 
 serve for ours, only we must contrive a fire." 
 
 "Yes, or we may have the young leopard back, if 
 Umhleswa's Spanish rifle has not done for him. We 
 have still half an hour of daylight : the branches dragged 
 down by the elephants lie in heaps yonder, and are 
 dry." 
 
 The half hour sufficed, a fire was lit at the entrance of 
 the cave on the ledge outside, and the missionary, lying 
 down, was soon buried in sleep. 
 
 The day had been very hot, and what with the excite- 
 ment, fatigue, and want of nourishment, the two were 
 tired out. Still Hughes determined to watch, as heaping 
 wood on the fire, he placed his rifle on his knees, and 
 leaned back in a sitting posture against the rock. Night 
 came on ; the cries of the animals began to be heard, and 
 the jackals soon found out the carcass of the rhinoceros. 
 The stars were very brilliant, and the soldier sat thinking 
 of the past, and peopling in imagination those fantastic 
 masses of fallen ruin which had once at that hour 
 rung with bustle and merriment. The wind came in hot 
 
THE RUINED CITIES OF ZULU LAND. 129 
 
 puffs, making the date and palmyra leaves rustle as they 
 waved to and fro ; the noise of the stream breaking over 
 the fallen masonry was very monotonous, and soon the 
 sentry found himself dozing. He rose, heaped fresh 
 wood on the fire, looked out from the ledge into the 
 night, listened to the cracking of the branches, which 
 told him that elephants were not far off, and then again 
 sat down. 
 
 The moon rose, silvering with its beams the finely-cut 
 leaves of the tall palmyra and the broken ruins, shining 
 on the human figure at the entrance of the cave, and 
 gleaming on the bright barrel and lock of the English 
 rifle ; but the soldier slept on his post ; the jackals 
 fought over the carrion, the fire burned lower and lower, 
 and finally went out. Day was dawning, when a loud 
 shout close to the mouth of the cavern woke both the 
 soldier and the missionary, but only to find themselves 
 surrounded by a band of the Amatonga warriors fully 
 armed, while the savage eyes and filed teeth of their 
 chief, Umhleswa, seemed to give a more vindictive ex- 
 pression than ever to his repulsive face. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 umhleswa's bargain. 
 
 The following day the whole kraal was in commotion, 
 Umhleswa summoning the braves of the tribe around 
 him in council, the white men not being deprived of their 
 arms, but very closely watched. The assembly was a 
 noisy one. On the one hand the native superstitions in- 
 vested the ruins with a sacred character, and the Ama- 
 tonga chief had been placed where he was to prevent any 
 
 9 
 
130 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 access to them by Europeans. There could not be a 
 doubt that the whole tribe had been guilty of negligence, 
 their chief included, and that they were responsible to the 
 king of Manica for what had happened. On the other, 
 Masheesh, as the representative of his chief, loudly pro- 
 claimed the white men to be under Mozelkatse's protec- 
 tion, and demanded their safety, threatening a dire re- 
 venge if anything happened to them. The anger of so 
 powerful and fierce a chief as Mozelkatse was to be 
 dreaded. Umhleswa, too, was an ambitious man, and 
 was not contented with his position as chief of a petty 
 tribe. He coveted firearms, and these he could only 
 obtain from the whites. Without those arms he could do 
 nothing, and the way to procure them was certainly not 
 by putting to death the first white men who came among 
 them. Umhleswa was cruel, vindictive, and unscrupulous, 
 and he had, without hesitation, told the white men a 
 deliberate untruth to hinder their seeking for the sacred 
 ruins. His chance wound and subsequent insensibility 
 upset his calculations ; still he was very much averse to 
 shedding their blood. 
 
 There was, however, a warrior of the tribe second only 
 to himself in power — a man of another stamp, and famed 
 for personal courage and deeds of daring. Between 
 Sgalam and Umhleswa there had always been rivalry, and 
 on this occasion the Amatonga brave took an entirely 
 different view of the whole matter, openly blaming 
 Umhleswa's conduct, and demanding the death of the 
 white men as the only means of securing the safety of the 
 tribe. 
 
 The result was long doubtful, and what between the 
 chief's arguments and Masheesh's threats, the balance 
 seemed in favour of clemency. The council was noisy, 
 
UMHLESWA'S BARGAIN. 131 
 
 and divided in opinion. Umhleswa had just been show- 
 ing in eloquent words the injustice of dooming to death 
 men who had acted from ignorance, pointing out that 
 they could not have known the sacred nature of the place 
 they had invaded; and he seemed to be carrying with 
 him the feelings of the tribe as they all squatted round in 
 the inclosure on the hill-top, when Sgalam, roused to a 
 last effort, strode straight up to Luji, who was listening 
 open-mouthed, and laying his hand on the man's shoulder, 
 " Here is one of their head-men," he said, with violence ; 
 " ask him if the white chiefs were not warned, ay, even m 
 Mozelkatse's camp. Should they go free, Sgalam him- 
 self will denounce the folly in the council inclosure of 
 Manica." 
 
 The baboon, seeing a hand laid on Luji, and doubtless 
 thinking harm was meant him, at once flew at the orator, 
 making his teeth meet in the man's arm, and chattering 
 wildly. 
 
 The powerful savage with one blow dashed the animal 
 to the ground, Luji, who was fairly roused, being in a great 
 rage, threatening the chief with the white men's vengeance. 
 A scene of confusion ensued, but Sgalam's eloquence de- 
 cided the matter, and the verdict was death ; the council 
 breaking up without fixing when and in what manner the 
 punishment was to be inflicted. 
 
 In the interior of the hut assigned to the Europeans 
 that night, all was quiet, and the two occupants were 
 sound asleep. There was no door, but only a narrow 
 entrance, across which a naked savage was sleeping, several 
 others being thrown here and there outside, also fast 
 asleep. Midnight was long passed when a noise was 
 heard near the opening, and the moonlight was for a 
 moment obscured by two bodies passing. Calling to 
 
 9—3 
 
i 3 2 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 Wyzinski, the soldier, who slept lightly, seized his pistols, 
 but the voice of Masheesh was heard, speaking in low 
 tones, as he stepped over the body of the sleeping sentry, 
 followed by the second figure. It was not dark, the moon 
 shining brightly outside, and Umhleswa's face and form 
 was not one to be easily mistaken. He was naked save at . 
 the waist, his body smeared with oil, but wearing no dis- 
 tinctive mark of any kind, while his broad, flat nose, high 
 cheek-bones, receding forehead, sharp filed teeth, and 
 shining body, gave him even a more repulsive look than 
 usual in the faint moonlight. Outside all was quiet save 
 the usual cries of the jackals and hyaenas hovering round 
 the kraal, and the heavy breathing of the sleeping guard. 
 Seating himself on some skins, while Masheesh squatted 
 down near the entrance, Umhleswa spoke. 
 
 " Have the white chiefs no fear of death," he asked, 
 " that they sleep soundly ?" 
 
 " No," replied the missionary, using the Zulu dialect ; 
 "we do not believe in it at your hands. We were 
 travelling through the land, our safety insured by Mozel- 
 katse's word. You sent for us and we came, consequently 
 besides the safeguard of the king of the Matabele we 
 have yours." 
 
 " If Mozelkatse's word be scorned," added the Mata- 
 bele brave, " the land between the Suave and the Zam- 
 besi shall be dyed red with Amatonga blood, and the 
 assegai of Masheesh shall find the heart of their chief. 
 The country shall be desert, and the tribe only live in 
 the remembrance of the past." 
 
 " I have not come to the dwelling of the white men to 
 hear this," replied Umhleswa, scornfully. "Will they 
 promise, by their God, not to go near the fallen huts if 
 set free ?" 
 
UMHLESWA'S BARGAIN. 133 
 
 Both hesitated, for the desire to explore those ruins 
 was strong in their minds, and both were willing to risk 
 life to do so. 
 
 " We will make Umhleswa rich with presents, we will 
 hunt for him the elephant and the rhinoceros, if he will 
 not only allow us to see the ruined huts, but aid us with 
 his men to lay them bare." 
 
 The dark eyes of the savage glistened at the thought of 
 the presents, and he mused for several minutes, the silence 
 being so deep that the breathing of the sleeping men 
 could be distinctly heard outside. He spoke at last, but 
 slowly — 
 
 " It may not be ; send Umhleswa arms for his tribe ; 
 make him powerful enough not to heed the anger of the 
 chief of Manica, and the fallen huts are the white men's. 
 Dotheyknow thatdeath hasbeen pronounced against them, 
 and do they know what kind of death they must meet ?" 
 " It matters not what," replied the missionary; " we 
 have faced it too often to fear it in any form." 
 
 " Deatn !" hissed out the savage, his eyes gleaming, and 
 his white teeth shown in the half light, " by fire, — slow, 
 but sure death. Will the white chiefs promise ?" 
 " We promise," replied the missionary. 
 " Will they pay a ransom ?" continued the savage. 
 "We have nothing to give; but we will return with 
 presents." 
 
 The chief pointed to the rifles and pistols. 
 " Umhleswa would gladly have these, and when the 
 white men return with more, he will take them also." 
 
 " They shall be yours, chief, when we cross the frontier, 
 not before." 
 
 " Will the God of the white man send rain when his 
 children ask for it ?" he inquired. 
 
134 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 "If in his great power and infinite knowledge he 
 thinks it is necessary," replied the missionary, a little 
 jesuitically. 
 
 "Then," continued Umhleswa, "it is agreed. The 
 white men promise not to hanker after the fallen houses, 
 but to cross the frontier near the Zambesi, to give each a 
 rifle, also that when they return they will bring a rich pre- 
 sent for Umhleswa, giving him the means to resist the 
 chief of Manica, and to laugh at his anger." 
 
 " It is agreed," replied the missionary. 
 
 " The white man speaking our language answers for his 
 brother ?" asked the savage. 
 
 " He shall answer for himself," replied the missionary. 
 
 Turning to the soldier, Wyzinski explained the terms 
 of the bargain, pointing out that they were completely in 
 the chiefs power, and that he himself was fully determined 
 to organise a party, and return to the ruins, in which case 
 the protection of the savage would be valuable. 
 
 At the other end of the hut a violent discussion was 
 going on between the Matabele brave and the Amatonga 
 warrior, the former declaring that the white men must be 
 brought back to Mozelkatse's country, the other remain- 
 ing quite unmoved. 
 
 Hughes at once saw the truth of Wyzinski's explana- 
 tion, and though he did not like to part with an old 
 friend, made up his mind to do so, the more readily be- 
 cause he saw that Umhleswa could equally be in posses- 
 sion of the rifles by killing the whole party. He therefore 
 rose, crossed to where the chief sat, and gave his hand in 
 token of ratification. 
 
 " Good," said Umhleswa, rising ; "and now let the white 
 men sleep in peace." Stepping over the figures of his re- 
 cumbent braves, the chief took his way in the moonlight, 
 
UMHLESWA'S BARGAIN. 135 
 
 through the huts, even the dogs remaining silent as he 
 passed. 
 
 It was nearly dawn, and Masheesh having thrown him- 
 self down on the ground to sleep, the two white men, 
 greatly relieved, sat discussing their future prospects. 
 The freshness of the coming day had made itself felt al- 
 ready, the moonlight was growing more and more feeble, 
 and still they sat talking of many things. 
 
 " We shall have plenty left to send the Matabele back 
 a rich man," said the missionary. 
 
 " And as for Luji, I left his full pay and a handsome 
 'Bucksheesh' with my relative on the Umvoti," answered 
 Hughes. 
 
 " We shall be certain of a good reception from the 
 Portuguese at Tete or Senna on the Zambesi, and are 
 sure to find some coasting vessel at Quillimane, bound 
 for Table Bay." 
 
 " And we shall have traversed Eastern Africa from the 
 Limpopo northwards to the Zambesi; but, see, day is 
 breaking ; I long for the fresh air of morning after stifling 
 all night here." 
 
 Taking up his rifle, Hughes walked to the entrance, 
 stooped, and went out, stepping over the prostrate bodies 
 of the guard. Day was just breaking, and with it the 
 Amatonga kraal was waking into life. Luji was fast 
 asleep under a tree, and on a branch above him sat the 
 baboon, looking upwards, and making hideous faces. It 
 was evident there was something concealed in the tree, 
 which wanted to pass the monkey, and which the latter 
 would not allow. Watching them, Hughes soon saw a 
 head, garnished with two great eyes, peeping out of the 
 foliage. Waiting an opportunity, he fired, tlie village ringing 
 with the report which sounded very loud on the quietmorn 
 
136 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 ing air. The guards at the entrance of the hut, startled 
 out of all propriety, jumped to their feet, forgetting their 
 duty, and scuttled off. A howl of terror from Luji rang 
 out, the caracal, dropping from branch to branch, plumped 
 heavily on the half-awakened Hottentot, while the baboon 
 dashed after it, chattering with delight. The animal was 
 a large one, and resembled a very big and beautifully 
 marked cat, striped like a small tiger, the ears being black, 
 pointed, and tipped with tufts of hair. 
 
 Taking it by the tail, and laughing at the alarm he had 
 caused, Hughes walked towards the entrance of the hut, 
 where, attracted by the report, the missionary and Ma- 
 sheesh stood. 
 
 Just as he reached it, a long, loud, wailing cry rang out 
 from the very centre of the kraal. For a moment all was 
 silent, and then once more it was heard. There was an 
 unusual bustle, the savages, male and female, seeming 
 much excited. Soon many other voices chimed in, and 
 it became evident that something had happened to cause 
 sorrow and lamentation in the tribe. Masheesh had al- 
 ready gone, and breakfast was to the two white men of 
 more importance than anything that could affect their 
 hosts, the Amatongas. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE DEAD CHIEF. 
 
 The sun had risen in all its splendour, the smoke from 
 the many fires curling spirally up into the air, for there 
 was hardly the faintest breeze. Every thing betokened 
 the heat of an African day. Under the shadow of 
 their tree sat the two Europeans, their rifles leaning 
 
THE DEAD CHIEF. 137 
 
 against its trunk. Luji was near, playing with the baboon, 
 which was chattering and making hideous faces ; the 
 missionary busily employed taking notes of the journey, 
 and Hughes skinning carefully the caracal he had that 
 morning shot. Things seemed to have quieted down in 
 the kraal, and the excitement to have partially at least 
 died away. Not knowing whether they were to consider 
 themselves prisoners or not, though the guard had not 
 resumed their post, and thinking if they left the camp the 
 act might be wrongly construed by Umhleswa, the white 
 men remained where they were. 
 
 "What is the matter with the Matabele?" asked 
 Hughes, as he raised his eyes and saw Masheesh coming 
 down among the huts in a manner very different from his 
 usual stately pace. 
 
 " We shall soon know the cause ; see how the muscles 
 of his black face are working, and listen to the shouts of 
 the Amatongas behind him. Well, Masheesh, what's 
 wrong ?" asked Wyzinski, looking at him, with his pencil 
 and note-book in his hand. 
 
 " Sgalam is dead !" replied the Matabele, in an excited 
 tone. 
 
 "And who the deuce is Sgalam?" asked the missionary, 
 calmly bending his head once more over his work. 
 
 " The chief who spoke so bitterly against the white 
 men ; he who threatened to denounce Umhleswa if they 
 were not put to death ; refusing to hear the words of 
 Mozelkatse, and who was threatened by Luji with death." 
 
 " Well, a chief has departed from among his people, 
 and the Amatonga have lost a brave ; but what then ?" 
 
 "The evil eye has done it. The white men have 
 bewitched their enemy, and he is dead." 
 
 The full danger of the situation dawned on the mis* 
 
Ij8 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 sionary's mind as Masheesh said this, and turning to 
 Hughes, he told what had passed. The latter only 
 laughed. 
 
 " Since we have been in Africa/' he replied, " I have 
 not seen one instance of violence or bloodthirstiness. A 
 more gentle race I never met with. Why it is the cus- 
 tom even among the warriors who have shed blood in battle, 
 to consider themselves unclean, and a native who has so 
 much as touched a dead body is thought so. What is 
 there to fear ?" 
 
 "The whole native population of South Africa is super- 
 stitious, and these Amatongas are a low caste tribe, more 
 superstitious than most. You heard Umhleswa ask about 
 the rain ?" 
 
 "Yes, I know he did." 
 
 " Well, not only have they their rain-makers, but their 
 sorcerers ; and they believe firmly in witches, ghouls, the 
 evil eye, and vampires. They will kill all their cattle 
 on the order of one of these sorcerers, and starve by 
 hundreds." 
 
 "Well, if that is the case, it certainly is enough to 
 excite them, that the very man who was the most bitter 
 against us should die thus suddenly. It is a very strange 
 circumstance that Luji should have denounced him." 
 
 While 'they were talking the shouting and yelling 
 seemed to approach rapidly, and now a band of Ama- 
 tonga, their naked bodies smeared with paint, came rush- 
 ing down from among the huts. In a moment more than 
 a hundred yelling savages surrounded the tree, shouting, 
 screaming, and brandishing their assegais. The rifles 
 could do nothing against such a number. 
 
 " Our only hope is in Umhleswa," whispered the mis- 
 sionary, as he bent his calm face over his note-book, 
 
THE DEAD CHIEF. 139 
 
 apparently unconcerned. They were a terrible looking 
 set, those dark-skinned Amatongas, and the two Euro- 
 peans felt themselves completely in their power. 
 
 Hideously ugly, with their enormous mouths, woolly hair, 
 and receding foreheads, they had still further disfigured 
 themselves with paint. Masheesh did all a man could do 
 to quiet them, but it was no use \ the white men were 
 seized, separated, and their rifles taken from them, their 
 hands being firmly tied together. Luji shared their fate, 
 and the monkey very much frightened, jumped to his 
 usual place on his shoulders, jabbering and grimacing. 
 Several blows with the wood of the assegais were given, 
 and thus ill-treated, with the whole band of yelling sa- 
 vages around them, the captives were driven up the centre 
 of the Amatonga village. 
 
 The change in their situation had indeed been a sudden 
 and dangerous one. Relying on the promise of the chief, 
 all anxiety had been dismissed from their minds, and the 
 future had seemed bright and fair before them. A few 
 minutes later, they found themselves bound prisoners, and 
 on their way to the hut of the dead man. 
 
 They reached the entrance, where on the threshold sat 
 the wife of the dead chief, rocking herself to and fro, and 
 uttering a succession of wailing cries. Suddenly starting 
 up as the captives approached, she spoke quickly to the 
 braves around her, gesticulating and screaming. 
 
 She was urging her people to sacrifice the murderers of 
 her husband, as an expiatory offering on the chiefs grave. 
 This much the missionary could understand, as he bent 
 his calm, clear eye on the excited countenance of the 
 frantic woman. The quiet glance seemed only to enrage 
 her more, as shaking her long skinny fingers in his face, 
 she turned and dashed into the death-chamber. 
 
140 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 Jostled violently along, the two prisoners found them- 
 selves standing in the hut close together. 
 
 "We are lost, Hughes," said the missionary, in low, 
 hoarse tones. 
 
 " The chief may save us," replied his comrade. "There 
 is yet hope." 
 
 Inside the women were chanting, in loud drawling tone, 
 the good qualities of the deceased, telling of his virtues 
 in peace, his wisdom in the council, and his great deeds of 
 war. The body itself lay stretched at full length in one 
 corner, lying on some panther skins. 
 
 "There is hope there," whispered the missionary. 
 * Look at the dead man's face, the pinched-up features, 
 that small dark stream flowing from the lips, the tongue 
 hard, black, and dry, hanging from the mouth, and the 
 limbs drawn up with cramp. He has been poisoned." 
 
 " By whom ?" asked Hughes, as the two stood, their 
 hands bound behind them, gazing on the sickening 
 spectacle. 
 
 " By Umhleswa. It was his interest to do this, and if 
 so, he is watching the result." 
 
 A rush of people into the hut now separated the two, 
 while outside the shouting of the men, the jabbering of 
 the baboon, and from time to time a yell from Luji, who 
 was evidently the most suspected, was heard. 
 
 The two white captives, separated from each other, 
 were now forced into a sitting position, one on each side 
 of the corpse, while the women, ever chanting the praises 
 of Sgalam, proceeded to lay the body out. It was quite 
 nude, and though cold, had not yet stiffened. The 
 tongue which, thickly coated with yellow, had been pro- 
 truded, was now forced back into the mouth. A rope of 
 palmyra fibre was brought, and the women then proceeded 
 
THE DEAD CHIEF. 141 
 
 to swathe it round with the cord, giving the body a 
 sitting position. This operation lasted a couple of hours, 
 during which the prisoners were kept apart, as spectators, 
 the noise outside never ceasing. Hughes, who now had 
 the notion that both were to be sacrificed on the dead 
 chief's grave, attempted to speak across the hut to the 
 missionary, but a heavy blow was the reward. Wyzinski's 
 calm face and thin features relaxed into a smile, as the 
 soldier returned the blow by means of a violent kick, and 
 found himself the next moment powerless lying on his 
 back, and a stout rope of palmyra round his legs. 
 
 Strangely situated as they were, it was a curious sight. 
 The busy women, singing their monotonous song; the 
 sitting corpse stiffening into the position that had been 
 given it. Outside, shouting and wild excitement, and 
 every now and then some Amatonga brave dashing into 
 the hut, yelling out half a dozen phrases in praise of the 
 dead Sgalam, and dashing away, to be followed in turn 
 by others. In one corner the soldier firmly bound, in 
 another the missionary, his hands only tied. At length 
 a litter of branches was brought, the sitting corpse 
 placed upon it, the hut became filled with savages, the 
 rope which confined the soldier's legs was unfastened, 
 and the two were ordered to follow the bier, which was 
 conveyed outside. A circle of dark braves swept round 
 the captives, their glittering knives in their hands, as the 
 procession moved off, the leading men of the tribe 
 grouping themselves round the corpse shouting and yell- 
 ing. They had not far to go, for the journey ended at 
 an enclosure a few hundred yards from the dead warrior's 
 hut. The bright sun streamed over them as they 
 entered this enclosure, which was in fact the place where 
 the chief's cattle had been penned. There, right in the 
 
142 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 centre, a deep hole had been dug, and into this, ever 
 preserving his sitting position, the body was lowered, the 
 songs, screams, and shouts increasing in intensity, as the 
 broad hoes threw back the light earth into the grave. 
 Slowly but surely the body disappeared, for a hundred 
 hoes were at work dragging the sand back. The face of 
 the dead was gradually covered, the hole was filled, and 
 there, in the centre of his cattle shed, sat the dead 
 Sgalam concealed from all eyes. The men with the hoes 
 threw them aside, and commenced a strange slow dance 
 round the grave ; then, pausing, with wild yells, the 
 savages threw themselves on the captives, and in a mo- 
 ment they were on the ground struggling vainly for their 
 lives with a hundred bright blades gleaming in the sun- 
 shine around them. Their tribe imperilled by the white 
 man's foolish curiosity, one of their best warriors and 
 most noted chiefs killed by them, — for they firmly be- 
 lieved it, — the two delinquents were about to moisten 
 with their blood the grave of the Amatonga brave. The 
 moment was a critical one, when suddenly the wily Umh- 
 leswa appeared among them, his Spanish gun in his hand, 
 the ostrich plume in his hair, and the panther skin round 
 his waist. His glittering eyes ran over the group, as with 
 a lew deep guttural words, he bore back the crowd of 
 savages. 
 
 " Would you kill the innocent, and spare the guilty ?" 
 he shouted, waving his hand toward the white men, who 
 now rose covered with sand, but unhurt. "The Ama- 
 tonga have a custom ; would you break that custom, and 
 defile the grave of our brother with the blood of the inno- 
 cent ? Let the far-seeing Koomalayoo be consulted ; let 
 the sorcerer of the tribe speak out, and let those who 
 have done this deed die." 
 
THE DEAD CHIEF. 143 
 
 " To Koomalayoo, to Koomalayoo !" yelled the Ama- 
 tonga, and the well-planned purpose of the wily savage 
 was accomplished. Moving along among the huts, the 
 groups of excited savages, their numbers ever increasing, 
 bore with them the dirt-begrimed white men, and the 
 frightened Luji. An ox was driven out of the enclosure 
 and placed at the head of the procession, the whole 
 moving on slowly under one of the conical hills, and taking 
 its way towards the neighbouring forest. Bound with 
 Palmyra rope, and the baboon firmly tied in its usual 
 position on his shoulders, Luji's face seemed the very 
 picture of abject terror, while the ape, fairly cowed, 
 gibbered and moaned. 
 
 The missionary as usual looked calm, resigned, and 
 confident, but a heavy scowl sat on the soldier's face. 
 The escort kept on their way, shouting, screaming, and 
 clattering their spears against their shields. About half 
 a mile outside the Amatonga kraal, under a grove of 
 trees, stood a solitary hut. Near it rose a mass of rocks, 
 and the plain around was thick brush. This was the 
 dwelling of Koomalayoo, the dreaded sorcerer of the 
 tribe. It was he who had told of the coming of the 
 white men, and it was his now to decide their fate. 
 The ox was driven into the cattle enclosure belonging 
 to the hut, as a present to Koomalayoo, who at once 
 made his appearance. 
 
 This man was an Amatonga, and possessed to a rare de- 
 gree the distinctive ugliness of the race. His flat nose, 
 monkey-like forehead, and huge slit of a mouth, sur- 
 mounted a body literally a skeleton. The face was that 
 of the living dead, so emaciated was it ; the body seemed 
 a framework, with a black skin drawn tightly over it. 
 The eyes alone were bright and restless. A collar and 
 
144 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 waistbelt of human bones, with anklets and wristbands 
 of the same material, made a clatter as he walked, while 
 in his hand he held a short wand,' apparently of pure 
 gold. Such was the noted Koomalayoo, who now 
 glanced over the group of captives, his restless eyes 
 fixing themselves on Luji's face with an expression which 
 boded him no good. A circle was formed, the captives 
 being inside it at one end, Umhleswa and the sorcerer at 
 the other. 
 
 Umhleswa now made a long speech, telling of the 
 coming of the strangers, and of their having by chance 
 stumbled upon the sacred ruins, profaning them by their 
 presence. The history of the council was given fairly 
 enough, and of Sgalam's hatred to the Europeans. 
 
 The incident of the monkey and of Luji's threats was 
 largely dwelt on, and Koomalayoo's eyes grew intensely 
 bright as he fixed them on the unlucky Hottentot, whose 
 face turned a yellow livid colour with fear. Umhleswa 
 then proceeded to point out that the white chiefs 
 were not present at the council, again referred to the 
 threats used by Luji, and to the mysterious character of 
 the baboon, winding up artfully with a defence of his 
 policy, because of the benefits which would result from 
 trade with the white men. 
 
 Calico, beads, guns, knives, he spoke of as falling to the 
 lot of the poorest Amatonga, and having thus worked on 
 their cupidity, the wily savage ceased speaking. 
 
 Koomalayoo rose, and without a word stalked out of 
 the circle, which opening to let him pass, closed again. 
 All kept silence — a deep dead silence — as the diviner 
 entered his hut ; and so great was the stillness that his 
 monotonous voice could be heard reciting incantations, as 
 the sorcerer mixed the potion which was to give him 
 
THE DEAD CHIEF. 145 
 
 clairvoyance. About a quarter of an hour passed — not a 
 soul moving — before he again appeared, holding a gourd 
 in his hand. Whatever were its contents, he drank the 
 whole at a draught, threw the gourd from him, acd once 
 more entered the circle, where, seating himself on the 
 ground, he remained silent, his eyes bent downwards, ap- 
 parently waiting for the coming inspiration. All looks 
 were fixed upon him, and not a word was spoken. At 
 last he suddenly started to his feet and began speaking 
 rapidly, following out the tale from beginning to the end, 
 winding up with the death of the warrior Sgalam. " Sor- 
 cery has done this," he continued. " The strong man 
 does not die in an hour ; the warrior's soul does not start 
 for another land like that of the weakly infant. Is it the 
 men of the Batonga who have done this deed? No. Is it the 
 braves of Manica ? No. The Matabele are amongst us. 
 Does the blow come from them ? Mozelkatse's warriors 
 would scorn the deed. Is it from the Madanda, or the 
 strange tribes of Gorongoza that death has come, or has 
 the evil eye been used by the dwellers on the Maxe, who 
 love us not ? No. To none of these does the far-seeing 
 eye of Koomalayoo trace the deed. But white men are 
 with us, white men who are not traders. Have they 
 worked the evil ?" 
 
 Koomalayoo paused. A subdued murmur ran through 
 the circle. Wyzinski's face looked calm and natural as usual; 
 but the soldier's, though he was unconscious of the mean- 
 ing of the words, was flushed, and he himself nervous and 
 excited. The murmur died away, and again the sorcerer 
 spoke. A sigh of relief burst from the missionary's lips as 
 Koomalayoo continued. " I tell you, no. It is not the 
 white men whose blood must atone for that of the dead 
 chief— No." All at once, whirling round as on a pivot 
 
 10 
 
14.6 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 the arm and hand holding the gold rod fully extended, 
 the diviner span round ; then as suddenly stopping, the 
 rod pointed right between Luji's eyes. " It is the black 
 skin who has come among us, with his familiar demon on 
 his shoulders. Behold the worker of the charm ! When 
 the black imp leaped upon our brother among the warriors 
 in council, he spit the venom into his ear. That night our 
 brother died." 
 
 Koomalayoo's eyes fairly blazed with fury as he looked 
 full at Luji's quivering, shrinking frame. The man seemed 
 fascinated, and his terror-stricken face turned into bronze 
 as the sorcerer yelled forth the terrible words, " Let fire 
 drive out the demon from among us," and fell to the 
 ground apparently exhausted. 
 
 For a moment there was a deep, dead silence ; the 
 rustle of the leaves could be heard as the light wind 
 played through the trees ; the next, the circle was broken, 
 the whole mass of the Amatonga precipitating themselves 
 on the doomed Hottentot, throwing down the two white 
 men as they pressed on, and trampling them under foot, 
 while the air, a moment before silent, became rilled with 
 yells and discordant shouts, the shrill scream of terror 
 distinctly heard above all. 
 
 Hughes, not knowing what was to happen next, had 
 seized the nearest Amatonga brave, and was busy throttling 
 him, shouting as he did so as loud as the rest in his ex- 
 citement. The man's eyes were starting out of his head, 
 his tongue was protruding, when a dozen strong hands 
 dragged the soldier from his victim, and thrust him bruised 
 and breathless into the hut. The missionary was there 
 before him, and there too stood the wily Umhleswa, show- 
 ing his sharply-filed teeth, while his little cunning eyes 
 danced with triumph. 
 
THE DEAD CHIEF. 147 
 
 " Umhleswa is a chief/' he said, slowly moving to the 
 entrance of the hut, and looking back on the astonished 
 prisoners as he stood in the bright sunshine. " He has 
 not lied to his white brother." He waved his arm and 
 disappeared. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 THE AUTO DA FE. 
 
 With the dark smile on his face, and triumph beaming 
 from his sinister-looking eyes, Umhleswa had left the hut. 
 Koomalayoo, its owner, was busy hounding on the too 
 willing savages to kill his supposed rival, for it was by 
 using the suggestion that he and his familiar had come 
 among them to take the sorcerer's place in the tribe that 
 the cunning chief had secured Koomalayoo's co-opera- 
 tion. Masheesh now entered, his first impulse being to 
 pass his sharp knife over the palmyra rope which yet 
 bound the white men's hands as he did so. 
 
 Their first emotion over, the two exchanged a hearty 
 shake of the hand, looking into each other's eyes, the 
 soldier speaking first. 
 
 " The black scoundrel," at last said Hughes, drawing a 
 deep breath, and shaking himself like a dog. " Wyzinski, 
 we must save poor Luji. Speak to Masheesh — will you ?" 
 
 Turning to the Matabele, the missionary spoke long and 
 earnestly ; but the chief kept a dogged silence, shaking 
 his head from time to time, then looking up into the 
 speaker's face. 
 
 " The Amatonga must have blood," he said, slowly. 
 " Shall it be the white man's ? Masheesh can do nothing." 
 
 " Will the chief try ?" asked Wyzinski ; but again he 
 was met by the slow shake of the head, which told 
 
 10 — 2 
 
148 WILD SPORTS IN ZUL U LAND. 
 
 more than words could convey the hopelessness of the 
 case. 
 
 " But if you will not, at all events we will," said the 
 missionary. " It is a terrible thing to push superstition 
 to such a point." 
 
 " Does the white chief disbelieve in the charm cast on 
 the dead Amatonga ?" asked Masheesh, as though such 
 disbelief were monstrous. 
 
 " Can the Matabele warrior assert it as his own faith ? 
 Is he credulous, like an Amatonga ?" asked Wyzinski, in 
 reply. 
 
 " How does the white man account for Sgalam's 
 death ?" 
 
 " The chief Umhleswa knows the use and the value of 
 the English rifle : he sees the great power it would give 
 him and his tribe. By our death he would have gained 
 nothing, save two or three rifles. No white traders would 
 have come near him, and his end and aim would have 
 been frustrated." 
 
 " Mozelkatse's vengeance would have found him out," 
 interpolated the Matabele. 
 
 " True ; but Sgalam took another view of the matter, 
 and threatened the anger of the chief of Manica. Hence 
 the midnight meeting in our hut, and the death of Sgalam, 
 hence the decision of the sorcerer Koomalayoo and Luji's 
 persecution. Some one killed Sgalam, and some one must 
 answer for it." 
 
 " So the white chief thinks Umhleswa cast the spell ?" 
 
 "No, Matabele, no," answered the missionary, "it was 
 a potent poison which did the work ; and Umhleswa had 
 everything to gain by the death, Luji had nothing." 
 
 Masheesh turned away incredulous, not even taking the 
 trouble to reply. 
 
THE AUTO DA FE, 149 
 
 " It will be impossible, I fear, to save the poor fellow ; 
 but we must make the effort, Hughes. You see even this 
 man, belonging to a tribe far superior in education to these 
 Amatongas, perfectly believes that Luji by sorcery caused 
 the chiefs death." 
 
 " Let us try, at least," replied Hughes, as both took 
 their way to the entrance of the hut. 
 
 All had been comparatively quiet, since the Amatonga 
 chief had left the place, a council having been held out- 
 side to determine on the best mode of punishing the 
 Hottentot sorcerer. The sun was shining brightly, and a 
 light breeze waving the branches of a group of mashunga 
 trees, under wshich the men of the tribe had assembled. 
 Umhleswa had been speaking rapidly, and doubtless 
 eloquently, to the circle of braves around him. Near by, 
 stood the unfortunate Hottentot, closely guarded, and if 
 it had not been a pitiful, it would have been a laughable 
 sight, for, tied in his usual position, on the prisoner's 
 shoulders, sat the baboon. Naturally ugly, the brute was 
 rendered still more so from the effects of the gunpowder 
 explosion, which had scorched its skin, and there it sat, 
 peeping from side to side of Luji's head, moaning, grim- 
 acing, stroking the Hottentot's face, and showing his teeth 
 to all who came near. The large tears were streaming 
 down the captive's cheeks, mixing with the blood and 
 dirt with which they were begrimed. 
 
 The chief concluded his speech just as the two white 
 men emerged into the open air, pointing as he did so to 
 the crouching captive, and the whole band started up, 
 shouting and yelling, to dash past Luji into the bush. 
 One loud scream of anguish burst from the man's chest, 
 for he had heard his fate, and knew that it was death by 
 fire. 
 
1 50 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 Rudely thrust back by the men who had been left to 
 guard them, Wyzinski and the soldier were powerless, but 
 felt their blood boil within them as they noted the pre- 
 parations made. The savages seemed to be holding 
 high festival in the bush and in the tall, parched-up reeds, 
 and then one after another appeared bearing bundles of 
 branches and inflammable grass, throwing them down 
 only to return for more, and thus, laughing, singing, and 
 yelling, they collected a large pile. 
 
 A mass of bare, splintered rock rose in the plain, and 
 towards this Umhleswa and his subordinate chiefs took 
 their way, while several of the half-maddened savages laid 
 hold of the Hottentot, the rest dancing wildly around 
 him. Shriek after shriek rose from the captive as he re- 
 sisted, and the points of the assegais, urging him on in 
 rear, drew blood, the baboon nearly strangling him in his 
 fearful efforts to escape. 
 
 Turning, the poor fellow caught sight of his late masters, 
 and as he held out his fettered hands, they marked the 
 big tears of agony rolling down his yellow-black cheeks. 
 
 Again Hughes made an effort to escape. 
 
 " By heavens, they are going to kill Luji ! Oh ! for 
 my rifle. At all events he shall not go alone/' he shouted, 
 as he dashed from the entrance of the hut, and was rudely 
 repulsed by the Amatonga guard. 
 
 Wyzinski's eyes were closed, and his thin, finely-cut 
 lips moving as if in prayer. It was, indeed, a terrible 
 sight. 
 
 Two strong stakes had been driven into the ground 
 against the smooth face of the rock, and the prisoner was 
 now bound firmly to them, in the fashion of a spread 
 eagle, while all round, in a semicircle, were piled heaps 
 of dried reeds, branches, and grass, near enough to roast 
 
THE AUTO DA FE. 
 
 I5i 
 
 the man gradually, but not to burn at once, poor Luji's 
 shrieks for mercy ringing out even above the joyous yells 
 of the Amatongas. Two of the tribe were engaged in 
 procuring a light by rubbing together pieces of dry wood, 
 while leaning on his assegai, lazily contemplating the 
 whole with an air of great satisfaction, stood Umhleswa, 
 showing his filed teeth and grinning with delight. 
 
 " And these are the men I thought so gentle, whom I 
 believed incapable of bloodshed. Fiend, scoundrel, Umh- 
 leswa !" shouted Hughes, in his excitement, once more 
 rushing on the guards at the entrance, and being again 
 roughly thrown back. 
 
 The missionary still prayed. \ 
 
 A bright, red glare shot up in the sunshine, as the air, 
 heavily laden with the sweet scent of the mashunga and 
 the acacia trees, fanned the burning branches ; a cry of 
 human agony and terror, mixed with loud yells of venge- 
 ance and of delight, rang out. Shriek after shriek followed, 
 as the poor wretch felt the increasing heat, and the flame 
 burned fiercer and more fiercely, while the horrible baboon, 
 in his terror, dug his sharp nails into the Hottentot's face, 
 the blood streaming, and the Amatongas fairly screaming 
 with laughter. 
 
 More and more intense grew the fire, and, as the 
 scorching heat became unendurable, the agony experi- 
 enced by the baboon increased in intensity. This he 
 revenged on the unfortunate man. The Amatongas 
 seemed to revel in the horrible scene, as they filled the 
 pure afternoon air with their laughter. Throwing fresh 
 wood on the blaze, they made the fire leap and roar, 
 while they dashed sharp pieces of rock at the captive, 
 cutting and bruising his flesh, but avoiding death, as, 
 blinded with his own blood, and one eye torn from its 
 
152 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 socket by the mad efforts of the baboon, the unfortunate 
 Hottentot now moaned feebly. Umhleswa stood by 
 watching the scene, as he leaned on his long assegai, the 
 ostrich feather floating over his head, and the panther 
 skin round his waist, from time to time urging his men to 
 further cruelties, or stirring the fire with the spear-head. 
 
 Fearfully excited, and unable longer to bear the sicken- 
 ing spectacle, the white men in desperation and rage 
 threw themselves on the guard, and a fierce hand-to-hand 
 struggle ensued. Not wishing to use their arms, and 
 less powerful than they, it required all the superiority of 
 their numbers to resist the shock, for they both fought 
 like madmen, with hand and foot, only at last to be cast 
 back, stunned and bleeding, into the hut. 
 
 Louder and louder grew the shrieks outside, madder 
 and madder the dance round the death-fire. The blaze 
 had died away, and over the embers dashed the Amaton- 
 gas, using their long knives, cutting strips out of the 
 quivering flesh, but craftily avoiding vital parts, they threw 
 them in the fire. The baboon was dead. A lump of 
 rock had dashed out his brains, which were bespattered 
 over the half-roasted Hottentot's face and breast, the 
 shattered head and ungainly body dangling about a ghastlv 
 sight. The man himself hardly presented a vestige of the 
 human form. One eye hanging out, his limbs smashed 
 by the lumps of rock hurled at him, the blood pouring 
 from his many wounds, and a long, feeble, continuous 
 moaning coming from his fire-blistered lips. And now a 
 fresh batch of reeds and boughs were thrown on the 
 flagging fire, this time within the former circle. The 
 breeze, laden with the perfume of the mashunga, fanned 
 it into flame, and it leaped up high in the last rays of the 
 setting sun, which was tipping the tops of the trees, and 
 
THE A UTO DA FE. 153 
 
 the far-away mountains of the Matopo, with a golden hue. 
 The Kaffir's hair caught fire, and the horrible smell of the 
 burning flesh overpowered the scent of the flowers. 
 Umhleswa stirred the blaze with his steel-headed assegai. 
 It was the only merciful deed he had done, for the fire 
 leaped up more quickly, and the stakes, burned through, 
 gave way, the mutilated remains of what had been a 
 human body falling heavily and helplessly forward. 
 
 Fresh reeds and branches were heaped on, the flame 
 roared with fury, and the yells and shouts became louder. 
 Once the mass of blazing wood moved, a charred hand 
 was thrust forth, and then all was still. The fire had 
 done its work, and the Amatoiagas seemed appeased. 
 Noti slept beneath the shadow of the ruins of Sofala, the 
 restless surf moaning over his grave. The lions had 
 killed him, but Luji's ashes, reduced to fine dust, were 
 blowing over the plains before the night breeze, when the 
 moon shone forth over the sorcerer's hut and the smoke- 
 begrimed rock. 
 
 The Amatonga nature had proved more relentless than 
 the lions, the man more savage than the beast. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 THE WIFE'S REVENGE. 
 
 More than a week had elapsed since the events related 
 had taken place, and the two Europeans still remained, 
 half free, half prisoners. From the day when Masheesh 
 had witnessed the Hottentot's cruel death up to the 
 present he had not been seen, either by the white men or 
 by the Amatongas. The rest of their followers had made 
 their escape, finding their way back as they could, and 
 
154 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 their position, perfectly alone among the savage tribe, 
 their safety hanging only on the cupidity of the treacher- 
 ous Umhleswa, was most critical. For two days after 
 Luji's death, all had seemed quiet in the kraal, but then a 
 party had sprung up among the men, some of whom had 
 been urged on by the dead chiefs wife to avenge on the 
 two white men his death. This party had gradually 
 grown stronger, and its members never lost an opportunity 
 of showing their hate ; indeed it was on more than one 
 occasion only the fear of the deadly rifles which kept them 
 from open violence. 
 
 There they sat before their hut, under the shade of the 
 tree, feeling and looking disconsolate enough. It was 
 the eighth day since they had again taken possession of 
 it, and not once had they seen Umhleswa during that 
 period. A good provision of manioc flour had been 
 conveyed to them. Their shot guns had supplied them 
 with small game, for they dared not venture far from the 
 kraal, for fear of awakening suspicion, and even as it was, 
 found themselves closely watched. 
 
 The two had just finished a supper they had cooked 
 themselves. They were both fully armed, and near them, 
 within reach of their hands, lay their rifles. The sun had 
 set, the air was warm, and the breeze scarcely moved 
 the leaves of the tree overhead. Before them lay stretched 
 the plain with its belt of forest land, and in the distance 
 the faint line of the Matopo hills. Close by, the densely 
 populated kraal, the blue smoke from many fires curling 
 up into the air. The hum of the bees was heard as they 
 winged their way homewards towards the forest, and 
 above them in the tree the cries of the parrots, as they 
 quarrelled before composing themselves to sleep. Rising 
 and shading his face with his hand, Hughes gazed in the 
 
THE WIFE'S RE VENGE. 1 5 5 
 
 direction of the kraal. A solitary figure was wending his 
 way through the huts, coming towards them. 
 
 " It's weary work this," he remarked, as he sat down 
 again with a sigh, " keeping watch and watch all day, and 
 dividing the night between us, too. It's a weary life. 
 What can have become of Masheesh ?" 
 
 " The Matabele brave has cared for his own skin, and 
 has fled to the mountains, like the rest of them," replied 
 the missionary. 
 
 "I thought better of him," said Hughes, absently, 
 " and I am sorry I was wrong." 
 
 " Look, is not that Umhleswa coming towards us ?" 
 said Wyzinski. " God grant he may have made arrange- 
 ments for our journey." 
 
 " It is he, indeed,'' replied the other, as he rose to 
 heap fresh branches on the fire. 
 
 Slowly the chief stalked along, apparently not caring 
 where he went, stopped opposite the two, and then, as 
 if perceiving them for the first time, approached and 
 squatted by the fire. 
 
 Umhleswa's evil nature was now too well known, for 
 this seeming carelessness to dupe them. 
 
 "Have my white brethren all they can want?" he 
 asked. 
 
 "No, chief, we ask the fulfilment of our contract, 
 namely, an escort as far as the Zambesi." 
 
 " My braves are badly armed, and may be unable to 
 protect you. Will the white men give their rifles now ?" 
 
 The treacherous nature of the request was too evident 
 for the veriest tyro to fall into the trap. To give up 
 their means of protection, and at the same time the only 
 ransom they had to offer, would have been an act of 
 folly. 
 
156 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 "No, chief, we will not," replied Wyzinski, a silence 
 following on his words. Suddenly an idea struck him. 
 What if he were to utilise Masheesh's absence ? It could 
 not possibly do any harm, and it might do good. 
 
 " Will Umhleswa wait until the Matabele chief comes 
 with Mozelkatse's warriors to serve us as an escort — he 
 has been gone many days and should be on his return ?" 
 he asked. 
 
 The wily savage started, fidgeting as he sat. " It is a 
 long journey across the Tati," he replied. 
 
 " The Tati, chief?" asked Wyzinski, remembering at 
 once that Masheesh had spoken of that river. 
 
 " Yes, the Tati, where the yellow gold is found, which 
 the Bamangwato now claim," replied the savage, point- 
 ing with his hand. "It lies yonder, between those 
 hills of the Matopo and the more distant Zouga moun- 
 tains." 
 
 " And who owns the land ?" inquired Wyzinski. 
 
 " The great chief Machin calls it his," was the answer, 
 " and Mozelkatse claims it as his, too." 
 
 " You see, Hughes, how all tallies. Beyond those moun- 
 tains, somewhere near the sources of the Limpopo, there 
 exist gold fields, and these rivers which Umhleswa names 
 run into the Limpopo. Here, between those gold fields 
 and the coast, were built the cities of the gold seekers 
 of Solomon. We have trod their streets, and yonder 
 stream, which Masheesh truly named Auro, took their 
 riches to the port." 
 
 " The deuce take your ruins, Wyzinski !" said Hughes. 
 " Do try to get us out of the scrape we are in. Humour 
 the scoundrel." 
 
 Umhleswa seemed uneasy at this by-play, not under* 
 Standing one word of English. 
 
THE WIFE'S REVENGE. 157 
 
 " Will the white men keep their promise if Masheesh 
 comes ?" 
 
 "Certainly not. He will then be our deliverer, not 
 you, and the rifles must be his." 
 
 " Umhleswa saved you when the knives of his people 
 were about to drink your blood ?" sententiously remarked 
 the savage. 
 
 Wyzinski shuddered. "Come, chief," he replied, 
 taking from his belt a revolver, " send us on our journey, 
 and this shall be yours. Raising his arm, he fired barrel 
 after barrel into the air, pausing between each ere he 
 drew the trigger to enhance the effect. 
 
 The savage's eyes glistened, and he showed his filed 
 teeth. He doubted not that Masheesh had been sent to 
 bring down the Matabele warriors upon him, in which 
 case he should lose the promised reward. 
 
 The thought swayed him ; the sight of the revolver 
 finished the matter. 
 
 Slowly rising, he walked away several paces, and the 
 missionary's heart beat quickly, for all seemed lost. 
 Turning, he pointed to the sky. " When the moon rises 
 yonder, and my people are buried in sleep, let the white 
 men be ready. Umhleswa does not lie," he said, moving 
 away. 
 
 Hardly had he gone a dozen paces, when he again 
 paused, hesitated, and once more returned. 
 
 " The rifles are for my braves," he said, again speaking 
 slowly; "the small gun," pointing to the revolver, "is for 
 Umhleswa. Will the chief give it now ?" 
 
 Wyzinski hesitated, and for a few moments seemed 
 plunged in thought. 
 
 " Take it," he said at length frankly, as he placed the 
 coveted weapon in the hands of the savage. "Take it. 
 
158 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 but remember that at a chiefs belt two such weapons 
 should hang ; the second will be yours when we reach the 
 Zambesi." 
 
 Umhleswa looked the speaker full in the face, slowly 
 nodding his head three times, then once more pointing to 
 the sky. 
 
 "Let my white brethren be ready when the moon 
 rises/' he said, as he stalked away proudly ; perhaps the 
 only native in that part of the country possessed of a re- 
 volver. 
 
 "Do you think he will keep his word, Wyzinski?" 
 asked Hughes, when the conversation was translated to 
 him. 
 
 " He is sure to do so," replied the missionary, " simply 
 because it is his interest." 
 
 " Then the best thing we can do is to be in readiness. 
 There are many things we must leave behind," returned 
 Hughes. " The moon will rise in two hours." 
 
 Entering the hut once more, and as they fervently 
 hoped for the last time, they set about their preparations, 
 no easy task, when out of the scanty materials, all of which 
 had been deemed necessary a short time since, the greater 
 f&rt were to be left behind. They were still busy, when 
 a body of men gliding out from among the huts by twos 
 and by threes, assembled at the entrance, one of their 
 number signing to its tenants to follow. Carrying their 
 rifles in the hollow of the arm, their pistols at their belts, 
 they cast one look round the interior of the hut which 
 had served them so long as a home, and stepped out into 
 the night. 
 
 The moon was just rising over the mountain range, the 
 night was quite still, save when from time to time the cry 
 of the jackal could be heard from the plain. In the 
 
THE WIFE'S REVENGE. 159 
 
 native kraal all slept, and the party, consisting of fifteen 
 men armed with assegais, and commanded by the same 
 brave who had conducted them from their camp at 
 Gorongoza, moved silently away the moment the white 
 men joined them. Avoiding the kraal, they shaped their 
 course to the north, travelling as swiftly as they could 
 through a country densely covered with forest. Game 
 seemed to grow more scarce as they neared the end of 
 their journey ; and, except for necessary purposes, it was 
 little sought after, the object of all being identical, 
 namely, to strike the Zambesi as soon as possible. This 
 they at length did, though the forest growth impeded their 
 progress so much, that it was only on the evening of the 
 ninth day after leaving the country of the Amatonga that 
 they reached its banks. Under the shade of the high hill 
 of Baramuana a small tent was pitched, not larger than 
 that used by the French soldier, and known by the name 
 of tente d'abri. A fire burned fiercely in front of it, and 
 close by ran the Zambesi, a fine broad stream flowing 
 towards the sea, between banks covered with reeds of 
 luxuriant growth. Beyond the river a level plain, broken 
 by forest-land, and in the distance the blue outline of a 
 high mountain range. 
 
 Near the fire were seated the two Europeans, and in a 
 semicircle round them the fifteen Amatonga warriors who 
 had been their guides. Further down the stream, at a 
 bend of the river, the walls of a brick building were 
 visible, some ten miles away. 
 
 A perfect jungle of forest swept up almost to the spot 
 where the group were seated, the tamarind and acacia 
 growing to the river bank, covered with creeping plants, 
 such as the convolvulus, the jasmine, the deadly night- 
 shade, all festooned from tree to tree, while the wild 
 
i6o WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 guava, the pomegranate, and many a sweet-scented bush 
 pushed upwards their luxuriant undergrowth. The bees 
 were humming among the sweetly-scented flowers of the 
 dholicos, and the rushing sound of the river, as it took its 
 way to the sea past the fort of Senna, was music to the 
 ears of the two travellers. 
 
 " Give them their due, Wyzinski, and let us be rid of 
 them ; I hate the very look of an Amatonga," exclaimed 
 Hughes. 
 
 The group of savages sat round, staring at the two with 
 a steady, concentrated gaze, their long assegais raised in 
 the air. 
 
 " Matumba," said the powerful, but stunted brave, who 
 had been in command of the party, speaking with diffi- 
 culty the Zulu tongue, "Matumba has done his duty, let the 
 chiefs do theirs. Yonder are the walls of their brethren's 
 fort." 
 
 The missionary did not at once reply, but pushing the 
 promised arms toward the speaker, took from his belt his 
 revolver, and discharging its barrels into the air, handed 
 it to the Amatonga. 
 
 " This is now Umhleswa's property, and thus the white 
 man fulfils his promise." 
 
 " We are left with our two rifles and one revolver be- 
 tween us," remarked Hughes. " If ever I get the chance 
 of paying off these thieves, won't I !" 
 
 Matumba took the arm, and, turning to his men, dis- 
 tributed the rifles among them. A sharp conversation 
 followed, unintelligible to the Europeans, save that the 
 Amatonga pointed several times to the two remaining 
 rifles. 
 
 " The white men," resumed Matumba, once more turn- 
 ing to them, " are near their friends. They have no 
 
THE WIFE'S REVENGE. 161 
 
 need of their guns, the Amatonga are far from their 
 kraal. Let them give the two guns, which are now useless." 
 
 " Never, Matumba," exclaimed Wyzinski, springing to 
 his feet and cocking both barrels of his piece. " Look 
 out, Hughes, they mean mischief. We have kept our 
 word, Amatonga. Keep yours." 
 
 A sharp conversation ensued between the natives, all 
 talking together, the chief, Matumba, evidently trying to 
 keep them within bounds, while they as evidently wished 
 to take the coveted rifles by force. Placing their backs 
 against the rocks, their rifles ready, the two waited the 
 result, but great was their relief when the whole party, 
 after much talking, at last moved off in Indian file, and 
 disappeared under the deepening forest shade. 
 
 "We are well out of that, Wyzinski," remarked Hughes, 
 as he seated himself at the foot of the rock ; " and now, 
 what are we to do next ?" 
 
 " Break ground as soon and as speedily as possible. 
 We have but to follow the stream, and we shall be within 
 the walls of Senna in three hours." 
 
 The little tent was struck, the knapsacks strapped on, 
 and their rifles at the trail, both moved rapidly away. 
 But a deep cut they found ran between them and the 
 Portuguese fort. It was filled with heavy timber and 
 luxuriant under-growth. Night came on, and there was 
 no moon, so that the direction of the stream was soon 
 lost, and they were brought to a stand still. 
 
 "Let us halt here," said Wyzinski, as they pushed 
 their way through a clump of mimosa, and gained a small 
 clearing, hemmed in on every side by the forest. " We 
 can reach Senna by early morning, and I am half dead with 
 hunger." 
 
 A fire was lit, some strips of venison cut from an eland 
 
 ii 
 
162 fVILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 killed the previous day, roasted on the embers, and they 
 made a hearty meal. 
 
 " It will be a relief to me to see the inside of the fort, 
 Hughes," said Wyzinski. " I misdoubt those Amatongas." 
 "They have done better by us than your favourite 
 Matabele. I never thought Masheesh would have left us 
 thus. If you will take the first turn, I'll have a sleep," 
 replied Hughes. 
 
 "Agreed," returned the missionary, as his comrade 
 placing his knapsack under his head, threw himself under 
 a low bush, and was soon sleeping heavily. Hours went 
 by, and still the missionary, with his rifle thrown across 
 his knee, sat by the fire. He rose from time to time to 
 collect and heap on it the dried branches. Once he heard 
 distinctly above the noises incidental to an African night 
 in the wilderness, the splintering of wood. He was in 
 the act of throwing an armful of dry branches on the 
 blaze. Stooping, he seized his rifle, and was just about 
 to wake his companion, when the noise ceased. Stepping 
 up to where the soldier lay, he looked at him. The star- 
 light shone over the bronzed and travel-worn face. The 
 cap had fallen off, and the long locks of dark hair touched 
 the ground. " It would be a pity to wake him," muttered 
 the missionary. " I am not tired ; the presentiment of 
 evil is upon me, and I could not sleep even if I tried." 
 
 Turning, he again squatted down by the fire, the cocked 
 rifle over his knee. Once, more than an hour after, the 
 same sound, like to the breaking of wood, reached his ear. 
 
 " It may be some heavy animal feeding," he thought, 
 " and my fears be groundless ; the darkness of the night, 
 the loneliness and fatigue, have unnerved me." 
 
 Soon his thoughts were away in other lands, and with 
 friends, some of whom had been long since dead. Then 
 
THE WIFE'S REVENGE. 163 
 
 they returned to the ruined cities of this wild land. Had 
 they any affinity to those found in Mexico? he asked 
 himself. No, they must be Egyptian. 
 
 Suddenly a wild shout burst on his ear, a crashing blow, 
 a whizzing in the head, and all was darkness. The mis- 
 sionary lay stretched beside the embers of the fire. 
 
 How long he remained insensible on the ground 
 Wyzinski never knew, but the grey dawn was just break- 
 ing as he struggled back to consciousness, to find his arms, 
 tightly and painfully bound behind his back, his head 
 splitting with pain, while the clearing seemed filled with 
 the dark forms of the Amatongas, seated in a circle, and 
 evidently debating on their prisoner's fate. As he lay 
 there on his back, barely able to turn his head, his open 
 eyes gazing upward at the stars, whose feeble light was 
 just paling before the first grey streaks of dawn, a black 
 mass intervened between him and the blue sky. It was 
 a woman's head, the long hair told him this much, but the 
 face was that of a demon ; the bead-like eyes which 
 peered into his flashing with malicious hatred ; the thick 
 lips parted, showing the yellow teeth clenched with 
 passion ; the flat nostrils distended with rage, and the 
 hair, matted with grease and dirt, sweeping his face as she 
 bent over him. 
 
 It was a face he knew, for it was that of the dead 
 chief's wife ; and as the missionary closed his eyes to 
 shut out the horrid vision, the hag, seeing he had again 
 become conscious, uttered a piercing yeH, and dashed 
 into the middle of the council ring, chattering in a shrill 
 and parrot-like voice. The missionary's eyes remained 
 closed, for he felt his position was hopeless, and what at 
 this moment grieved him more was, that by his negligent 
 watch he had sacrificed his friend. If he had been struck 
 
 11 — 2 
 
WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 down and made prisoner with his rifle in his' hand and 
 wide awake, what chance was there for the sleeping sol- 
 dier ? He knew he should, after the fashion of this tribe, 
 be tortured ; he prayed for firmness to meet his doom, 
 but he thought with agony of what had been his comrade's 
 fate during the hours he himself lay insensible and ap- 
 parently dead. 
 
 A rude stroke from the sharp point of an Amatonga 
 spear roused him, and in obedience to the command he 
 endeavoured to struggle to his feet. Unable to effect 
 this, two of his captors roughly seized him, dragging him 
 up. The dawn was just lighting up the scene, as he 
 glanced round. There lay the embers of the fire scat- 
 tered about the clearing ; there, too, the soldier's knap- 
 sack, and near it, with an ox hide thrown over it, some- 
 thing which took, under its coverings, the shape of a 
 human form. There was no mistaking it. 
 
 The missionary's eyes filled with tears, and a convul- 
 sive sob heaved his breast, as he looked on all that was 
 left of the man who, in his dead sleep, had trusted to his 
 friend's vigilance. 
 
 The Amatonga seemed to have no time to lose, for 
 hardly giving their prisoner space to realise what was 
 passing around, they hurried him along through the bush, 
 retracing their path until the whole group reached the foot 
 of the Baramuana hill, where the distribution of the rifles 
 had taken place the day before. 
 
 " My presentiment of evil did not deceive me," mut- 
 tered Wyzinski ; " fool, triple fool as I was not to profit 
 by it, and yonder," thought he, as his eyes followed the 
 course of the river, and the brick walls of the fort met 
 his gaze, just tipped by the first rays of the sun, " yonder 
 lay safety." 
 
THE WIFE'S REVENGE. 165 
 
 Grinning, laughing, and chattering, the circle of Ama- 
 tonga braves drew round him. Their prisoner was thrown 
 to the ground, and his feet bound with the palmyra rope ; 
 the woman fiend, her passion lending her strength, haul- 
 ing at one end of the rough cord until it literally cut into 
 the flesh. A stake was driven into the ground at the foot 
 of the rock, and then the missionary knew his doom was, 
 like Luji's, death by fire. Next the whole band dispersed, 
 going into the forest, and returning by twos and threes, 
 laden with brush as dry as tinder. Quickly the semi- 
 circle of boughs and long grass grew round the stake, 
 while close to the prisoner sat the fiend-like woman, 
 spitting out her rage, heaping imprecations on his head, 
 and occasionally breaking out into a slow chant or death 
 song. 
 
 The missionary's eyes were again closed ; his lips were 
 moving in prayer. He was asking for strength to bear 
 his fearful death, as a man should whose negligence has 
 brought evil not only on himself, but on others. The 
 belt of forest trees ran close to the spot where he lay, 
 and while he prayed, a dark face put aside cautiously the 
 clusters of convolvuli which formed a flowery screen 
 among the trees, as two black piercing eyes gazed out 
 from among the flowers, seemed to take note of the 
 scene, and then disappeared. 
 
 And now four of the Amatongas emerged from the 
 bush, bearing the nameless something, covered up with 
 skins, but yet showing the outlines of the human form. 
 Wyzinski shuddered as he opened his eyes and saw it. 
 The pile of brushwood grew higher and higher, and the 
 missionary felt himself rudely dragged along the ground, 
 and fastened to the stake. The palmyra rope, which cut 
 into his flesh, was removed, and his feet firmly tied apart 
 
166 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 to two small wooden pins driven into the ground. The 
 hideous-looking woman, who had been dicing and sing- 
 ing round him, waving her lean arms, and clashing to- 
 gether her long yellow teetlt, now sat down right opposite 
 the victim, her eyes intently fixed on his, to enjoy his 
 agony. The last armful of brush was tossed upon the 
 heap, fire was procured, and a long twisted wisp of dry 
 grass lighted, and placed in the widow's hands. 
 
 Chanting out a monotonous song, the woman rose and 
 came on. She reached the wall of dry brush, she waved 
 the wisp of flame in her victim's face, scorching his hair 
 and whiskers ; then, with a yell of vengeance, stooped to 
 kindle the fire, when a flash of light seemed to quiver 
 through the sunshine, and she fell forward, pierced 
 through the heart by an assegai, the torch falling from 
 her dying hands, kindling the dry grass and brushwood. 
 
 In an instant the missionary was surrounded by a semi- 
 circle of flame, the reports of rifles rang in his ears, a loud 
 shout of " Boarders, away !" came from among the trees, 
 as half-a-dozen Portuguese soldiers, led on by Hughes, 
 the Matabele chief, Masheesh, and Captain Weber, of the 
 " Halcyon," dashed across the open, scattering the burn- 
 ing brush right and left, cut away his bonds, and dragged 
 the half-choked missionary free of the flames. 
 
 Three of the Amatongas had fallen by the frrst discharge, 
 and without halting to reload, the Portuguese charged 
 with the bayonet, led by an old seaman, whose scar- 
 seamed face told of some recent fight. It was Captain 
 Mason, late of the "Argonaut." The savages, wholly 
 surprised, at once fled, but halting as they reached the 
 belt of forest, threw their assegais. " Forward, my lads ; 
 no quarter for the accursed scoundrels !" shouted the 
 excited Mason. "For, " the word was never spoken, 
 
THE WIFE'S REVENGE. 167 
 
 for an assegai struck him in the left eye, piercing to the 
 brain. He fell heavily on his face, his clubbed rifle 
 tumbling to the ground ; a deep groan, one or two spas- 
 modic struggles, and the captain of the " Argonaut" was 
 no more, the whole band of savages having disappeared 
 in the bush. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 FEVER STRICKEN. 
 
 Startled from his deep sleep by the shout of the Ama- 
 tongas, as they leaped into the clearing, the soldier had 
 sprung to his feet, and possessing the faculty of instantly 
 recovering his senses, when suddenly awoke, he at once 
 comprehended his situation. Shouting to Wyzinski to 
 join him, and whirling round his head the heavy knapsack 
 held by the straps, he struck down the foremost savage ; 
 a second shared the same fate, but the leather straps 
 broke with the blow. Springing on the third, Hughes 
 grappled with his adversary, clutching the chief Matumba, 
 for it was no other, fiercely by the throat — but he had 
 met his match. 
 
 Matumba, short of stature, was yet a powerful man, 
 and though partially stunned by the fall, and his heavy 
 knobstick having dropped from his hands, he struggled 
 manfully for life. The fire had been trampled out, the 
 light of the stars was very feeble, and the two rolled over 
 and over in the death struggle, none daring to meddle 
 with them. A dozen dark, naked forms moved round 
 them ; the long knives gleamed in the starlight, but the 
 Amatongas could not strike, so rapid were the movements 
 of the two struggling men. At last Matumba's efforts 
 seemed to grow weaker, the deadly grip tightened on his 
 
1 68 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 throat, and as he lay under him, Hughes buried his short 
 dagger in the Amatonga's side. Casting the body from 
 him, with a superhuman effort, and without pausing for 
 a moment, the soldier dashed through the circle, the 
 savages striking at him with their knives. 
 
 Seizing his rifle as he fled, with one sweeping blow he 
 drove back the foremost of his pursuers, and shouting to 
 Wyzinski to follow, plunged jnto the bush. The ground 
 ascended, the trees grew farther apart ; he was on the 
 verge of the forest; but one of the long knives had 
 wounded him deeply in the left shoulder, and he was 
 growing faint from loss of blood. Pausing to listen, he 
 distinctly heard the crashing of the underwood. Was it 
 Wyzinski following him? Listening attentively, he could 
 distinguish the same noise to the right and left, and he 
 then knew that the Amatongas, paralysed and astonished 
 as they had been at first by the desperate nature of the 
 resistance, had spread themselves out, and were bringing 
 up the whole country before them on three sides, just as 
 they did when hunting antelope. On the fourth ran the 
 Zambesi. Moving rapidly forward, and determined to 
 trust to the river rather than to the Amatongas, Hughes 
 came to a nullah. Its banks were covered with brush, 
 and the masses of convolvuli almost hid it in places. A 
 sudden thought struck him. Jumping in, he followed 
 its course until he came to a spot completely shut in by 
 creepers and shrubs, then placing his rifle near him, he 
 lay down. Minutes passed, the breaking of the bushes 
 came near him ; the cries of the savages calling to each 
 other seemed close to ; the head of an assegai was thrust 
 into the mass of verdure which formed his only protection, 
 striking the rock within an inch of him ; the noises in the 
 brush, and the cries passed on. Grey daylight came 
 
FEVER STRICKEN. 169 
 
 streaming between the leaves, the purple convolvuli 
 opened their flowers, and the parrots and wild pigeons 
 began to awake among the branches. 
 
 The wound in his shoulder had stopped bleeding, but 
 he felt faint and nearly unable to move. Cautiously 
 raising his head above the level of the bank, he glanced 
 around. "All seems quiet. If I could only reach the 
 river," he muttered. "My mouth is dry and parched 
 with thirst." 
 
 Slowly and painfully he extricated himself from the bed 
 of the nullah, and then, his rifle on his shoulder, followed 
 its course. 
 
 It did indeed revive him, as he scooped up the waters 
 of the Zambesi with his hands, and then, taking off his 
 clothes, bathed the wounded shoulder in the cool river. 
 What had become of his comrade was now his thought, 
 and the idea of not ascertaining his fate for fear of per- 
 sonal consequences, never occurred to him. The sun 
 would soon be up, the bees were just humming along the 
 river banks, the patches of forest land on the plain be- 
 yond the river looked black, in the grey dawn, and the 
 stars were fast disappearing. He would take his way 
 back to the clearing slowly, and cautiously. Just as he 
 had stepped on the bank reinvigorated and refreshed, a 
 noise struck his ears. 
 
 Turning towards the river, he leaned on his rifle, listen- 
 ing attentively. It was a fine broad stream the Zambesi, 
 even here, before the Shire river pours its waters into it 
 far below the fort of Senna ; and as he looked down it he 
 again caught the noise distinctly. 
 
 " It is the steady pull of oars in the rowlocks," he said, 
 speaking aloud, unconsciously. " I cannot be mistaken. 
 Perhaps I may find help." 
 
i 7 o WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 Concealing himself behind a bush, he waited. The 
 sounds, whatever they were, became more and more dis- 
 tinct, and soon, slowly pulling against the stream, a boat 
 drew clear of the bend of the river. Slowly it surged on- 
 ward meeting the stream, urged on by the strokes of six 
 rowers, the Portuguese flag streaming out from the stern, 
 and a small carronade mounted in her bows. In the 
 stern sheets sat a tall, upright figure, the tiller ropes in 
 either hand, dressed in a monkey jacket, pilot cloth 
 trousers, and a sailor's cap. His long white hair streamed 
 in the wind, and by his side a nearly naked savage. 
 " Could he be mistaken ? No," said Hughes again, 
 speaking aloud, " it is Captain Weber, and Masheesh has 
 not deserted us. He was bringing aid, alas ! too late." 
 
 " Boat ahoy !" shouted Hughes, as he stepped from 
 behind the bush, waving his rifle in the air. 
 
 A loud shout came over the river ; the next moment 
 the skipper's left hand gave the yawl's bows a broad 
 sheer towards the bank, and Masheesh and the old sailor 
 were by his side. His tale was soon told. Not a mo- 
 ment was lost, and though they found the clearing empty, 
 the spoor of the Amatonga was plain. Masheesh was 
 sent forward to reconnoitre, the Portuguese soldiers were 
 landed, and the result is known. 
 
 " And what is that over yonder, which I took for you ?" 
 asked the missionary. 
 
 Hughes rose from the spot where he had been sitting, 
 the missionary's hand in his ; he stooped over the heap, 
 and threw the skin aside. 
 
 "It is Matumba," he said ; " look at the mark of my 
 grip on his throat, and the dark blood-stain on his side. 
 He gave me trouble enough," he continued, as he threw 
 back the skins over the dead savage ; " and his face with 
 
FEVER STRICKEN. 171 
 
 its starting eyeballs, and tongue hanging out of his mouth, 
 is no pleasant sight. He was a treacherous savage, but 
 died the death of a brave." 
 
 " I don't see," said Weber, who now joined them, "that 
 there is any reason why we should not pitch the bodies of 
 these villains into the lire and have them consumed. It 
 is more ship-shape than leaving them to the jackals." 
 
 The thing was no sooner said than done, and the party 
 made short work of it. The body of the captain of the 
 " Argonaut" was carried down to the boat, and covered 
 with the Portuguese ensign. Those of the Amatonga 
 placed on the fire, which was burning fiercely. 
 
 " One, two, three, and yo heave oh !" shouted the 
 sailors, as Matumba's corpse was launched into the air, 
 and fell with a heavy thud into the middle of the flames, 
 sending up a shower of sparks. Fresh brush was heaped 
 over it, and the whole was left burning. 
 
 " Poor Mason," said Captain Weber, as the party moved 
 off, " he never got over the loss of his ship. Of the whole 
 crew, only yonder man now remains." 
 
 "But what were you doing here on the Zambesi, 
 Captain Weber, and how came you in company with 
 Masheesh ?" 
 
 The Matabele had been in great force, during the short 
 engagement, and now with his long assegai dyed red with 
 blood, stalked solemnly beside the missionary, who walked 
 with great difficulty. 
 
 " It is easily explained. You will remember when you 
 went over the ' Halcyon's' side, I told you I had but a 
 few months of my three years' cruise, Captain Hughes," re- 
 plied the seaman, " and that I was bound for Quillimane." 
 
 " Perfectly, and that you would give me a passage to 
 England if I needed it," answered Hughes. " I shall be 
 
i 7 2 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 glad to accept it, if you can land me at Delagoa Bay, Port 
 Natal, or the Cape ; for we two have nothing save our 
 knapsacks and rifles now." 
 
 " Avast there ! Hear my tale first. It appears a special 
 envoy has been sent out by the King of Portugal to re- 
 port on this colony on the Zambesi. With his staff he 
 has been for the last three months at Te'te. The ' Hal- 
 cyon ' has been taken up for his passage home, and I am 
 on my way to sign articles with Dom Francisco de Maxara." 
 
 " But that does not account for my seeing Masheesh at 
 your side in yonder boat ?" remarked Hughes. 
 
 " The Governor of the fort yonder was at Tete with his 
 Excellency when the Matabele arrived, and told his tale. 
 The Portuguese would not get under weigh without orders. 
 Reaching Senna late last night, I heard of the affair, knew 
 it must be you, and determined to send poor Mason on 
 to sign articles, and guided by Masheesh to go to your 
 help." 
 
 A cordial grasp of the hand followed this. 
 
 " Why, you are burning with fever, my lad, and more 
 fit for the sick bay than the jungle," said Weber, looking 
 into the soldier's face. 
 
 "Shove off; give way, my lads; his Excellency must 
 wait a wee," continued the seaman, as the boat sheered 
 down stream, and the men bending to their oars, the 
 stout craft dashed down the Zambesi, heading for Senna. 
 
 Dom Isidore Mujaio, the commandant, met them at 
 the landing-place, greatly surprised at their speedy re- 
 turn, and still more so when he saw the use his Portu- 
 guese flag had been put to. About forty years of age ; 
 tall, dark complexioned, and sedate in manner, he wel- 
 comed the new comers, at the same time giving his 
 orders to the men. Taking up the body of the late 
 
FEVER STRICKEN. 173 
 
 captain of the burned ship, six soldiers conveyed it to the 
 little chapel, and during the pause, the new comers 
 looked around them. 
 
 The fort was built of brick, and was in a very dilapi- 
 dated condition. Situated on the right bank of the 
 Zambesi, the river rolled its waters under the walls 
 and seemed a large stream, dotted with reed-covered 
 islands. 
 
 " Captain Weber, you can spare your men a toilsome 
 row ; his Excellency will arrive either this night or to- 
 morrow from Te'te' en route for Quillimane. Gentlemen," 
 continued the Portuguese, "you are welcome ; you will 
 meet with scant hospitality here, but we will do our 
 best." 
 
 Dom Mujaio took off his black broad-brimmed hat as 
 he spoke, bowing low. 
 
 " Ay, ay, then I have not much time to lose. I say, 
 Dom," exclaimed the sailor, " this is the Senhor Wyzinski, 
 a missionary, on the loose, and whom we found in a fair 
 way to make a grill for Davy Jones ; look at his singed 
 hair and whiskers; and this is an old friend, Captain 
 Hughes, 150th Regt, who looks half dead with fever." 
 
 Again the formal Portuguese raised his hat, bowing 
 first to one and then to the other. 
 
 "Rodrigues," he said, beckoning to a soldier who 
 stood near, " show the Senhors to the only room we can 
 give them. Once more I ask your consideration for our 
 shortcomings, Senhors." 
 
 " Come, make sail !" cried the skipper ; " don't be all 
 day backing and filling here." 
 
 The gate opened, then swung to again, as passing the 
 Governor, who stood with his hat raised from his head, 
 and preceded by the very questionable individual who 
 
174 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 had been called Rodrigues, Hughes and the missionary, 
 literally worn out with fatigue and excitement, the one 
 wounded in the shoulder, the other his face blistered with 
 burns, and hardly able to walk from the effects of the 
 tightly-bound palmyra rope, took their way up a narrow, 
 winding staircase, turning out of a landing into a large 
 room, lighted by barred windows looking over the 
 Zambesi and the plain beyond. 
 
 A couple of rude stretcher beds placed at opposite sides 
 of the room, two large horse buckets, evidently intended 
 for washing purposes, a coil of palmyra rope, ro haul 
 up water from the river below, and some rude chairs, 
 formed the furniture. The roof of the chamber was 
 vaulted, and the floor was of red brick. Such was the room 
 into which the soldier ushered the travel-worn men, and 
 to them it seemed a palace. Standing at attention as 
 they passed, the Portuguese spoke some words in his 
 own tongue, then closed the door with a clang. Placing 
 their rifles against the wall, and throwing down the knap- 
 sacks which had been recovered, the missionary's first act 
 was to push the bolt, and offer up fervent thanks for the 
 protection vouchsafed them during their late danger. 
 
 The water-buckets were put into use, the knapsacks 
 rummaged, and then the two sat gazing in silence over 
 the river. 
 
 " We must manage a passage with our friend, Weber/' 
 said Wyzinski, at last. 
 
 " I don't know how it is, I don't feel any interest in 
 anything," languidly replied Hughes. " These shivering 
 fits upset me. The fever has its hold of me." 
 
 " I wonder whether they have any quinine ? What a 
 miserable, tumble-down set of wretched hovels these 
 Portuguese have here. A town of thirty houses." 
 
FEVER STRICKEN. 175 
 
 " The country looks fertile, and the colony should pros- 
 per," languidly returned Hughes, shivering heavily from 
 head to foot, and his face flushing as he spoke. " Those 
 are curiously-shaped sugar-loaf hills, the river flowing 
 between us and them. The thick forest stretches beyond, 
 and how beautiful the distant mountains seem." 
 
 "Those are the hills of the Morumbala range, but 
 what interests me more is yonder boat swinging to her 
 anchor. She is of English build, has a small cabin, and 
 pulls eight oars. I should like to drop down the Zam- 
 besi to-morrow. There must be traders at Quillimane, 
 sailing to Natal or the Cape." 
 
 Here a prolonged and painful shivering fit took pos- 
 session of Hughes, gradually and rapidly increasing to 
 such an extent as soon to incapacitate him even from 
 talking. That night the pulse was beating at a fearful 
 pace, the temples throbbed nearly to bursting, and the 
 terrible shivering fits shook his frame. The following 
 day the brain was affected, and the sufferer went once 
 more through the scenes he had lately acted. The 
 missionary dragged his cot to that of his sick comrade, 
 and Captain Weber shared his watch, but the resources 
 of the fort were very small, and but for his strong con- 
 stitution the chances were against recovery. 
 
 The morning of the third day, there was a great bustle 
 within the walls of the ruined fort. Weber came to say 
 good-bye. The Portuguese envoy had arrived from Tete, 
 the agreement had been made, and the captain of the 
 merchantman was to drop down the river that morning 
 to finish his preparations. 
 
 Hughes was wandering, and did not know him. " It 
 shall go hard but that you shall have your passage in the 
 ' Halcyon/ if he can bear it," said the skipper, the tears 
 
176 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 standing in his eyes as he pressed the missionary's hand 
 " An hour of the fresh breeze of the Indian Ocean would 
 do more to cooper up yonder craft than all the rubbish in 
 the world. He's on his beam ends now, that's sure ; but 
 may be he'll be all a-tauto soon." 
 
 A knock at the door, and Dom Francisco Maxara 
 entered ; an elderly, grey-haired man, tall in stature, and 
 stately in bearing. 
 
 " I cannot say it is a pleasure, Senhor," began the old 
 noble, as he bowed to the missionary, and made room 
 for the merchant captain to pass, " but at all events it is 
 a duty to place myself and all I have at your command." 
 
 Rolling restlessly from side to side, his handsome fea- 
 tures, bronzed by the sun, now flushed with fever, Hughes 
 was unconscious of their presence. He was with his 
 corps cheering on his men as he had cheered them 
 on the plains of Chillianwallah, the day the gallant ioth 
 Regt. melted away before the masked fire from the Sikh 
 artillery, when gliding through the open door and passing 
 her arm through her father's, Dona Isabel de Maxara 
 looked down on him. 
 
 Tall and graceful in figure, the girl's face was of that 
 beautiful clear brown tint, found only in the sunny south, 
 but one of the peculiarities which distinguished her was 
 the network of blue veins, tracing themselves under the 
 transparent olive of the skin; the eyes were large and 
 intensely brilliant, shaded now by the long black lashes, 
 which, with the slightly arched and beautifully pencilled 
 eyebrow, told of Moorish blood. The mouth was small 
 and beautifully cut, the lips parted now and showing the 
 white teeth ; and if there was a fault in the features, it 
 was that the forehead, with all its lace-work of blue 
 veins glancing under the clear olive skin, was too high 
 
FEVER STRICKEN. 177 
 
 and massive for a female face. The hair was brushed 
 backwards, fastened behind by a large comb, tipped with 
 gold, from which hung the long mantilla of Spain. 
 
 The sick man saw nothing of all this, he was busy 
 among the guns at Chillianwallah. 
 
 " How long, Senhor," said the girl, looking up at the 
 missionary, and the large eyes filling as she did so with 
 tears, which rolled one by one unheeded down her cheeks, 
 — " how long has your friend been ill ?" 
 
 "This is the third day, mademoiselle/' replied he, 
 speaking in French, both father and daughter having used 
 that language. " Have you any quinine, Senhor ?" he 
 continued, addressing the father. 
 
 " Yes, at your service ; but not having had any before, 
 what have you been using ?" replied the noble, taking the 
 sick man's hands, and feeling his pulse. 
 
 " A drink made out of the kumbunga plant. It has 
 cured me more than once." 
 
 u Wait," cried the girl, eager to be of use. " I will 
 return in a moment," and she ran out of the room, show- 
 ing as she moved the beautiful foot and ankle peculiar to 
 the Portuguese. 
 
 The old noble shook his head as he let the arm he 
 held fall on the bed-clothes. 
 
 " There, use that at once," said the breathless girl, as 
 she returned with a small bottle filled with quinine. 
 " And as soon as you can, get away from this terrible 
 place." 
 
 " We will leave now ; we are but in the way. Later 
 on we may be useful. Command me, Senhor," added 
 the Portuguese ; " whatever I have is at your service. I 
 pray you do not spare me or mine." 
 
 With a stately wave of the hand, as though he were 
 
tyl WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 quitting a palace, instead of a poor barrack-room in a 
 dilapidated fort, the nobleman passed on. 
 
 " You will let me know," said Isabel, pausing before 
 she joined her father, and raising her eyes to the mis- 
 sionary's face — " you will let me know how your poor 
 friend is." And with one more glance round the room, 
 and at the wretched bed, she passed out. 
 
 Wyzinski stood looking at her. It seemed like a 
 dream j but then there was the stoppered bottle of white 
 powder in his hand to prove the reality. All that day, 
 all that night, the missionary watched by the bedside. 
 Towards midnight a heavy thunder-storm ^passed over the 
 plains watered by the Zambesi. The air seemed blue 
 with the forked lightning ; the thunder rattled and roared 
 over the fort, but the morning dawned calm and beauti- 
 ful, and a cool breeze blew in at the open windows, 
 bringing with it the sweet breath of the tamarind flowers. 
 The quinine, too, had done its work ; and the crisis 
 which in the dreadful tertian fever of the Zambesi 
 always occurs on the third day, had passed over 
 favourably. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 LOTUS-EATING ON THE ZAMEESI. 
 
 Close to one of those islands which here and there 
 intersect the course of the Zambesi, two boats lay moored, 
 about a week after Hughes's recovery. The one was a 
 large European-looking pinnace, though in reality it had 
 been built on the Zambesi, after an English model. It 
 possessed a covered cabin aft, capable of holding a dozen 
 people. The second boat was of smaller and lighter 
 
LOTUS-EATING ON THE ZAMBESI. 179 
 
 build. From the island came sounds of laughter and 
 conversation. 
 
 Under the trellised creepers through which the rays of 
 the afternoon sun were shining, sat a party of Europeans. 
 The water wa's bubbling up in a stone basin ; the purple 
 grapes were hanging in rich clusters from the vines ; and 
 there, doing the honours of the table with a gentle grace 
 which showed a practised ease and knowledge of the 
 world, sat Dona Isabel Maxara. Near her, half sitting, 
 half reclining on some cushions, Captain Hughes seemed 
 lost in contemplation of the fair girl. Still very weak, 
 and much pulled down by the short but sharp attack of 
 the deadly tertian, he had got it into his head that the 
 quinine had saved his life ; and perhaps it was not a very 
 unpleasant thing to be beholden for life to so fair a 
 physician. And so he gazed on the tall, graceful, and 
 beautifully-turned figure, the head carried with that digni- 
 fied swan-like movement peculiar to Spain and Portugal, 
 the long black lace veil now thrown back and floating 
 behind. The clear olive complexion was well set off by 
 the crimson lips of the well-cut mouth, and the large coal 
 black eyes, with their long lashes, well matched by the 
 luxuriant tresses of jetty hair. As she rose to carry the 
 small cup of coffee to the invalid, he certainly thought 
 the life it pleased him to consider she had saved, could 
 not have a better use than devotion to her; and when 
 the fair Isabel stooped over the young soldier, and one 
 long tress of the raven hair touched his hand, raised to 
 receive the cup, the rosy flush flew up into a cheek once 
 browned by exposure, but paled now by illness. 
 
 At a table close by, the Portuguese envoy, Dom 
 Francisco Maxara, sat playing at chess with the Com- 
 mandant of Senna ; the two, wholly absorbed in their 
 
180 WILD SPORTS IN ZUL U LAND. 
 
 game, exchanging a word only at intervals. The mis- 
 sionary was unpacking, showing, and repacking, the 
 various skins and small animals he had managed to 
 secure. The birds were singing in the bushes round 
 about, and above all came the buzz of insect life, and the 
 ceaseless roll of the broad Zambesi. 
 
 The soldier lay back on the cushions sipping his 
 coffee, his eyes half shut, a pleasant feeling of indolence 
 enervating his frame as he gazed. " She is very lovely," 
 he muttered ; " and here am I, a captain of a marching 
 regiment, allowing myself to fall in love with the daughter 
 of a Portuguese grandee, whom I shall probably never 
 see again." 
 
 " And this," continued Wyzinski, who seemed to have 
 monopolised the conversation, "is it not a beautiful skin? 
 Do you remember, Hughes, shooting this wild cat in the 
 tree the morning of that terrible day among the Ama- 
 tongas ?" 
 
 " Indeed," replied the other, " I am little likely to for- 
 get it. I shall always think it was the excitement, and 
 the prostration consequent on the hunt, which so nearly 
 consigned me to an African grave." 
 
 " Tell me the tale," cried Isabel. " I long to hear your 
 adventures among the tribes of the interior. It seems 
 so strange for us to meet here on this great African 
 river." 
 
 The conversation was carried on in French ; and the 
 soldier told of their travels ; told how the baboon had 
 first been found ; how it had lived in the camp, and how 
 it had died. The chess-players were disturbed by the 
 silvery peals of laughter which rang round them as Hughes 
 related, with some humour, the incident of the powder- 
 flask ; and Dona Isabel's dark eyes had been fixed for a 
 
LOTUS-EATING ON THE ZAMBESI. 181 
 
 long time on the speaker's face ere the tale was finished, 
 and the sun sank beneath the horizon, the stars peep- 
 ing out, while the fire-flies came floating around, and 
 the cool puffs of the sea breeze swept across the 
 river. 
 
 "Sing for us, Isabel," said Dom Francisco, as he 
 check-mated his antagonist, at the same time rising and 
 making him a stately bow. 
 
 Dona Isabel took her guitar, and the sweet tones of her 
 voice rang out among the trellised vines and over the 
 broad river, dying away on the plains beyond, where the 
 howl of the jackal was just making itself heard. 
 
 " You will give me my revenge, Senhor Maxara ?" asked 
 the Commandant. 
 
 " Nay, Dom Isidore, not possible — at least, until you 
 do me the high honour of becoming my guest in our own 
 land. We must leave to-morrow evening." 
 
 "And the lady," asked Mujaio, "is she, too, in such 
 a hurry to leave Senna ?" 
 
 " The Dona Isabel must abide by her father's decision," 
 she replied \ " but she may have a word to say to Dom 
 Maxara on the subject." 
 
 Rising, she took her father's arm, and leading him 
 towards the river side, seemed to urge something, to 
 which he would not consent. 
 
 " Impossible; wholly so. The brig is an English trader, 
 bound for the Cape, and takes us only as passengers. 
 Her captain cannot delay beyond the stipulated day ; but 
 come, we will do our best." 
 
 " My daughter, Dom Isidore, has been urging our stay 
 at Senna for some days longer, but I am forced to say 
 nay. You, gentlemen," continued the ceremonious old 
 noble, bowing first to the missionary, then to the soldier, 
 
182 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 f* seek to return to the Cape ; will you so far honour my 
 daughter and myself as to accompany us ?" 
 
 The soldier's face flushed with pleasure. It was just 
 what he could have desired. Wyzinski courteously de- 
 clined, urging that they must wait until the "Alert" gun 
 brig should touch at Quillimane, as they were without 
 funds, and unable to pay their passage to the Cape. 
 
 A stately wave of the hand from Dom Francisco fol- 
 lowed this matter-of-fact declaration, which wounded the 
 soldier to the quick. He almost hated Wyzinski, and 
 yet the determination had been come to that morning, on 
 hearing of the advent of the " Alert." 
 
 "The brig 'Halcyon' waits us at Quillimane," per- 
 sisted the noble. " She is chartered by my government 
 to convey me, its envoy, to the Cape, and can take no 
 passengers, but is bound to receive my suite and guests. 
 Will the Senhors honour us by becoming the latter ?"/ 
 
 "And you may, indeed, help us," interposed Isabel, 
 fixing her dark eyes on the missionary. " What shall we 
 do on board an English brig, with no one to understand 
 us ? But 4 will not the Senhor be too weak if we leave to- 
 morrow ?" 
 
 As she stood there, with the stars shining upon her, 
 and the fire-fties playing like an aureole round her head, 
 it occurred to» Hughes that he was strong enough to follow 
 her anywhere. The missionary looked at him inquiringly. 
 
 " Every day will bring me strength," he replied ; " and 
 I shall be very glad to get to the sea once more. Senhor 
 Dom Francisco Maxara, I accept your kind and generous 
 oifer, with many thanks." 
 
 "And I also," joined in Wyzinski. 
 
 " Then, Senhor Commandant, we will start to-morrow 
 evening. I shall leave my staff here until the surveys, 
 
LOTUS-EATING ON THE ZAMBESI. 183 
 
 estimates, and plans be completed, and you shall have 
 your revenge when you come home." 
 
 " All shall be in readiness, " replied Mujaio, as he took 
 a whistle from his neck, and sounded a shrill call. A 
 boat shot across the stream from the fort ; the noise of the 
 oars straining in the rowlocks was heard, and the bowman 
 jumped ashore, holding the boat's painter in his hand. 
 
 " Good night, gentlemen," said the noble. " I shall 
 have much business to transact with the Senhor Com- 
 mandant to-morrow, and may not see you. My daughter, 
 Dona Isabel, will hope to have that pleasure in my 
 absence. The smaller of the two boats allotted us you 
 will look upon as yours." 
 
 Moving towards the river, his daughter on his arm, the 
 stately Portuguese took off his broad-brimmed hat most 
 courteously. Senhor Mujaio followed, having first handed 
 the missionary the silver whistle. 
 
 " When you require the boat you have only to use this. 
 Good night, gentlemen." 
 
 A dark spot shot off from the bank into the starlight ; 
 the noise of the oars was again heard, and then the sound 
 of a merry Portuguese air, in the chorus of which even 
 the boatmen joined, though the soft, silvery female voice 
 told who was the principal singer. Then the dark 
 shadow thrown across the river received the boat, and all 
 was silent. With a sigh of gratification, Hughes threw 
 himself back on the cushions. 
 
 " Well, there is our future provided for," he ejaculated. 
 " Who would have thought of meeting such a divine 
 creature here, Wyzinski? Fancy such a jewel shut up in 
 that crumbling old fort. Why, the Amatongas even could 
 take it." 
 
 " There is a much more warlike tribe here to the north, 
 
1 84- WILD SPORTS IN ZUL U LAND. 
 
 named the Landeens, who have taken it more than once," 
 replied the missionary. 
 
 " And might do so again," mused the other, " this very 
 night." 
 
 " Don't you think you might utilize your light infantry 
 education ?" asked Wyzinski. 
 
 " What do you mean?" 
 
 " Why, I mean if you were to run away, as you did 
 from the hippopotamus." 
 
 " What, run away from the Landeens ?'' 
 
 " No, from the lady," laughed Wyzinski ; " I think it 
 would be the wisest plan." 
 
 ''Don't be a fool, Wyzinski; I am not strong enough 
 to bear chaffing." 
 
 " But quite strong enough to go down the stream— of 
 course I don't mean the stream of life, but of the Zambesi 
 — with Dona Isabel de Maxara ?" 
 
 The captain of the gallant 150th did not reply, but fell 
 into a musing mood. Some Portuguese cigarettes lay on 
 the table near the chessmen. The night was cool ; and it 
 was pleasant, looking over the flowing river, and watching 
 the twinkling lights flashing from the windows and em- 
 brasures of the fort. The cry of the jackal was heard 
 from time to time ; a distant splash told of the hippopo- 
 tami; and then the moon rose, tinging the stream with its 
 rays, and lighting up the islands on its bosom. The well- 
 known conical hill of Baramuana became distinctly visible; 
 and far away to the northward, the faint, ghost-like out- 
 line of the Morumbala range could with difficulty be traced; 
 while the flat country round, closely covered with forest 
 growth, looked like a dark blot in the moonlight. 
 
 The lights twinkled and then went out in the fort j the 
 noise in the wretched houses of Senna gradually ceasing. 
 
LOTUS-EATING ON THE ZAMBESI. 185 
 
 " And what are your intentions, Wyzinski, on your ar- 
 rival at the Cape ?" asked Hughes, after a long silence. 
 
 " To organise a party ; get the support of the English 
 Government, if possible ; but, whether or not, to return 
 to the Amatonga, and by means of the ambition of their 
 chief, Umhleswa, fully to explore the ruins now lying 
 buried there. Will you join me ?" 
 
 " No, Wyzinski ; I have had enough of African life. I 
 long for Europe and its civilisation." 
 
 "Say for Portugal and its water-melons, and I shall 
 understand you better," replied the missionary, bitterly. 
 
 " Nay," answered the soldier, dreamily ; " this fever has 
 weakened me, and I have my regiment to think of. I 
 must shake it off, or all hopes of advancement will be 
 taken from me." 
 
 " You are quite right," replied the missionary. " Con- 
 centrate your thoughts on that, and don't think of the 
 Dona Isabel; that haughty old noble would as soon 
 dream of the sun for her bridegroom, as of a captain of 
 the 150th." 
 
 The soldier sighed ; and Wyzinski using the whistle, 
 the boat was soon once more at the island, and Senna, 
 its fort, commandant, garrison, and guests, buried in deep 
 sleep, even with the fear of the treacherous Landeens 
 before their eyes. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 ELEPHANT HUNTING ON THE SHIRE RIVER. 
 
 Two boats have been mentioned as intended for the use 
 of the party descending the Zambesi. The one was 
 a simple ordinary pinnace, but the second and larger had 
 
186 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 evidently been fitted out for special use, and was in fact 
 that appropriated to the not unfrequent voyages of the 
 commandants of the two forts of Tete and Senna. Pull- 
 ing eight oars, its speed was considerable, when rowing, as 
 in the present instance, down stream, and it was so broad 
 in the beam as to be able to stow away luggage as 
 well as passengers. A light wooden framework had been 
 constructed, so as to fit on either gunwale aft, forming a 
 cover something resembling that of a modern English 
 waggonette, with windows let into the side. Divans and 
 cushions served for seats, while handsome mirrors orna- 
 mented every spare corner, thus making of the roomy 
 boat a pleasant sleeping place, enabling its occupants to 
 escape the pest of mosquitos, incidental to the banks of 
 the Zambesi. 
 
 Leaving Senna late, the party dropped lazily down the 
 broad river. The moonlight was pleasant enough ; and 
 from time to time Isabel's voice, accompanying her guitar, 
 rang out on the night air, while many a tale of European 
 and African life shortened the night. Morning dawned ; 
 the beams of the rising sun tipping the tamarind trees on 
 the banks of the Shire as the grapnel was dropped under 
 the lee of a small island, just where the river poured its 
 waters into the Zambesi. The men were sent ashore to pitch 
 a tent on the right bank, and thus night was turned into 
 day on the bosom of the broad river. That afternoon the 
 tent was standing under the shelter of a group of mash- 
 ango trees, its canvas sides being raised to admit the 
 air ; and dinner, which with its delicacies of fish and vege- 
 tables, seemed a banquet to men who had for so long 
 been forced to live on venison, was served under its 
 shade. Several bottles of Bordeaux stood there, too, 
 swathed in wet towels, just where the warm wind was 
 
ELEPHANT HUNTING. 187 
 
 the strongest, cooling by evaporation. In front, the 
 river, now sweeping onward, a broad majestic stream, 
 swollen by the waters of the Shire flowing from their 
 sources in the vast watershed of central Africa to the 
 north. Groups of cocoa-nut and palmyra grew here and 
 there ; the gum copal threw its shadow over the glancing 
 water; and large ebony trees of monstrous growth, thickly 
 covered with mantling creepers, bent over the stream. 
 There, too, was the singular palm tree, to be met with 
 often on the Shire, which sends up its stem, dividing 
 many times, and each one forming a fan-like top of 
 curiously cut leaves, like giant fingers to the hand of a 
 Cyclops ; and there was the prosopis tree, long known to 
 the settler on the Shire's banks for the fitness of its wood 
 for boat-building. Beyond lay the plain, one or two small 
 kraals dotting it here and there, the patches of sugar-cane, 
 maize,' and banana showing tokens of unusual industry 
 and civilisation. Cattle, too, were moving lazily about in 
 the rich pasturage, or standing grouped under the shade, 
 while far away the blue ridges of the Morumbala moun- 
 tains closed the view. The day had been cool, and a 
 slight breeze just blew out the folds of the heavy Portu- 
 guese flag, waving from the stern of the larger boat. Its 
 cushions had been removed and placed inside the tent, 
 and the guitar lay neglected on the ground, its fair owner 
 listening to the soldier's tale of the Matabele hunt and 
 the rhinoceros, as she twisted indolently the stalk of a 
 splendid water-lily, gathered before landing. Between 
 Dom Francisco and the missionary was the chess-board, 
 but both were listening too attentively to pay much at- 
 tention to the game ; while the boatmen and attendants 
 were seated in small knots round the tent discussing the 
 remainder of the dinner, finishing half-empty bottles, ox 
 
j88 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 laughing, talking, and tale-telling in opposition to the 
 parrots' screaming among the branches. 
 
 "But," said Isabel, as Hughes concluded the story, 
 " your rhinoceros, dangerous as it was, is nothing to the 
 animal of the same species, which we heard of at Te'te, 
 and which many affirmed they had seen." 
 
 " What is it T eagerly asked Wyzinski, forgetting the 
 game in his desire for information. " I once met a 
 woman of the Makao tribe, who spoke of a strange 
 species. Strange enough she was herself, with her upper 
 lip pierced and ornamented by an ivory ring, a bark 
 covering serving for petticoat, that and a necklace of bark 
 for all clothing." 
 
 Reclining back on her cushions, the black mantilla 
 drawn over her neck and bust, one tiny slippered foot 
 just peeping from out of the folds of the light dress, 
 Dona Isabel carried the pure white petals of the water- 
 lily to her face, her large black eyes peeping over the 
 flower contrasting strangely with its whiteness, but seem- 
 ing herself too indolent to reply. 
 
 Puffing a long spiral stream of smoke from his mouth, 
 the Portuguese noble answered for her. 
 
 "It is said, and implicitly believed by the natives, 
 many of whom assert that they have seen it, that far away 
 to the northward there exists a rhinoceros, carrying one 
 single sharp-pointed horn right in the centre of the fore* 
 head." 
 
 " The unicorn of old," interrupted Wyzinski. 
 
 "The unicorn of our fathers' tales," replied Dom 
 Francisco, gravely bowing. " The animal is of immense 
 strength and savage ferocity, say the natives. It is use- 
 less for man to contend with him, and any one who meets 
 it may count on death." 
 
ELEPHANT HUNTING. 189 
 
 " At all events he may take refuge in a tree, and wait 
 until the animal goes away." 
 
 " It is said this rhinoceros will patiently bore with his 
 sharp horn until he has broken the tree, and then kill the 
 man ; that he will work for days until his object be 
 accomplished." 
 
 " See !" exclaimed Dona Isabel ; " there are canoes 
 coming up the river. What are they doing ?" 
 
 There were at that moment four small boats rounding 
 the island, just where the Shire discharged itself into the 
 Zambesi, and their movements seemed eccentric enough 
 to warrant the surprise expressed by Dona Isabel. 
 
 Independently of the rowers, one man stood erect in 
 the bow of each canoe, holding in his hand an assegai, 
 which from time to time he threw. As they neared the 
 bank, a huge hippopotamus rose to the surface, and with 
 a shout, the bow man in the nearest canoe made his 
 cast. The spear missed ; but the second boat dashed up. 
 Again the hippopotamus rose, and this time the assegai 
 struck true. 
 
 "Why, it is exactly the way the Arctic seamen take 
 the whales !" exclaimed Hughes. 
 
 A loud scream from Dona Isabel, as she started from 
 her recumbent position, was heard. The hippopotamus 
 had risen again, and with its great red mouth open, 
 dashed in fury at the leading canoe. 
 
 The man in the bow seemed paralyzed with fear, for 
 he did not make a cast ; the next moment the boat was 
 floating bottom upwards, drifting with the stream, but the 
 animal had received another assegai as he was in the act 
 of striking the canoe. 
 
 As for its crew, they rose to the surface, and struck 
 out for the bank, vigorously swimming like fishes, their 
 
190 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 comrades taking no notice of them. The hippopotamus 
 seemed badly hurt now, for it rose again quickly, re- 
 ceiving another lance, and then, dragging itself on to the 
 bank, fell from exhaustion and loss of blood, the natives 
 giving a yell of triumph as they rowed up. 
 
 " Listen !" said Wyzinski, " that was a shout ; here, 
 down the river bank, to the right." 
 
 "And there comes the owner of the cry," replied 
 Hughes ; " he is a European, too, and well armed." 
 
 Dressed in a light calico suit of clothes, wearing a 
 broad-brimmed Panama hat, and carrying a rifle in his 
 hand, while a brace of pistols were stuck into a broad 
 crimson Andalusian sash which encircled his waist, the 
 owner of the shout, as Hughes had called him, rode up, 
 followed by three mounted natives. 
 
 " The Senhor Dom Francisco Maxara ?" inquired the 
 new comer, raising his sombrero. 
 
 "The same, Senhor," haughtily returned the noble, 
 rising and replying to the courtesy. 
 
 " I am Dom Assevedo, of Quillimane. I have a house 
 at Nyangue, and am owner of a good deal of the land 
 about here. Will the Senhor Maxara and his fair 
 daughter" (here the sombrero was again removed) " con- 
 descend to consider my poor house at Nyangue their own 
 for the period they may honour me by staying ?" 
 
 "I thank you, Senhor, but it may not be. The 
 \ Halcyon ' brig waits us at Quillimane, and I must needs 
 say no. Isabel, can you not persuade the Senhor to join 
 us?" 
 
 " At all events, I can offer him part of my cushions," 
 replied the lady, "on condition he talks French, for 
 Portuguese will not be understood by our guests." 
 
 " Ah, the two Englishmen whom I have heard of from 
 
ELEPHANT HUNTING. Y91 
 
 the Limpopo. Perhaps you, gentlemen, will honour me 
 with a visit ?" 
 
 This, too, was impossible ; and Wyzinski was in the 
 act of explaining why, when a loud clamour was heard 
 among the natives, who were busy on the sandy bank 
 below cutting up the hippopotamus. The excitement 
 seemed to communicate itself to the boatmen, and, walk- 
 ing to the entrance, Dom Assevedo called out, " Come 
 here, Senhora, there is a sight seldom seen." 
 
 Looking down the stream, which was rolling slowly on 
 its course towards the sea, between banks where the 
 palmyra and cocoa palms grew in clumps, seven elephants 
 were swimming the river. With their trunks raised high 
 in the air, and their huge black bodies rolling from side to 
 side, the animals, notwithstanding their tremendous bulk, 
 seemed to move with apparent ease and pleasure to 
 themselves. 
 
 " They are heading right for the island at the mouth of 
 the Shire !" exclaimed Hughes, all the spirit of the old 
 shikaree reviving at the sight. 
 
 "Something must have terrified them," said Dom 
 Assevedo ; " perhaps the jungle has been fired in their 
 rear." 
 
 " There they go — one, two, three, four, five, six, and 
 seven, all on the island," counted Hughes. 
 
 Dona Isabel had stood, her hands clasped, her eyes 
 fixed on the strange scene, a beautiful statue, the very 
 model of mute astonishment. 
 
 " If they don't break out and take to the other bank, I 
 can show you some sport, now," exclaimed Assevedo. 
 
 A few minutes of breathless watching followed, not a 
 word being spoken, while the spiral wreaths of smoke 
 curled up into the calm air from Dom Francisco's 
 
192 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 cigarette. All eyes were fixed on the island. Five 
 minutes elapsed, lengthening into ten, and the elephants 
 had not reappeared. 
 
 " Do any of you gentlemen speak Kaffir ?" inquired 
 Assevedo. 
 
 " I do," replied Wyzinski ; ' ' at least the Zulu tongue." 
 
 " Good ; then do me the favour to go to the men on 
 the river bank. Tell them you come from me, use my 
 name, and let them get their boats together, and join us 
 in our hunt. Senhor de Maxara, will you order your men 
 to get your boat ready ?" 
 
 " Surely, you will take me with you ?" asked Isabel. 
 
 " Fair Senhora, there is danger." 
 
 " And have I not seen the bull-fights of Seville ?" asked 
 the girl, her eyes flashing fire. " Let me be able to say 
 when I return to my country, that I have also seen the 
 African elephant hunted." 
 
 " The animals are sure to take up the river banks for 
 the forest land. If your boat is large enough to take my 
 pony across, there can be no reason to say no," replied 
 Assevedo. 
 
 The boat was found amply sufficient. A lady's side- 
 saddle was rummaged out from the luggage ; the rifles, of 
 which there were no lack, loaded ; and the whole party, 
 embarked in four canoes and two boats, rowed across the 
 river. At first they pulled up the stream, so as not to 
 alarm the elephants, striking the opposite bank much 
 higher than the mouth of the Shire. Landing, Dom 
 Asseve'do posted the men. The elephants, when dis- 
 turbed, were certain to take to the water, swim the river, 
 and enter the woods, which here stretched right away to 
 the foot of the hills. 
 
 " Senhor Wyzinski, as you speak the Zulu tongue, will 
 
ELEPHANT HUNTING. 193 
 
 you take the canoes, and landing in rear of the elephants, 
 make as much noise as possible, and fire the reeds if 
 necessary?" 
 
 " Senhor Inglesi, you are the younger man, will you 
 look to the Senhora Isabel, while I and Dom Francisco 
 take our post under yonder clump of trees ?" 
 
 Captain Hughes was in the act of loading as he 
 received the directions. The rifle was a heavy one, and 
 by a lucky chance two of Devisme's explosive cartridges 
 fitted the bore. 
 
 Dom Asseve'do then explained to Isabel that, should 
 the elephants come her way, she was to ride for the open, 
 where she was perfectly safe, the animals not being fleet 
 enough to overtake her, and they would be sure to make 
 for the forest. 
 
 The loud cries of the natives were soon heard, and 
 Hughes looked about him. The Shire, on whose banks 
 they were, was not broad, though it appeared deep. 
 They stood facing the river, under a clump of cocoa-nut 
 trees. To the right, at a little distance, lay the Zam- 
 besi, and behind them, distant about a thousand yards, 
 began the forest, which seemed gradually to increase 
 in density until it became nearly impenetrable. To 
 the left a comparatively open country, with fields of 
 maize and sugar-cane ripening in the sun. Some long 
 reeds growing about ten paces to their front served as a 
 screen. 
 
 Not a word was spoken, and as he stood by the pony's 
 side, and looked up at its rider's slender, graceful figure, 
 and beautiful face, the soldier felt the duty he had under- 
 taken a pleasant one. 
 
 Isabel sat her horse like a statue, her parted lips 
 showed the white teeth, her eyes intently fixed on the 
 
 x 3 
 
194 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 island, and her face shaded from the sun by a flapped-hat 
 with its broad brim. 
 
 Shouts and yells came floating on the air over the 
 Shire river, sometimes very loud and eager, at others 
 dying away, and at last a large black mass slowly 
 approached the water side. Isabel clasped her hands 
 as the elephant waded into the river, ejaculating some 
 words in her own language ; but the great animal paused, 
 looked over the Shire towards the opposite bank, and, 
 whether suspecting danger or not liking a second swim, 
 returned to cover. 
 
 And now a faint column of blue smoke shot up from 
 the island, telling that Wyzinski had fired the bush ; it 
 thickened as the dry reeds caught fire, the red flame 
 darted up at intervals, and heavy masses of smoke rolled 
 away to leeward. The fire leaped merrily onward, making 
 rapid progress, and soon a loud trumpeting was heard, as, 
 plunging into the river, the elephants, terribly frightened, 
 swam towards the opposite bank, their trunks raised in 
 the air high above the water. They would evidently land 
 within twenty paces of where Dona Isabel was posted. 
 
 " Tighten your bridle-rein," whispered the soldier, as he 
 placed his hand on the snaffle. "Be ready. Here they 
 come !" 
 
 " Madre de Dios !" ejaculated the astonished girl. 
 "Oh ! Santa Maria, how grand !" 
 
 Rolling about like seven huge porpoises, their backs, 
 heads, and flapping ears above water, the elephants came 
 on swimming in Indian file. The trunk raised straight 
 up in the air gave to the black masses a strange look, 
 while the tusks at times lowered sent the water in their 
 front spurting into the air. Three out of the seven were 
 siiales. They gained the bank, the water falling from 
 
ELEPHANT HUNTING. 195 
 
 them in sheets, and then they leisurely walked away for 
 cover. One old male was some dozen yards behind the 
 rest, and this elephant Captain Hughes singled out for 
 himself. Landing, it stood for a second or two, the water 
 dripping from its huge sides, looking curiously around. 
 At this moment the loud reports of two rifles rang out 
 from the forest, and the remaining elephant, alarmed, 
 moved off in an oblique direction, which would bring 
 it close to the spot where stood Dona Isabel and the 
 soldier. 
 
 The former seemed quite stupified with wonder as the 
 great brute came onward at a trot, swinging its long trunk 
 to and fro. 
 
 "Ride for your life!" said Hughes; "keep for the 
 open, and ride hard." 
 
 He loosed his hold of the reins, and the pony started 
 off. Isabel, turning in her saddle, fixed her gaze on the 
 elephant, and in so doing turned the pony's head right 
 for the forest. 
 
 Hughes shouted loudly, but without effect; the girl, 
 wholly absorbed with her astonishment, knew not her 
 danger.. For a second the elephant paused, then, trum- 
 peting with rage, dashed after her. 
 
 The right moment had been lost. Captain Hughes, in 
 his endeavours to make Isabel turn, had neglected it, and 
 when he did raise his rifle to fire, the elephant was at 
 forty paces distant, turned from him, and going at full 
 speed. To level his rifle, aim, and fire, was the work of a 
 second. The elephant slackened its pace, but only for a 
 moment, the soldier, his rifle at the trail, dashing madly 
 after it. On swept the pony at top speed, but the ele- 
 phant gained on it. Isabel's hat had fallen, her long, 
 jet-black hair was floating on the wind. The forest lay 
 
 13—2 
 
196 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 before her, through which she could not ride many paces; 
 but she knew it not, for her gaze was still riveted on the 
 elephant. On they swept, the soldier dashing after them 
 madly, shouting to her yet to turn for the open. The 
 forest line was reached, and in a moment, swept from her 
 saddle by the branches, Dona Isabel lay on the ground, 
 the riderless pony dashing on. On, too, came the ele- 
 phant, after the horse, trumpeting furiously. It passed 
 over the prostrate form, its huge foot within an inch of 
 the fair head, and the next moment its tusks were 
 buried in the flanks of the agonised horse, which had 
 been stopped by the forest undergrowth. Bearing it 
 down, the elephant actually pinned the animal to the 
 ground, where it held it impaled, and writhing with 
 agony, then deliberately kneeling on the bleeding car- 
 cass literally crushed it into a shapeless mass. Rising, 
 it turned from the dead pony, trumpeting once more 
 as it saw lying on the ground, quite inanimate, the 
 form of the rider. Dom Francisco and Assevedo were 
 hurrying up, but were yet distant. They both fired, but 
 the bullets served but to enrage still further the in- 
 furiated animal, as it came on, the blood dripping in large 
 gouts from its reddened tusks. It was a race between it 
 and the soldier — a race won by the man, as, breathless, and 
 with only one barrel of his rifle loaded, he stood between 
 the senseless Isabel and the charging animal. On it 
 came, right upon him ; if it passed it must tread down 
 the fair girl's body. The thought gave him nerve, it 
 steadied his hand as he aimed right for the centre of the 
 forehead. The report rang out, the elephant halted 
 suddenly, swaying from side to side, and then fell with a 
 heavy thud. A loud shout from the two men advancing 
 over the plain, and Hughes knew that Dona Isabel was 
 
ELEPHANT HUNTING. 197 
 
 safe. Throwing aside his now useless rifle, he knelt by 
 her side, raising her on his arm, and leaning her 
 head back against his knee ; a small red stream was 
 flowing from her forehead, and she had fainted. 
 
 "My child — my Isabel!" moaned the old man, for- 
 getting his pride in his sorrow, as he threw himself by 
 his daughter's side, panting and breathless. 
 
 " It is nothing, she has fainted. I go for water f ex- 
 claimed Assevedo, as he hastened towards the river. 
 
 Slowly the blue veins beneath the clear olive skin 
 began to beat again. Once more the eyes opened and 
 closed. Hughes was busy sponging away the blood, 
 which flowed rather freely, with a handkerchief. Dom 
 Francisco and Assevedo, kneeling by Isabel's side, were 
 using the cool water of the Shire river ; and close beside 
 them, its tusks red with blood, the enormous bulk of the 
 dead elephant ; while, fifty paces away — a crushed and 
 unsightly mass — lay the pony. 
 
 Isabel opened her eyes, and seemed for a moment 
 utterly astonished. "Santa Maria!" she ejaculated, 
 " where am I ?" 
 
 Then suddenly the whole affair seemed to flash on her 
 memory, and, raising herself gently, she smiled. 
 
 " I was not frightened, only astonished," said the brave 
 girl, as the red blood mantled in her cheeks. " Where is 
 the elephant?" 
 
 " There," answered her father ; u and you may thank 
 the Senhor Capitano Inglesi that it lies there." 
 
 Isabel de Maxara turned — the dead animal with its 
 gory tusks and the shapeless mass which had been a 
 horse, met her gaze. For a moment her face flushed, 
 the red blood once more mantling richly under the cleai 
 olive skin ; the next she grew deadly pale. "I thank you, 
 
198 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 Senhor," she said, as she looked full at the soldier and 
 held out her hand, " I thank you for my life." 
 
 The rest of the party were standing by the elephant. 
 Hughes clasped the long taper fingers, and looked into 
 the black eyes, from which the tears were falling. For a 
 moment they met the gaze, and then fell before his as he 
 kissed the little hand held out to him. 
 
 " Your ball has shivered his head, Hughes," called out 
 Wyzinski, but the soldier paused a moment to thrust into 
 his bosom a bloodstained pocket handkerchief before he 
 joined them. 
 
 The second ball, a heavy conical one, had penetrated 
 the skull before bursting, making a frightful hole, and 
 blowing the head to pieces; a second severe wound, 
 behind the shoulder, showing where the first had struck. 
 
 The elephant was a very large one, and was the only 
 one out of the seven secured. 
 
 " And now, gentlemen, let us leave the cutting up to 
 the natives. You can scarcely refuse my late request 
 now, after what has passed, if it is only that Dona Isabel 
 needs rest." 
 
 " If we comply I must make a condition, namely, that 
 you send a messenger to Quillimane, to warn Captain 
 Weber of the delay, and it must not be for more than 
 twenty-four hours." 
 
 "Agreed, and now for the boats and my house at 
 Nyangue," cheerfully exclaimed Assevedo. 
 
 " Senhor Inglesi, I thank you most heartily and sin- 
 cerely," said the old noble, taking off his hat, bowing, 
 and grasping the soldier's hand warmly in his own. " You 
 have earned our eternal gratitude at the peril of your life." 
 
 " Don't you think a light infantry movement and a 
 timely retreat would be brilliant strategy ?' ' whispered 
 
ELEPHANT HUNTING. 199 
 
 the missionary, as he passed Hughes. " I don't mind 
 backing the flavour of the water-melons of Portugal 
 against the custard-apples of India." 
 
 "Nonsense. Just mind your own business," replied 
 Hughes, as he picked up the discharged rifle, shouldered 
 it, and joined the party on the Shire's bank. 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 THE "HALCYO N." 
 
 The coast of Africa, as seen from the sea, is never very 
 prepossessing ; and the sandy spit of land, with the equally 
 sandy bar, which obstructs the entrance to the Zambesi 
 at Quillimane, is no exception to the rule, while the 
 banks of the river are low and flat, dotted here and 
 there with tall cocoa palms, and haunted by alligators. 
 The town itself, or rather village, for it can hardly boast 
 of any more sounding name, consists of a few better-class 
 houses, one of which was owned by Dom Assevedo, and 
 a number of half-ruinous huts and sheds. The anchorage 
 is unsafe, and often untenable, while the low-lying land 
 is a hot-bed of fever. Outside the bar, her two anchors 
 down, the blue peter at her fore, and the English Union 
 Jack floating at her gaff, rode the brig " Halcyon." She 
 was a rakish-looking craft, her long low black hull rising 
 on the waves, and showing from time to time her bright 
 clean copper as she rolled. Her masts raked slightly 
 aft, her sharp bows and sides round as an apple, told the 
 seaman at once that she must be a dry ship, and her breadth 
 of beam, if needed, attested the fact. Every bit of brass 
 work on board was as usual rubbed bright as gold, every 
 rope was carefully coiled down, and her decks white as 
 
200 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 snow. The " Halcyon" would not, in fact, as she rode 
 to her anchors off the bar at Quillimane, have disgraced 
 herself, even had she been, as she once was, her 
 Majesty's gun brig "Torch." 
 
 Captain Weber, an old sailor of thirty years' standing, 
 commanded and partly owned her, and on such a voyage 
 of course great latitude had been allowed him. 
 
 His three years' trading voyage ended, and bound for 
 the Cape, but intending once more to touch at Delagoa 
 Bay, he had been induced to delay his departure in con- 
 sideration of the handsome sum offered by the Portu- 
 guese nobleman returning from his tour of inspection of 
 the stations on the Zambesi. 
 
 Captain Weber, as has been already mentioned, was a 
 middle-sized, stout-built man, with a reddish, mahogany- 
 coloured face, and long grey hair. He was proud of his 
 brig, lived for her, and believed in her capabilities to an 
 unlimited extent. His first mate, Thomas Blount, was a 
 young man for his station in life, rather tall, and, as we 
 have already seen, fond of dress. The two were leaning 
 over the bulwarks, looking towards the land, one after- 
 noon, three days after the events just narrated. The 
 crew, which was a strong one, consisting of twenty hands, 
 all told, were between decks. 
 
 " Our passengers should arrive this afternoon. Dom 
 Assevedo's messenger said so, did he not, Captain Weber?" 
 
 " Yes, and that haze to the southward and eastward 
 tells of a blow. It will be a foul wind for us. We must 
 make sail before sunset, Mr. Blount." 
 
 " I think," remarked the younger man, " I see a boat 
 crossing the bar, there, right over that Madras fellow's 
 stern." 
 
 " Well, I hope it may be them. We have more fever 
 
THE "HALCYON." 201 
 
 on board than I care to see, and I hate this hot, un- 
 healthy hole. Rouse up the watch, Mr. Blount, and heave 
 short at once." 
 
 " Ay, ay, sir," replied the mate, touching his cap, round 
 which ran a narrow strip of gold lace, and moving away. 
 
 The captain remained where he was, watching the 
 black specks, for there were three of them, rising and 
 falling on the waves outside Quillimane bar. The decks 
 of the brig were no longer deserted, and the shipping of 
 the capstan bars told that the orders just given were being 
 carried out. 
 
 " Bring-to, starboard cable," called the first officer, from 
 the quarter-deck. 
 
 " Ay, ay, sir," was the ready response, for the seamen 
 were tired of riding at anchor off the bar, and the click 
 of the capstan, as they stamped round to a merry tune of 
 the flute, was music to officers and men alike. 
 
 " Up and down, sir," was the cry of the second mate, 
 who on the forecastle was superintending the duty of 
 heaving up the anchor, and which term meant that the 
 brig was right over her anchor. 
 
 " Heaving away, sir," came again the cheering shout, 
 as the anchor left the ground and the men strained every 
 nerve to run the heavy mass up to the brig's bows. 
 
 The flute rang out a merrier tune, round and round went 
 the capstan bars, then came the second officer's loud shout 
 of " Heaving in sight, sir," as the men "suddenly stopped 
 in their round. 
 
 " Cat and fish the anchor Mr. Lowe. Bring-to the 
 port cable. Heave short," were the brief words of com- 
 mand from the quarter-deck. 
 
 " All ready with the cat, sir," was the responsive shout, 
 soon followed by the customary words, " All ready with 
 
202 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 the fish, sir," while the men, the starboard anchor being 
 got on board, duly secured, or, in more nautical terms, 
 catted and fished, clapped on the port or remaining anchor, 
 which now alone held the brig, gently rolling to the swell, 
 and that in its turn being soon up and down, Mr. Blount 
 reported to his superior officer. 
 
 "Do you make out the boats, sir?" he added, as 
 Captain Weber still remained looking towards shore. 
 
 " Ay, ay," replied the seaman. " There's Dom Asse- 
 vedo's barge, the lubberly Portuguese blowing and puffing 
 like grampus at their oars." 
 
 " Rig out a tackle from the main yard. We shall have 
 to hoist the lady in, and perhaps the Bom too, like a 
 bale of cotton." 
 
 " Ay, ay, sir," replied the mate. 
 
 "Make sail, Mr. Blount; brace up the headyards. 
 Let me know when you are ready." 
 
 Ten minutes later the passengers were on board, 
 and Dom Asseve'do's barge veered astern. 
 
 " It's rather hard I can't speak to my lady passenger," 
 said Weber, as he went down below with the party. 
 
 "Tell him I can understand English, though I am 
 afraid to speak it," said Isabel in French to Hughes, 
 who was by her side. 
 
 " Ay, ay, my pretty one, we'll soon take the shame- 
 facedness out of you ; nothing like blue water for doing 
 that. Well, you 'tell the Dom that I'll send all his traps 
 below. Senhor Assevedo, I can't give you much law," 
 said the old seaman, in his rough hearty tones, as he 
 turned to regain his post. "Steward, show the lady 
 her berth. Look alive, man," he continued, calling 
 down the hatchway. 
 
 The brig was now riding at single anchor, the head- 
 
THE « HALCYON? 203 
 
 yards braced up one way, her afteryards the other, her 
 sails flapping heavily. 
 
 "Heave away, my lads, heave away with a will," 
 shouted Weber, the moment his foot touched the quarter- 
 deck, and the remaining anchor was soon hove up, and 
 properly stowed away on board. "Brace round the 
 headyards. Let fall the fore course. Take a pull at the 
 bowlines, Mr. Blount. Touch her with the wheel, Adams, 
 she will come up a couple of points yet," were the rapid 
 words of command, and the " Halcyon" moved through 
 the water on a taut bowline, heading nearly her 
 course. 
 
 " A pleasant voyage to you," said Dom Assevddo, as 
 he bent over Isabel's hand in the cabin. 
 
 " Below there !" came in the captain's rough tones, 
 "tell the Senhor Asseve'do that if he don't want to 
 see the Cape he had better get on board his barge. The 
 tow rope won't hold on long, I'm thinking." 
 
 Heartily shaking hands with all, the Portuguese gentle- 
 man, whose name and kindly nature are well known to 
 men of every nation trading on the Zambesi, stepped over 
 the side, the boat's painter was cast off, a last good-bye 
 shouted in Weber's stentorian voice, and the " Halcyon," 
 with all sail set, to her royals, was soon standing off the 
 bar, the bubbles flying past her rounded counter, as she 
 slipped through the water at the rate of some six knots 
 an hour. 
 
 Towards sunset the wind fell, and the brig began to 
 lose her way. The stars came out shining through a thin 
 haze, and sail after sail flapped against the masts, filling 
 for a moment, then collapsing again, until soon the 
 " Halcyon " lay rolling on the gentle swell, her cordage 
 rattling, her blocks and tackles striking against her spars 
 
204 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 and rigging, her hull groaning, and her sails perfectly 
 useless, not having even steerage way. 
 
 Leaning over the bulwarks, and looking towards the 
 land, the faint outline of which could still be discovered 
 about ten miles distant, Hughes was conversing with the 
 captain. 
 
 " You think, then, we shall have wind ?" he asked. 
 
 " I am sure of it," replied Weber ; " look at the double 
 halo round the moon, look at the sickly, watery appear- 
 ance of the clouds, look at that fog-bank away to the 
 southward. We shall have plenty of wind before morn- 
 ing." 
 
 "And from what direction?" 
 
 " Dead against us," replied the seaman ; " we want to 
 run to the south, and the wind will blow from that 
 quarter." 
 
 " You have a beautiful craft, Captain Weber, and one 
 I know can show weatherly qualities." 
 
 " Ay, ay, sir," answered the captain, slapping his hand 
 down on the bulwark; "I love every stick the jade carries, 
 every rope-yarn aboard of her ; while I am at sea, she is 
 wife and children tome. Do you hear the wind sigh- 
 ing aloft ? You would do well to persuade the lady to 
 turn in." 
 
 Wyzinski, Dom Francisco, and Isabel were walking on 
 the quarter-deck, deeply engaged in conversation, and 
 enjoying the freshness of the night. 
 
 " I did not think I should ever look back to the Zam- 
 besi with pleasure," said Isabel, as Hughes joined the 
 party; "but really, the unostentatious hospitality we 
 received from Senhor Assevedo will always be remem- 
 bered by me. It is a magnificent river, and I am sure 
 must be fully half a mile wide in some parts. The cool- 
 
THE "HALCYON." 205 
 
 ness of the air, too ; I never thought to see European 
 vegetables, such as peas and cabbages, growing side by 
 side with the mango and banana." 
 
 " That is Captain Weber, is it not, leaning over the bul- 
 warks ?" remarked Dom Maxara, abruptly ; " will you go 
 with me, Senhor, and serve me as interpreter ? I wish 
 much to thank him for the arrangements he has made for 
 our comfort." 
 
 Hughes left with Dona Isabel, a silence ensued. The 
 sails were hanging loosely in the brails, flapping against 
 the masts, for the night was perfectly calm, but still there 
 was the never ceasing throb of the ocean, causing the brig 
 to roll lazily, the cordage and blocks to strain and creak, 
 the studding sail booms to rattle, and the timbers of the 
 stout brig herself to groan and moan. 
 
 " I was wondering, Senhora," said Hughes, breaking 
 the silence at last, " what made you think of a voyage to 
 so remote a region as Africa ?" 
 
 " Oh, that is easily told. My father has a long pedi- 
 gree, but a cramped estate. Our Portuguese nobility are 
 mostly in the same position. My mother, of the old and 
 princely house of the Guzmans, died when I was quite a 
 child, and my life has been passed with an aunt in France. 
 She, too, died, and the convent of the Augustine sisters 
 was no longer a home for me ; besides my education was 
 finished." 
 
 " I wish it had comprised the English language, Sen- 
 hora," said Hughes, smiling. 
 
 "I wish it had, too, for I should like to talk to Captain 
 Weber," replied the girl, laughing. "To continue, my 
 father was honoured with his present mission, and was 
 about to refuse it on my account. " It may lead to a defi- 
 nite appointment, and as he never denies me anything, 
 
2o6 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 I easily persuaded him to accept, and to let me accom« 
 pany him." 
 
 The brig's bows had been during the last hour all 
 round the compass, but at that moment she lay with her 
 head to the southward. A heavy puff of hot wind struck 
 her suddenly, taking her aback and giving her stemway, 
 the studding sail booms snapping off short in the irons, 
 the broken ends with their gear coming tumbling down, 
 those of the mainyard falling on the quarter-deck. The 
 whole was over in an instant. 
 
 "In with the studding sails, my lads, look alive," 
 called the captain, as the watch on deck busied them- 
 selves with the useless sails. 
 
 " You will excuse me, gentlemen," said Captain Weber, 
 " that puff is but a precursor of the wind that is to follow, 
 and I must get the sails off the brig." 
 
 Taking off his cap politely, the captain turned to his 
 work, while, with a ceremonious salute, Dom Maxara 
 offered his arm to his daughter to conduct her below. 
 
 " Good night, gentlemen, we shall meet again in the 
 morning," said the noble. A pressure of the hand, a low 
 " Good night," a silvery toned voice repeating the word, 
 and Captain Hughes found himself alone, gazing over the 
 bulwarks into the sea, and thinking. 
 
 Thinking of Isabel, of course, and, as he gazed into 
 the blue ocean, mingled with thoughts of her, rose the 
 picture of a far land. The lofty rugged mountains of 
 Snowdonia, the iron-bound coast, washed by the waves 
 of the Irish Channel, the ebbing and flowing waters of 
 the Menai Straits, a house which had stood the wear and 
 tear of ages, embowered in its trees near the beautiful 
 Conway. Would Dona Isabel — pshaw ! 
 
 " Take a pull at the larboard braces, let fly the fore 
 
THE « HALCYON." 207 
 
 and main royal halyards. In with the canvas, my lads. 
 Starboard the helm," shouted the captain, as the breeze 
 from the south struck the brig, filling her remaining 
 canvas, and making her heel over, as she gradually 
 gathered way. " Steady ! so !" and the bubbles began to 
 glide by the vessel's side, the noise of the water slapping 
 up against her bows, and the rattle of the blocks and 
 tackles, as the canvas filled, and everything drawing, the 
 " Halcyon," close hauled, on a taut bowline, stood her 
 course as near as possible. 
 
 Gradually the wind freshened, and when Hughes and 
 Captain Weber turned in at midnight, the " Halcyon " 
 was working her way through the seas crested with foam, 
 in that peculiar jerking manner usual to vessels close 
 hauled ; but with little cargo, and what there was light, 
 she made splendid weather of it, topping the great waves, 
 or wallowing in the trough, though, as Captain Weber 
 emphatically observed, slapping his hand down on the 
 cabin hatchway, "She didn't ship an egg-spoonful of 
 water." 
 
 " Hands by the royal sheets and halyards. In royals. 
 Mr. Lowe, see to the royal braces," were the words heard, 
 as the two stepped below, about midnight. 
 
 Morning was scarcely dawning over the ocean as 
 Captain Weber again made his appearance on deck. 
 According to a seaman's instinct, his first glance was 
 directed aloft, his second to the compass. 
 
 " Ah, I thought you would have a reef in the topsails 
 before morning, Blount, and I see I am right." 
 
 "We had better go about soon, Captain Weber," 
 replied the mate ; " there is a little westing in the gale 
 since midnight, and the brig has lain up a couple of 
 points." 
 
208 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 " We will stand on until we make the coast of Mada- 
 gascar, Blount; we must have made a good deal of 
 southing, there are no islands between us and the coast, 
 except ' Barren Islands/ and they lie far away to the north- 
 ward." 
 
 " How's her head now, Jones ?" asked the mate. 
 
 " South-east and by south, sir," replied the man at the 
 wheel. 
 
 " Then we shall fetch Cape St. Vincent on the Mada- 
 gascar coast ; and it will have been a long leg." 
 
 It was a grand sight as the little " Halcyon " struggled 
 through the chaos of water. The change in the wind, 
 slight as it was, had greatly aided her, but the gale was 
 gradually increasing. Overhead the heavy clouds were 
 flying before its fury, the long waves being an angry green, 
 white with foam. Far as the eye could reach, one sheet 
 of tumbling water was to be seen, bounded only by the 
 horizon. No sail, not even a solitary gull was in sight, 
 and through this the " Halcyon " was struggling, now 
 rising on the foam, now falling into the bright green 
 trough, as she dragged her way onward through the seeth- 
 ing ocean, under her single reefed topsails, foresail, fore- 
 topmost staysail, and boom mainsail. 
 
 On swept the little brig, but the gale increased in its 
 fury after sunrise. Towards twelve o'clock, the Senhora 
 Isabel appeared on the quarter-deck, whither she had 
 been conducted by the first-mate. The men of the watch 
 lay close under the weather bulwarks, seeking what 
 shelter they could find. A good many teaspoonfuls of 
 salt foam came dashing on board the brig now, and even 
 the captain was forced to allow it, as he held on by 
 the weather main shrouds, and looked keenly to wind- 
 ward. 
 
THE « HALCYONS 209 
 
 " What a magnificent spectacle !" exclaimed Isabel, as 
 she gazed on the seething ocean. 
 
 " At all events we are better here than riding with both 
 anchors down at Quillimane," replied the mate. 
 
 A report like the boom of a heavy gun was heard above 
 the gale, and the foresail was seen flying away to leeward, 
 blown to ribbons. A heavier blast weighed down upon 
 the struggling brig, and before a word could be spoken, 
 the bolts of the futtock shrouds, drawing one after 
 another, with a splintering crash down came the fore-top- 
 mast with all its rigging and hamper, dragging with it the 
 main-topgallant-mast, and carrying away the jibboom, the 
 whole mass falling bodily over the side. 
 
 In an instant the watch were on their legs, and the re- 
 mainder of the crew poured on deck, speedily followed 
 by the alarmed passengers. 
 
 The captain stood for a moment surveying the wreck, 
 and then with the true spirit of an old salt, accepted the 
 situation. 
 
 " Keep her away," he shouted to the two men at the 
 wheel; "let her go free. Steady, my lads! Out axes 
 and cut away the wreck. Pass the word below for the 
 sail-maker to send up a new foresail." 
 
 The wreck of the masts was now dragging under the 
 brig's lee, thumping heavily against her sides. Quick as 
 thought the first mate sprang forward, and, seizing an 
 axe, began cutting away the ropes which kept the spars 
 dragging after the ship. Holding on by the shrouds, the 
 bright steel did its work, and no longer close hauled, but 
 running free, the brig's motion seemed much easier. 
 Already a portion of the wreck was floating astern, a few 
 ropes alone held the rest, and one by one they were 
 severed, when a monster wave came rolling on towards 
 
 14 
 
210 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 the brig. The captain's warning voice was heard far 
 above the roar of the winds and waves, shouting to all 
 to hold on. The mate alone did not hear him, as he 
 raised his axe to sever the last rope. The blow fell, 
 but at the same moment the brig plunged her bows 
 into the sea. Striking her on the counter, the vessel 
 seemed to tremble and to pause in her career, as the 
 green water curled over her bows and bulwarks, in one 
 mass of white foam, falling in tons upon her deck, and 
 rolling away to leeward, poured out of her scuppers. 
 The little brig seemed pressed down into the ocean by 
 the enormous weight of water, and as the wave rolled 
 aft, there, battling with the foam, was the form of the 
 gallant mate. Swept from his hold, the white face rose 
 on the wave close to the brig, and Isabel screamed with 
 horror as the helpless man, tossed about like a cork and 
 apparently not a yard from them, came surging along, the 
 lips parting, and the words, " Save me ! save me ! ,; 
 distinctly borne on the wind. 
 
 Quick as thought, Captain Weber caught up a coil oi 
 rope ; his arm was in the act of casting it, when the mass 
 of spars and cordage swept past. The coil whistled 
 through the air, it fell right over the mate's shoulder, he 
 clutched at it as the fore-topmast crosstrees, with the ml] 
 force of the surge, struck him from behind, and he sank 
 like a stone. 
 
 A cry of terror ran through the brig, all for a 
 moment forgetting their own danger in the horror of the 
 scene. 
 
 " Silence, fore and aft !" shouted the old captain, his 
 grey hair streaming in the wind. " Heave the brig to. 
 Mr. Lowe. This is no place for you, lady; let the 
 steward lead you below. All danger is over." 
 
THE "HALCYON" 211 
 
 " Land ho !" shouted one of the men forward, as Isabel 
 disappeared down the hatchway. 
 
 " Where away ?" asked the master. 
 
 " Broad on the port bow," was the answering shout. 
 
 " It is the high land of Cape St. Vincent," said Cap- 
 tain Weber, shading his eyes, and gazing intently in the 
 direction named. 
 
 The wind was increasing in violence, and the baro- 
 meter in the captain's cabin still falling. The brig had 
 been kept away, and was now running free, but the gale 
 was increasing rapidly. 
 
 "See that the fore and mainstaysails are properly 
 bent," called the captain. 
 
 " Ay, ay, sir," came the ready response, as his officer 
 stepped hastily forward. 
 
 It is always a ticklish thing to heave a vessel to when 
 there is a heavy sea running. The brig's sails were 
 reduced until she was stripped to her close-reefed main- 
 topsail, her fore-staysail was then set, and the two officers 
 exchanged places, the old captain sprang forward, and 
 holding on by the weather fore-shrouds, gazed wistfully 
 over the ocean, while his mate stood near the man at 
 the wheel, waiting the coming order. 
 
 Sea after sea struck her, dashing the glittering spray 
 high into the air, and wetting the veteran sailor to the 
 skin, as he stood at his post. At length a moment came 
 when the long waves seemed less heavy. Captain Weber 
 seized it, and a motion of the hand was enough. 
 
 " Down with the helm, Adams, hard down," shouted 
 the watchful mate. 
 
 The brig flew up to the wind. "Set the main-stay- 
 sail!" was the order thundered from the quarter-deck, 
 and steadily executed by the trained seamen, the brig 
 
 14—2 
 
2tl WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 being soon hove to under her main topsail, fore and main 
 staysails, making comparatively good weather of it, and 
 everything seemed to settle down into its usual order on 
 board the little craft. 
 
 " He was a gallant fellow, and would have made a tho- 
 rough seaman," said Captain Weber, as he joined the party 
 below, dashing the salt foam from his eyes and hair as he 
 spoke. " He loved the sea, and left a quiet home to 
 find a grave here in the Indian Ocean." Isabel seemed 
 violently affected by the scene which had passed before 
 her eyes. 
 
 " His was a sailor's death, it may be ours to-morrow," 
 continued the captain. " Poor Blount ! he was to have 
 had command of one of his father's ships next voyage." 
 
 "What do you think of the weather, Captain Weber?" 
 asked Hughes, wishing to change the theme, for Isabel 
 was sobbing convulsively, as the thought of the sorrowing 
 parents came vividly before her. 
 
 " These blows seldom hold long, from the fact of their 
 extreme violence. Should it last we shall be jammed 
 down on the Madagascar coast : indeed, we cannot be 
 far from it, for the land hereaway is low, or we should 
 have sighted it at daylight." 
 
 " Shall we feel the loss of our spars much ?" inquired 
 Wyzinski. 
 
 " Not so much while lying to ; but our wings are 
 nicely clipped. The ' Halcyon' has been at sea, trading 
 on this coast for nearly three years, without ever having 
 the advantage of a good overhaul, or such an accident 
 could never have happened." 
 
 During the whole day, however, the gale continued 
 unabated and the dinner table was a neglected one by all 
 save the captain. The party had been so lately at sea, as to 
 
THE "HALCYON? 213 
 
 escape all sufferings from sea-sickness, but the roar of the 
 waves, the rattling of the ropes and blocks, the howling 
 of the wind, and the many noises incidental to a gale, 
 prevented, in a certain measure, even conversation. 
 Every now and then a mass of water would tumble in- 
 board with a loud thud, as it deluged the brig's decks 
 and washed away to leeward. The staysails, too, as the 
 vessel fell into the deep trough of the angry waves, would 
 flap, with a report like distant thunder ; in a word, all 
 the discomforts of a heavy gale in a small vessel were 
 making themselves felt. 
 
 Night had again set in, and in the cabin Dom Maxara 
 sat, his head thrown back and his eyes closed, as though 
 asleep, while his daughter, lying on a sofa, covered with 
 shawls, was endeavouring to read. It was nearly mid- 
 night, but no one thought of retiring. At the table, close 
 under a lamp, which was waving wildly to and fro, the 
 captain was seated, intently studying a government map, 
 while Wyzinski leaned over his shoulders in earnest con- 
 versation. 
 
 " There," said Captain Weber, as he placed a pin in 
 the chart, "there is just where the brig is." 
 
 " And yet it was only this morning land was sighted," 
 observed the other. 
 
 "There exist strong currents, which have sent us bodily 
 to leeward ; the wind, too, has more westing in it, and 
 is driving us down on the land. It is but a question of 
 time. 7 ' 
 
 " If the wind has drawn more to the westward, could 
 we not hold our course ?" 
 
 " As I said some time since, the brig has been three 
 years at sea without an overhaul. If you had asked me 
 the same question this morning, I should have expressed 
 
214 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 every confidence in her powers, but you saw yourself the 
 sticks go over the side like rotten carrots, and I should 
 have to carry every rag we could set to claw off this shore, for 
 I don't want to scud before the gale if it can be avoided." 
 
 " Many years ago," said Wyzinski, " I was one of a 
 party of missionaries who sailed from Delagoa Bay with 
 the intention of forming a mission on the island of Mada- 
 gascar. The small vessel which carried us was com- 
 manded by a man who had traded with the natives, and 
 who knew the coast well. He ran into a beautiful bay, 
 all but land-locked, where we anchored and remained for 
 nearly a month." 
 
 " What course did you steer after leaving Delagoa Bay 
 — can you remember ?" 
 
 Wyzinski was silent, evidently trying to recall long-past 
 events, while Isabel had let her book fall on the sofa 
 by her side, and, with her limited stock of English, was 
 evidently trying to catch the meaning of the conversation. 
 Above all came the wild roar of the waves boiling 
 around them, the groaning and creaking of the ship's 
 timbers, and the boom of the fore-staysail as it shook in 
 the wind. 
 
 " Our course lay north-east and by north," at length 
 said Wyzinski, his thoughtful face raised to the lamp, "for 
 the first twenty-four hours." 
 
 " Good," answered Captain Weber, ruling off the course 
 on the chart. " There, that would carry you to some- 
 where about the latitude of Cape Correnti, and then ?" 
 
 " It is almost impossible for me to remember," replied 
 the missionary ; " but to the best of my recollection it was 
 east north-east." 
 
 The old captain bent over the chart, once more using 
 the pencil and ruler* 
 
" THE HALCYON? 215 
 
 " That would bring you within a short distance of St. 
 Augustine's Bay, as it is marked in this chart," said he, 
 looking upwards at Wyzinski. 
 
 " That's it ! That's the name we gave it, because the 
 vessel was called the ' Saint Augustine !' " exclaimed the 
 missionary. 
 
 " Can you give me any particulars about the entrance 
 to the harbour ?" 
 
 " None, we ran straight in and straight out. There 
 are two clumps of trees to the right on the spit of 
 land which sweeps into the sea, forming a natural break- 
 water." 
 
 " To starboard or port ?" asked Weber. 
 " On the right as we ran in, and the vessel passed so 
 close to the bluff on which they stood that I could have 
 thrown a piece of money on shore." 
 
 " What tonnage was the ' St. Augustine ? ' Hitherto 
 you have called her only a vessel." 
 
 " She was a schooner of about one hundred and fifty 
 tons," answered Wyzinski ; "and that is all I can tell you 
 about the matter, which is a very melancholy one for me, 
 as I lost a dear friend." 
 
 " Killed by the natives, I suppose ? Ay, ay, they are 
 a bad lot ; but I have a couple of guns on board, and I 
 don't fear them. If the harbour is what you represent it 
 we should lie there on an even keel, and in forty-eight 
 hours I could rig out a jury fore-topmast," 
 
 The captain rose, and turned to Isabel before he placed 
 on his head the heavy sou'-wester. " We will have you 
 in smooth water before this time to-morrow, my little 
 lady," he said as he turned. 
 
 Isabel smiled, and looked to the missionary for an 
 explanation. 
 
2i6 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 Drawing a stool to the side of the sofa, for standing 
 was no easy matter, so violently did the brig pitch, he 
 explained to her exactly what had passed. 
 
 " Oh, how glad I shall be !" she answered. " The noise 
 and confusion wear one out. I have often wished to wit- 
 ness a severe storm at sea, but I shall never wish it again." 
 
 " I have been in many, but only one when the wind 
 was more violent than this. Fourteen vessels, large and 
 small, were sunk in Table Bay on that occasion." 
 
 " Did I understand you rightly that you have landed on 
 the Madagascar coast ?" 
 
 " Yes," replied Wyzinski ; " but it is a sad tale of cruelty 
 and death." 
 
 " Would it pain you to tell it me ?" asked Isabel, in her 
 low sweet tones, turning her dark eyes on the missionary's 
 face, and laying her hand on his arm. 
 
 " When we lie in St. Augustine's Bay, and I can make 
 myself heard better than at present, I will do so. Try to 
 sleep now," answered the missionary, rising. " I am going 
 on deck to join Captain Hughes, and shall be very glad 
 when morning dawns." 
 
 And it did dawn, slowly and faintly over the boiling 
 ocean. Large masses of dark cloud were hurrying over 
 the sky, and chasing one another as though in sport. To 
 seaward the horizon was clear, and one mass of foam-tip- 
 ped waves were to be marked far as the eye could reach. 
 Not ten miles to leeward lay the long line of the Mada- 
 gascar coast, with Cape St. Vincent jutting into the sea, 
 while, with the wind blowing a heavy gale from the west- 
 south-west, the " Halcyon," with her diminished sail^ her 
 foremast, main-topmast, and bowsprit standing, looked 
 terribly shorn of her fair proportions. The waves ever) 
 now and then poured on her decks, rolling away to lee- 
 
THE "HALCYON" 217 
 
 ward, and the ropes were here and there flying loose, and 
 streaming in the wind. A strong current must have set 
 the brig down bodily on to the land, and Captain Weber had 
 made up his mind to run for the bay which the missionary 
 had spoken of. 
 
 On the quarter-deck, holding on to windward, stood a 
 group of three. Captain Weber, the missionary, and 
 Hughes had watched through the night, and were anx- 
 iously waiting for full daylight. Under the weather bul- 
 warks, wrapped in their waterproofs, with their long thick 
 boots poking out here and there, lay huddled the crew. 
 
 " There," said the captain, pointing to a fine bold head- 
 land just tinged by the beams of the rising sun as it shone 
 through a break in the clouds, " that is Cape St. Vincent. 
 The land tumbles in-boardto the southward and eastward, 
 and your two clumps of trees will guide us. Will you know 
 the place again ?" 
 
 " Everything connected with it is so stamped on my 
 memory, that I could draw the bay for you." 
 
 " Very well, here goes. Mr. Lowe, rouse up the watch, 
 send four men to the wheel, set the foresail." 
 
 Mr. Lowe, though second mate, now naturally took the 
 place of the drowned seaman. The yards, instead of being 
 braced sharp up, were eased off, the helm carefully tended, 
 and under her main-topsail, foresail, and fore-topmast stay- 
 sail, the " Halcyon," on an easy bowline, dragged like a 
 wounded sea-bird through the boiling waves, running par- 
 allel with the coast. Hour after hour wore on, and all 
 watched anxiously. The long sandy line was now not 
 more than five miles distant, and the tall cocoa-nut trees 
 could be plainly distinguished. 
 
 Now and then the sun would break out and light up the 
 scene, but hour after hour passed on, and still the gale blew 
 
218 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 furiously, while the sea, striking the brig's counter, poured 
 over her fore and aft. No one quitted the deck, but now 
 and then the captain's steward, a Malay, popped up his 
 head with some inquiry from below. " Tell them we shall 
 soon be in smooth water," shouted Captain Weber, as to- 
 wards ten o'clock the man's face appeared through the 
 little opening. 
 
 The brig was rapidly approaching a bold headland, 
 which bore no name on the map. She would pass it at 
 a distance of not more than a mile. The chart was nailed 
 down on the woodwork of the cabin hatchway, and was con- 
 tinually consulted by both the missionary and the captain. 
 
 " I know that headland," shouted the former, placing 
 his mouth close to the captain's ear. "The bay lies 
 about five miles to the southward of it." 
 
 Slowly the brig crept up with the nameless cape. She 
 neared it ; she was abeam, and now it lay abaft her beam ; 
 but the land once more curved inward, and the cliffs 
 seemed scarped down to the sea. Seizing a telescope, 
 and steadying himself by the hatchway, Wyzinski looked 
 eagerly in the direction of land. 
 
 "There," he said, "at last," handing the instrument to 
 the captain. " Yonder is the bay, and there stand the 
 two clumps of cocoa-nut trees." 
 
 Captain Weber looked long and eagerly. To the south- 
 ward the land trended seaward, a lofty headland being 
 visible. The " Halcyon" was embayed ; for in her crip- 
 pled state to weather that cape with such a gale blowing 
 was impossible, and to anchor with that furious sea break- 
 ing on a lee shore would be sure destruction. St. Augus- 
 tine's Bay was their only chance now. The crippled brig 
 dragged slowly along. 
 
 "Now, sir," shouted Captain Weber, addressing the mi* 
 
THE "HALCYON." 219 
 
 sionary, " come with me. Mr. Lowe, send two men to 
 lash us in the starboard fore-shrouds ; take up your posi- 
 tion here on the break of the quarter-deck ; let the men 
 be stationed under the weather bulwarks. See the best 
 bower clear." 
 
 Cautioning the men at the wheel, the captain moved 
 forward, followed by the missionary, under the shelter of 
 the bulwarks. It was a task of no small difficulty to secure 
 the two men in the fore-shrouds, the salt brine pouring over 
 the whole party over and over again. 
 
 " Starboard/' shouted the captain. " Ease away the 
 fore-sheets ; let fly the main-topsail ; haul down the fore- 
 staysail." The second mate gave the necessary orders ; 
 the main-topsail yard settled down upon the cap ; the fore- 
 staysail sheets were let fly, and the sail flapping heavily 
 was hauled down and secured. The rattle of the clue 
 garnets was heard as the foresail was nearly squared, and 
 the brig's head payed off from the wind. 
 
 It was a moment of great anxiety, for as she fell off the 
 seas struck her broadside on, but Captain Weber had 
 watched his time. One huge toppling wave came rushing 
 onwards. " Hold on," shouted the captain ; as striking 
 the brig's bulwarks it stove them in, smashing the gig, and 
 pouring into the waist of the vessel, hid her for a moment 
 under the white foam. The buoyant craft rose, turning 
 her stern to the waves, and feeling the full force of the 
 foresail, dashed along straight for the shore. " Steady, so ; 
 starboard a little ; steady !" shouted the captain, as with 
 the trumpet in his right hand, he held on with a seaman's 
 grip to the shrouds. His cap had blown away to leeward, 
 and his long grey hair was streaming on the wind, both he 
 and the missionary having been buried under the boiling 
 foam, as the. " Halcyon" wore round. 
 
220 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 The sharp jerking motion of the previous day was now 
 exchanged for one much easier. Rising on the wave, the 
 brig felt the full force of the gale, appearing about to 
 leave her native element, as the broad sheet of stout can- 
 vas tore her along, to sink the next moment in the deep 
 trough, the canvas shaking, and astern, a mighty wave 
 curling, and tipped with white foam, threatening to break 
 on her deck, but to glide away under her keel, as she drove 
 madly on for land, where not half a mile ahead lay the 
 narrow opening to St. Augustine's Bay. 
 
 " Keep close to the bluff crowned by the cocoa-nuts," 
 shouted Wyzinski, as the brig, sinking in the trough, 
 yawed wildly to port. Onward drove the "Halcyon." 
 She entered the outlet ; one wild roll on the surging wave, 
 and her foreyard seemed to touch the bare rock ; the next 
 she ran into a noble and nearly land-locked bay. "Port 
 your helm ; hard a-port," shouted the captain. " See the 
 anchor clear." A dozen men swarmed on the forecastle. 
 " Brail up the foresail ;" and the clue garnets rattled as 
 the sail was quickly furled. The brig giving a broad 
 sheer came sweeping round, gradually lost her way ; then 
 feeling the wind aloft, gathered sternway. " Let go the 
 anchor !" shouted Captain Weber. " Let go the anchor !" 
 roared Mr. Lowe from his post on the quarter-deck. A 
 heavy splash followed, and the next moment the " Hal- 
 cyon," her starboard bulwarks gone for a length of two 
 yards abaft the forechains, the remains of her gig swinging 
 at the davits, her fore-topmasts and jibboom gone, her 
 foremast, main, and main-topmasts only standing, her first 
 mate lying hundreds of fathoms deep in the salt sea, rode 
 on an even keel by a single anchor in St. Augustine's Bay, 
 the gale roaring, and the dark masses of clouds flying over* 
 head. 
 
ST. A UG VSTIN&S BA V. 221 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 st. Augustine's bay. — the missionary's tale. 
 
 By sunrise the following morning the gale had pretty 
 nearly blown itself out. The heavy masses of clouds 
 had rolled away, and a bright sun was shining on the 
 smooth water of the bay. Outside, the ocean was still 
 boiling and seething under the influence of the late heavy 
 storm, but the waves, though, tipped with foam, were rolling 
 sluggishly, as if tired with their wild efforts. 
 
 The " Halcyon," late her Majesty's brig "Torch," did 
 not look by any means the same vessel that had sailed 
 from Quillimane. Neither of her masts were wholly 
 standing. The main-topgallant-mast with yards and gear 
 was gone; the fore-topmast with all above it had dis- 
 appeared, while the bowsprit looked a naked stump, and 
 the splintered white edge of the smashed bulwarks fully 
 attested the violence of the ordeal she had gone through. 
 Not a regular trader, and being fitted out for a long 
 cruise, Captain Weber was in no hurry to make a port. 
 Having little cargo, and that selected for trading purposes, 
 the brig was well provided with spare spars and sails, and 
 with the exception of Santa Lucia Bay on the coast of 
 Natal, a better harbour for refitting her could hardly 
 have been found. The rigging was covered with wet 
 clothing, shaking about in the breeze. From the able 
 seaman's tarpaulin and long boots to the captain's pea- 
 jacket, and Dona Isabel's drenched cloak, all were there 
 drying in the sunshine. The " Halcyon " rode with her 
 bows to seaward, while astern lay the beach shaped like a 
 crescent, and composed of fine sand glittering in the beams 
 of the morning sun. The luxuriant forest growth swept 
 
222 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 down nearly to the water's edge, and the long straight 
 stems of the cocoa-nut trees, with their tufts of thin leaves, 
 shot up here and there like giants from among the lower 
 growth. The crew, with the exception of two men, had 
 been sent below, the brig being land-locked, or nearly so, 
 and no possible danger apprehended, and as these men 
 had been regularly relieved during the darkness, both 
 crew and passengers had enjoyed a good night's re- 
 pose. 
 
 It was about eight o'clock when Captain Weber ap- 
 peared on the quarter-deck; walking aft, he looked at 
 the now useless compass, and then glanced aloft from a 
 seaman's habit. 
 
 " Let the men have their breakfast, Mr. Lowe, com- 
 fortably, and then we'll go to work." 
 
 " We have a spare topmast and topgallantmast, Cap- 
 tain Weber ; but I have been rummaging over the spars, 
 and can find nothing that will do for the main-top- 
 gallantmast." 
 
 " Is there any stick that will serve for a jibboom ?" 
 
 " Yes, sir ; there is a spare foreyard, which the carpenter 
 thinks may do." 
 
 " Very good. The moment the men have done break- 
 fast get the boats into the water. We will carry out an 
 anchor astern, and keep the jade a close prisoner, to 
 teach her not to pitch the spars out of her. Call me 
 when they are towing astern." And Captain Weber 
 dived down to finish his toilet. 
 
 Below, all marks of the late gale had disappeared. 
 The steward and his mate had been busy since daylight, 
 and the more than ordinarily comfortable though small 
 cabin was in perfect order, when the passengers sat down 
 at the breakfast table at nine o'clock. Of course the 
 
ST. AUG USTINE'S BA V. 223 
 
 brig had not the slightest motion; in fact, she was as 
 though in dock.' 
 
 "Rather a difference this from yesterday, Dom 
 Maxara," said Wyzinski, as that nobleman appeared 
 coming from his cabin. 
 
 " A difference for the better. Will yon oblige me by 
 explaining to our captain," continued the old gentleman, 
 "that my daughter, Dona Isabel, begs to be excused 
 from joining the party ? She is still suffering from the 
 shock of late emotions." 
 
 A ceremonious bow followed the interpretation, on the 
 part of the Portuguese, the Englishman replying with his 
 mouth full. 
 
 " Ay, ay, Senhor, and small blame to her. It is not 
 every day the fishes get the picking of so tight a lad and 
 thorough bred a sailor as poor Blount/' 
 
 " How long do you propose lying here, Captain 
 Weber?" 
 
 " A couple of days will set us all a-taunto again and 
 give us time to overhaul the standing and running gear." 
 
 "I suppose there is not any danger here?" asked 
 Hughes. 
 
 " Danger ! — how can there be ? Let it blow as hard 
 as it likes, and from what quarter it chooses, we are pro- 
 tected," replied Weber, thinking only of the weather. 
 
 "I meant from the natives, not from the elements," 
 remarked Hughes. 
 
 " I know no more of Madagascar than you do," re- 
 plied the captain. " It is the first time my anchor ever 
 had hold of the island." 
 
 "Then let me tell you, I do," ejaculated Wyzinski. 
 " The same circumstance which brought this bay to my 
 knowledge, taught me that the natives here are trea- 
 
254 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 cherous and wily. You will have them round you before 
 sunset." 
 
 " Let them come," replied the sailor ; " we have small- 
 arms, besides two guns." 
 
 "Do you think we can land with prudence, Wyzin- 
 ski?" 
 
 " I should strongly advise putting the brig in a state to 
 resist if attacked, and the arms handy if wanted. As for 
 landing, we might pitch our tent under the trees yonder; 
 but I should deprecate any straggling away." 
 
 " Very well, gentlemen. I hear the boats being low- 
 ered; I am going to carry out an anchor astern, so as 
 to moor the ship safely. The arm-chest shall be hoisted 
 out, and placed at the foot of the mainmast. The two 
 guns, and the small-arms I will place in your charge, if 
 you will honour me by serving as a marine, Captain 
 Hughes." 
 
 "In which capacity the Light Infantry drill will be 
 useless," remarked Wyzinski, laughing. 
 
 " The boats are alongside, and the men on deck, Cap- 
 tain Weber," said Mr. Lowe, who at that moment ap- 
 peared at the cabin-door. 
 
 " Very well. Get the stream-anchor into the pinnace, 
 and rouse out a few fathoms of cable," replied the captain. 
 
 " Ay, ay, sir," was the mate's reply. 
 
 " And, Mr. Lowe," called out the captain, " send the 
 arm-chest on deck. Is there any one who understands 
 an armourer's business ?" 
 
 "Well, sir, there's Jackson, who was a blacksmith's 
 apprentice before he ran away and joined the brig at 
 Liverpool." 
 
 "He'll do; place him at the disposal of Captain 
 Hughes." 
 
ST. AUGUSTINE'S BAY. 225 
 
 " Ay, ay, sir," again replied the mate as he went up the 
 hatchway. 
 
 " And now, gentlemen, I must look after the brig. So 
 soon as I have moored her head and stern, you can have 
 one of the boats, only I can't spare you any other hand 
 except Jackson." 
 
 There were plenty of muskets to arm the whole crew, 
 but they had need of much overhauling. The two guns 
 were of respectable size, carrying a nine-pound ball ; and 
 what with the necessary cleaning, the making cartridge, 
 and swinging the guns with their carriages, one on to the 
 quarter-deck, the other on to the forecastle, the day 
 wore on. The man Jackson turned out a willing, handy 
 fellow, and, understanding his business, was of great 
 use. Neither Dom Maxara nor his daughter appeared 
 on deck. 
 
 In the mean time^he stream-anchor had been dropped 
 astern, and the cable hove upon until quite taut; the 
 shears had been got on deck ; the carpenter was busy 
 with his axe. The remains of the fore-topmast had been 
 removed, for it had broken off short, leaving the head of 
 the foremast uninjured, and already the spare topmast 
 had been swayed aloft and pointed through. The men 
 worked cheerfully and well. Not a sign of life had been 
 seen on shore, and with the exception of the gulls, which 
 were wheeling and circling round the brig, and the 
 Mother Carey's chickens which were dipping over the 
 boats now veered astern, all outside the vessel was per- 
 fectly still. The sound of the breaking surf came with a 
 hollGw dull thud at intervals on the breeze, which was 
 gradually dying out, and nothing could present a greater 
 contrast than the quiet, peaceful sheet of water, with its 
 fringes of cocoa-palms, and beach of white shining sand, 
 
 *5 
 
225 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 with the still waters of the bay, to the noise, bustle, and 
 labour going on all day long on board the brig. 
 
 The missionary's fears had not been realised, and 
 night came on quietly and serenely after a day of toil. 
 The wind had quite died away, and the stars were shining 
 brilliantly ; indeed, so still was the air that the noise of 
 the river could be heard as it fell into the sea, about the 
 centre of the bay. 
 
 The night was warm and oppressive, and on shore the 
 woods seemed filled with enormous fireflies, floating here 
 and there. They were in great quantities, and would 
 settle on the trees, lighting them with myriads of tiny 
 lights, and making them look like pyramids of sparkling 
 diamonds. Some would come floating off towards the 
 brig, the little lights dancing over her decks and settling 
 on her rigging. The scream of the parrots among the 
 trees had ceased, and save occasionally the quack of the 
 ducks feeding in the river, all was still. Silence now 
 reigned on the brig's decks, for the day had been one of 
 toil. The night was hot, and the men lay thrown about 
 carelessly, wrapped in cloaks, sails, or anything they 
 could find among the loose spars. On her forecastle two 
 men alone kept watch, one of whom was the mate, Mr. 
 Lowe. Aft a small awning had been rigged, and the 
 passengers were enjoying the beautiful tropical night. 
 Cushions had been brought up from the cabin, the smell 
 of the Portuguese tobacco floated on the air, and the 
 coffee-cups lay here and there. The sound of the bell 
 forward, as a seaman rising struck four bells, came ring- 
 ing over the waters. Drawing her mantilla over her, and 
 speaking languidly and slowly, as if the dreamy influence 
 of the tropical night affected her, Isabel broke the silence, 
 just as the last tone of the bell quivered over the sea. 
 
 <-. 
 
ST. AUGUSTINE'S BAY. 227 
 
 "We hear none of the noises of the African plain here; 
 all seems still and calm." 
 
 " There are no lions or noxious animals in the island/' 
 replied the missionary. " Oxen of great size are plentiful, 
 wild asses, and sheep with enormous tails ; goats and wild 
 boar, too, are numerous. The sloth exists here, and I 
 have made many a good meal on a species of bat, of 
 which there are plenty, and very good. Hedgehogs, too, 
 and locusts are a usual dish/' 
 
 " I pity the Queen of Madagascar if that's her only 
 food," said Hughes, rolling a cigarette. 
 
 "Oh, there is plenty other. If you choose to take a 
 shot-gun to-morrow you will find pintado, pigeons, par- 
 rots, ducks and geese abundant, only beware of the 
 caiman, for the rivers literally swarm with them. There 
 are plenty of fowls, and singularly enough one of the 
 objects of veneration is a white cock. In the mythology 
 of the country there exists a great giant powerful for evil, 
 called 'Denarii,' and all white cocks are sacred to him." 
 
 " You seem to know the country, Senhor ?" asked the 
 noble. 
 
 "I passed nearly twelve months there," replied the 
 missionary. 
 
 " And promised to give us a history of your life among 
 the Hovas. What better time than the present ? That 
 cabin is stifling, and I am sure none of us wish to go 
 below," said Isabel, in her silvery and persuasive tones. 
 
 The missionary was silent for a few minutes as if re- 
 calling his recollections. 
 
 " I cannot say I will fulfil my promise with pleasure, 
 but I will fulfil it," he replied. "I have already men- 
 tioned whence we sailed and how we reached this bay. 
 The first night we landed we encamped on the banks of 
 
 15—2 
 
228 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 this very river, which is called the ' Onglaki,' the vessel 
 that brought us sailing for Tamatave. We were four 
 missionaries under the guidance of one of our brethren, 
 who had lately come from England, and who was named 
 Willis. 
 
 " He had been in the island before, and, as we after- 
 wards found, his object was partly political. The queen, 
 by her terrible cruelties, had alienated the love of hei 
 subjects, and her son, Prince Rakolo, had allied himsell 
 with a Frenchman named Lambert, who had gone tc 
 France to solicit protection and assistance in his efforts 
 to dethrone the queen. 
 
 " Our chief's object was to divulge and counteract the 
 policy of the French and of Prince Rakolo ; ours was tc 
 establish a mission among the Hovas at Tamanarivo 
 The country is rich, abounding with game of many kinds, 
 and free from noxious animals ; we journeyed along good 
 roads towards the capital, sojourning in many villages, 
 and carrying out our work as best we could." 
 
 " And the people ?" asked Isabel. 
 
 "Are steeped in idleness, dissolute, and licentious, 
 Under King Radama's reign the English had missions ir 
 Madagascar; but these disappeared in 1830, and the 
 country now governed by Queen Ranavola is fast falling 
 into misery and ruin. To cut a long tale short, we 
 arrived at Tamanarivo, and were received by the queen 
 Her majesty's taste is for blood, and it is said that fifteer. 
 thousand men perished in building her palace, and thai 
 thousands of people are put to death yearly by her orders, 
 Our reception was an unfavourable one, and we were as 
 yet in ignorance of the political nature of our leader's 
 mission. 
 
 " Among our number was a missionary named Maurice. 
 
THE MISSIONARY'S TALE. 229 
 
 Young, ardent and enthusiastic, he would make no allow- 
 ances for the prejudices of others, and seemed to brave 
 death, and even court martyrdom, in his incessant en- 
 deavours to make proselytes. Strict orders had been 
 given by the queen that we were not to prosecute our 
 religious rites, but Maurice could not be restrained. 
 Whilst we waited, hoping that the queen's mood might 
 change, our brother went forth among the people, 
 boldly preaching the Gospel, and openly defying the 
 queen. 
 
 " He planted the cross on the heights of the mountains, 
 he assembled the people under the forest trees, and there 
 with the sweet odour of the ravensara floating around, he 
 told them that cheating and lying, though taught as 
 virtues, were in reality crimes. He told them that the 
 souls of their chiefs were not migratory, that the crocodiles 
 were not once men, that the good genius of the world 
 was not Zanhahar, and the evil one Angetch, and what 
 was a still worse crime, that the ombioche or priests were 
 only pretended sorcerers. 
 
 " He made many converts, but he raised up a host of 
 enemies." 
 
 "You speak of him ever in the past," remarked 
 Hughes ; " he must have been a noble fellow. Did he 
 pay the penalty of his zeal ?" 
 
 "You shall hear," continued the missionary. "One 
 morning our hut was surrounded with soldiers, our chief, 
 Willis, was seized, and at once sent under escort to 
 Tamatave. Rice, manioc, and a kind of potato peculiar 
 to Madagascar, were supplied us, and for nearly a month 
 we remained close prisoners. Of what was passing around 
 us we knew nothing, but during this time the ' ombioches,' 
 against whose pretensions Maurice had preached, were 
 
230 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 employed finding out all those who had attended his 
 meetings or received him. 
 
 " At the end of the thirtieth day we were led forth, as we 
 thought, to death. In a large, empty piece of ground, 
 near the palace, about twenty men were huddled. They 
 were quite naked, and many of them cruelly maimed. 
 These were the Christians, and they were surrounded by 
 soldiers. We were placed on a height near where we 
 could see what passed. Armed with sticks and knives, 
 the soldiers were loosed upon the prisoners. The scene 
 was a heart-rending one. Driven gradually towards the 
 brink of the precipice, the screams of the terrified victims 
 became fearful, as goaded on by the sharp knives, and 
 the cruel thongs, one after another took the fatal leap, 
 and the next moment lay mangled, shapeless masses on 
 the sharp rocks below." 
 
 "Santa Maria, how terrible!" exclaimed Isabel. "I 
 wish we were away from this horrible but beautiful island ; 
 and you, how did you escape ?" 
 
 " The massacre finished, we thought our turn come ; 
 but no, we were led back to our hut, and the next day the 
 scene was enacted again, and this continued for eight 
 days, until some five hundred corpses lay festering on 
 the rocks. 
 
 " The mode of punishment was however varied ; for 
 the eighth day, some of the head men were reserved 
 for death, and these men were pinioned and placed in 
 narrow graves, where boiling water was slowly poured 
 over them ; many were poisoned, and every day the list 
 of the condemned was read over and approved by the 
 queen. 
 
 " The morning of the ninth day came, and we were 
 brought forth, and conducted before the cabare or council 
 
THE MISSIONARY'S TALE, 231 
 
 to be judged. We were English, we had come for a 
 purpose ; but we had disobeyed the queen's command, 
 and so merited death. Satiated for the time with blood, 
 the queen pardoned us, ordering us to leave the land. 
 Mischief enough had been done, but it did not end here, 
 for Maurice could not be kept quiet. Rising, he ad- 
 dressed the council. 
 
 " I shall never forget the moment, when he, the young, 
 the ardent, his soul in his eyes, the memory of the mas- 
 sacred Christians heavy on his brow, rose fearless in the 
 midst of this savage crowd, and addressed it. He spoke 
 the language fluently, so the words poured from his lips, 
 and he did not pause to weigh them. He was only think- 
 ing of his Lord, and of the dead lying mangled for Him. 
 It was terrible, yet beautiful to hear him. He looked like 
 one seeing a vision, for his eyes were staring into what 
 was a void to us ; till, at last, shaking his finger as he 
 pointed to the queen, he cried : * The blood of the inno- 
 cent is calling to heaven, and the cry is loud, — it shall 
 be heard, and the Lord will avenge His dead.' There 
 was a horrible pause. The queen, awed by his manner, 
 did not move, but that was only for a moment. There 
 arose a shout" — here Wyzinski's voice failed — "he was 
 surrounded by what seemed howling wolves, more than 
 men." 
 
 " And your poor friend, Senhor ?" asked Isabel. 
 
 " He was sentenced to death, but we never saw him 
 more ; for that night we were marched towards the coast. 
 It was the month of January, and that is the hottest month 
 of the year in Madagascar; the deadly fever of the country 
 ravaged the plains through which we marched, and I alone 
 of those who pitched their tents under the trees that line 
 the river yonder survived to tell the tale. Willis had 
 
232 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 already sailed for the Mauritius, completely foiled in his 
 mission. 
 
 " There are," continued the missionary, " three modes 
 of death much practised at Madagascar. The one, by 
 poison extracted from a tree, is called 'tangui.' This tree 
 is so deadly that the birds avoid it, and the snakes will 
 not go near. The poison consists of a small portion of 
 the nut in powder. It kills in about an hour, and the 
 agony endured is fearful. In ordinary cases it is used as 
 an ordeal, and sometimes, when it induces vomiting, the 
 person taking it gets better. 
 
 "The second mode is by throwing the condemned 
 into a river where the caiman abound. If he is not 
 devoured after the third immersion, he is allowed to go 
 free. 
 
 " The third is by fastening the condemned to a rock 
 bathed by the sea. If the waves, splashing up against 
 the rocks, do not sprinkle any water on his body, the 
 condemned is liberated ; if a drop of water touches him, 
 a dozen lances at once finish him." 
 
 " The last seems to me the most merciful death, though 
 all are horrible," said Isabel. 
 
 " After we were violently separated from him, Maurice 
 was kept guarded for twenty-four hours, without food of 
 any kind, not even a drop of water being allowed him. 
 His sufferings under that hot sun must have been terrible, 
 but even then his faith was unshaken, and he made con- 
 stant endeavours to convert his guards. His days and 
 nights were passed in prayer. On the evening of the 
 second day, he was taken to the ombachie's hut. Here 
 he met with the * sampi tanguine,' or poisoner, and here 
 life and liberty were offered him by the priest if he would 
 publicly avow his errors and acknowledge their power. 
 
THE MISSIONARY'S TALE. 233 
 
 He was but a young man, and had lately married. He 
 had left a wife, who was at that moment probably a mo- 
 ther. The temptation was strong, as the black poisoner 
 stood before him with the deadly powder ready." 
 
 " And did he yield ?" eagerly asked Hughes. 
 
 " Not for a moment. Half an hour afterwards he was 
 writhing on the floor of the hut in agonizing convulsions, 
 the ombachie and the ' sampi tanguine' standing over him. 
 He died pardoning his persecutors, and his body was 
 thrown over the precipice." 
 
 " Poor fellow ! Madre de Dios, what a melancholy 
 tale ! And the wife ?" asked Isabel. 
 
 " I never heard," replied Wyzinski. " A missionary 
 should not marry, in my opinion." 
 
 " There goes eight bells, and here comes the captain to 
 take his watch," exclaimed Hughes. 
 
 True to the old instinct, Captain Weber's first impulse 
 was to walk to the binnacle and then to glance aloft at his 
 dismantled masts and rigging. 
 
 Isabel rose and took the arm of the old seaman, who 
 looked fondly into her face as she walked by his side. 
 The moon had not risen, but there was a strong light over 
 the sea, and before saying good night the girl gazed over 
 the brig's* stern at the dark line of forest land and the 
 myriads of dancing fireflies. She then turned, but 
 seemed struck with something. "1 did not know that 
 there were rocks in the bay," she said, pointing to the 
 entrance. 
 
 Captain Weber did not understand French, but his eye 
 followed the direction of the finger. There, sure enough, 
 broad on the brig's starboard bow lay three black points 
 looking like rocks, but rising and falling on the waves. 
 
 Dropping the girl's arm, he ran forward. " Mr. Lowe, 
 
234 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 turn the hands up quickly and silently," he said, in a 
 hoarse whisper ; " arm the men at once. Look handy ! 
 The Malays are upon us." 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 st. augustine's bay. — the pirates. 
 
 The "Halcyon," it will be remembered, was moored 
 head and stern, but her bows did not point to the opening 
 of the bay. A warp had been run from her starboard 
 hawse-hole, and an anchor carried out far beyond the 
 narrow entrance, so as to enable Captain Weber to cast 
 his ship in that direction when he wished to sail. With 
 his masts in the state they were, and the weather besides 
 dead calm, it would have been a slow and tedious affair 
 to move the brig from her anchorage. There were no 
 boarding nettings now she no longer belonged to the 
 navy, and but for the missionary's warning, the "Halcyon" 
 would have been wholly unprepared for resistance. Creep- 
 ing aft, Captain Weber rejoined the party on the quarter- 
 deck. 
 
 Quietly and courteously he offered his arm to Dona 
 Isabel, who, quite unconscious of what was passing, was 
 still looking into the night. 
 
 A glance at the entrance of the bay told him at once 
 that the boats were concentrating for a dash, but it told 
 him too that help was at hand, for several dark figures 
 came tumbling up the hatchway. Carefully conducting 
 the lady to her cabin, the old seaman raised his cap, 
 uncovering his grey hair as he did so, and bade her good- 
 night The next moment he was on deck, pointing out 
 to the astonished passengers the danger. Mr. Lowe 
 
THE PIRATES. 235 
 
 stood by the arm chest, concealed by the bulwarks, 
 distributing the arms, and the whole crew were now 
 alarmed. 
 
 "See," said Captain Weber; "there, they separate. 
 Yonder two boats will board on the brig's bows, the third 
 on her quarter." 
 
 "They are ready for the dash," replied the soldier, 
 " and think us unprepared." 
 
 " Creep forward, and train the nine-pounder on them, 
 Captain Hughes." 
 
 Sheltering under the bulwarks, he obeyed. The 
 gun was already loaded with rifle bullets, and heavily 
 charged. The boats came leisurely on, for all on board 
 the brig seemed buried in sleep. The dip of the 
 oars could hardly be distinguished even by those who 
 were watching, consequently the noise could never have 
 awoke men asleep. The wash of the wave made itself 
 heard on the beach, and so still was the night that the 
 quack of the ducks, and the call of the widgeon and wild 
 geese feeding among the reeds, came on the air. On the 
 forecastle the creaking of a gun-carriage told that Captain 
 Hughes was not idle, and those in the boats heard it too. 
 They stopped rowing, the three drawing closely together, 
 apparently in consultation. This was the moment the 
 captain chose, and the loud hail, " Boat ahoy !" rang out 
 from the quarter-deck. A shrill yell and a musket-shot 
 was the reply, followed by the boom of the forecastle gun, 
 as it scattered its bagful of rifle bullets right among them. 
 The aim had been deliberate and deadly. The loud 
 scream of agony, the yell of vengeance, replied to by the 
 cheer of the English seamen, rang out on the night. 
 One boat had been sunk, and its crew apparently either 
 killed or drowned, for not waiting to rescue them the 
 
236 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 other two dashed on with a wild scream for vengeance. 
 Leaving the useless gun, for there was no time to load it 
 again, Hughes and the three men on the forecastle made 
 their way aft. 
 
 A spattering fire now ran along the brig's deck, replied 
 to from the two boats, as they dashed on, the one for the 
 bow, the other on the quarter. In a few seconds, the 
 Malays were alongside. Grasping the rigging, their long 
 knives between their teeth, they swarmed over the bul- 
 warks fore and aft. 
 
 The deadly musketry struck them down, the pistol 
 shots, at point blank range, shattered their heads, but still 
 they came on. The English seamen cheered as they 
 struck right and left with their short cutlasses, and there 
 on the main deck stood Dom Maxara, a long curved 
 sabre in his hand, dripping with blood, cheering on the 
 men in a language they did not understand. The boat 
 which had boarded on the quarter was beaten off, but 
 joining the other the two had united their numbers, and 
 some fifty maddened and nearly naked pirates came pour- 
 ing over the bows, driving the crew before them. 
 
 Among the Malays, one tall, powerful fellow, nearly 
 naked, seemed the leader of the rest : shouting, gesticu- 
 lating, and striking right and left, he urged the assailants 
 on. Once already had the crew been driven back to the 
 break of the quarter-deck, but, led on by Captain Weber, 
 had repulse*d their enemies. Brandishing a jagged piece 
 of broken spar, his hat having fallen off, and a streak of 
 blood on the forehead showing him to be wounded, the 
 old seaman fought like a tiger. 
 
 " Give it them, my lads ! no quarter for the bloody 
 pirates. Overboard with them !" he shouted, as he 
 dashed full at the leader of the Malays. 
 
THE PIRATES. 237 
 
 A furious combat again ensued, shouts, oaths, exe- 
 crations, mingled with the pistol shots. The groans of 
 the wounded, the yells of the combatants, changed what 
 had been a quiet, peaceful scene into one of riot and 
 bloodshed. 
 
 Dona Isabel, it has been said, had retired into her 
 cabin ; a single lamp was burning, and, perfectly uncon- 
 scious of danger, she was preparing for rest, when the 
 heavy boom of the forecastle gun startled her, and then 
 the silence of the night seemed to be suddenly at an end, 
 and the shouts, yells, and groans told too terribly of what 
 was going on above her head. The cabin was deserted, 
 the steward having joined the combatants, and as she 
 opened the door her father's voice was heard cheering on 
 the men in her own tongue. She recognised the soldier's 
 shout as the pirates were slowly driven back, while, alone 
 and frightened, she dropped on her knees in prayer. 
 Suddenly a report right over her head startled her still 
 more ; for a moment all was silent, the yells and shouts 
 ceasing as by magic, then a wild cheer from the crew 
 followed, and Isabel, unable to bear the terrible suspense, 
 rushed up the cabin hatchway. The stars were shining 
 brightly, but the brig's decks were slippery with blood. 
 Her own boats had been veered astern, and close to 
 her bows, two dark objects showed where the pirates had 
 boarded. 
 
 The survivors of the boat which had been cut in two 
 by the shot from the forecastle gun, had swum for the 
 brig, scrambling over her bulwarks just as the captain so 
 fiercely attacked the Malay leader. Both had grappled, 
 and had rolled, struggling and fighting, into the chains, 
 as the new comers, at once dashing forward, again bore 
 back the crew. The forecastle was bfock with pirates. 
 
238 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 " Lie down, men, shelter under the break of the quar- 
 ter-deck !" shouted Hughes, as he jumped aft, and with 
 nervous strength slewed round the second nine-pounder, 
 pointing it so as to sweep the forecastle. " Down, down, 
 for your lives !" 
 
 The next moment the loud report which had so startled 
 Isabel rang out, and the rifle bullets swept in a storm of 
 lead right among the black mass of men crowding the 
 forecastle. Seizing the moment, with a loud cheer the 
 now inspirited crew dashed on, over the dead and dying, 
 and the broken pirates leaped madly over the bow& 
 Many dropped into the sea, but swimming, were picked 
 up ; the boats shoved off, crippled, and pulling but few 
 oars, a ringing cheer from the crew following them, just 
 as the frightened girl found herself on deck. 
 
 Hughes stood by the gun, his clothes torn, and his face 
 black with the smoke ; the peculiar smell of blood was 
 perceptible, mixed with the odour of the gunpowder, and 
 Isabel feeling it, became sick and weak, just as a dark 
 form, bounding from the main chains, leaped on to 
 the deck. A loud shriek burst from her lips, as the 
 Malay leader threw himself on Hughes. Partially over- 
 powered, the soldier grasped his powerful foe by the 
 throat. They swayed to and fro, struggling and fighting; 
 the frightened girt rushed forward, the Malay striking 
 wildly at her with his dagger. With a scream of pain 
 Isabel fell on the deck, just as a tremendous blow from 
 the broken spar, given with a hearty good will, smashed 
 in the Malay's skull, both he and the soldier, who was 
 held in the death grasp, falling to the deck. 
 
 " Hurrah for Old England f shouted the excited cap- 
 tain, as he flourished the jagged and blood-besmeared 
 spar over his head with one hand, and dragged Hughes 
 
THE PIRATES. 239 
 
 clear of the dead Malay with the other. " See if any of 
 the miscreants are below. A short shrift and a pistol- 
 bullet if you find any, my lads. Here, Mr. Lowe, lend a 
 hand with this lubber ; he nearly did for me just now, 
 but we are quits." 
 
 A loud splash in the water told that the pirate had 
 gone over the side, and every now and then a similar 
 splash, with a " Yeo, heave ho !" from forward, marked 
 the fate of a fallen Malay. 
 
 Carefully and gently, Isabel was lifted from the deck 
 and borne below by the steward and Hughes. Dom 
 Maxara was forward, staunching a severe wound from a 
 Malay creese in the shoulder. Wyzinski, who during 
 the hand-to-hand combat had fought like a tiger, and 
 received a stab in the leg, now remembered he was a 
 missionary, and, though weak with loss of blood, was 
 engaged smoothing the passage of one of the crew from 
 the world his soul was quitting. Four men killed, and 
 almost every one of the crew wounded, three severely, 
 were the casualties on board the brig, while those among 
 the pirates were never known, but' must have been very 
 severe. 
 
 The Malay had dealt his blow wildly, his intention 
 being revenge, for Hughes' grip held him by the throat, 
 and the savage pirate was choking as he struck. The 
 creese had entered Isabel's arm above the elbow, making 
 a nasty jagged wound. 
 
 They placed her on the crimson cushions in the cabin, 
 Masters, the steward, bathing her head with water, while 
 the wounded arm hung down, the soldier near her, 
 and doing his best to bandage it. His was a curious 
 figure as he knelt by her side, for both face and hands 
 were nearly black with the powder and smoke, his dress 
 
240 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 torn in many places, and what had been a shirt showing 
 very many tokens of the bulky pirate's terrible grip. All 
 this was forgotten in the anxiety of the moment, and 
 there the two were in the almost deserted cabin, eagerly 
 waiting for returning consciousness. Isabel's face was 
 pale and bloodless, and her teeth firmly clenched. There 
 was no doctor on board the brig. 
 
 " Masters, I wish you would step on deck," said 
 Hughes, " and send Wyzinski here." 
 
 " Ay, ay, sir," replied the man, rising, and handing the 
 basin and sponge to Hughes. 
 
 "And, Masters, just ask Captain Weber for some 
 arnica." 
 
 The man disappeared up the hatchway. On deck as he 
 passed along all was bustle, the crew being busily engaged 
 removing the traces of the late bloody affair. He found the 
 missionary forward, but unable to leave a wounded seaman, 
 so Masters knelt by his side, and joined in the fervent but 
 simple prayer over the dying man. An oil lamp gave out a 
 feeble light in the fore-cabin, showing in one corner a 
 large white sail. The heavy folds covered something, 
 which bulging out here, falling in there, took the shape 
 of the human form. The dead lay there, while, breathing 
 heavily, his hand plucking at the coverlet, the dying 
 seaman passed slowly away. 
 
 His shirt was open, showing the jagged, ragged hole 
 made by the Malay creese in the broad, hairy breast. 
 
 The man spoke, but his voice was low. Masters 
 leaned over him, and caught the faint, eager tones. 
 
 " Tell the skipper to heave up the anchor, and get into 
 blue water. I know these fellows, and they'll come back." 
 
 " Ay, ay, Sedley," answered the steward, " I'll tell him, 
 sure enough," 
 
THE PIRATES. 241 
 
 " Trouble not yourself about the brig, my poor fellow," 
 said the missionary. " Prepare to meet your God." 
 
 The man rolled restlessly from side to side, the hand 
 ever plucking at the coarse blanket. 
 
 " I've done my duty," he said. " There's no one left to 
 ask after me in the old house at home, so I may slip my 
 anchor as soon as I like." 
 
 " Pray with me, Sedley," replied the missionary, and 
 the faint light glanced and nickered over the dark cabin, 
 making the white sail seem to take strange shapes, some- 
 times even to move ; for the feeble daylight began to 
 mingle with the yellow rays, and the dying sailor's lips 
 parted in prayer, as he tossed wearily from side to side. 
 It was a sad and solemn spectacle. 
 
 A heavy step was heard coming down the fore-hatch- 
 way, and a moment later Captain Weber stood by the 
 man's berth. He was without the tarpaulin hat he 
 usually wore, and his forehead seamed with a broad 
 bloody gash. 
 
 " Ay, ay !" ejaculated the old seaman. " Four of them 
 under yonder sail, and here goes a fifth." 
 
 On deck the tread of the men was heard, the splash of 
 the water as it was dashed about the stained decks, the 
 loud, careless laugh, and now and then the " Yeo, hea*^ 
 ho !" followed by a splash, as the dawning day showed sorne 
 corpse, hitherto overlooked, lying stiff and stark among 
 the spars and rigging with which the deck was strewn. 
 
 The dying man appeared to revive ; he looked around 
 him. 
 
 " Heave up the anchor, captain ! Fourteen years of 
 Jack Sedley's life have been passed off this here coast* 
 Heave up the anchor, and make sail on the old barkie ! 
 
 Them murderous beggars will " 
 
 16 
 
242 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 He fell back heavily, a rattle was heard in the throat, 
 the eyes became glazed, a long breath was followed by 
 a deep silence ; again the chest filled, as thoughby a la- 
 borious effort, the eyelids twitched nervously, a heavy 
 sigh, and the seaman's course was run. 
 
 Captain Weber turned away, passing the sleeve of his 
 coat over his eyes, and so smearing his face with the 
 gore which still flowed from the wound in his forehead, as 
 he slowly left the cabin. 
 
 The steward did not come back; but gradually'the 
 blood resumed its wonted course, and Isabel's conscious- 
 ness returned. 
 
 " Where is my father ?" she asked. " What has hap- 
 pened ?" 
 
 "The brig has been attacked by pirates. They are 
 beaten off, and your father is safe." 
 
 " Santa Maria ! my arm, how stiff it feels ! Ah, now I 
 remember," she continued, half rising, and a look of 
 horror overspreading her countenance. 
 
 " But for your scream," replied Hughes, " I should 
 have been taken by surprise. The smoke of the gun 
 was in my eyes, blinding me, and so I could not save 
 you from the felon's blow." 
 
 The wounded arm, with its stained bandages, the 
 kneeling figure, all begrimed with smoke, the certainty of 
 her father's safety, and of the departure of the pirates, 
 seemed to strike the girl's imagination. A smile passed 
 over her face. 
 
 "Isabel," said the soldier, with a sudden burst of 
 passion, his emotion mastering him, " I have loved you 
 from the first time I ever saw you !" 
 
 The black eyes had been gazing on him with a wild 
 vacant look, as the girl lived over again, in imagination, 
 
THE PIRATES. 243 
 
 the terrible scene she had witnessed on deck, when the 
 bulky form of the Malay leader had so nearly borne her 
 lover down ; the day, too, when on the banks of the 
 Zambezi he had stood between her and a terrible death ; 
 and now the tension of her nerves giving way, she sobbed 
 deeply and convulsively. 
 
 " I have loved you ever since I saw you, Isabel, and 
 strange to say it is the only love I have ever known," he 
 continued, breaking the silence. 
 
 The heavy, convulsive sobs shook her slight frame, but 
 she made no answer. 
 
 "Left an orphan when a mere child, joining my 
 father's regiment when a youth, I have never known 
 what even a parent's love may be, and it seems now as 
 it the devotion of a whole life were concentred on you, 
 Isabel." 
 
 Again the soldier paused, and the sobs of the girl were 
 alone heard in the cabin. The grey light of dawn was 
 showing itself down the hatchway, and through the ports. 
 The same grey dawn which was lighting the dying sea- 
 man's long Journey, was gradually creeping over the 
 lover's dream. 
 
 He took her hand carefully, gently, for it was the 
 injured arm ; he looked up into her face. 
 
 " Isabel, can you return a soldier's love ?" he asked, 
 eagerly. 
 
 The head fell on his shoulders, the hot tears deluged 
 his hand. 
 
 " Dearest Isabel, speak ? he urged, as he passed his 
 arm round her waist. 
 
 " I can — I will !" whispered the girl " But, oh, for 
 pity's sake be silent now." 
 
 And he was silent, for his heart was full of sweet 
 
 16—2 
 
244 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 emotions, while Isabel sobbed on, and the grey light 
 grew more and more perceptible. 
 
 " And your father, Isabel ?" at last asked her lover. 
 
 " He never denied me anything ; my happiness is his ; 
 and here he comes." 
 
 Dom Maxara and the missionary at this moment 
 entered the cabin. The former had only just heard of 
 his daughter's wound, and as it had been exaggerated, 
 his face, pale from loss of blood, showed great anxiety. 
 Rising, the girl threw herself into her father's arms. 
 
 " Oh, father, I am so happy !" she sobbed. 
 
 The old man's grey hair mixed with the dark tresses of 
 his daughter, as he bent over and soothed her, Wyzinski 
 standing for a moment as if astonished at the scene. 
 
 "Pardon me, Dom Maxara, you had better conduct 
 the Dona Isabel to her cabin, and I will dress the wound* 
 It is but slight, and I am a bit of a surgeon." 
 
 "I thank you, Senhor," replied the old Portuguese, 
 again assuming all the stateliness of manner which usually 
 characterised him. " Come, Isabel." 
 
 Isabel de Maxara turned, gave one look at her lover — 
 a glance teeming with gratitude and love, even though 
 the eyes were running over with tears, as she held out her 
 hand. Hughes pressed it to his lips, and the next 
 moment she was gone. 
 
 " The Dona Isabel might have a cleaner lover," 
 observed Wyzinski, after a long silence. 
 
 It was the first time Captain Hughes had been con- 
 scious of his dirt-begrimed, ragged condition ; would he 
 have risked the confession he had made, had he been 
 aware of it ? 
 
THE DA Y AFTER THE FIGHT. 245 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 THE DAY AFTER THE FIGHT. 
 
 The day was well advanced, and the fierce rays of the 
 African sun were pouring on the " Halcyon's " decks, as 
 she lay at anchor in St. Augustine's Bay. On shore the 
 parrots could be heard chattering and screaming, the 
 long cry of the peacock sounded from the woods, while 
 on board every sign of the late bloody fight had been re- 
 moved. The "Halcyon's" crew had been reduced by 
 five deaths, and many of the men were hardly able to 
 work from the effects of weakness. Still everything was 
 going on well. The fore-topmast was in its place, the 
 main-topgallantmast replaced, and the standing and 
 running rigging nearly finished. A new jibboom had 
 been rigged out, and the only spar wanting was the 
 fore-topgallantmast, which could be easily done with- 
 out. The mate had weighed the spare anchor, and 
 the brig now rode to a single one, and that was hove 
 short. The crew were busy bending new sails, and no 
 one who had looked into St. Augustine's Bay that after- 
 noon could have imagined that the vessel which lay 
 so quietly riding on the calm waters, had just escaped 
 from shipwreck and her crew from murder. 
 
 " I know where the rascals hail from," said Captain 
 Weber to the missionary. 
 
 The old seaman had a broad bandage round his fore- 
 head, and Wyzinski walked with the help of a stick. 
 Leaning over the taffrail at some little distance, Hughes 
 and Dom Maxara were in earnest conversation, the blue 
 smoke from the noble's cigarette rising in the air. 
 
246 WILD SPOR TS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 "I should not have believed in piracy in this age,", 
 replied Wyzinski. 
 
 "Ay, but several vessels have been closely followed by 
 a low rakish black schooner, of small tonnage but very 
 swift. The 'Dawn/ a full-rigged ship I spoke in the 
 latitude of Cape St. Andre, had some difficulty in 
 getting away from her." ■ 
 
 " Is she armed ?" asked Wyzinski. 
 
 "The 'Dawn's' people said not, but as the ship 
 happened to be crowded with coolies, it is possible that 
 the schooner would not show her metal." 
 
 "And you think that the Malays were part of her 
 crew ?" 
 
 " I feel sure of it. The schooner has run into some of 
 the little bays of the coast, and is now doubtless lying 
 within a few miles of us. This night she will make a 
 second attempt." 
 
 "And will find the Bay empty." 
 
 " Certainly. In two hours I shall be ready to heave up 
 the anchor, warp the brig well up with the entrance to 
 the Bay, and profit by the breeze, which generally blows 
 from the eastward after sunset." 
 
 " It would be necessary to move on another account, 
 Captain Weber." 
 
 " Ay, ay ; forty-eight hours would bring some of those 
 fellows up from the bottom bobbing about us, the big 
 chap whose skull I scratched, among the rest." 
 
 " He gave you some trouble, did he not ?" 
 
 " I should have mastered him single-handed," replied 
 the old seaman, "if I had not been trampled on and 
 crushed by both parties. I never quite lost consciousness, 
 but I was very near it when the big villain dashed away 
 on to the quarter-deck." 
 
THE DA Y AFTER THE FIGHT. 247 
 
 "Mr. Lowe," continued the captain, "heave up the 
 anchor, and let me know when you are ready for the 
 warp." 
 
 " Ay, ay, sir," replied the mate, whose left arm was in 
 a sling, going forward. 
 
 Captain Hughes, his arms folded, was leaning over the 
 taffrail, when the clink of the capstan made itself heard, 
 as the sailors shipped the bars, and to the merry tones of 
 the flute began heaving up the anchor. Dom Maxara 
 was standing erect beside him, his tall figure and noble 
 bearing telling of a proud and haughty nature. 
 
 "Isabel has told me what has passed between you, 
 Senhor Capitano," continued the noble ; " but though I 
 will never thwart her will, you must remember we know 
 little of each other." 
 
 "Ours has scarcely been a ball-room meeting," re- 
 turned the English officer, in a tone scarcely less haughty 
 than that of the Portuguese. 
 
 " That I am willing to concede, and more, for on one 
 occasion at least my daughter owed you her life, but even 
 that is not a debt on which a noble caballero counts. 
 Are you aware "that Isabel, on her father's side, descends 
 from the oldest dukedom of the land, that of the princely 
 house of Cadaval ?" 
 
 His listener bowed stiffly, and the proud noble con- 
 tinued — 
 
 " Are you aware also that her mother was of the race 
 of the Guzmans of Castile, and that in her is con- 
 centrated the purest Spanish, with the oldest blood of 
 Portugal ?" 
 
 " Well, as to that," replied Hughes, who could not help 
 smiling, .though feeling very anxious, " I can count pedi- 
 gree with any man, only instead of the Guzmans of Castile ; 
 
248 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 I must refer you back to the rude hills of the Cymri 
 and the chieftains, my ancestors, who wore their golden 
 torques, when the Druids raised their altars in Britain, 
 and before even the Romans knew the land." 
 
 The speaker's voice showed pride and dignity fully 
 equal to that of the noble, though there breathed through 
 the words a spirit of mockery and cynicism. 
 
 Dom Maxara bowed courteously. " I can hardly per- 
 ceive the analogy between your skin-clad ancestors and 
 the chivalrous barons of my land," he replied coldly. 
 
 "I regret to hear it, Senhor," said the soldier, with 
 some show of humour, " and it yet remains for me to 
 learn how as to birth and old lineage I am so immea- 
 surably your inferior," he continued, sharply. "The 
 boon I ask of you is great, so great that a lifetime of 
 devotion will not pay my debt, but in other matters," 
 and here the delicacy of the subject striking him, he 
 paused. "In a word, Senhor Maxara, my fortune is 
 small, very small, and resumes itself thus : — A captain's 
 commission, an income* of five hundred a year besides, 
 and an old name, and old house in Wales. In worldly 
 means I am not rich, but in love for Dona Isabel I will 
 not yield even to a father." 
 
 " And she has told you that your love is returned, has 
 she not ?" asked the noble. 
 
 " She has led me to hope it may, and that hope is the 
 loadstar of my existence ; and one with which I will never 
 part." 
 
 " Listen, Senhor Hughes. My father, Dom Antonio 
 Mendez de Maxara," said the noble, speaking slowly and 
 deliberately, " was a rich man. Added to a proud name, 
 he enjoyed large estates. When I married into the noble 
 house of the Guzmans of Castile, few had a brighter pros- 
 
THE DA Y AFTER THE FIGHT. 249 
 
 pect than myself. My father mixed himself up with the 
 political parties of the land. He was unfortunate, and 
 for that very reason, like many another, plunged more 
 deeply into intrigue. Not content with that, he must 
 needs join the Guzmans in their schemes against the 
 Queen of Spain, thus not only rendering himself obnoxious 
 to the Portuguese Government, but hated and feared by 
 the cruel and treacherous Narvaez. 
 
 " Years passed on, Isabel was born, and her mother 
 paid for the young life with her own." 
 
 The noble paused, and seemed buried in sad reflections 
 as the cigarette smoke curled upwards. 
 
 " Run that warp forward, clap it on to the capstan," 
 shouted the clear voice of the captain. " Heave with a 
 will, my lads. The old barkie knows her way out into 
 blue water. Run the boats up to the davits, Mr. Lowe." 
 
 The brig's head, now the anchor was clear of the ground, 
 slowly fell off under the strain put upon the warp, and she 
 moved through the water in the direction of the entrance. 
 
 " Keep all fast with the boats," called Captain Weber. 
 " We may have to tow the hussy out. There's not a breath 
 of wind, Mr. Lowe. Look handy with that main-topgal- 
 lant sail, my lads. We shall need it before the moon rises. 
 Send a hand to the wheel." 
 
 All was bustle on the brig's decks, while aloft the busy 
 topmen were bending new sails, splicing the rigging, and 
 completing their work, which had been hastily but effec- 
 tually done. The creak of the oars in their rowlocks was 
 heard as a boat pulled out for the entrance, to see that 
 all was clear to seaward. Still the old noble seemed im- 
 mersed in thought. At last he spoke again. 
 
 "The moment came," he said, "when Narvaez tri- 
 umphed. A traitor was found who had been for many 
 
250 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 years my father's intimate friend, had shared his plans 
 and his purse. Bribed with gold and promises, the man 
 placed a long political correspondence in the hands of the 
 minister. It became plain that my father had dreamed of 
 freedom both of religion and of government. This might 
 have been passed over, but he had gone further, and de- 
 sired a federation of the two countries, Spain and Portugal, 
 under a popular Republic. This was his crime, and the 
 two parties then fighting for power became united against 
 the common danger. 
 
 " Forced to fly, my father had nearly reached the French 
 frontier, when he was struck down by the hands of hired 
 assassins. A desultory and useless rising took place at 
 different but isolated points. In these I had taken part, 
 burning to revenge a father's death. I managed, with 
 great difficulty, to escape ; but my property and estates 
 were lost, and I but retained sufficient to enable me to 
 live, and to place Isabel with a relative, the Superior of 
 the Convent of the Augustines, in Paris. Passing into 
 the service of France, I won a commission in the Foreign 
 Legion, serving in Algeria, in Italy, and Austria. I rose 
 to the command of my regiment, when, some months 
 since, I was enabled to return to my country, was re- 
 ceived with favour, a small portion of our forfeited estates 
 restored, and the mission I am now accomplishing given 
 me. 
 
 " Ah ! Isabel, my child !" continued the noble, as at that 
 moment she appeared on deck, and he bent to kiss her 
 high forehead ; " I have been burthening our friend with 
 the tale of our family misfortunes." 
 
 Dressed in a light muslin with a flowing skirt, her dark 
 hair heavily braided, with the high comb, and mantilla, 
 Dona Isabel would have looked beautiful enough : but 
 
THE DA Y AFTER THE FIGHT. 251 
 
 with the left arm bound up and worn in a sling made 
 with a crimson Andalusian scarf, and the air of fatigue 
 and languor which late events had caused still hanging 
 over her, Hughes thought he had never seen her look so 
 lovely. 
 
 Nestling in between her father and her lover, Isabel 
 passed her right hand through the arm of the old noble, 
 who looked down fondly into her face. 
 
 The brig's stern was now no longer pointed towards 
 the land, for she was moving slowly along parallel with it. 
 The click of the capstan, as the sailors stamped round 
 with a measured step, was heard, and the vessel was 
 slowly drawing up with the entrance to the Bay. The 
 parrots were screaming on shore, and the gulls overhead, 
 the last rays of the evening sun tinging the tops of the 
 fan-like leaves of the ravinala trees, just as the " Halcyon" 
 arrived abreast of the " Ongiake" river, which here dis- 
 charged itself into the sea. 
 
 " It is a beautiful scene," said Isabel, " and who could 
 believe that it is the same quiet Bay which only a few 
 hours since rang with the demoniac yells of those horrible 
 pirates ?" 
 
 " If we have any wind it will come toward sunset, the 
 captain says, and we shall shape our course for the Cape," 
 said Dom Maxara. " What leave of absence remains to 
 you, Senhor Enrico ?" 
 
 The name seemed singular to Captain Hughes ; it 
 was the first time he had heard it used; but it was, 
 after all, decidedly prettier than plain matter-of-fact 
 Henry. 
 
 " About eighteen months," replied he, " which could 
 easily be prolonged." 
 
 " And have you any plans for the future, Enrico mio ?" 
 
252 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 asked Isabel, when they were alone, raising her large dark 
 eyes to his face. 
 
 If " Enrico" seemed pleasant from the mouth of the 
 stately old noble, what was that first " Enrico mio" from 
 those ruby lips ? 
 
 The noise of the boats as. they were manned, the drop- 
 ping of the oars into the water, the unshipping of the cap- 
 stan bars, and the preparations for casting off the rope 
 used to tow the vessel's head round, now told that the 
 " Halcyon" had reached the entrance of the Bay. 
 
 " Set the fore-topmast staysail, let fall the foresail, get 
 the fore-topsail on her, Mr. Lowe. Cast off the warp ; 
 give way, my lads, give way cheerily in the boats," shouted 
 the captain, as he stood on the quarter-deck. " Star- 
 board — hard — let her feel the helm. Steady ! so." 
 
 The brig's head slowly payed off, as she felt the strain 
 of the boats' towing, and her jib-boom pointed right for 
 the entrance of the Bay. The horizon had been reported 
 clear, nothing being in sight, and sail after sail opened its 
 wide expanse, while the long breathings of the ocean began 
 to be felt, and the idle canvas flapped to and fro in the 
 calm. 
 
 The men had strained at the oars until the stout ash 
 staves creaked and bent in the rowlocks. The dark hull 
 of the brig had slowly forged ahead, and at the moment 
 Isabel spoke, the " Halcyon" had passed the entrance of 
 the harbour, and was rising and falling on the long gentle 
 swell outside. She did not feel the wind, being under the 
 shelter of the coast, but slight cat's-paws were playing on 
 the water about half-a-mile ahead, and so the boats con- 
 tinued towing, while on board the main-topgallant and 
 main-topsails were being sheeted home. 
 
 "There is our last sight of the Bay," said Hughes, 
 
THE DAY AFTER THE FIGHT. 253 
 
 sighing. " It must now live only in the memories of the 
 past. Plans — no, dearest Isabel ; I have been enjoying 
 the present without care for the future." 
 
 " And now the fairy dream is over, what do you intend 
 to do when we reach the Cape, Enrico ? Surely I have 
 a right to ask," said Isabel. 
 
 " If you have eighteen months' leave of absence, 
 Senhor," said the noble, "come with us to Portugal 
 for your answer; you can make your arrangements in 
 England." 
 
 The Senhor Enrico could not have wished for a 
 pleasanter invitation, and he eagerly closed with it. 
 
 " That top-gallantsail is drawing, Mr. Lowe ; cast off 
 the tow-rope, recall the boats, and hoist them in. Tell off 
 the watch, and send the crew to supper. Let the 
 steward give them an extra ration of grog. Take a pull 
 at the starboard tacks and sheets. Lay her head to the 
 west-south-west." 
 
 The wind, which was very light, was from the eastward, 
 consequently the brig, her yards rounded in, was running 
 free, the boom mainsail was hauled out, the heavy folds 
 of the mainsail let fall, and the jib hoisted. One by one 
 the studding-sails were set, and the black hull once more 
 supported a towering mass of white canvas. With all this 
 the " Halcyon " only just held steerage way, the wind 
 coming in hot puffs from the distant mountains of the 
 Amboitmena range, at times filling the canvas and making 
 the bubbles fly past as the " Halcyon " felt the breeze, 
 then dying away, while the useless sails flapped heavily 
 with the gentle roll of the waves. 
 
 Her captain seemed silent and anxious, and would not 
 leave the deck. Dinner had been announced, but Cap- 
 tain Weber had only dived below to reappear again in a 
 
254 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 few minutes, and, telescope in hand, was sweeping the 
 coast line with his glass. He had evinced no signs of 
 anxiety to his guests, but as he paced the lee gangway of 
 the brig, he showed no such reticence to his mate. 
 
 " One hour's good blow from yonder mountains, and 
 we should be well clear of this coast," he said. 
 
 " Do you think, Captain Weber, the fellow dare attack 
 us again after the taste he had of our quality last night ?" 
 inquired the mate. 
 
 " If the scoundrels could get possession of the brig, 
 they would soon find the means to arm her," replied the 
 captain ; * and the west coast of Madagascar is one series 
 of indentations, coves, and bays, fit refuges for these sort 
 of craft." 
 
 " The clouds are resting on the top of the mountain 
 range, sir ; I fancy we shall have more wind just rfiow. 
 How far do you reckon we are from land ?" 
 
 " About ten miles," replied the captain. " Turn the 
 hands up on deck, Mr. Lowe. Haul up the mainsail, the 
 brig has hardly way on her, and send the men aft. We 
 must bury our dead." 
 
 The moon was low on the horizon, shedding a dim light 
 on the ocean, and making the long line of the Madagascar 
 coast look black and indistinct as if seen through a haze. 
 
 Soon ranged, side by side, on a grating abaft the main 
 chains, lay five forms covered with the ship's ensign. On 
 the quarter-deck stood the passengers and the remainder 
 of the crew, while ' the missionary, in a clear, distinct 
 voice, read slowly the impressive burial service. All were 
 uncovered, and the tears streamed down Isabel's face, as 
 she looked on the inanimate forms of the brave fellows 
 who had died to save her from worse than death. The 
 captain laid his hand on the Union Jack, the mate made 
 
7 HE DAY AFTER THE FIGHT. 255 
 
 a sign, and four sturdy men advanced, placing their 
 shoulders under the grating. " We commit their bodies 
 to the deep, in the sure and certain hope of resurrection 
 to eternal life," and as the solemn words rang out on the 
 night air, the splash of the falling bodies in the sea fol- 
 lowed. A stillness seemed to gather around, and the 
 service for the dead finished, the crew retired to their 
 different duties, for the time, at least, saddened and de- 
 pressed, and the quarter-deck was soon left to the captain 
 and his mate. 
 
 Slowly they paced it to and fro in eager but low con- 
 versation. The puffs of wind came down a little steadier, 
 and the " Halcyon " was moving through the water once 
 more. The night was beautifully fine, the stars shining 
 brilliantly, but the moon just sinking behind a distant 
 spit of land broad on the larboard bow. From time to 
 time the sound of the ship's bell, striking the hour, 
 n2ls heard, the creaking of the blocks and ropes, and 
 the flap of the sails as the brig rolled lazily on the 
 long swell. All at once the mate stopped suddenly in 
 his walk, looked earnestly towards the coast line, and 
 then, without speaking, raised his finger and pointed to- 
 wards the setting moon. It was just sinking behind a 
 patch of forest trees, their long, tapering, fan-like leaves 
 distinctly marked against the light, while, sweeping past, 
 the spars of a small vessel could be seen, the thin, whip- 
 like sticks plainly visible against the sky. Next, the long, 
 low black hull drew clear of the land, and distinctly 
 revealed against the light the spars and rigging of a small 
 schooner. Not a rag of canvas was shown, and yet 
 slowly and with a gentle motion the dark mass glided on 
 into the night, right on the path which the brig was 
 taking. 
 
2$6 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 The two seamen looked at each other. 
 
 " I thought as much. It is the pirate !" ejaculated the 
 captain, with a deep sigh. 
 
 " If they had chosen their weather, it could not suit 
 them better." 
 
 Stepping aft, the captain glanced at the compass. 
 
 " Round in the weather-braces and sheets, Mr. Lowe. 
 Port, you may, Hutchins ; keep her dead to the west." 
 
 "Ay, ay, sir," replied the man, as the spokes flew 
 through his fingers ; and the ship's head falling off, the 
 wind was brought nearly aft, the two vessels thus moving 
 on almost parallel lines. 
 
 " Can you make him out now ?" asked the captain, as 
 his mate rejoined him on the quarter-deck. 
 
 Long and anxiously did the officer addressed peer into 
 the night. The missionary joined the group, and was 
 made acquainted with what was passing. 
 
 " There she is," said the mate, " right on our quarter. 
 Look ! in go her sweeps, for she has made sail, and is 
 standing on the same course as ourselves, keeping way 
 with us under her foresail, mainsail, and jib. That craft 
 could close with us any moment, sir. Shall I rouse the 
 crew ?" 
 
 The captain did not speak; but stood, his elbows 
 leaning on the weather bulwarks, looking in the direction 
 of the schooner. 
 
 •"' If it is the vessel you suppose, she knows we carry 
 guns," remarked Wyzinski; "but does not know how 
 many. She will wait for daylight." 
 
 " You are quite right," replied the captain. " Leave the 
 men quiet, Mr. Lowe. We will keep the watch together, 
 and may God send us wind," and here the old seaman 
 reverently lifted his cap, " for yonder is a dreadful foe." 
 
THE DAY AFTER THE FIGHT. 257 
 
 The sound of the bell told the hours, the wind, which 
 had freshened, towards morning died away; but all 
 night long the three anxious watchers paced the nar- 
 row limits of the brig's quarter-deck. Time after time did 
 the captain turn to the compass and take the schooner's 
 bearings. It was useless, for there, under easy sail 
 exactly where she had first been made out, on the weather- . 
 quarter, the white canvas of the pirate could be seen, 
 never varying a point. It was evident she was waiting 
 for daylight to close with her prey. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 THE PIRATE SCHOONER. 
 
 Day dawned slowly, the breeze having slightly freshened 
 towards morning, but still the long, low line of the 
 Madagascar coast lay astern. The ocean was quite calm. 
 
 " Sail ho !" shouted one of the crew. On the quarter- 
 deck, the captain, the mate, and Wyzinski still kept their 
 anxious watch. 
 
 " What do you make her out, Williams ?" asked Captain 
 Weber. 
 
 " A schooner, sir, under easy sail, standing to the west- 
 ward." 
 
 Again the captain took the bearings of the dangerous- 
 looking vessel, but with exactly the same result. There 
 she was still on the brig's weather-quarter, and apparently 
 in no sort of a hurry. 
 
 " That wicked-looking craft has the heels of us," re- 
 marked the mate ; " but we shall have a cap full of wind 
 before long, and then we may tell a different tale." 
 
 " She sees it too ; there goes her fore-topsail. She is 
 
 17 
 
258 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND, 
 
 making sail," said the captain ; then, addressing a man 
 who happened to be passing at the moment, "tell Cap- 
 tain Hughes and the foreign Don I should be glad to 
 speak to them," he added. 
 
 The schooner showed no flag, but setting her fore-top- 
 sail, edged a little nearer the wind, so as no longer to be 
 running on a line parallel to the brig, but on one which 
 would eventually bring them to the same spot. The two 
 passengers soon stood on the deck. 
 
 " I have sent for you, gentlemen," said the captain, 
 raising his tarpaulin as he spoke, "to decide on our 
 course. You see yonder schooner ?" 
 
 All eyes were turned to the long, low black hull and 
 the white canvas. 
 
 "Well, I have every reason to suppose she is a pirate, 
 whose crew have committed great ravages in these seas. 
 Several vessels have been chased by her, and one or two 
 having a great number of passengers on board, the little 
 craft, which sails like a witch, has neared them sufficiently 
 to make this out, and has then put up her helm and made 
 sail. But several vessels which are over due at different 
 ports have never been heard of, not a vestige of them and 
 their crews ever having been found. They have simply 
 disappeared." 
 
 " But we are armed," replied Hughes, " and are double 
 yonder schooner's tonnage." 
 
 u I know nothing of her armament ; no one' does," re- 
 plied the seaman. " The vessels she has boarded, whose 
 crews could tell, have, I repeat, mysteriously disappeared 
 from the face of the ocean. The captain of the ' Dawn ' 
 told that when off the island of Mayotte, away to the 
 northward here, a brig was in his company. The two 
 sailed about equally. One night pistol shots were heard, 
 
THE PIRATE SCHOONER. 259 
 
 and when morning broke there was no brig, but where 
 she should have been a low, rakish-looking schooner was 
 seen." 
 
 " But what had become of the other ?" 'asked Hughes. 
 
 " The pirate had carried her, taken all that she wanted, 
 and scuttled her, making the hull serve as a coffin for her 
 crew." 
 
 " And this you think is the fate the wretches in yonder 
 craft reserve for us ?" 
 
 " No, I think that they are quite aware of the value of 
 my cargo, which consists of ivory, gold dust, and ostrich 
 feathers. If they can get the brig, they will doubtless fit 
 her out as a sister scourge of the ocean, selling her cargo.' 
 
 " And the crew ?" asked Hughes. 
 
 " Will walk the plank one and all. For the lady, such 
 a fate would be too great a mercy/' 
 
 The captain's weather-beaten countenance looked pale 
 and anxious; Hughes covered his face with his hands, 
 and his strong frame shook as he thought of Isabel at 
 that very moment quietly sleeping below. The mis- 
 sionary was explaining the situation to the Portuguese. 
 
 " And now, gentlemen, your advice. But this I must 
 premise. Yonder piratical curs shall never have the brig. 
 I have several kegs of jpowder aboard for trading pur- 
 poses, and so sure as my name is Andrew Weber, I blow 
 her to pieces rather than she turns pirate." 
 
 The soldier dropped the hands which had shaded his 
 face. He gazed long and earnestly at the white sails of 
 the wicked-looking craft, which was now fast creeping up 
 with them. His look was one of high determination and 
 courage. 
 
 " There can be but one way, Captain Weber. Haul 
 your brig up to her proper course, arm your crew, load 
 
 17 — 2 
 
2 6o WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 your guns, and let us meet yonder pirate. We cannot fly. 
 Your powder will be a last resource." 
 
 " And you, gentlemen," inquired the captain, " are of 
 the same advice ?" 
 
 " There can be no other course," was the reply. 
 
 " Mr. Lowe, send the crew aft, one and all." 
 
 "Ay, ay, sir," said the mate, cheerily. 
 
 The captain paced his quarter-deck moodily and in 
 silence. Dom Maxara went below, while Hughes and 
 the missionary looked gloomily over the ocean. 
 
 " My lads," said the captain, " yonder schooner is a 
 pirate. For months her people have plundered and 
 massacred inoffensive ships and their crews. They are 
 the same Malays we met in St. Augustine's Bay, and we 
 purged the old barkie's deck of the rapscallions. We 
 have lost five of ours, but their death was avenged. 
 Yonder blackguard comes with murder and piracy in his 
 hold. He has a full cargo of both, but so long as 
 Andrew Weber lives, this brig shall never be his. We 
 will fight to the last man, and that last man, mark me, 
 my lads, well, that last man, or boy, no matter which, 
 fires the powder in the magazine !" 
 
 A loud cheer burst from the crew. 
 
 " And now, my lads, to your arms ! Mr. Lowe, in 
 with the studding sails, take a pull at the lee sheets and 
 braces, starboard, you may, bring her head west-south- 
 west !" 
 
 The wind at last was freshening, the sea was calm, and 
 the " Halcyon" was making some four knots an hour ; 
 but the very smoothness of the ocean was against her, for 
 her breadth of beam, rounded sides, and greater tonnage 
 would have told in her favour had the waves been rough; 
 the schooner naturally labouring more in such a case. 
 
THE PIRATE SCHOONER. 261 
 
 As it was, everything favoured the latter, save that 
 over the land hung a heavy cloud, which had been grow- 
 ing denser. Its edges were ragged, and the captain often 
 looked towards that quarter, conscious that in it lay his 
 only hope. 
 
 The two vessels were now rapidly approaching each 
 other, the black hull of the schooner becoming every 
 moment more and more distinctly visible. 
 
 " Show our colours," said the captain, and the Union 
 Jack streamed out from the peak halyards. 
 
 "She makes no reply," remarked the mate. "The 
 bloody-minded villains have no flag to fight under." 
 
 " Look, Mr. Lowe," said the captain, "that craft is in 
 no hurry ; she is handing her fore-topsail again, and there 
 goes her flag !" 
 
 " Fiery red, by George ! nothing less than blood will 
 satisfy them." 
 
 Half-an-hour would bring the two vessels within hail- 
 ing distance, and Captain Weber made all his disposi- 
 tions. The arm-chest which had been sent below had 
 been again hoisted up on deck, and placed under the 
 charge of Captain Hughes. 
 
 The two nine-pounders were heavily loaded, and the 
 men had breakfasted. - 
 
 " Mr. Lowe, I intend, if yonder villain will allow me, 
 to pass under his stern, giving him the contents of our 
 two guns, and then luff right up into the wind, and away 
 on the other tack." 
 
 "Ay, ay, sir," replied the mate; "a stern chase is a 
 long one." 
 
 " If we had the good fortune to cripple him, we should 
 be safe; but have the men ready to run the two 
 guns over, and fire as I go about Send Adams to 
 
262 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 the wheel, and let the watch stand by the sheets and 
 braces." 
 
 Mr. Lowe was a steady, cool, courageous officer, and 
 his dispositions were soon made. All was quiet on board 
 the brig as' she slipped through the water; while the 
 schooner, her decks literally covered with men, came up 
 rapidly, evidently intending to board. 
 
 Captain Weber stood on the weather-quarter, as the 
 wicked little craft came sweeping up, her enormous main- 
 sail well filled, and her sharp bows cutting the water like 
 a knife. She had a flush deck fore and aft, and forward 
 was built like a wedge. There appeared to be no ports. 
 
 " Schooner, ahoy !" shouted he, as the two craft neared 
 each other. 
 
 A musket shot was the reply, which missed. The 
 captain raised his hand, and the roar of the two nine- 
 pounders was heard. Down came the schooner's fore- 
 sail, as she flew up into the wind, and a yell of ven- 
 geance, mingled with cries of pain, rose from her crowded 
 decks. 
 
 "Run the guns over!" shouted t&e captain. "Man 
 the starboard head-braces ! Tend the boom-sheet ! 
 Haul on the weather-braces and jib-sheet ! Hard aport, 
 Adams, hard aport !" 
 
 Shooting up into the wind, the brig payed round on 
 her heel, the two guns being again fired into the 
 schooner's bows, as the sails filled, and the "Halcyon" 
 stood on the other tack. " Hurrah, my lads !" shouted 
 the delighted captain. " We've given her a taste of our 
 metal." 
 
 A spattering fire ran along the schooner's decks, trie 
 balls striking the brig's bulwarks, but without doing any 
 damage. 
 
THE PIRATE SCHOONER. 263 
 
 All seemed confusion on board the smaller vessel, the 
 halyards of whose foresail having been shot away, and 
 nothing save the jib counteracting forward the over- 
 powering pressure of the enormous mainsail aft, she had 
 flown up into the wind, with her sails flapping and 
 shivering. The crew were shouting, gesticulating, and 
 running here and there. 
 
 The " Halcyon," on the contrary, stood steadily on 
 her course, from time to time firing the nine-pounder 
 from her quarter-deck, but, from want of practice of her 
 crew, without doing any apparent damage. 
 
 The shot soon began to fall short, and the "Halcyon," 
 tacking once more, lay her course with a gentle wind 
 from the eastward, and a smooth sea. Three miles of 
 salt water were between her and her antagonist, before 
 the schooner's foresail was again set, when the vessel 
 once more made sail on a wind, and with her gaff top- 
 sails, fore and mainsail, fore-topmast staysail, and jib, 
 seeming to fly through the water, making three feet for 
 the " Halcyon's " one, going well to windward. The 
 glass, however, still showed a vast amount of bustle 
 and disorder on her decks; and Captain Weber, rub- 
 bing his hands, dived down below into the cabin to 
 breakfast. 
 
 "Call me at once if there is any change on deck, 
 Mr. Lowe ; but I think that fellow's had enough of us," 
 said the jubilant master. 
 
 "Ay, ay, sir," said the mate, taking charge of the 
 deck. 
 
 " Keep a bright look-out on yonder jagged cloud; it 
 will take in our flying kites for us before sunset," were 
 the captain's last words as he disappeared down the 
 hatchway. 
 
264 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 Below, the table had been laid for breakfast by the 
 steward, who, with all a sailor's carelessness, had proceeded 
 with his ordinary duty, just as though nothing out of 
 the common way had happened. In the cabin the 
 passengers were gathered, it such they may be termed, 
 for the scenes of peril through which they had passed 
 had so identified them with the brig, that they seemed 
 to look upon her as their home, while the captain, quite 
 unused to carry passengers, and having seen the men 
 of the party fighting, as if under his orders, and Isabel 
 wounded on his decks, had got quite to consider them 
 as part and parcel of his crew. 
 
 Captain Hughes appeared thoughtful and preoccupied; 
 but the rest, the master included, revelled in the idea 
 of danger past. 
 
 " We lie our course, and shall soon have plenty of 
 wind," he remarked, drawing towards himself a massive 
 English ham, which he proceeded to carve. " I only 
 wish I had a few more guns, and I would not let that 
 blackguard off so easily." 
 
 " You think we shall have a storm ?" asked Wyzinski. 
 
 " It is just the season for it in these seas/' replied 
 the captain, u and yonder cloud over the land will make 
 itself felt before long. The mercury is falling in the 
 barometer rapidly." 
 
 " Do you think our guns did much damage among the 
 Malays ?" 
 
 " No. It was a lucky shot that brought the villain's 
 foresail on deck ; but even in this smooth sea it needs 
 practice to make gunners, and my lads have had none." 
 
 "But you think the pirate has left us?" It was 
 Captain Hughes who put the question, anxiously. 
 
 " The fellow is hugging the wind, instead of running 
 
THE PIRATE SCHOONER. 265 
 
 down to us ; and, as he completely outsails us, it is a 
 proof that he does not wish to close." 
 
 "How do you account for the great confusion on 
 board her ? With so strong a crew, the foresail should 
 have been hoisted directly." 
 
 "The lubbers can fight like savages, but can't sail 
 their ship, that's all," said the captain, laughing. 
 
 Steps were heard coming down the hatchway, and the 
 mate opened the cabin door. 
 
 " The schooner is edging near us, Captain Weber," he 
 said, u and there is some long black object on her decks I 
 can't quite make out." 
 
 "I'll be with you in a moment, Mr. Lowe. Steward, 
 give me a small glass of brandy to finish with." 
 
 " Well, gentlemen," said the seaman, as he raised the 
 glass, " here's to our voyage, and " 
 
 The word was never spoken, for a distant but loud 
 report followed by the rending of wood interrupted him. 
 For a moment the old seaman stood like a statue, the 
 next he was gone. 
 
 The first glance explained to him the reason of the 
 continued confusion on board the schooner, which a 
 moment before he had sneered at as a proof of incapacity. 
 The pirate had gone to windward, and now lay on the 
 brig's weather quarter, the tack of her mainsail hauled 
 up, quite out of the reach of her fire. Her crew had 
 been busy getting up from her hold a long eighteen- 
 pounder, which was shipped amidships, and worked on 
 a swivel. The first shot had struck the "Halcyon's" 
 bulwarks, just abaft the foremast, leaving a long white 
 strip, where the wood had been torn away. 
 
 Both captain and mate looked at each other, for here 
 seamanship was powerless. 
 
266 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 " The bloody-minded villains !" ejaculated the mate. 
 
 "They have us at their mercy," sighed the master. 
 " Sailing more than three feet for our one, there they can 
 stick and pound away at us as they like." 
 
 "Shall we try our range, Captain Weber?" 
 •" Do so, but it is quite useless/' was the reply as the 
 seaman leaned his elbows on the weather bulwarks, and 
 gazed steadily at the schooner. 
 
 "Take good aim, my lads, and fire when you are 
 ready." 
 
 The light report of the gun, differing so greatly from 
 the loud heavy thud of the eighteen-pounder, was heard, 
 and the master noted trje ball as it flew from wave to 
 wave, scattering the spray, but finally dropping with a 
 splash into the sea, a few hundred yards short of the 
 schooner. 
 
 " I thought as much," growled the captain. " The 
 scoundrels have well calculated their distance." 
 
 A puff of white smoke from the schooner's deck was 
 followed by the heavy boom of the eighteen-pound gun 
 as the ball came whistling through the air. Captain 
 Weber held his breath for a moment, looking anxiously at 
 his spars, but the projectile, being aimed too high, passed 
 between the masts, pitching into the sea beyond. 
 
 " It's hard lines, Lowe, to serve as a target to those 
 scoundrels," he said ; " and yet I see nothing for it." 
 
 " Our only hope is in yonder cloud. If it would but 
 come on to blow, the sea would get up quickly, and that 
 craft would have her aim spoiled." 
 
 " Could you not tack and stand towards her ?" asked 
 the missionary, who at that moment came upon deck with 
 Dom Maxara. 
 
 " It would be useless. Yonder schooner lies up to the 
 
THE PIRATE SCHOONER. 267 
 
 wind a couple of points nearer than we can do. It is the 
 advantage her fore and aft sails give her ; besides, she has 
 the heels of us, and can choose her distance and position. 
 We have nothing to do but to hold on and trust to 
 chance." . 
 
 Again the white cloud of smoke on the schooner's decks, 
 and once more the iron messenger came flying over the 
 wave on its deadly mission. The ball struck the brig's 
 quarter, and glancing upwards, broke its way through the 
 deck, covering it with splinters. The man, Adams, was 
 at the helm, and the spokes flew through his hands as he 
 tottered for a moment, and then fell heavily forward. 
 The mate sprang to his place, and, seizing the wheel, 
 brought the brig rapidly on to her course, while two sea- 
 men, hurrying aft, bore away the wounded man, a dark 
 stain on the white deck marking the spot where he had 
 fallen, a large splinter having struck him on the temple. 
 
 " We must think of your daughter, Dom Maxara," said 
 Captain Weber. " The brig is utterly powerless ; but it 
 is better that these fellows sink us, than that they put 
 foot on her decks." 
 
 Dona Isabel sat in the cabin, where the breakfast things 
 yet lay on the table, while beside her was Captain Hughes, 
 his arm passed round her waist. The tears were standing 
 in her eyes, and her cheek was pale, for the soldier had 
 been telling her what sort of people the schooner's crew 
 were, and what fate would be theirs if captured. The 
 tale had been as delicately worded as possible, for it was 
 a hard one, even from a lover's mouth. 
 
 " Cheer up, Isabel," he continued ; " there is always 
 hope so long as we keep the Malays at a distance ; and 
 if we could only have wind we might yet escape." 
 
 " I had hoped to have lived for you, Enrico," replied 
 
268 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 Isabel, her head resting on her lover's shoulder. " I can, 
 at least, die with you." 
 
 Dom Maxara entered the cabin, seating himself beside 
 his daughter. Placing her hand in his, she repeated, — 
 
 " We can at least die together." 
 
 " There is still a little hope," said the anxious father ; 
 " the breeze is freshening, and with it the sea is getting 
 up, disturbing the schooner's aim. The wind may yet 
 save us. Should it fail us, there is one thing remaining." 
 
 " And what is that, father ?" 
 
 "As you said, to die together, Isabel, sooner than that 
 a daughter of the Guzmans of Castile should become the 
 cast-off slave of a Malay pirate." 
 
 The tears had been standing in Isabel's eyes, and as 
 she now turned them on her lover, there was a look of 
 ineffable tenderness in the large black orbs. 
 
 " A strange meeting ours has been, Enrico ; a strange 
 life we have led together, living years in weeks ; but you 
 were quite as near death, my promised husband, when 
 first we met, and yet you stand here by my side." 
 
 " There is still hope, Isabel ; every moment it increases 
 with the rising sea," replied Hughes. 
 
 " Hope or not," continued the excited Isabel, speaking 
 hysterically, " they shall see that the daughter of sunny 
 Portugal knows how to die. We shall never tread our 
 dear land again." 
 
 The loud thud of the pirate's long eighteen-pounder 
 was here heard, and all held their breath, listening for the 
 crashing of the timbers, but no such sound followed. 
 
 " And I who thought to show you, Enrico, the vine- 
 yards and the orange blossoms of fair Portugal. It is 
 hard, father, to die so young." 
 
 The old noble's face worked convulsively, but his eyes 
 
THE PIRATE SCHOONER. 26c 
 
 were dry. Isabel had once more sat down between her 
 father and her lover, her head resting on his shoulder ; 
 but one hand clasped in that of the noble. The soldier's 
 face wore a sad and dejected appearance ; but there was 
 determination in the firm lines of the closed mouth and 
 contracted brow. 
 
 " Isabel, this is foolish. What men could we will 
 do, and have done. I would give what remains to me of 
 life that you were not in this ship. What was a few short 
 hours since the joy and pleasure of my existence, is now 
 turned to bitterness and grief. We have done all men 
 can, I repeat, and if needs be, we must perish together 
 sooner than that worse befall us." 
 
 Again the loud thud came down on the wind, followed 
 by several sharp cracks like rifle reports, with the crash- 
 ing of wood and the tramp of men, Captain Weber's 
 voice dominating the confusion. 
 
 Isabel was engaged in prayer, her eyes were closed, for 
 the riot above, produced by the tumbling masts, was 
 something fearful. The tramp of feet on the deck, and 
 the hurrying to and fro as the captain shouted to his men 
 to clear away the wreck of the brig's spars which she had 
 lost from the fire of the enemy, added to what for a few 
 minutes seemed inextricable confusion. 
 
 Dejected and discouraged, Hughes had remained 
 below, taking no notice of what was passing, and per- 
 fectly aware that his presence was useless. He sat 
 looking into Isabel's face, and quietly waiting for the time 
 when the schooner should bear down on the helpless 
 brig to take possession, and the moment for the closing 
 actions of life should come. Beside them sat the old 
 noble, his face showing signs of deep emotion, as he too 
 grieved, not for himself, but for his daughter. She looked 
 
270 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 very beautiful as she lay back, her head supported on hei 
 lover's shoulder, her lips parted, showing the white teeth, 
 the eyes closed, and the long, dark lashes wet with tears, 
 with one hand clasped in her father's. 
 
 H Captain Weber would be glad to speak to you, sir," 
 said the steward Masters, touching his cap. 
 
 " I will come," replied Hughes. 
 
 Gently placing Isabel in her father's arms, the soldier 
 leaned over the half-unconscious girl, and pressed his lips 
 to her forehead, then turned to go. 
 
 The action seemed to rouse her, for rising suddenly, 
 she threw her arms round him. 
 
 " Enrico mio, do not leave me. If die we must, let it 
 be together." 
 
 A flood of tears came to her relief, and she sobbed 
 hysterically. 
 
 " I will return, Isabel — fear not," he said, as he gently 
 unloosed the arms which held him, and led her back to 
 her father. " There may be some better prospect in store 
 for ns. I will return." 
 
 When Captain Hughes reached the deck, he at once saw 
 that if their chance of escape before was small it had greatly 
 diminished. An eighteen-pound shot had buried itself in 
 the heart of the main-topmast, the wind was coming in 
 hot puffs from the land, and the sails just at that moment 
 feeling a heavier strain than usual, the wounded mast had 
 gone over the side with a loud crash, carrying with it sails 
 and yards, and now floated astern clear of the brig, leav- 
 ing her running before the wind, with only her main fore 
 and fore-topmast standing, the stump of a splintered spar 
 marking what had been a stout main-topmast. 
 
 To windward lay the wicked-looking schooner which 
 had done all the mischief, and astern the dark, dense, 
 
THE PIRATE SCHOONER. 271 
 
 ragged mass of clouds from which the heavy puffs came 
 now and theii moaning over the sea. A hot haze had 
 crept over the ocean, not having the appearance of 
 clouds, but still veiling the sun. 
 
 " See," said Captain Weber, laying his hand on Hughes' 
 shoulder, pointing to the schooner as he did so ; " see, 
 she hauls down her main tack, and is running down to 
 us ; she has us completely at her mercy." 
 
 " Can we do nothing with our guns, Captain Weber ?" 
 
 " Yes, we may fire them once as the villains board. 
 You see all is ready." 
 
 The captain pointed to the two nine-pounders, which 
 were loaded to the muzzle. The men were armed, and 
 went about their duties with a dogged sullenness which 
 showed their stern determination. 
 
 " Lowe will have charge of the forecastle, and I, with 
 your friend, take the quarter-deck, the crew being equally 
 divided." 
 
 "You will let me fight by your side?" replied the 
 soldier. 
 
 " Not so," answered the old seaman. " Yours is a 
 sterner duty. Any one can fight when his blood is up, 
 and death sure, whatever happen. I am going to lower 
 the Spanish Don and his daughter into the hold, and your 
 station will be beside them." 
 
 " And do you for a moment think I am going to be 
 shut up like a bandicoot in a hole, while others fight for 
 life and liberty ?" indignantly asked the soldier. 
 
 Captain Weber grasped Hughes by the hand, looking 
 into his face, and pointing to the schooner as he spoke : 
 
 " The crew of yonder pirate are not human beings. 
 They are steeped in murder and crime. Our fate is death 
 — sure and certain death. Maddened by the destruction 
 
272 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 of their comrades, by their defeat in yonder Bay, no 
 torments will be spared us. It will not be simply walk- 
 ing the plank, but the worst torture tfiose practised 
 villains can invent, which awaits us." 
 
 "Look at her white sails, and tapering spars, how 
 beautiful she is, as she sheers down on us. Is all this 
 possible ?" 
 
 " More is possible," replied the master. " Death will 
 be our fate, but not the lady's. A life-long servitude of 
 the vilest description on board yon floating hell will be 
 her fate ! " 
 
 Captain Hughes covered his face with his hands, and 
 his tall sinewy frame shook with emotion. The loud 
 boom of the eighteen-pounder, and the crashing of the 
 shot as it plunged into the brig's bows, the rending and 
 riving of her timbers, were unnoticed. 
 
 " There are ten barrels of powder in the hold ; to you, 
 as the man most interested in it, I give the charge of the 
 magazine. The barrels are piled one on another. Yours 
 should be a cool head and a determined hand. When 
 the last hope is over, when the brig is carried, as carried 
 she must be, but then only, fire your pistol into the 
 nearest keg, and rid the seas of yonder miscreant, whose 
 white sails bear him to his doom." 
 
 A rattling peal of thunder came from the dark mass 
 of clouds, while a vivid flash of forked lightning seemed 
 to bury itself in the waves. 
 
 The soldier's face was pale as that of a corpse ; as he 
 removed his hand, the lines of the mouth twitched 
 nervously. 
 
 " Your orders shall be obeyed to the letter," he said, 
 as he struck his open palm into that of the captain. 
 
 The two stood for a moment on the deck hand in 
 
THE PIRATE SCHOONER. 273 
 
 hand, looking into one another's eyes. The stern, de- 
 termined face of the old seaman showed no trace of 
 feeling as he spoke. 
 
 " Do not think, my friend, that I feel nothing. This 
 was to have been my last voyage. The brig was half 
 mine. We shall disappear from the face of the ocean, 
 and in their home, in the mountains of Cumberland, a 
 mother and her two sons will remain in ignorance of 
 what far-away place holds the husband's, the father's 
 bones." Suddenly changing his tone, " Now, my lads, 
 rig out a chair," he continued, " and we will lower the 
 lady out of harm's way. Captain Hughes, will you tell 
 Dona Isabel we are ready ?" 
 
 It is a terrible thing, that waiting for death, to those 
 in the full enjoyment of health and strength. When it is 
 met face to face in the excitement of the fight, in the 
 crash of battle, or the chaos of elemental strife, it is 
 terrible enough. When it comes to the worn and ex- 
 hausted frame, after months, perhaps years, of agony and 
 suffering, as a liberator, as a kind and merciful friend, — 
 £ven then it is feared : that step into the vast and 
 "unfathomable abyss of the future; that new world, 
 whence none have returned. But here it was far other- 
 wise. ♦ 
 
 Life, health, strength, all were there; and take but 
 away from the face of the ocean that dark, beautifully 
 moulded hull, with its long tapering spars, and canvas as 
 white as the driven snow ; take away that floating pande- 
 monium, with its beautiful outside appearance, and its 
 crew of men hardened in crime, and steeped in blood 
 and murder ; and not only health, strength, and life were 
 there, but high hopes and happiness were the lot of those 
 who were on board the dismantled brig. 
 
 id 
 
274 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 Isabel had regained her courage. Her long hair float' 
 ing behind, her eyes showing no trace of tears, she had 
 walked along the deck leaning on her lover's arm. The 
 crew looked at her pityingly as she passed. More than 
 one strong man shook his clenched fist in the direc- 
 tion of the pirate, as Isabel, her foot on the first step of 
 the ladder, took her last look at the scene around her 
 There lay the schooner, rapidly nearing the brig, which 
 was now running dead before the wind. Far astern, a 
 long green line on the lead-coloured sea marked the 
 coming squall; ahead, far as could be seen, the dark- 
 coloured ocean, over which the hot haze seemed to hang 
 heavily, while the splintered mainmast, and torn bul- 
 warks alone showed the dire distress of the brig's crew. 
 The pirate had ceased firing, for the sea was rising 
 rapidly ; the black squall, too, seemed coming up like a 
 racehorse astern, and it was time her bloody work was 
 finished. Isabel passed forward, one squeeze of the hand 
 — for not a word was spoken — and she was carefully and 
 gently sent down into the hold, her father following ; the 
 old noble having taken a formal leave of all, thanked the 
 crew, raising his hat with punctilious politeness as he was 
 lowered away. None now remained except the soldier. 
 Round his waist he wore a belt, in which were placed two 
 six-barrelled revolvers. Beside him stood the missionary, 
 his pale, thoughtful face calm as usual, not a trace of 
 emotion visible. He had in his left hand a heavy 
 double-barrelled rifle, and grasped his friend's wit A h his 
 right. 
 
 " Hughes," he said, " you have the hardest task among 
 us. We shall fight to the last, relying on you, on your 
 calmness and determination. No entreaty, no delusory 
 hope must move you." 
 
7 HE PIRATE SCHOONER. 275 
 
 "Ay, ay," muttered the seaman, "you may trust him." 
 And it was evident he could be trusted, even in this 
 dire extremity. His face was deadly pale, but the firmly 
 compressed lips, the determined look, the high, broad, 
 clear forehead, all told their own tale, as, without a word, 
 he wrung his friend's hand, and seizing the rope which 
 dangled free, swung himself from the deck and dropped 
 hand over hand into the hold below. 
 
 " To your stations, my lads, and we will rid the seas ot 
 the villains yet !" shouted the captain. 
 
 The brig carried little cargo, and that of a light descrip- 
 tion. Boxes and bales were neatly ranged in her hold, 
 and piles of elephant's tusks were to be seen here and 
 there. A large lanthorn threw a small circle of light 
 around, but beyond this all was darkness. Ten barrels 
 or kegs containing powder had been placed end on, near 
 each other, forming two tiers. The casks had been 
 broken open, and the wood loosely replaced. 
 
 Walking carefully towards the pile, Hughes removed 
 the head of a cask and verified the contents. There lay 
 the mass of black glittering coarse grains, which were to 
 send them to their doom. Seated on a heavy case near 
 was the Portuguese noble, and at his feet in prayer, her 
 large black eyes tearless and raised to heaven, kneeled 
 Isabel, the dim light just showing the two, as Dom 
 Maxara leaned over his daughter, his grey hair mingling 
 with her raven tresses. Having replaced the heading of 
 the cask, the soldier looked to his pistols, examining the 
 caps and the lock, then replacing them, walked to 
 Isabel's side and knelt down. 
 
 All seemed still on deck, and the noise of the rushing 
 water could be heard as the brig surged on through the 
 seas. Half an hour passed, each minute seeming an age; 
 
 18—2 
 
276 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 for it was a fearful thing to be caged there in the dark- 
 ness, knowing nothing of what was going on. Sometimes 
 the father's heavy sobs could not be restrained, as he 
 leaned over his daughter; but Isabel's eyes were dry, 
 and she prayed fervently ; the deep darkness in which 
 the hold lay, out of the feeble rays of the Ian thorn, com- 
 pleting its resemblance to the tomb. A loud shout and 
 a spattering fire were indistinctly heard, telling that the 
 last moment was near j then the rushing sound of the 
 wind as the brig heeled over before the strength of the 
 squall, two shots, a long cheer, with the words, " Star- 
 board ! hard a-starboard ! " shouted from the deck. 
 Clasping Isabel in his arms, Hughes rose calmly and 
 deliberately ; not a word passed, all power of speech had 
 left him. One kiss, one long last kiss, and he strode 
 calmly and deliberately towards the fatal pile. Passing 
 his hand over his eyes, he removed the heading and 
 plunged his fingers into the black mass. A loud shriek 
 from Isabel rang out as she rushed across the space 
 which divided them, and threw herself into his arms. 
 Rising, the old noble steadied himself by a pile of cases, 
 his eyes seemed glaring out of their sockets as he strained 
 them in the direction of the powder casks. Then came 
 a terrible shock, the crash of splintering wood, the roar of 
 the tempest, which had burst in fury over the doomed 
 brig, and amidst all, one loud, despairing cry, as though 
 the last united effort of a hundred voices. Pressing his 
 lips to those of Isabel, his left arm encircling her, — 
 
 " Mine, Isabel, in death if not in life," he murmured 
 as he thrust the muzzle of the cocked pistol into the 
 powder cask. 
 
 The hatchway opened, the light streamed down into the 
 dreary dark hold, and he knew the pirates were upon them. 
 
THE PIRATE SCHOONER. 277 
 
 His arm tightened round Isabel's waist, his eyes glared 
 upwards, and his finger contracted on the trigger. 
 
 " Hold your hand, Hughes !" were the words which 
 came to his ears, shouted in his friend's voice. " Hold 
 your hand ! God, even at the last moment, has looked 
 down upon us, and we are saved !" 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 THE PIRATE'S FATE. 
 
 His passengers in the hold, Captain Weber, fully relying 
 on the soldier's promise, and certain his brig could never 
 fall into the hands of the pirates, had made his last dis- 
 positions. An old sailor named Porter was at the wheel, 
 the crew, as it had previously been determined, were 
 divided into two watches, one under the mate on the fore- 
 castle, the other with Wyzinski, commanded by the 
 captain. The break of the quarter-deck had been fortified 
 with a number of bales and boxes roused up from below, 
 an opening for the nine-pounders having been left. The 
 same arrangements had been made for the forecastle, and 
 the companion-ladders removed. The "Halcyon" surged 
 along, the wind aft, under the little sail she could show, 
 but the schooner was coming up, hand-over-hand, the 
 wind over her quarter. The brig already felt the coming 
 squall, and, had she not lest her masts, would have 
 cared little for the pirate. Hauling down his foresail 
 under his mainsail and jib, the piratical craft came sweep- 
 ing up with the diminished sail. It was a beautiful sight 
 as her low black hull drew through the waves, her flush 
 decks crowded with men, and the long eighteen-pounder 
 slewed fore and aft. Feeling the first puffs of the squall, 
 
278 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 she heeled over, showing the bright copper nearly to her 
 keel, while the water swirled in jets from her wedge-like 
 bows. On she came, driving through the seas until she 
 was a couple of lengths only from the brig, and then a 
 discharge of musketry, and a shout to heave-to followed. 
 
 "Run up the Union Jack," said Captain Weber, in 
 deep guttural tones, " we will show them the temper of 
 the old flag yet." 
 
 " Do you see yonder fellow at the wheel? If I did not 
 know to the contrary, I should say it is the very man 
 who led the attack in St. Augustine's bay," exclaimed the 
 missionary. 
 
 " You are a dead rifle-shot," replied the captain, speak- 
 ing slowly and deliberately, " are you not ?" 
 
 Another hail from the schooner followed. She was 
 now, as has been already said, running under her main- 
 sail and jib, and yet fore-reaching on the brig though 
 her main tack was hauled up, her crew once more 
 getting the eighteen-pounder ready to discharge before 
 boarding. 
 
 "I am," replied Wyzinski, the schooner's hail being 
 unanswered. 
 
 "Pick off that man when I raise my hand. Remembei, 
 sir," added the captain, speaking sharply and sternly 
 " remember, sir, I am about to play my last stake, and all 
 depends on your aim." 
 
 Leaving Wyzinski, the seaman stood by the wheel, his 
 eyes fixed on the schooner. It was evidently her inten- 
 tion to pass under the brig's bows, and gybing her main- 
 sail range up under her lee, using her gun before boarding. 
 So near were the two craft that a biscuit could have been 
 thrown aboard either. 
 
 " Port a little. Luff you may--* 
 
THE PIRA TE'S FA TE. 2 79 
 
 " Ay, ay, sir," replied the man. " Luff it is, sir," and 
 the schooner passed ahead. 
 
 " Now !" shouted the captain, raising his hand. The 
 double report of Wyzinski's rifle followed. The bulky 
 Malay, shot through the back, loosed his hold of the 
 wheel, the spokes flew round as he threw up his hands, 
 and with one long unearthly yell fell forward dead on the 
 deck; the schooner, as Captain Weber foresaw, under the 
 pressure of her enormous mainsail, flying up into the 
 wind, and almost crossing the brig's fore-foot. 
 
 " Starboard ! hard a-starboard !" roared the captain, 
 as the whole fury of the squall struck the two vessels. 
 Dashing madly onward, the " Halcyon " tore through the 
 water as with one broad sheer to port she neared the black 
 hull. For a moment her decks seemed to overshadow 
 those of the doomed craft, while her broad bow, with all 
 the force of the tempest driving her, struck the schooner 
 amidships. 
 
 " Hurrah !" shouted the master, in his excitement, 
 " Hurrah ! To hell with the pirates !" 
 
 The shock was tremendous, as the brig bore down her 
 small antagonist bodily, burying her beneath the sea. 
 The crashing sound of splintering wood followed, a hun- 
 dred half-naked yelling figures were grouped on the 
 schooner's decks, the next a few floating spars lay astern, 
 a few drowning wretches cried for the mercy they them- 
 selves had refused, and the " Halcyon " passed on her 
 way. Half-a-dozen Malays had escaped, as, clutching at 
 the ropes and gear which hung from the jib-boom broken 
 with the shock, they scrambled on board, to meet the 
 cutlasses of the enraged crew. Their bodies were hove 
 overboard, and then not a vestige remained of the dreaded 
 pirate, the scourge of the Indian sea. 
 
28o WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 Leaping from the quarter-deck, Wyzinski hauled at the 
 hatchway, shouting down it to his friend below. He was 
 just in time, for but another moment and the brig, disem- 
 barrassed of her enemy, would have been blown to atoms ; 
 as it was, a wild cheer burst from the crew when five 
 minutes later Hughes was hoisted on deck, his pistol black 
 with the loose powder into which it had been thrust, and 
 his face pale with excitement. 
 
 " We are in the hands of Providence, dear lady," said 
 the captain, as the whole party sought the cabin. " With 
 a half-dismasted ship, a heavy gale in prospect, and a lee 
 shore, there is much to be done ; but the great peril is 
 over. You can clear the deck, Mr. Lowe, of all the boxes 
 and bales we roused up. I don't think the pirates will 
 trouble us any more. Take the foresail off her, and send 
 the carpenter aft." 
 
 The captain had his hands full on deck. Scudding 
 before the wind is ever a dangerous thing, because the 
 waves following so fast are apt to break in board, if the 
 vessel is not propelled through the water with a speed 
 greater than that of the following sea. 
 
 In the cabin, that cabin which they had never thought 
 to see again, the whole party knelt, and led by Wyzinski, 
 returned thanks to Heaven, for their lives thus almost 
 miraculously spared. The missionary prayed long and 
 eloquently, for it seemed to him that his had been the act 
 which had resulted in sending the whole crew of that 
 terrible vessel to the bottom. True, life, and more than 
 life, was at stake ; true, also, that the schooner, with her 
 low black hull, and white canvas, had been a scourge in 
 those seas, still the loud despairing shriek which rose on 
 the air, as the brig's bows buried themselves in the frail 
 timbers of the lightly-constructed vessel, rang in his ears, 
 
THE PIRA TES FA TE. 281 
 
 and though an act of necessity, it was none the less a 
 terrible one. A fearful crisis in the lives, of all had 
 passed by, and with a sense of relief came that of deep 
 gratitude to the Hand which had turned aside the terrible 
 fate so lately hanging over them. The missionary, then, 
 prayed long and fervently, and never had he an auditory 
 more disposed to join him with heart and soul. A long 
 life may be the soldier's destiny, a bright career that of 
 the Portuguese noble, a happy lot fall to the share of the 
 dark-eyed maiden whose face is now buried in her hands, 
 as she follows the missionary's words, but never can any 
 of the three actors in the scene forget that moment, when 
 with the muzzle of the pistol buried in the powder keg, 
 the forefinger bent on the trigger of the cocked weapon, 
 one second would have hurled into eternity not only 
 themselves but the entire crew. 
 
 On deck the scene was a wild one. The wind had 
 gradually freshened, and the sea in consequence risen, 
 the ocean, far as the eye could reach, being one sheet 
 of green, crested with white foam, the brig rolling through 
 the waves under her foretopsail only, at a great rate. 
 Two serious holes in the hull, caused by the entrance of 
 the eighteen-pound shot, had been plugged in a make- 
 shift manner, it is true,l>ut still they had been boarded 
 over. 
 
 Notwithstanding all this the party in the cabin was a 
 merry one. So hopeless, so utterly desperate had been 
 their situation that morning, that all the danger of a lee 
 shore, all the discomforts of a small vessel during a heavy 
 gale at sea, were forgotten. The old noble, too, had ac- 
 cepted the position which had been made for him. After 
 late events, more particularly the half hour passed in the 
 brig's hold, it was impossible to think of Captain Hughes 
 
282 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 as anything but his daughter's affianced husband, and as 
 such he had been frankly and fairly accepted. The 
 marriage was to take place on their arrival in Portugal, 
 and the whole party to proceed to Europe together. 
 
 The captain sat poring over an Admiralty chart laid 
 before him on the table. The old noble was dozing in one 
 corner, the missionary communing with his own thoughts, 
 and Isabel and her lover talking in low tones. The roar 
 of the wind was heard even in the cabin, the creaking of 
 the ropes as the gale tore through them, and now and 
 then a wave larger than common would break over the 
 brig, deluging her decks. 
 
 " Why don't you run for Delagoa Bay, captain ?" said 
 Hughes, as the seaman rose, placing his hand on the table 
 to steady himself. 
 
 " We are far to the southward of Delagoa Bay," replied 
 he ; " the only port available is Port Natal." 
 
 "Then run for that," rejoined Hughes. 
 
 " It's a nasty coast, and there is a bar there of which I 
 am afraid. It was of this I was thinking ; for some of 
 those makeshift spars may leave us at any moment, and 
 then I must lie-to." 
 
 " Is the harbour dangerous at all times ?" asked Hughes. 
 
 " Most certainly not ; but with an easterly gale there 
 can be no communication with the shore. I do not know 
 the harbour, and have never been there but once, which 
 makes the attempt, if I am forced to it, the more danger- 
 ous." 
 
 " But you have been there once, and consequently, with 
 a seaman's instinct, know the place," said Hughes. 
 
 " I will tell you how I know it, and what that know- 
 ledge is worth," said the captain, seating himself, 
 " and then when I go on deck you can tell the story 
 
THE PIRA TES FA TE. 283 
 
 to Dona Isabel. She may be very anxious to set her 
 pretty little foot on land, but hardly in the same way 
 I did. Some years since I was first mate of the brig 
 'Vestal,' sailing under the command of Captain Bell. 
 We dropped our anchor on Thursday morning, just off 
 the bar, close to Port Natal. The following one it began 
 to blow, and all that day the gale increased, just as this 
 one has done, and from the same direction. Steward, 
 just mix me a glass of grog. Will you join me, captain ? 
 Better had than wish you had. No — well, you have not 
 to pass the night on deck, as I have — but to continue : 
 All that unlucky Thursday the gale steadily increased, 
 and the sea came rolling in mountains high. Near us 
 lay a schooner called the ' Little Nell,' and further to sea 
 a steamer, ' The Natal.' This latter got up her steam, and 
 under a full head went out. It was a glorious sight to 
 see her as the waves swept her decks, and sometimes she 
 seemed more under water than above it. The schooner 
 parted from her anchors, and ran right across the bar, 
 thumping heavily, but she was light, and managed to 
 cross, though she stripped all the copper from her bottom, 
 and had to be docked. Towards eight o'clock, our an- 
 chors parted too, and we drifted bodily in, the big waves 
 pounding at our brig, and sweeping clean over us." 
 
 " But why did you not try to run over the bar like the 
 schooner ?" asked Hughes. 
 
 " You shall hear," continued the captain, leisurely sip- 
 ping his grog. " Our skipper lost his head. I do believe 
 we might have run over the bar, and, at all events, the 
 crew have been saved, but no, — all went against us. He 
 let go his third anchor on the bar itself. Wood and iron 
 could not stand the fearful sea running there. She struck 
 right between the breakwaters, the sea dashing clean over 
 
284 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 her, and the brig thumping heavily. The masts went over 
 the side, and at last one enormous wave turned her over 
 on her broadside, we clinging to the upper bulwarks. It 
 was a fearful sight, for we could see the lights moving 
 about on shore close to us. The hurricane never dimin- 
 ished, and the seas made a clean breach over us, carrying 
 away from time to time some of the crew. We held on 
 our best, for, so near land, we could not think we should 
 be left to perish, but we waited in vain." 
 
 "Could not a lifeboat live in that sea?" asked 
 Hughes. 
 
 " Ay, ay, but the lubbers had none, and for anything I 
 know have not got one yet. Lashed to the bulwarks, 
 we waited for help all through that fearful night, but 
 when the grey light of day came, we saw that there was 
 no hope. I and a sailor named Hesketh determined to 
 take our chance. We lashed ourselves to a stout spar 
 each, and tried hard to persuade the others to do as much, 
 but they would not. The captain was nearly speechless, 
 and did not seem to know what he was doing. It was a 
 fearful moment when we two threw ourselves into the 
 raging ocean." 
 
 " You could both swim, I suppose ?" asked Hughes. 
 
 " Ay, ay ; we could swim, but what use was swimming 
 in such a sea ? The first wave rolled us over and over, 
 like corks, but could not sink us. We remained several 
 hours in the water, every moment expecting death. I 
 was insensible most of the time." 
 
 " Did you remain near each other ?" 
 
 " No ; after the last shake of the hand as we jumped 
 overboard, we parted company. Two lads found me 
 rolled on the beach like a log, and help being forthcom- 
 ing I was kindly treated and restored, but it was weeks 
 
THE PIRATES FATE. 285 
 
 before I could get about. The sailor, Hesketh, was a 
 good deal bruised, but managed better than I did." 
 
 "And the captain and remaining crew?" inquired 
 Hughes. 
 
 " Perished. Not a trace of the brig remained. Cap- 
 tain Bell, belonging to the port, and Captain Wilson of 
 the Point, the landing agents, and other authorities, had 
 fires lit, and did what they could, but there was no life- 
 boat, and save myself and Hesketh, brig and crew went 
 to Davy Jones's locker, stock and block." 
 
 " I can easily conceive your antipathy to an anchorage 
 at Port Natal during a gale of wind," remarked his 
 hearer. 
 
 " If our jury-masts only hold, and the gale don't in- 
 crease, we shall do very well ; and now I'm for deck, and 
 I would advise Dona Isabel to turn in. Good night, Sen- 
 hora," said the old seaman, rising, and in his heavy leg- 
 gings, waterproof, and broad sou'-wester, clumping up the 
 companion into the rough night ; and when the clear ring 
 of the brig's bell came from the forecastle, striking eight 
 times, the cabin was empty, and a solitary lamp shed a 
 feeble light as it swayed to and fro, the brig rolling 
 heavily, her timbers groaning and creaking, the gale roar- 
 ing over her decks, and nioaning through her rigging. 
 
 Towards midnight, Captain Weber and his mate came 
 below, the steward mixing for them two stiff glasses of 
 grog. 
 
 "How's the barometer, sir?" asked the mate, as he 
 passed the sleeve of his coat over his mouth, after having 
 taken a good pull at the steaming liquor. 
 
 Captain Weber stepped into his own cabin, remained 
 some minutes, and then came out again, looking very 
 grave. 
 
286 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 " We have not had the worst of it yet," he replied j 
 " the mercury has fallen since four bells struck." 
 
 The chart was placed on the table, and the ship's posi- 
 tion verified. 
 
 "There's nothing for it, Lowe/' said the captain, "with 
 a falling glass, a lee shore, and a heavy gale, there's 
 nothing else for it. Heave the brig to until morning." 
 
 " Ay, ay, sir," replied the officer, rising, and draining 
 the last drop in the tumbler, " it's a good moment too, 
 for there seems a lull." 
 
 The mate went on deck, leaving Captain Weber poring 
 over the chart. His broad-brimmed sou'-wester lay on 
 the table, his coat was open, the wet dropping from it, 
 and his gray hair was dripping. 
 
 A momentary bustle on deck was heard. A noise of 
 trampling feet, and a few hoarse words of command. A 
 heavy sea struck the ship, flooding her decks ; a cabin 
 door opened, and the steward was called; but still 
 Captain Weber remained poring over his chart. Hours 
 passed by, and at last the anxious man rose, and went 
 into his own cabin once more. His face was very grave 
 when he came out, for the mercury in the barometer had 
 again fallen, and it now stood so low as to foretell a 
 hurricane. 
 
 Morning broke slowly over an ocean whose long, 
 green, angry-looking waves were lashed into boiling 
 foam. Not a sail was in sight, but the thin haze hung 
 over the sea. The brig was doing her best, hove-to, 
 under a closely-reefed makeshift maintopsail, ' and fore 
 and main staysails, the gale, if anything, having diminished 
 in fury. 
 
 " It is a grand sight, Isabel," said Hughes, as towards 
 ten o'clock the whole party stood on the quarter-deck, 
 
THE PIRA TE'S FA T& 287 
 
 looking over the wild angry ocean, the speaker holding 
 on to the weather bulwarks with one hand, the other 
 being passed round Isabel's waist, who clung to him for 
 support. Dom Maxara stood at the break of the quarter- 
 deck, looking the picture of misery, while the missionary 
 under the lee of the companion, was gazing over the 
 raging sea, his face perfectly calm and composed. Near 
 the wheel stood the captain and his mate, in their rough 
 sailor dreadnoughts and dripping sou'-westers. 
 
 "Well, I will never wish to see a gale again," said 
 Isabel; "but how warm the wind is." 
 
 A report like that of a heavy gun was heard over the 
 howling of the gale, which now came down with double 
 force, and the white canvas which had been the main- 
 topsail was seen flying to leeward, while the shreds and 
 ribbons left in the bolt ropes were beating violently about 
 in the gale. Losing the sail aft which had so powerfully 
 helped to keep her to the wind, the brig's bows fell off, 
 just as the whole weight of the hurricane came down 
 upon her. Striking her broadside on, a huge wave bore 
 her down into the trough of the sea, pouring over the 
 bulwarks, and flooding her decks fore and aft. The 
 " Halcyon" was ®n her beam ends, with the full fury of 
 the hurricane raging around her. The crash of splint- 
 ering wood was heard over the roar of the tempest, as 
 the fore-topmast, with its heavy top and all its gear, 
 came tumbling down on deck, smashing in the planking 
 of the forecastle, and driving out the lee bulwarks, as 
 the heavy blocks and massive wood work surged to 
 and fro. 
 
 Slowly the brig righted, and the voice of the master 
 was heard above the confusion. 
 
 " Steady, lads : out axes, and cut away the wreck,'* 
 
288 WILD SPOR TS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 Not a man moved, for some hundred yards away a 
 monster wave, tipped with white, was rolling furiously 
 towards the brig. The men were stunned by the sud- 
 denness of the misfortune. 
 
 The first mate, seeing the imminence of the danger, 
 sprang forward ; seizing an axe, he and the missionary, 
 who had quietly followed him, were soon busy cutting 
 away the wreck. Dom Maxara had disappeared. 
 
 " Hold on, lads, hold on for your lives !" roared the 
 captain, as the great sea struck the brig on her star- 
 board bow, pouring over her decks, and burying her 
 beneath the foam, and then passed away astern. " Cut 
 away cheerily/' now he shouted, as the bright axes flashed 
 among the tangled mass of ropes, for their hesitation was 
 over, and the crew, led by the first mate and the mis- 
 sionary, were now working well. 
 
 Two crushed and mangled bodies lay among the broken 
 spars, but there was no time to look to the wounded, for 
 the safety of all depended on the wreck being cleared 
 away, and the brig got before the wind. 
 
 " Man the down-haul. Tend the staysail-sheet. Let 
 go the halyards. Haul I" were the rapid words of com- 
 mand shouted by the master, as the main staysail was 
 hauled down. 
 
 Again a heavy sea poured over the brig's bows, but as 
 it passed aft, with it went the remains of the fore-topmast, 
 with all its tangled mass of ropes and blocks. A moment 
 of comparative calm succeeded, and the men lay out on 
 the foreyard. The close-reefed foresail was set, the stout 
 sail threatening to blow bodily out of the bolt ropes, as 
 feebly obeying her helm, the brig slowly righted, the sail 
 filled, her bows paid off from the wind, and the dismasted 
 " Halcyon " flew before the gale. 
 
THE PIRA TE'S FA TE. 289 
 
 " This is indeed terrible," moaned Isabel, as, supported 
 by her lover, she took her way below, following four of 
 the crew who bore the body of her father to his cabin. 
 Dom Maxara had been nearly dashed overboard as the 
 huge wave broke over the brig, throwing her on her beam 
 ends. Sorely bruised and shaken he had been unable to 
 risej and each succeeding wave, as it swept the decks, 
 had rolled him to and fro, surging about among the 
 broken timbers and tangled rigging. 
 
 Flash after flash of lightning, instantly followed by 
 peals of thunder, succeeding each other so closely as never 
 to seem to die wholly away, now followed, and all day 
 long the hurricane continued to sweep the face of the 
 Indian Ocean, until far as the eye could reach, the sea 
 was one boiling mass of foam. 
 
 The brig rolled awfully, and with four men at the 
 wheel, yawed wildly. The great thing in scudding is to 
 keep the vessel going, with a velocity superior to the fol- 
 lowing wave. If this be not effected, then she is pooped, 
 the seas overtaking and flooding her, whereas if she be 
 not kept dead before the wind, and continually met with 
 the helm when yawing to starboard or port, the scudding 
 vessel broaches to, and down she goes at once. 
 
 Towards evening the gale broke, the main topsail was 
 set closely reefed, and the clank of the chain pumps was 
 heard, in the stillness of the night, telling their own tale. 
 The haze cleared away, the wind gradually fell, and with 
 it the sea, but even yet the brig rolled fearfully. 
 
 On deck Hughes and the missionary were working with 
 the men, encouraging them at the pumps, for there is no 
 duty a seaman dislikes more than that. The captain, 
 fairly worn out, had rolled himself in a great coat, and was 
 sleeping heavily, coiled up against the rails of the quarter- 
 
 19 
 
2Q0 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 deck. His mate was standing near the wheel, and the 
 brig was dragging slowly and heavily through the seas. 
 Above the clear blue sky and the bright stars, and around 
 the ocean, with its surging waves, while on the stillness 
 of the night came the sharp clank of the chain pumps. 
 Towards morning the reefs were shaken out, and Hughes 
 came aft. 
 
 "The water is gaining on us," he said, moodily ad- 
 dressing the mate. "Had the captain not better be 
 roused ?" 
 
 " What's the use ? we cannot do more than has been 
 done. We shall sight land by daybreak, and I hope run 
 into Port Natal, if the wind holds." 
 
 " Have you heard anything of Dom Maxara ?" anxiously 
 asked Hughes. 
 
 " Nothing j but he got a terrible mauling. When I saw 
 him, he was lying between the pump and the mainmast 
 with his thigh broken." 
 
 " Is there any one else hurt ?" 
 
 " Yes," returned the mate ; " poor Stapleton has been 
 severely crushed. That huge sea dashed them both on 
 deck and stove in all our boats. 
 
 " Is not that day breaking, away to the eastward ?" 
 
 " Yes ; and if the wind will only hold, we shall soon 
 sight the land, for with the leak gaining on us, short- 
 handed, and nearly dismasted, the sooner we make a port 
 the better," answered the mate, as wearied and moody, 
 the soldier turned, and went below. 
 
THE RAFT. 291 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 THE RAFT. 
 
 Through the dim, grey light, Hughes took his way 
 down the companion, entering the brig's little cabin. If 
 things had seemed gloomy on deck, where the cool 
 morning breeze was blowing, and the dying gale moaning 
 through the broken rigging, how much more desolate all 
 seemed here as he paused and looked about him. The 
 hatches were on, the deadlights shipped, and a lamp, 
 with its long wick unsnuffed, swung wildly to and fro. 
 Down the companion came the first faint sickly streaks 
 of the coming day. The soaked carpets, the crimson 
 seats drenched with salt water, and the broken cabin 
 furniture, were the natural results of the few minutes 
 the brig had been lying on her beam ends. A table 
 had broken from its lashings and, fetching way, pitched 
 right into a large mirror, and there it lay broken among 
 the shivered glass. The crew were now so short-handed 
 that the steward was working at the pumps, whose 
 metallic clanking sound was plainly heard all over the 
 vessel. 
 
 Pausing a moment as he glanced around, Hughes 
 realised the scene, and then, passing on, knocked at the 
 door of a small cabin. 
 
 The knock was low and timidly given. It produced 
 no reply, so, turning the handle, he entered. 
 
 He stood in the Portuguese noble's private cabin, and 
 he became at once aware that the injuries which Dom 
 Maxara had received were of a graver character than the 
 mate had led him to suppose. In point of fact, the 
 
 19 — 2 
 
292 WILD SPORTS IN ZUL U LAND. 
 
 broken thigh caused by being jammed in between the 
 pump and the brig's mainmast was not all, for several 
 ribs had been broken, by the heavy blocks which had 
 been rolled to and fro, and some severe internal injury 
 had been received. What was even worse was that there 
 was no doctor on board, and so there on the tumbled bed 
 lay the injured noble, his grey hairs falling on the pillow, 
 while by the bedside, her face buried in the clothes, sat 
 Isabel fast asleep. Several large stains of blood marked 
 the sheet, and the sick man's eyes, though closed, seemed 
 sunken, and the lips deadly white. The morning was 
 breaking fine and calm. 
 
 Kneeling down beside her after carefully closing the 
 door, Hughes passed his arm gently round the sleeping 
 girl's waist. She awoke with a start, glancing round her 
 with a terrified look, as she pushed back the long hair 
 from her face and forehead. For a few moments, so deep 
 had been the sleep of fatigue and exhaustion, she knew 
 not where she was or what had happened, but as her 
 startled gaze fell on the narrow bed, the whole of the 
 sorrowful present returned to her. Dom Maxara was 
 breathing very heavily, and with great difficulty. 
 
 " Oh, Enrico, how wicked I have been," she exclaimed. 
 " How could I go to sleep ?" 
 
 " How could you avoid it, dear Isabel, after such a time 
 of mental and bodily fatigues. Has he spoken ?" asked 
 Tlughes, looking up into her face. 
 
 " No, he has never moved, never opened his eyes ; but 
 I don't know how long I have been asleep," was the reply. 
 " What is the news on deck ? If we could only get him 
 ashore, my dear dear father !' 
 
 " The gale is completely broken, the sea rapidly falling, 
 and we shall soon have a dead calm, Isabel ; but the leak 
 
THE RAFT. 29^ 
 
 is gaining on us, some plank must be started, and there is 
 ten feet of water in the hold." 
 
 "Is land far off?" asked the girl, whose face looked 
 pale and careworn. " If we could only get him to land." 
 
 " We have no boats, and no means of landing. The 
 brig is nearly motionless, and will soon be quite so. If 
 we had wind we might run her on the coast ; but at pre- 
 sent it is only a question of how many hours we can float 
 The captain talks of a raft." 
 
 " Land ho !" was heard shouted on the forecastle. 
 
 "Where away?" was asked from the quarter-deck. 
 
 " Broad on the starboard bow, sir, nearly ahead." 
 
 The shout seemed to rouse the sick man. His eyes 
 opened languidly, and so heavy and stertorous was the 
 breathing, that the clothes 'rose and fell with the labour- 
 ing chest. 
 
 Dom Maxara had regained consciousness, but it became 
 evident that some severe internal injury had taken place, 
 and that death was not far off. Isabel leaned over him, 
 and kissed the white lips. 
 
 " Land is in sight, dear father ; the weather is fine, and 
 we shall soon reach it," she whispered, placing her hand 
 in his. 
 
 The old man closed his eyes, and prayed; he then 
 motioned with his hand, and Hughes gave him a tea- 
 spoonful of weak brandy and water. 
 
 This revived him, and the cushions being arranged, he 
 managed, though with much pain, to make himself heard. 
 
 " I shall never land, my daughter," he said, " never. 
 Isabel, at the foot of my bed you will find a tin case, 
 bring it." 
 
 The weeping girl did as she was told without a word. 
 
 " Enrico," continued the dying man, slowly and feebly. 
 
294 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LA AD. 
 
 " all my papers are there. Whatever property I have is 
 left to my daughter. Isabel, I am leaving you fast." 
 
 The girl knelt by his side, sobbing bitterly, but without 
 speaking. 
 
 A long pause ensued, during which the clank of the 
 chain pumps, the swish of the water, the loud voices on 
 deck, and the stertorous breathing of the dying noble, 
 mixed with the passionate sobs of the sorrow-stricken 
 daughter. 
 
 " Isabel," said Dom Maxara, at last, " I would give you 
 a protector. Enrico, I would give you my daughter, ere 
 I leave you." 
 
 " Oh, dear father, think of yourself, think not of me," 
 sobbed the heart-broken Isabel. 
 
 " I am thinking of myself. Enrico, tell your friend the 
 missionary; ask him to come here." 
 
 Wyzinski was soon found ; and there, in the small cabin, 
 the marriage service was read, Captain Weber, whose eyes 
 were wet with tears, being present. Isabel's voice could 
 hardly be heard through her sobs, as she murmured the 
 responses of the English Church. Wyzinski closed the 
 book, and the wife's head rested on her husband's shoul 
 der. They knelt by the bedside, the missionary praying 
 fervently and long. 
 
 All had faced death together more than once \ but here 
 it was gradually approaching before their eyes, slowly but 
 surely, and on that account the more terrible. The cap- 
 tain had left, his presence being urgently required on deck, 
 and the low, earnest tones of the missionary sounded im- 
 pressively in the cabin of the dismantled brig. By the 
 bedside the newly-married couple kneeled. In Isabel's 
 bosom a deep and unswerving affection had long since 
 taken root ; she had read, and read truly, too, the heart 
 
THE RAFT. 295 
 
 of her lover ; had seen, from the first, his affection for 
 her, and had understood the plain blunt straightforward 
 language in which the expression of it had been couched. 
 For her own future she entertained no doubt, now that 
 the storm was dying away, and land in sight. 
 
 " See, Enrico, he revives," she murmured. 
 
 " It is the effect of the stimulant," replied her husband. 
 
 A violent spasm seemed to shake the dying noble's 
 whole frame from head to foot. Extending his hands, he 
 laid them on the heads of the two kneeling beside him ; 
 his eyes were lifted to Heaven, his lips moved, and he 
 made an effort to speak. It was useless, for no sound 
 issued from the white contracted lips. Again the convul- 
 sion fit passed over his frame, the head fell back on the 
 pillow, and the arms dropped heavily. The rush of the 
 water, and the heavy clank of the chain pumps, mixed 
 with the sobs of the orphan and the low earnest prayer 
 of the missionary alone broke the silence of the death 
 chamber. . „ 
 
 On deck the men were still working hard, and the clear 
 water poured from the brig's scuppers,, but there was no 
 cheerfulness shown ; they worked, it is true, but sullenly, 
 mechanically, and without hope. The line of coast was 
 visible from the forecastle, but the wind had fallen, and 
 though now and then a puff would fill the foresail, yet the 
 brig hardly had headway, rolling heavily, and seeming to 
 right herself slowly. Everything betokened calm, the sun 
 pouring upon the brig's water-sodden decks, and the jag- 
 ged stumps of her masts. The land was in sight, but 
 there was no disguising the facts that her boats were 
 smashed to pieces, and she herself was, despite the efforts 
 of her crew, sinking under their feet. 
 
 " I see no other way," said Captain Weber, who now 
 
296 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 stood talking to his first officer on the quarter-deck. 
 " We must have started a plank ; mark how clear and 
 green the water flows from her scuppers, and that long 
 lazy roll." 
 
 His mate took off his cap, leisurely scratching his 
 head. " Ay, ay, sir," he replied, " either one of the yards 
 has poked a hole through her bottom, or that scoun- 
 drel's eighteen-pounder nas done more damage than we 
 thought." 
 
 " She is settling down fast, Lowe. If we had only 
 a breeze we would beach the old barky, but it is im- 
 possible." 
 
 " Quite impossible, Captain Weber. If you will take 
 my advice, knock off the pumps, and set all hands to 
 work to make a raft. Let us save what we can," earnestly 
 replied the mate. 
 
 Captain Weber's face was very sad. With the brig was 
 lost the savings of a life, and he carefully turned over in 
 his mind all the circumstances. He looked over the side 
 and noticed with a sigh how deep the " Halcyon" lay in 
 the water, and how sluggish was her motion. He noted 
 the idle sail as it hung against the broken foremast, and 
 the clank of the chain pumps came to his ear, as the clear 
 salt-water flooded the deck. 
 
 The old seaman groaned. 
 
 " There is nothing for it, Lowe," he muttered. " Keep 
 the pumps going \ half the hands will do the work. Serve 
 out a good allowance of grog. Get the masts out of her, 
 and let us have them alongside. The old brig won't miss 
 them." 
 
 "Ay, ay, sir," cheerfully replied the mate, walking aft 
 among the men. 
 
 " Morris," continued the captain, addressing the car- 
 
THE RAFT. 297 
 
 penter, " send up all the spare spars you have, and we 
 will use the planking of the forecastle to make a staging 
 for the raft. Rig out a pair of sheers amidships." 
 
 All was now bustle aboard the brig. The men, who had 
 worked at the pumps sullenly, because they knew that 
 despite all they could do the leak was gaining fast on 
 them, now found themselves employed in securing their 
 own safety. The remains of the fore and mainmast were 
 soon floating alongside, and, with a number of spare yards 
 and heavier spars, formed a solid basis to work upon. 
 Across these were placed a second layer of lighter spars, 
 and the whole secured firmly. The planking of the deck 
 forward, where it had been partially torn up by the grind- 
 ing of the fore-topmast, was easily removed, and com- 
 pleted a kind of deck, raised two feet at least above the 
 water. A royal yard was rigged as a mast, and stanchions 
 were fixed round the edges of the platform, through which 
 ropes were run. The arms were got on deck, and the 
 best being selected were, with a liberal supply of ammu- 
 nition, placed on the raft. Some loose sails were thrown 
 in, provisions of every kind added, and as there was 
 room for treble the number of men on the floating spars, 
 several heavy cases, the contents of which were known 
 only to the captain, were stowed away on the raft. 
 
 Night came on, and one by one the stars shone out. 
 A long gentle swell was all that remained of the late 
 storm, and the brig, barely rising to it, rolled clumsily and 
 heavily. The men had behaved well. Once, when tired 
 of the pumps, and finding that, work as hard as they 
 might, it was useless, there had been a question of break- 
 ing into the spirit-room. It had been soon disposed of, 
 however, and each and all had worked cheerfully. 
 
 Crew and passengers were on deck. Isabel had been 
 
293 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 speaking in a pleading tone, while the dark mass of tim- 
 ber alongside was as yet not tenanted. 
 
 " I cannot bear to think of what remains of my poor 
 father being left here. We are close to land ; let me, at 
 least, see him laid to rest in African soil." • 
 
 "Dearest Isabel, y6ur wish is law to me, and the 
 desire is a natural though I think a wrong one. We don't 
 know when we may reach land, and the sad sight will but 
 increase your grief. Believe me, dearest, it is useless." 
 
 Isabel looked up into her husband's face. 
 
 " My first request," she murmured. 
 
 The look was irresistible; and Hughes walked forward 
 to where Captain Weber stood, among his crew, completing 
 his last dispositions. 
 
 " Captain Weber, can we not take the remains of Dom 
 Maxara on shore for burial ?" 
 
 " What use will it be ? The old barky, with all she 
 contains, will soon be at the bottom of the sea, and so 
 much of my future hopes go with her, that I should not 
 much care if I went also." 
 
 " Still, it is the daughter's wish," urged Hughes. 
 
 The men stood grouped around on the deck, the pumps 
 had been left, and the brig was rolling so heavily on the 
 swell that it was time to leave her. 
 
 "Well, well ! be it as you wish. Here, Anderson, and you ? 
 Forrest, come here ;" and the seaman gave his directions. 
 
 The two sailors hesitated. They joined their comrades. 
 A low whispered conversation ensued. He who had 
 been called Forrest stepped forward, and scratching off 
 his tarpaulin, twisted it in his hands. 
 
 " Well, what is it, Forrest ?" asked the captain. 
 
 " Please your honour, if so be as I may make bold, 
 we've had a run of ill luck of late." 
 
THE RAFT. 299 
 
 
 " I know that, none better ; but what has that got to 
 do with you ?" 
 
 " The gentleman has lost the number of his mess, d'ye 
 see, and it's an onlucky thing to begin a new voyage with 
 a corpse aboard." 
 
 "Ay, ay, Captain Weber," chimed in the rest, "we dare 
 not set sail on yonder sticks with never a keel beneath 
 our feet, and only a rag of canvas for sail, and that, too, 
 with a corpse aboard." 
 
 The group of men were standing at the gangway, and 
 the captain turned to them, speaking in a loud voice. 
 
 " Your duty, Forrest, is to obey my orders. The ship 
 is sinking under our feet, but while a stick of her 
 remains floating they shall be obeyed. Do your duty." 
 
 The men turned, but seemed mutinous, and once more 
 the muttered conversation began, when, gliding down the 
 ladder, Isabel stood among them. She had heard what 
 passed. 
 
 " I was wrong, Enrico ; tell these brave men I was 
 wrong. My father could not have a nobler coffin than 
 this. Speak to them, Enrico." 
 
 Hughes did so, and a hearty qheer was given by the 
 crew. 
 
 "And now," said Captain Weber, greatly relieved, 
 " we must leave the poor old brig. Are you ready ?" 
 
 " I would say good-bye to my father, Enrico," mur- 
 mured Isabel ; "have we time ?"■ 
 
 The three entered the little cabin, the missionary 
 having joined them, and they stood for the last time by 
 the side of the dead. A lamp burned feebly, lighting up 
 dimly the small bed where the body lay. The grey hairs 
 were carefully combed out, the eyes were closed, for a 
 daughter's hands had been busy there. The features 
 
300 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 wore a. composed, but haughty look, and one or two 
 deep stains alone told of the violent nature of his death. 
 
 Isabel sobbed bitterly, while the missionary prayed. 
 The door opened, and Captain Weber entered. Stooping 
 over the dead form, Isabel imprinted one long kiss on 
 the cold lips, and, in an agony of grief, cast herself into 
 the soldier's arms. 
 
 " Enrico, thou alone art left to me," she sobbed. 
 
 Captain Weber threw the broad folds of the Union 
 Jack over the dead ; the light was left burning, and the 
 party — Isabel sobbing as if her heart would break — 
 passed through the deserted cabin where the water was 
 already washing about, and, reaching the deck, went over 
 the side on to the raft. It was time, for the brig was 
 very low in the water, and as the captain stood on the 
 gangway, the last man on deck, an explosion took place 
 below. It was the pent-up air forced by the increasing 
 mass of water to find an escape, bursting through the 
 screens and bulkheads. The old seaman raised his hat, 
 took one look around him, and then stepped on to the 
 raft. " Shove off, my lads," he cried, as with long planks 
 ripped from the deck and hastily fashioned into sweeps, 
 the men bore her from the brig's side. 
 
 " We must get a few fathoms away before the old barky 
 makes her last plunge, Lowe." 
 
 " Ay, ay, sir ; ship the sweeps, my lads, and give way." 
 
 There was not a breath of wind, but the growing cool- 
 ness of the air told of morning being near, for in tropical 
 climates the coldest hour of the twenty-four is ever that 
 which precedes dawn. 
 
 The sweeps were long and clumsy, and as the royal 
 which had been set as sail was wholly useless, the motion 
 of the unwieldy raft was necessarily very slow. Two men 
 
THE RAFT. 301 
 
 were at each sweep, and there were four of them, yet the 
 raft barely moved through the water. Captain Weber 
 sat on a case, his head leaning on his hands, and his face 
 turned towards the " Halcyon." 
 
 The starlight was not bright enough to show the tears 
 that rolled slowly down his weather-beaten cheeks. On 
 a heap of sails, nestling by her husband's side, his large 
 military cloak thrown over her, sat Isabel, and she too 
 was looking towards the dark mass of the sinking vessel. 
 The seaman mourned his ship, the home of many years, 
 the companion of danger of every kind ; Isabel's cheek 
 was wet too, for she mourned a father's loss, and her 
 eyes were eagerly turned to a dim, faint ray of light 
 shining from one of the ports. She knew that it came 
 from the cabin where her dead father lay. The sweeps 
 fell with measured cadence into the water, the men pull- 
 ing in stern silence, until they were about five hundred 
 yards away, and then, without any order from any one, 
 they ceased rowing. The grey dawn was slowly breaking 
 over the ocean as the brig gave one wild roll to port. 
 She seemed unable to right herself, and those on the 
 raft drew a long breath as she < partially did so. The 
 water in her hold rolled heavily forward. Down went 
 her bows, down, down into the salt sea, as lurching 
 heavily and slowly to starboard, she disappeared, the 
 waves boiling in foam around her. 
 
 " My father ! oh, my father !" cried Isabel, as she 
 clasped her hands together and sprang forward, as 
 though to join him, but her husband's strong arm was 
 round her, drawing her gently back. 
 
 " Give way, my lads, give way ! the oldbarky's bones 
 are better there than if the crew of the accursed pirate 
 schooner had trod her decks," said the captain, delibe- 
 
302 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 rately turning his back on the spot, and passing the cuff 
 of his coat over his eyes. 
 
 The sun rose in all its splendour over the Indian 
 Ocean, sleeping quietly and calmly under its rays. 
 There were plenty of sails, and an awning was con- 
 structed, which gave shelter to all, and slowly and wearily 
 the day wore on. 
 
 So long as it remained calm there was no danger, and 
 tedious as their advance was it remained but a question 
 of time as to when the forty miles which separated them 
 from the land should be passed. But night set in before 
 half the distance had been overcome, and there was a 
 dull moaning sound over the ocean, the sailors' eyes 
 telling them that the scud was flying from the westward, 
 a wind which, if it set in, would infallibly blow them off 
 land. All night long the men toiled at the heavy sweeps. 
 They were fairly worn out with fatigue, some of them 
 sleeping at the oars. The captain, his mate, and pas- 
 sengers all took their turn, but towards two o'clock the 
 first puffs of the westerly breeze were felt, and the captain, 
 seeing the utter uselessness of prolonging the struggle, 
 gave orders to ship the sweeps, and for the men to lie 
 down. Isabel had long since cried herself to sleep, and 
 on board the raft none but the captain and Hughes 
 watched as morning dawned over the sea. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 SAIL HO ! 
 
 On board everything had been done to promote the 
 safety of its occupants that could be effected. The lash- 
 ings of the timbers had been carefully overhauled and 
 
SAIL HO / 303 
 
 strengthened under Captain Weber's own superinten- 
 dence, while the boxes and cases of provisions, which 
 had been lowered on to the raft before pushing off from 
 the sinking ship, had been arranged so as to form a kind 
 of walled cabin over which a heavy sail had been spread 
 as its roof. A light studding sail formed the door, which 
 could be brailed up or let down at the desire of the 
 occupant. The weather continued moderate, and though 
 a green wave would occasionally break on board, no great 
 discomfort had been as yet experienced. 
 
 It had been a sad moment when the sweeps were un- 
 shipped, and when the line of coast became fainter and 
 fainter, until at last its outline was no more distinguish- 
 able, and nothing was to be seen but the wide expanse of 
 ocean, on which the frail raft rose and fell. The gulls 
 and Mother Carey's chickens were their sole companions, 
 and the sun rose without a cloud, daily to pour its blaze 
 of light over the calm waters of the Indian Ocean, and 
 then to sink to rest, setting, as it seemed, in the waste of 
 waters. Soon the stars would peep forth, and the gentle 
 breeze which had prevailed during the day, die away into 
 calm ; no sound disturbing the stillness, except the occa- 
 sional spouting of a whale near the raft, the whish of the 
 breaking wave, and the creak of the spars as they worked 
 together. 
 
 At first the men bore this well, for there were no 
 watches to keep, no sails to tend, and provisions of all 
 kinds were plentiful. Calm weather was to be expected 
 after the late series of heavy gales, and they were sure to 
 be picked up. They must be rapidly nearing the shores 
 of Madagascar, too, and the men amused themselves by 
 spinning long yarns about the savage inhabitants of the 
 island, between the intervals of smoking, eating, and 
 
3 o4 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND, 
 
 drinking. The dawning of daylight was ever an anxious 
 moment for all, and every eye eagerly scanned the 
 limited horizon in quest of the coming ship. The light 
 grew gradually stronger ; the wing of a gull was taken for 
 a sail. A feeling of delight, of hope, spread through the 
 hearts of all. The delusion was exposed as the sun 
 tipped the tops of the waves with its light, and, do what 
 they would, despondency took the place of hope. At 
 first none would acknowledge this feeling, each trying to 
 cheer up the other ; but the men became gradually rest- 
 less and uneasy, the tale and the laugh were less fre- 
 quent; the few orders which were given them were 
 obeyed, it is true, but slowly and listlessly, and it became 
 evident that the confinement to so limited a space 
 was telling, and that the crew were becoming demora- 
 lised. 
 
 The morning of the third day since the loss of the 
 * Halcyon " had dawned, and the raft still rose and fell on 
 the gentle swell of the ocean. The studding-sail was brailed 
 up, and Isabel was seated at the open entrance. Cap- 
 tain Hughes was lying on the spars at her feet, while close 
 by Weber and his mate were endeavouring to prick off 
 their position on a chart, which was spread on a barrel. 
 The men were just finishing their twelve o'clock dinner, 
 and the raft was slowly driving through the water before a 
 gentle westerly breeze. 
 
 On a box between the two at the entrance of the im- 
 provised cabin stood a chess-board. The pieces were 
 ranged in position, but the interest of the game seemed 
 languishing. 
 
 " You might have checkmated me, last move, Enrico," 
 said Isabel. " Either you did not care to do so, or you 
 are thinking of something else.". 
 
SAIL HO / 3^5 
 
 In fact Hughes had been gazing up into the speaker's 
 face, and had forgotten all about the game. 
 
 " A game at chess on a raft in the Indian Ocean is 
 another thing to one in a lady's drawing-room," remarked 
 the missionary, who had been looking on at the play, 
 with a smile on his face; "and yet," he continued, "it 
 has been much the same kind of game as usually takes 
 place between a lady and gentleman thinking only of 
 each other." 
 
 " Oh, how I should like to have my foot once more 
 on the carpet of that same drawing-room !" exclaimed 
 Isabel. " This eternal hoping against hope is dreary 
 work." 
 
 "We have known worse moments together, Isabel," 
 remarked Hughes, who had raised himself from his elbow 
 to a sitting position, and was gazing intently over the 
 waves. 
 
 " I dare say I am impatient, Enrico ; but everything 
 seems to go wrong. First of all the storm, and then, 
 when safely moored in the land-locked bay, where every- 
 thing seemed so quiet, the frightful affair with the Malays. 
 I think I can hear their terrible yells yet." And the girl 
 covered her eyes with her hands. 
 
 Hughes had risen, and was leaning moodily against a 
 pile of boxes, and still gazing over the sea. 
 
 " No sooner," continued Isabel, " had we made all right, 
 than the pirate schooner was upon us, and, as if that was 
 not sufficient, the storm which caused my dear father's 
 death followed." 
 
 " To me, Isabel, there seems still one bright point in 
 all the black past you are looking into," replied Hughes, 
 as his gaze left the distant horizon, to fix itself on her 
 face. 
 
 20 
 
306 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 She placed her hand on his arm, as she continued, — 
 
 " But just as we were close to land, when I could see 
 the undulations of the coast line, and mark the clumps of 
 trees on the shore, to be driven away, — and now this fear- 
 fully monotonous life, ever rising and falling on the waves. 
 One of these days we shall see Madagascar, and just as 
 we are about to land, be blown to sea again." 
 
 " Sail ho r shouted Hughes, in a voice which startled 
 every one on board. 
 
 " You are right !" exclaimed Captain Weber, starting to 
 his feet. " See there away to the westward." And he 
 laid his brown hand on the mate's shoulder, pointing in 
 the direction named ; and, sure enough, no bigger than a 
 man's hand, like the wing of some far away sea-gull, a 
 small patch of white appeared on the horizon. 
 
 A hearty cheer burst from the missionary's lips, and it 
 was taken up by all on board. The men, however, did 
 not evince much satisfaction. They were sorry, it may 
 be, after all, to change a life of idleness for one of toil ; 
 or they knew, perhaps, that the passing sail might not 
 come near. 
 
 However this might be, certain it is, that after gazing 
 on the white speck which told of coming help, one after 
 another sat down in a dogged, sullen manner, as though 
 they cared little about the matter. 
 
 Grouped round the entrance to the little cabin, Captain 
 Weber, his mate, and passengers began the midday meal, 
 and it was a more cheerful one than usual. Provisions 
 were plentiful, and Mr. Lowe had reported the strange 
 sail to be nearing them rapidly. 
 
 " She is working to the southward on a wind," re- 
 marked he ; " and if she makes a long leg will run us 
 slap aboard." 
 
SAIL HO I 30? 
 
 " See the Union Jack set over our mainsail, Mr. Lowe," 
 returned the captain, "it will not help us along much, 
 but will make us more easily seen. They don't keep 
 a very bright look out on board 'yonder craft, I'll be 
 bound." 
 
 " Ay, ay, sir. Come, my lads, make sail on the frigate," 
 said the mate, laughing, " we'll soon run yonder fellow 
 aboard." 
 
 The flag was hoisted, the whole party watching anx- 
 iously. The sun shone brightly on the white canvas 
 of a full-rigged ship, which was coming bows on towards 
 them. At the door of the rude cabin Isabel sat, her 
 hand clasped in that of her lover-husband, her head 
 resting on his shoulder, and her eyes intently fixed on 
 the ship. 
 
 " How beautiful !" she murmured. " Surely, they see 
 us now." 
 
 " The ship is more than ten knots away," replied Cap- 
 tain Weber, " and if even the look-out saw us, and most 
 probably there is none, we should only be taken for a 
 gull or albatross." 
 
 " Could we not make them hear us?" asked Isabel. 
 
 " Impossible," replied the master ; " but we will try. 
 Now, my lads, a good hearty cheer," he shouted. " Hip ! 
 hip ! hurrah ! One cheer more ; fancy yourselves at the 
 Jolly Tar in Portsmouth Harbour. Hooray ! Why I 
 have heard you make twice the row when I wanted you 
 to knock off shouting," he said, as the cheer died away. 
 In point of fact, the crew seemed too idle even to exert 
 themselves for their own safety. 
 
 " See," said Isabel, " see, they hear us !" and she clasped 
 her hands together as she spoke with delight. 
 
 Captain Weber and his mate knew better. There were, 
 
 20 — a 
 
308 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 indeed, indications of a bustle on board the ship. The 
 sun was shining brightly full on her white canvas, and even 
 the dark mass of her hull could be made out, as she came 
 careering through the waves, with all set to her royals 
 on a taut bowline. Then her sails shivered, the black 
 bows came sweeping up to the wind, the yards were 
 braced round, as the ship, now on the opposite tack, 
 every moment lessened the chance of those on board the 
 doomed raft. 
 
 " One effort more, my lads ; stay a moment, they'll 
 be coiling down the sheets and bowlines just now. Are 
 you ready ? ' Ship, ahoy ! ahoy ! aho-o-o-y ! ' " roared 
 the captain with all the force of his powerful lungs, 
 producing a shout, with which the voices of all on 
 board joined, even the feeble treble of Isabel being 
 heard. 
 
 It was useless ; the ship neither heard nor saw them, 
 but kept calmly and steadily on her course, leaving them 
 to their fate. Towards sunset her royals only could be 
 seen on the horizon, and when the stars shone forth, the 
 raft was once more rising and falling in helpless loneliness 
 on the waves of the sleeping ocean, slowly dragging on 
 her way. 
 
 Isabel had retired. Hughes had thrown himself, as 
 was his wont, before the opening of the cabin, and was 
 quite motionless. Near him lay several recumbent forms, 
 wrapped in cloaks or tarpaulins, while the men, grouped 
 together, were, or seemed to be, sleeping. 
 
 He had bitterly felt the Jcruel disappointment of the 
 morning, and, though it was nearly midnight, was in 
 reality wide awake. A low confused murmur reached 
 him, and he listened attentively. 
 
 * I tell you he has all the gold aboard, Phillips ; enough 
 
SAIL HO ! 309 
 
 to make men of the likes of we," were the words which 
 came to his ears. 
 
 " For the matter of that, Gough, he'll die hard, the old 
 beggar, and some of us will lose the number of our mess." 
 
 " All the more gold for them as remains," muttered the 
 man Gough. 
 
 "Well, if so be as we are to go in for the yellow boys, 
 why not now ? They're all caulking soundly." 
 
 u No, yonder ship may be within hail to-morrow morn- 
 ing, and a fine mess we should be in," answered the ruffian. 
 
 Hughes at once became aware that mischief was brew- 
 ing, and determined to discover what it was. Slowly he 
 dragged himself onwards, inch by inch, until he lay in a 
 position where he could hear well. The two were sitting 
 up, and spoke low and cautiously. The pale light of 
 day was just breaking over the waves as hours later 
 Hughes regained his position, gently and cautiously. 
 Tired with watching he fell fast asleep, and it was broad 
 daylight when he was aroused by Captain Weber shaking 
 him by the arm. 
 
 " Rouse and bitt, my lad," said the old seaman, laugh- 
 ing. " The bare planks seem to suit your humour. We 
 want your place for breakfast." 
 
 There was no lack of water round about them, and while 
 he made his hasty toilet the soldier determined on the 
 course to be taken. An attempt to possess themselves 
 of the gold would certainly be made that night, and, as 
 Phillips had said, Captain Weber was not the man to give 
 it up quietly. 
 
 " I have a few words for you, Captain Weber, before 
 breakfast," he said, as that officer passed near him. 
 
 " Heave ahead, my hearty, I'm not pressed for time," 
 was the reply. 
 
3 io WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 " Have you noticed how sullen the men seemed yester- 
 day, how apathetic they were when the ship went about?" 
 asked Hughes. 
 
 " It is the natural consequence of this state of relaxed 
 discipline and idleness," replied the master. 
 
 " One more query. Have you not gold in these cases, 
 in some of them at least ? Are we not nearing Mada- 
 gascar ?" 
 
 Captain Weber turned sharply round, looking the 
 speaker full in the face, and paused a moment as if in 
 astonishment, ere he replied. 
 
 " Yes, I have gold dust in some of them, and if yonder 
 ship had only stood on for an hour longer, the dust might 
 have served me to fit out another vessel, and give me 
 another chance ; but why do you ask ?" 
 
 " I lay awake nearly all last night. You know I have al- 
 ways thrown myself before the entrance to the little cabin." 
 
 The seaman nodded his head. 
 
 " Well, about four o'clock this morning, I heard two of 
 the men talking. Yonder red-bearded, blear-eyed fellow, 
 who is whittling a stick as he whistles, was the principal 
 speaker." 
 
 "Ah, Gough," replied the master, "he is the worst 
 character on board ; it was Gough tried to persuade the 
 men to break into the spirit-room, when tired of the work 
 at the pumps. I can believe anything of him." 
 
 " Well, he held out a dazzling picture of life in Mada- 
 gascar. He talked of the warm welcome given by the 
 Queen of the island to the English ; he painted a life of 
 luxury and ease, instead of one of toil and privation, 
 saying we might sight the island any moment." 
 
 " The scoundrel !" muttered the old master between his 
 clenched teeth, " I see it all now." 
 
SAIL HO/ 
 
 "He told of the gold on the raft, and how with it they 
 might be kings and nobles in the land. How the wind 
 was dead fair, and they had but to stretch forth then- 
 hands to help themselves." 
 
 " Not while I live — not while I live, the mutinous 
 scoundrel !" growled the seaman. 
 
 " You are not intended to live," replied the soldier. 
 " We were all to die, unprepared, and therefore incapable 
 of resistance. Adams and Simmonds were to share our 
 fate, the raft to be seized, and the loss of the brig to cover 
 that of the crew and passengers." / 
 
 " And Dona Isabel ?" inquired the captain. 
 
 " Was to die to secure her silence," replied Hughes, 
 shuddering. 
 
 " A pleasant lot of fellows ; and when is this infernal 
 plot to be carried out ?" 
 
 Last night was fixed for its execution, but a fear for 
 the return of the ship we saw yesterday prevented it, and 
 now it is determined that it be carried out to-night." 
 
 " We may see a sail again to-day, and if we do, we are 
 saved ; but again, we may not," muttered the captain, 
 " and we must be prepared for the worst." 
 
 " We had better, at all events, show no suspicion, but 
 go to our breakfast as usual." 
 
 " I will consult with Lowe ; do you tell your old com- 
 rade," said the captain moodily, as the two moved away. 
 
 The simple breakfast was laid out before the cabin 
 door just as usual. The steward acted as cook, and 
 Isabel superintended her breakfast table on the raft, with 
 all the natural grace she would have shown, had she been 
 in her father's house in sunny Portugal. 
 
 Her face was sorrowful as she advanced to meet 
 Hughes, for yesterday had indeed brought her a cruel 
 
312 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 disappointment. So sure had she felt of rescue, that the 
 blow had been very severe. 
 
 " Did I not tell you, Enrico, all is against us ? Oh, I 
 dreamed that the ship we saw yesterday had come back, 
 and so vivid was the dream, that I lifted the sail expect- 
 ing to see it," she remarked. 
 
 The breakfast finished, Captain Weber and his mate 
 rose to consult the chart. 
 
 " Wyzinski, help us to clear away, and we will get out 
 the chess-board. I want to speak to you. You can lean 
 over us as we play." 
 
 " What on earth is wrong now ?" exclaimed Isabel, 
 fixing her eyes on her husband's face. 
 
 " Hush, Isabel ! " returned Hughes, throwing himself 
 down on the planks, " a great peril hangs over us. If 
 there was a chance of rescue, I would have said nothing 
 about it, but the day wears, on, and the horizon is clear." 
 
 Isabel looked up. " All seems calm, there is no sign 
 of storm about," she remarked. 
 
 " Peril !" repeated Wyzinski, as he stooped over 
 Hughes and moved a knight on the board. " Check to 
 your king and castle — both. It and I are old friends." 
 
 And Hughes told his tale, while the game proceeded 
 in a most irregular manner. 
 
 Captain Weber sauntered up, and looked knowingly 
 at the board, though he did not understand anything 
 about it. 
 
 " Have you spoken to Adams and to Morris ?" asked 
 the missionary. 
 
 "Yes, and they are prepared — and what is better, 
 yonder in the cabin is the arm-chest securely locked. It 
 was a lucky thing I placed it there. The villains are un- 
 armed." 
 
SAIL HO / 313 
 
 " They have their knives — there are eleven of them, 
 and we count how many ?" quietly asked the missionary. 
 
 " Seven/' answered the old sailor \ " but Adams is still 
 very weak. Will you open yonder chest, pretty one," he 
 continued, for he ever addressed Isabel by that endearing 
 epithet ; " will you open yonder chest, and push the re- 
 volvers within my reach with your foot." 
 
 Wyzinski took her place at the chess-board, as Isabel 
 rose to do as she was desired, and the captain having 
 placed a couple of pairs of revolvers in the pockets 
 of his monkey jacket, moved forward among the men, 
 talking and chatting as if nothing was wrong. 
 
 It was Sunday ; the breeze died away towards evening, 
 and the missionary read the service of the day in the 
 makeshift cabin. He possessed a fine clear voice, and, 
 aware of their great danger, his hearers found the beau- 
 tiful litany of the Church more solemn, perhaps, than 
 usual. 
 
 To Isabel it was all very strange, but as the sun sank 
 to rest among the ocean waves, she joined in the rites of 
 her husband's creed with a simple and confiding faith, 
 not understanding them, and night gradually gathered 
 round the crew of the raft. Inured to danger, and now 
 fully armed, one after another of the little party lay down 
 to sleep, and soon all was quiet on board. 
 
 The wind had fallen, and with it the sea, the motion of 
 the spars becoming less and less. The night was warm, 
 the stars were shining brilliantly, and the moon, in her 
 first quarter, was rising over the ocean, making a long 
 narrow strip of silver on the waves. The sail was raised 
 at the opening of the cabin, and on the planking before 
 it sat Isabel. Her husband's arm was round her, and 
 her head leaned back on his breast, the long hair uncared 
 
3H WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 for, falling on the planks which formed the deck, while 
 the starlight shone on her face and twinkled in her black 
 eyes. The sail of the raft just drew, but barely so. 
 
 " How quiet all seems, Enrico ; except the splash of 
 the waves, there is not a sound abroad." 
 
 " Yes, many years hence we may talk of this. Does it 
 not seem strange to be floating about on a few sticks in 
 the middle of the ocean ? Hark ! do you hear that ?" 
 
 A loud noise, like the blowing off of steam, was heard. 
 
 " It is a whale, Isabel." 
 
 " I did not know there were many of them here," said 
 the fair girl, again leaning back, for she had started up in 
 alarm at the noise. 
 
 " There are plenty of an inferior description to those 
 caught further north, and further south," replied Hughes. 
 " But tell me of your own country, Isabel, a land I do 
 not know." 
 
 " Not now, Enrico, when a deadly fear is weighing me 
 down. Talk to me. Tell me of our home among your 
 native mountains, and the customs and manners of the 
 people. Try and call off my thoughts : try and make me 
 forget, if but for a moment, this fearful suspense." 
 
 " But they are not strange, and there is no difference 
 between them and others, save that they are of more 
 ancient race, and speak an older tongue than English. 
 Would you like to hear some of the traditions of the 
 Cymri." 
 
 Isabel glanced uneasily round. She was trembling 
 now. 
 
 " Yes, yes ! tell me one of them, Enrico, mio," she 
 replied nervously. 
 
 "Well," said he, falling into the humour of he moment, 
 and drawing the thick cloak so as to cove Isabel more 
 
SAIL HOI 315 
 
 completely, while he looked down on the face turned 
 up to meet his gaze, " I had an ancestor, who for the 
 sake of his religion, which was yours, lost lands and pro- 
 perty that ought to have descended in direct line to us, 
 Shall I tell you of this ?" 
 
 " Do, Enrico, mio," replied Isabel nestling nearer to 
 him. 
 
 " There is an old mansion near the sea shore in North 
 Wales. It is a small farm-house now, Isabel, and though 
 many hundreds of people pass it often, though they 
 remark its old Elizabethan windows, its twisted chimneys, 
 and queer odd look, none ever take much notice of it 
 because near it stands the lordly house of Gloddaeth, 
 surrounded by its sweeping woods and noble park. Yet 
 it is just of this old farm-house I am going to tell you." 
 
 " The principal part of it had been built in Queen 
 Elizabeth's time, and many of the queer gables and 
 twisted chimneys yet remain. Before it lies the sea, while 
 the broad lands of Penrhyn lie stretched around. The 
 woods of Gloddaeth and Bodysgallen add to the beauty of 
 the scene, and close to the house a chapel, in good repair, 
 the ruins of which still stand, then told of the religious 
 faith of the Pughs of Penrhyn. 
 
 " Between them and the powerful family of the lords 
 of Gloddaeth a feud existed, and the Sir Roger Mostyn 
 of that day had added to it by forcing his neighbour to 
 remove the stone cross which formed the only ornament 
 of the chapel. The owner of the place, Robert Pugh of 
 Penrhyn, was old, and a mere tool in the hands of a wily 
 priest, Father Guy. This latter was a dangerous man. 
 Bred in the Jesuit ' Collegio dei Nobili' at Rome, he had 
 by accident inherited his brother's titles and part of his 
 estates. The rank Sir William Guy never publicly as- 
 
3 i6 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 sumed. Wholly absorbed in his religious views, he had 
 visited many countries, and had in his fanaticism longed 
 even for the crown of martyrdom. 
 
 " The small Catholic community, existing by sufferance 
 only in the heart of this wild Welsh land, had attracted 
 his attention, and he had asked and obtained the small 
 chaplaincy of Penrhyn, soon acquiring a complete ascen- 
 dancy over the owner. 
 
 " The tenants of the place, as well as those of Coet- 
 more, were at his disposal, old Robert Pugh's only son 
 and heir, Henry, being affianced to Lucy Coetmore. 
 Help had been promised by the Earl of Shrewsbury and 
 other Catholic nobles in England, so the fanatic priest 
 had determined to raise the standard of revolt, and 
 thought he saw his way to success." 
 
 " And Lucy Coetmore, Enrico, was she beautiful ?" 
 
 " You shall see her picture yourself, Isabel. It hangs 
 in the entrance of Plas Coch, on the banks of the Con- 
 way." 
 
 And Hughes paused; for the memory of the quiet 
 valley and the flowing river, with its grey ruins and old 
 Roman remains, came over him as he glanced at the 
 waste of waters, while their helpless position struck him 
 in contrast with a sickening sensation. 
 
 " What a curious red star that is down in the horizon !" 
 he remarked. " I could almost fancy it goes out some- 
 times. But to continue, — 
 
 "Lucy was a tall stately heiress. Her hair was not 
 like yours, Isabel, but of a golden brown, and her eyes 
 blue and full of melancholy softness, her complexion of 
 that transparent white and red so seldom seen united 
 with strong constitutions. The white was the enamelled 
 white of ivory, and tjie red was the blush of the wild rose. 
 
SAIL HO 1 $17 
 
 The charm of her beautiful face and well-turned head was 
 heightened by the graceful neck and slender figure. Lucy 
 was a Saxon beauty." 
 
 " And did she die young ?" languidly asked Isabel. 
 
 "She did; leaving one daughter, who married my 
 great-grandfather, and through whom the property came 
 into my family : but now we must leave Penrhyn for a 
 time, dearest. 
 
 "It was ten o'clock in the morning, and Sir Roger 
 Mostyn sat in the great hall of Gloddaeth. There was 
 the ample fireplace with its old-fashioned dogs, the 
 panelled and carved oaken walls and roof. There was a 
 balcony at the further end, where the white-haired harper 
 played, and sang tales of war and love ; curious antique 
 mottoes were blazoned on the walls in old Welsh charac- 
 ters. There, too, were the arms of the Mostyns, and the 
 royal device of the Tudors, with the red dragon grinning 
 defiance to the world. Sir Roger seemed uneasy as he 
 threw open the latticed window and let in a glorious flood 
 of sunshine and fresh air into the ancient hall. On the 
 terrace beyond, several children were playing, while before 
 him, for many a mile, lay his own broad lands. The 
 woods of Bodysgallen and of Marl were waving in the 
 wind. There were the grey towers of Conway Castle and 
 the glancing river, the noble background of the Snow- 
 donian Mountains closing the view, with the splendid 
 outline of old Penmaenmawr as it sank with one sheer 
 sweep into the sea." 
 
 " I don't want to hear all that," said Isabel, who had 
 actually up to that moment succeeded in forgetting the 
 danger which menaced them, while she listened to the 
 tale. " I think, Enrico mio, I am too frightened to follow 
 you just now. Do you think," she asked, in a low tone, 
 
3ig WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 as she slipped her hands into her husband's ; " do you 
 think the men are asleep ?" 
 
 "You promised to listen to me, Isabel," replied 
 Hughes, calmly. " We can change nothing. By showing 
 fear, we only increase our danger." 
 
 The hand he held trembled in his grasp, but the words 
 came firmly to his ear : 
 
 " Go on, Enrico mio." 
 
 " ' And so, Griffith,' said Sir Roger Mostyn to a man 
 who was standing at his side, l that was all you learned, 
 was it ?' 
 
 " ' It was, Sir Roger ; but not all I saw. Susan was as 
 close as a miser with his gold, and though I slept in an 
 outhouse, and only returned half an hour since, she 
 would tell me nothing.' 
 
 " ' And you say great preparations were on foot for the 
 reception of guests?' 
 
 " ' Messengers were coming and going, Sir Roger, the 
 whole night long ; the butchers were busy slaughtering ; 
 all was bustle and excitement.' 
 
 " ' Thou art a poor lover, Griffith, if this is all thou 
 could st obtain.' 
 
 " ' About twelve o'clock, Sir Roger,' continued the fellow, 
 reddening, * I heard the tramp of men, and looking out, 
 I saw a company of about fifty. They appeared to obey 
 a word of command, were dressed in grey frieze, and 
 armed. The windows of the chapel were a blaze of- 
 light. I learned that they were Irish, from the Isle of Man.' 
 
 "-' Very well, Griffith ; send the steward here f and Sir 
 Roger leaned on the sill of the latticed window in deep 
 thought. The children called to him in their play, but 
 he did not see them; the birds sang and the leaves 
 rustled, but he did not hear them." 
 
SAIL HO! 319 
 
 "There you are, Enrico, with your birds and trees 
 again, and we on the broad ocean, with the sea below 
 and death and murder around." 
 
 There was a moment's silence, and one of the appa- 
 rently sleeping men lifted his head, glanced around, and 
 then, as Hughes continued his tale, dropped again on 
 the deck, uttering a heavy curse. 
 
 "Well, night had set in. The stars were gleaming 
 round the twisted gables and chimneys of Penrhyn, but the 
 windows of the little chapel were a blaze of light. Inside 
 it some twenty noblemen were assembled, the last relics 
 of the Catholic religion among the mountains of North 
 Wales. The altar was decked out for mass, the long 
 tapers lighted, the fragrant incense floated on the air, 
 while, in the full splendour of his robes, stood Father 
 Guy. 
 
 " He was speaking eloquently and earnestly, just as a 
 man, wearing a heavy horseman's cloak, glided in through 
 the doorway of the chapel. 
 
 " His audience were so wrapped up in the words they 
 heard, so carried away by his eloquence, that he only 
 remarked and recognised the intruder, who was no other 
 than Sir Roger Mostyn. 
 
 " * Yes, my sons,' concluded the old priest, ' prompted 
 by the Master of Iniquity, they would deny us the wor- 
 ship of our God, they would destroy religion by the 
 introduction of schismatic doctrines. They would make 
 the tenets of an ancient and holy Church subservient to 
 the will of an earthly king, putting off and on its prin- 
 ciples at pleasure, like to a raiment. I say unto you, that 
 death is a meet reward for these usurpers of our Church 
 — that he who aids not in the holy work set on foot this 
 night belongs not unto us. Go forth, my sons, uphold 
 
3 2o WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 the banner of the Church : let its enemies perish from the 
 face of the earth, and, as a sign unto you that the God 
 of our fathers is with you, turn, and behold whom he has 
 delivered into your hand.' 
 
 "The long, white, transparent fingers pointed towards 
 the doorway, where Sir Roger Mostyn stood. 
 
 "It was a strange scene that chapel blazing with 
 light, as, dropping his cloak, Sir Roger strode into its 
 centre, dressed in the uniform of his own regiment of 
 Yeomanry. 
 
 " * Away with him !' cried the priest, and a score of 
 blades leaped from their scabbards. 
 
 " ' Silence, gentlemen,' said the baronet, no way dis- 
 mayed, his voice sounding clear and sonorous above the 
 tumult ; ' the place is surrounded. I have but to raise my 
 voice, and the soldiers enter. Disperse while there is yet 
 time/ 
 
 " The conspirators looked into each other's faces with 
 blank amazement. Some moved towards the door of 
 the chapel, and, returning, told that men wearing the 
 Royal uniform were outside." 
 
 " Is that the star you mean, Enrico ?" asked Isabel, 
 interrupting the tale, as she pointed to the westward ; " it 
 does not set, and seems larger than it was. Can it be on 
 land ?" 
 
 Midnight, the hour fixed for the outbreak, had long 
 passed, and all was as yet quiet on board. The voices 
 of the speakers ceased as both concentrated their gaze 
 on what seemed a red star, for Hughes did not like to 
 wake the sleepers for nothing. 
 
 A form moved at the far end of the raft. It was the 
 man Gough, who raised himself gently on his elbow, 
 listening cautiously. Hearing no noise save the swish of 
 
SAIL HOI 321 
 
 the waves, he pushed one or two of the men who, wrapped 
 in their coats, were fast asleep, and then throwing the 
 covering from him, he rose. The starlight gleamed from 
 the blade of his long knife as he stole his way round the 
 cases which formed the sea wall of the cabin. Step by 
 step he advanced, but just as he rounded them, Hughes 
 rose, his back turned towards the man. 
 
 "I will wake the captain, Isabel. I know not what 
 it is." 
 
 With a loud curse, the ruffian raised his arm, and the 
 blow fell with such force that it precipitated Hughes, who 
 was wholly off his guard, into the sea. 
 
 With a loud shriek, which aroused every one on th e 
 raft, Isabel rushed forward. Seizing her with his iron 
 grasp by the hair, the murderer's knife once more gleamed 
 in the starlight, when a straightforward blow from Morris 
 the carpenter struck him full between the eyes, knocking 
 him overboard ; while shriek after shriek from Isabel rang 
 out on the air. 
 
 The men had now formed, and came on with their 
 knives gleaming in the starlight, and a savage determina- 
 tion on their faces. 
 
 " Lay down your arms, my lads," shouted Weber ; 
 " your plot is known and we are armed." 
 
 For a second the crew seemed disposed to obey the 
 voice whose tones of command had so often rung in their 
 ears. 
 
 " Come on, my lads," shouted a burly sailor ; " follow 
 Jack Smith, and we'll soon have the gold." 
 
 A wild shout rang out, a pistol shot, and the speaker, 
 struck right on the bridge of the nose by a ball from the 
 captain's pistol, gave a fearful scream as he spun round 
 in his intense agony ; dropping the knife, he uttered a 
 
 21 
 
3 2l WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 volley of hideous imprecations, then came an appalling 
 yell, and he fell dead. 
 
 The men were startled, two of their leaders were gone, 
 while opposed to them, and fully armed, stood the cap- 
 tain and his party. 
 
 Isabel lay senseless on the planking of the cabin, and 
 the seamen held a hurried consultation together. 
 
 Meanwhile, in the sea, a fierce struggle had been going 
 on. His left arm pierced by the knife, which had sought 
 his heart, but in the darkness missed its aim, Hughes had 
 risen to the surface after his first plunge, the body of his 
 antagonist Gough falling on him as he did so, both 
 instantly grappling. 
 
 The soldier's arm was powerless, as with a savage shout, 
 and deep guttural oath, Gough pinned his enemy by the 
 throat ; dashing back his head against the rough planking 
 of the raft, while with his clenched fist he dealt him blow 
 after blow. 
 
 Clutching wildly and impotently at his aggressor, 
 Hughes felt his strength failing. Soon his head was below 
 the water again, he struggled to the surface, his senses 
 were rapidly leaving him, and the fierce exulting shout of 
 his enemy rang vaguely in his ears. Down came the 
 sledge-hammer blows on his defenceless head, the man 
 Gough fighting like a fiend, roaring in his fury and biting 
 like a wild beast at his foe, as he once more tore away 
 his victim's hold and pressed his head below the raft. 
 The water gurgled in his ears, the savage shout mixed 
 yith the noise of the waves as he went down, when 
 iuddenly the grip on his throat ceased, his antagonist's 
 eyes rolled wildly ; with a yell of agony, he seemed to 
 leap half his height from out of the wave, and then all 
 around it became reddened with his blood. 
 
SAIL HO! 323 
 
 A violent struggle followed, making the sea boil for a 
 moment, as a monstrous shark disappeared with its prey 
 and the strong arm of the carpenter seizing the drowning 
 man by the collar, drew him from the ocean crimsoned 
 with the blood of his antagonist, and cast him, stunned 
 and senseless, on to the planking of the raft. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 THE RESCUE. 
 
 Isabel, recovered from the state of insensibility into 
 which she had fallen, on seeing all at once the quiet of 
 the night turned into a scene of murder and of bloodshed, 
 had taken refuge in the cabin. She paid no attention to 
 what was going' on around her, but sat on a pile of sails, 
 rocking herself to and fro, and moaning as she did so. 
 Several balls passed through the canvas screen, but she 
 paid no attention to them. She had seen her husband, 
 the last friend left her, stabbed as she believed to the 
 heart, and thrown into the sea. What was the' result of 
 the fight now to her ? and yet, as she saw even in her 
 misery the helpless "body drawn from the ocean, and cast 
 on to the raft, she rose, and threw herself beside it, sob- 
 bing bitterly in her anguish of heart. 
 
 A few minutes' pause had ensued after the fearful death- 
 scream of the mutineer, Smith, had rung forth on the 
 night air, for the seamen consulted together, and the 
 result was soon seen. 
 
 On they came with a fierce shout, but this time, taught 
 by experience, they divided into two parties ; one, attack- 
 ing the captain and his men in front, received their lire 
 and were soon beaten back, losing one of their number, 
 the uncertain light alone saving them. The second, 
 
324 WILD SPORTS IN ZOLU LAND. 
 
 under cover of the diversion, dashed into the cabin, and 
 rifled the arm-chest, which they broke open. 
 
 " Now, my lads, it's our turn," shouted one of the 
 men, as he loaded and fired, hitting the carpenter Morris, 
 who fell uttering a deep groan. 
 
 Three of Captain Weber's small party were hors de 
 combat The carpenter was fast bleeding to death. 
 Hughes was lying senseless on the planking of the raft, 
 while Adams, whose wound had broken out again, was in 
 a helpless condition. The ultimate result of the struggle 
 seemed no longer doubtful. 
 
 " It's but a question of time, Lowe," said the captain. 
 " I've always been kind to the lubbers. Let the 
 scoundrels have the gold — I'll tell them so." 
 
 " Let me go among them, sir." 
 
 " No ; it is my duty, and Andrew Weber is not the 
 man to shirk it." 
 
 Holding up his hand, and putting down the revolver 
 he had in his grasp, he walked quietly towards the end of 
 the raft where the men were gathered together. 
 
 He saw at once what he had not known before, 
 namely, that through some negligence they had got at 
 the cases of spirit, and had been drinking heavily, and 
 he felt all hope was gone. Had they been sober, an 
 appeal to their better sense might have availed — as it 
 was he knew it to be useless; still there was no other 
 chance left. 
 
 " My lads, we've been too long together to be murder- 
 ing each other this way. I've never done you wrong. 
 Tell me what ye want," he said. 
 
 " We want the gold, you old porpoise, and we'll have 
 it ; and we want the raft, and we will have that too," was 
 the reply. 
 
THE RESCUE. 325 
 
 " I don't care about the gold, Phillips," replied the old 
 seaman. " It's all that remains to me, and I had hoped 
 to fit out another craft with it ; but the moan's soon made. 
 Take it." 
 
 " Too late ! Too late, d — n ye !" howled the drunken 
 seaman. " Back to your quarter-deck, or take the con- 
 sequences. I say, aft there, look out for squalls 1" 
 
 "Phillips, do you remember when I took you on 
 board at St. Helena ? You were half starved, and in 
 rags. If I go back, we will fight it out to the last 
 man. All you can get is the gold, and I say ye may 
 have it." 
 
 " Your quarter-deck speeches won't do here, my hearty. 
 Back to your people, I say !" The man's eyes were 
 blazing with drink and fury. 
 
 Captain Weber was turning away. "Phillips," he said, 
 as he did so, " you have a wife and children over yonder 
 — what do you think they will say when they hear of 
 your being hung as a mutineer ?" 
 
 The taunt was too much for him. With a howl of 
 rage, the drunken sailor raised his pistol, and the muzzle 
 was within a foot of the old seaman's head, as he pulled 
 the trigger. Standing tall and erect, with a smile fo 
 withering scorn on his features as the report rang out. 
 Captain Weber seemed for a moment unhurt ; then, with 
 a reel like that of a drunken man, he fell, close to the 
 spot where Hughes lay, Isabel kneeling beside him, 
 The ball had struck him on the temple, and he was dead 
 before he touched the planks, his head hanging over the 
 side, and his long white hair washing to and fro in the 
 sea as the raft rose on the swell. 
 
 Uttering a wild savage shout, the drunken sailor sprang 
 over the corpse, followed by his comrades in crime. The 
 
326 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 rubicon of blood was indeed past. Another instant, and 
 the scanty band, now greatly reduced in numbers, would 
 be swept from the raft. The shouts and execrations of 
 the seamen, maddened as they were with fiery spirit, rang 
 over the calm, quiet sea, as, swinging his clubbed musket 
 round his head, Mr. Lowe, now the senior officer present, 
 met the mutineers half way. Phillips, with a deep oath, 
 again fired, as the mate struck the ruffian with all the 
 power rage could give to a muscular arm, knocking him 
 off the raft with the force of the blow, Once more the 
 swish of the water was heard, as the sea around boiled 
 into foam. The senseless body was tossed to and fro 
 like a cork, half a dozen huge fins appearing above the 
 water. Suddenly it was drawn down, reappeared, and 
 then the wave was red with blood, as the sharks tore 
 their prey piecemeal. 
 
 " Come on, ye ruffians, and meet your doom !" yelled 
 the triumphant mate ; but hardly had the words passed 
 his lips when a dull heavy report came booming over the 
 ocean. 
 
 A deep dead silence ensued, then a wild cheer burst 
 from the mate's breast. 
 
 " Hurrah !" he shouted. " We are saved, my lads, — 
 saved at last !" as he drew back from his exposed situa- 
 tion, and joined the rest. 
 
 A distant flash was now seen, and then once more the 
 boom of the gun came over the ocean, this time replied 
 to by the successive reports of the guns and pistols of 
 the mate's little party, fired one after another into the 
 air, sending each a spurt of flame into the darkness of 
 the night, while far away a small fiery star rose and fell 
 to the motion of the waves, the same which had so 
 engaged Hughes' attention at the moment he received 
 
THE RESCUE. 327 
 
 the treacherous blow from the mutineer Gough. It was 
 a whaler's light. 
 
 The men, now frightened and partially sobered, at- 
 tempted no further violence. They seemed thoroughly 
 cowed, saying not a word, even when the mate walked 
 unarmed among them, and commenced throwing over- 
 board deliberately, one after another, bottle after bottle 
 of the fiery spirit they had stolen, and which had caused 
 all the mischief. Without it, the pernicious counsels of 
 the man Gough, and his almost as black-hearted ally, 
 Phillips, had never been listened to. 
 
 "I say, Mr. Lowe, you'll let us poor beggars down 
 
 mild, won't you ? It was that d d rum did it all," said 
 
 one of the now humbled seamen. 
 
 The mate spoke never a word, but pointed silently to 
 the body of the captain, as it lay on the planking, the 
 long white hair moving in the wash of the sea, and the 
 blood slowly welling from the shattered forehead. It was 
 a ghastly sight, as the faint starlight revealed it to the 
 sobered crew. 
 
 " It was that lubber Gough," muttered the man ; 
 " Phillips and he have gone to Davy Jones. I say, Mr. 
 Lowe, you'll log it down to them, not to us ; we were all 
 three sheets in the wind." 
 
 " It's not for me to decide," replied the mate ; " you'll 
 all have justice, and that looks to me like a rope rove 
 through a block at the fore-yard-arm. What had he done 
 
 to you that he should lie there, you d d mutinous 
 
 scoundrels ?" 
 
 <I say, my lads," replied the still half-drunken man, 
 " what's the use of this kind of thing ? If as how we 
 are to blame for the skipper's death, when we was as 
 drunk as lords — if so be as we are to be yard-armed for 
 
328 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 what Gough and Phillips did, why, let's go overboard, 
 says I." 
 
 " I say, Mr. Lowe," humbly interposed another and 
 more sober man, " we had nothing to do with this here 
 matter. Them two bloody-minded villains promised us 
 rum and gold. We deserve all we'll get, but you'll not 
 be down on us too hard, will ye ?" 
 
 " No, I'll not," replied the officer. " Collect the arms. 
 Forest, and return them to the chest." 
 
 " Ay, ay, sir," answered the man, obeying at once. 
 
 Every half-hour a gun from the whaler boomed over 
 the sea, telling of her presence ; but it was evident that, 
 not understanding the firing, her crew thought it safer to 
 wait for daylight. 
 
 Isabel seemed stupified with grief. Her senses were 
 stunned by this last crowning misfortune. The mis- 
 sionary had now joined her, and by the feeble light had 
 soon found that life was not quite extinct in his friend's 
 battered frame. 
 
 With the help of two of the mutineers, Hughes had 
 been carried into the cabin, and laid on the spare sails, 
 some weak brandy-and-water had been given him, and 
 the blood washed from the pale face and matted hair. 
 
 " It comes too late," muttered Isabel, as she bent over 
 her husband's body, " It comes too late. What to me is 
 yonder ship ? Father and husband, father and husband 
 gone !" she moaned. 
 
 " Hush !" said the missionary, as he sponged away the 
 blood with a handkerchief j " hush ! he is not dead, only 
 half drowned, and stunned." 
 
 The sailor Gough had, in his drunken fury, beaten his 
 antagonist's head against the jagged ends of the spars. 
 The yielding water had softened the shock ; but as the 
 
THE RESCUE. 329 
 
 two leaned over him, and the grey dawn stole across the 
 ocean, his head presented a terrible spectacle. They 
 poured more spirit and water down his throat, and gra- 
 dually the colour came back to his face. He opened his 
 eyes, looking wildly around, and as he did so the light of 
 returning consciousness came back to them. 
 
 At this moment the boom of the whaler's forecastle 
 gun was again heard, as her men, who had in the dark- 
 ness of the night seen only the flash of the pistols, now 
 caught sight of the raft, her head yards being at once 
 braced round, and her bows brought as near the wind as 
 possible. The sound struck the injured man's ear. 
 
 " It is help, it is safety," whispered Isabel. " Enrico, 
 it is a ship." 
 
 The soldier's eyes closed, his lips moved, and the blood 
 mounted slowly to his cheeks. " My Isabel, my beloved !" 
 he murmured. A flood of tears poured from her eyes 
 as she threw herself into his arms ; and the missionary left 
 the cabin, drawing down the sail as he did so over the 
 opening. 
 
 The raft did not show such proofs of the deadly fight 
 which had taken place on board of her as might have 
 been imagined. The dead body of the old captain was 
 carefully placed amidships, near his boxes of gold-dust ; 
 that of the carpenter, Morris, beside it, for he too was 
 dead. Adams, whose splinter wound had broken out once 
 more with the excitement of the fray, was looked to. The 
 mutineers who had fallen had been disposed of by the 
 sharks, whose large fins could yet be seen from time to 
 time, as they moved slowly round and round the raft, 
 seeking for more prey. 
 
 " We might have knowed what 'ud come on it, 5 ' said 
 one of the now humble seamen, as he dashed a bucket of 
 
33o WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 water over a large red patch of blood ; " I never seed 
 them chaps, but I knowed as Davy Jones a-wanted some 
 on us." 
 
 And so the morning dawned over the ocean, and the 
 diminished crew on board the raft ; the wind still light 
 from the westward, and the sail yet dragging her almost 
 imperceptibly through the water. Slowly the first streaks 
 of light spread over the waste of ocean, as the haggard, 
 worn-out men, pale from excitement and from the effects 
 of drink, looked out eagerly for the ship, which they knew 
 was near them. 
 
 " There she is, right to leeward," said one of the sea- 
 men; and as the light every moment became more 
 intense, there she lay sure enough. 
 
 " A full-rigged ship hove to under two topsails, fore- 
 topmast-stay sail, and driver," said Mr. Lowe. 
 
 "Look, she sees us, 5 ' cried Wyzinski, as the main- 
 topsail yard was rounded in, the sail filled, and the ship 
 gathered way — the Union Jack being run up to the gaff, 
 and a white puff of smoke from her bows preceding the 
 thud of the gun. 
 
 The studding-sail was gently raised, and Hughes, lean- 
 ing on Isabel's arm, joined the group. A few buckets of 
 cold sea water had done wonders for him, though his 
 head was still swollen and contused, and as he sat down 
 on the spot where his tale had been so terribly broken 
 off, the sun's higher limb emerged from the waste of 
 waters to the eastward, and tipped the waves of the 
 Indian Ocean with its rays. 
 
 " There is hope dawning on us at last, Isabel," said he, 
 pointing first to the rising sun, then to the white canvas 
 of the ship, as the first beams shone on it. 
 
 "There goes her foresail and mainsail. By Jove !" 
 
THE RESCUE. 33* 
 
 exclaimed Mr. Lowe, " she must be strong-handed, for 
 there's away aloft." 
 
 Sail after sail was shown on board the ship until she 
 was standing on close hauled, with everything set to her 
 royals. 
 
 " There's down with the helm !" muttered one of the 
 men, as the ship's bows came sweeping up to the wind, 
 her canvas shivering, then filling once more as her yards 
 swung round, and she stood on the other tack. 
 
 11 Ay, ay," replied the man Forest, " she'll work dead 
 to windward, and then bear down on us. Why the devil 
 didn't she find herself here away yesterday ?" 
 
 " What a store of memories the last few weeks have 
 given us, Enrico," remarked Isabel, as she tore a strip of 
 canvas to make a sling for the wounded arm, which was 
 becoming painful. 
 
 "So it ever is with our lives," answered Hughes, as 
 the arm was made as comfortable as possible. "Shadowy 
 memories of sunshine and storm, ever driving over the 
 mirror in which we see the past ; but the future, dearest," 
 and he pointed towards the pyramid of white canvas 
 " the future will be our own." 
 
 " May God grant it, for we have been cruelly tried," 
 answered Isabel. 
 
 Slipping slowly through the water, the whaler did 
 exactly as the man Forest predicted. 
 
 She was a dull sailer, and the time seemed long and 
 weary to those who watched her on board the raft with 
 intense anxiety. So precarious had been their late posi- 
 tion, so changeable the events of their life, that they 
 could not believe in safety until they should actually feel 
 its existence. 
 
 The whaler was now dead to windward, and the raft 
 
332 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 still going slowly through the water before the breeze. 
 The two bodies, namely, those of Captain Weber and the 
 carpenter Morris, lay side by side amidships. 
 
 " Take the sail off her, my lads," said the mate, and 
 he was obeyed with ready alacrity, the canvas being 
 stripped from the stump of a mast, and thrown over the 
 two corpses. 
 
 Paying round, the whaler wore, and slowly handing 
 her loftier canvas, her huge hull came rolling along, head- 
 ing straight for the raft, her crew shortening sail as they 
 came on. 
 
 Slowly she neared it, and a score or more of men 
 might be seen clustering in her rigging, or gazing over 
 her bulwarks at the strange sight presented by the spars 
 drifting along on the waves of the ocean. 
 
 " Raft ahoy I" shouted a man, who was holding on in 
 the mizzen rigging of the ship, " what raft is that ?" 
 
 " The wreck of the brig ' Halcyon,' lost in the late gale/' 
 replied the mate, using his two hands as a trumpet. 
 
 " What was the meaning of the firing V again shouted 
 Captain Hawkins, master of the whaler the " Dolphin," 
 still misdoubting, for in those days pirates were not 
 unknown off the coast of Madagascar. 
 
 " Mutiny and murder," returned the mate, at the top 
 of his voice, for all reply. 
 
 " Avast, there ! Mr. Lowe," grumbled Forest. " Re- 
 member what ye promised us, sir." 
 
 " I'll heave-to and send a boat," was the shout that 
 came across the waters, and the next moment the neces- 
 sary orders were given, and so close were the ship and 
 raft, that the words of command were heard distinctly on 
 board the latter, as the " Dolphin " came to the wind, 
 and under her two topsails, jib, and spanker, lay hove-to. 
 
THE RESCUE. 333 
 
 A boat was lowered, and half-an-hour later the mate of 
 the " Halcyon " was telling his sad tale in the cabin of 
 the " Dolphin." Her late crew were in irons forward, 
 her passengers cared for, the ship working her way for 
 Port Natal, and the deserted raft, stripped to the spars 
 themselves, floating miles astern. 
 
 The evil time at last seemed to have ended, for that 
 afternoon the westerly breeze died away, and the " Dol- 
 phin," with a fair wind, lay her course, dropping her an- 
 chor in the almost landlocked harbour, without an acci- 
 dent, landing her passengers and prisoners, and sailing 
 again on her whaling voyage. 
 
 Six weeks had elapsed since her departure. The Bishop 
 of Cape Town, who had chanced to be at Durban at the 
 time, had, at the missionary's request, again performed the 
 marriage ceremony, which had so hastily been solemnized 
 on board the sinking brig. The remains of the tough 
 British seaman, Captain Weber, had been buried with all 
 honour in the cemetery of the town, and the same slab 
 covered him, his carpenter Morris, and old Adams. Mr. 
 Lowe, in charge of the gold dust, had left for England, as 
 second officer of the barque " The flying Fish," which 
 had put into Port Natal disabled by the gale which had 
 so ill-treated the unfortunate " Halcyon." 
 
 One afternoon, about six weeks after the sailing of the 
 " Dolphin," a small party of three stood on the beach at 
 Port Natal. 
 
 A large steamer, with the blue Peter flying at the fore, 
 the Union Jack at her mizen peak, and a cloud of dense 
 black smoke rising from her funnel, could be seen off the 
 bar, while a boat, manned by four powerful men, rose and 
 fell on the rollers close by the beach. 
 
 " Even at this last moment, Wyzinski, it is not too 
 
334 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 late. There are plenty of empty berths on board the 
 1 Saxon.'" 
 
 Hughes seemed greatly moved, and the missionary's 
 usually impassive face showed signs of deep emotion, 
 which, it was evident, he suppressed with difficulty. 
 
 " No, old friend. No, it must not be," he replied, his 
 thin lips quivering as he spoke. " The work we have 
 begun together, I will finish if I live. The ' Ruined Cities 
 of Zulu Land' exist, and the dangers we have gone through 
 have but opened out the way. Noti's life lost on the banks 
 of the Golden River, Luji's sacrificed to save ours on the 
 plains of Manica, must not have been given in vain." 
 
 A deep silence ensued as Isabel, leaning on her hus- 
 band's arm, looked pensively over the sea. The sound 
 ot the steam-whistle was heard, warning the loiterers on 
 the beach that their time was short. 
 
 u I go from this to depose on oath as to our discoveries," 
 continued the enthusiastic speaker. " I am sure of a 
 welcome at Chantilly, and that shall be my starting 
 point." 
 
 " Well, well," returned Hughes, sorrowfully, " you won't 
 forget the presents for Masheesh. How he wanted to 
 come with us, poor fellow." 
 
 " There goes a gun from the ' Saxon,' sir," said the cox- 
 swain in charge of the boat, as the report of a light piece 
 came to their ears, and a wisp of white smoke rose curling 
 over the point. 
 
 " Good-bye, Wyzinski, good-bye," said Hughes, as he 
 grasped the other's hand. " May God bless you ! And 
 remember, while we have a home it's yours. You must 
 eventually tire of your wanderings." 
 
 " Shall I ?" returned the other, as a slight smile curled 
 his lip, though the unbidden tears were standing in his 
 
THE RESCUE. 335 
 
 eyes, kept back only by his iron will. " Mark my words : 
 you will tire first of a life of inaction." . And the missionary 
 touched Isabel's cheek with his lips as he handed her into 
 the boat. 
 
 One more grasp of the hand as the two men stood look- 
 ing into each other's eyes ; one more deep " good-bye !" 
 and Hughes sat by her side. 
 
 "Give way, my lads ! give way, with a will !" exclaimed 
 the coxswain, as the sound of a second gun came booming 
 over the point. 
 
 " You will tire of the water-melons, Hughes," shouted 
 the missionary, as the boat shot away from land, " and 
 when you do so, think of the Ruined Cities of Zulu Land, 
 and your old comrade working alone." 
 
 A wave of the hand came back for all reply, as Hughes 
 passed his arm round Isabel. 
 
 With the calm serenity which so characterised the man, 
 the missionary turned, and, instead of remaining to watch 
 the boat, walked firmly though slowly away, never once 
 faltering. The tears were still standing in his eyes, but no 
 one marked them, as he moved with his firm springy step 
 through the busy streets of Durban'. The smoke of the 
 mail steamer " Saxon" was yet to be seen, a black inky 
 spot on the horizon, as he took his way from the town, 
 bound for the banks of the Nonoti. He reached Chan- 
 tilly in safety, and passed on thence, after a short halt, to 
 the station at Santa Lucia Eay, there to organize a party 
 destined to win once more from the forest growth the 
 Ruined Cities of Zulu Land. 
 
336 WILD SPORTS IN ZUL U LAND. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 THE MASSACRES OF CAWNPORE. 
 
 Any one who has been at the Cape, will remember the 
 lofty height of the Lion's Mountain, looking over the bay. 
 It presents a striking object as the ship stands in, and the 
 Table Mountain, without its fleecy covering, rises with its 
 flattened summit cut clearly against the line of blue sky. 
 Without has been purposely written ; for if the fog hangs 
 heavily on its top, or, in the words of the sailor, if the 
 table-cloth be spread, then a blow is quite certain, and 
 the very best thing to be done by the passenger is to 
 leave the ship to pitch and roll at her anchors until the 
 gale blows itself out, or, better still, to charter a horse, as 
 the Jack Tars have it, for a ride to Wynebergh, where 
 the vineyards lie, producing the famed Constantia grape. 
 
 Winding along by the sea-side, and giving the most 
 delicious little peeps over the ocean, the road to Wyne- 
 bergh is exquisitely beautiful. Many take it for the 
 romantic loveliness of its land and ocean views ; others, 
 because their business leads them in that direction ; and 
 not a few, because of the little road-side public-house, 
 which lies about half way, and where the click of the 
 billiard balls never seems to cease night or day. 
 
 Long before the traveller comes to that hotel, he will 
 pass on his left hand a small house, embowered in trees, 
 standing in its own grounds, sweeping down nearly to the 
 sea. It is a pretty spot, with its white facade, its green 
 shutters, and broad verandah, the woodwork nearly hid- 
 den by the clustering creepers and vines. 
 
 Bright flowers and green plots of grass, carefully 
 mowed and watered, speak of European taste; and, in 
 
THE MASSACRES OF CAWNPORE. 337 
 
 point of fact, the lovely little spot on the Wynebergh 
 road belonged to an English merchant, Mr. Chichester, 
 who, being absent, was glad to let it. 
 
 It was a fine August day of the year 1857. The 
 sun was shining brightly, and the breeze came from 
 the sea. A fountain of water was playing in the sun- 
 light, and the birds were singing; while the splash of 
 the waves, as they broke on the beach, could be distinctly 
 heard. 
 
 " Are you tired of our quiet life at the Cape, Enrico ?" 
 asked Isabel, who, seated on a rustic bench, was busy 
 with some embroidery, Hughes lying on the grass at her 
 feet, an open book near. 
 
 " Well, no," answered he, yawning ; " but I don't see 
 why we should wait the reply to all that mass of papers 
 sent to Portugal." 
 
 " I don't speak English well enough yet," said Isabel, 
 laughing; but this was not exactly true, for she was 
 using that tongue, and that her three months' residence 
 at the Cape had not been lost in this particular, was fully 
 evident. 
 
 " We had trouble enough with that box of papers." 
 said Hughes, musing; "and as your interests are con- 
 cerned, and your succession to your father's property 
 at stake, I suppose we must submit." 
 
 "Submit," replied Isabel, brightly; "it's no very hard 
 task, methinks. Suppose you tell me the rest of the tale 
 you left unfinished that fearful night on the raft ; or shall 
 we ride to Wynebergh ?" 
 
 " Not the ride, certainly ; I'm not equal to the exer- 
 tion," replied the soldier. 
 
 Isabel laughed heartily ; and, as the bright silvery tone 
 rang out, Hughes, for the life of him, could not help 
 
 22 
 
338 WILD SPORTS IN ZUL U LAND. 
 
 joining, though the missionary's parting words came back 
 to him. 
 
 " You will tire of the water-melons, Hughes, and when 
 you do so, think of the ' Ruined Cities of Zulu Land/ 
 and your old comrade working alone." 
 
 The words had proved prophetic. Accustomed to a 
 life of activity and exercise, his present existence seemed 
 monotonous, do what he could to think otherwise. The 
 pleasant life had no object. 
 
 " Well, then, finish me the tale, Enrico mio, and this 
 time you may talk as much as you choose of birds and 
 trees." 
 
 " I don't exactly remember where I left off, Isabel," 
 replied Hughes, once more yawning heavily. " A stab 
 in the arm, and to find oneself suddenly knocked into an 
 ocean peopled with sharks, in the middle of a quiet tale, 
 does not conduce to the general comfort of the historian; 
 however, I'll try. Lend me that cushion." 
 
 Placing his elbow on it, and looking up into the beau- 
 tiful face bent over the embroidery, Hughes remained 
 silent. Truth to say, as he watched the long black silken 
 lashes, and traced the blue veins under the clear olive skin, 
 he began to think himself the most dissatisfied of mortals. 
 
 "Well, Enrico, — and my tale?" asked Isabel, looking 
 up. 
 
 " Let me see. The little chapel of Penrhyn was filled 
 with the conspirators, and Father Guy had just made bis 
 appeal to them, pointing out Sir Roger Mostyn as their 
 first victim. Mine is a true tale, and it happened there 
 what always happens. They melted away like snow 
 before the sun, as the trembling notes of a trumpet were 
 heard outside the house — chapel and outbuildings being 
 surrounded by the royal troops. 
 
THE MASSACRES OF CAWNPORE. 339 
 
 " Sir Roger had no wish to make prisoners, his only 
 desire was to break up the plot ; so in the confusion all 
 made their escape except one, and that was my ancestor, 
 the master of Penrhyn, who scorned to fly. 
 
 " Even the old priest was hustled away, still vomiting 
 excommunications and threats. The chapel was dis- 
 mantled, and the master of Penrhyn so heavily fined, that 
 one by one his broad lands melted away, and were lost 
 by his attachment to the Catholic faith." 
 
 "And Lucy?" asked Isabel; "your tale is worth 
 nothing without her." 
 
 " Oh, Lucy was our saviour. She married the young 
 heir of Penrhyn, inherited the estates of Coetmore, and 
 they passed to us." 
 
 "And the old priest— what was Father Guy's fate, 
 Enrico ? Do you know ?" 
 
 " Indeed, yes. His was a curious one. The country I 
 speak of is now a populous neighbourhood. A large 
 watering place has sprung up there, and the white houses 
 and terraces of Llandudno replace the fishermen's huts 
 of St. Tudno's time ; but few who go there now either 
 know of or care for the curious deeds of the past. 
 
 * The ' Wyvern,' the cutter which had brought the 
 Irish Catholics from the Isle of Man, still lay in the bay 
 under the shelter of the little Orme, waiting, it was said, 
 for Father Guy. 
 
 " People talked of this over the fire at night. Some 
 laughed at the tale, but others of the older men remem- 
 bered to have heard of a cave in the flanks of the moun- 
 tain, long the abode of the foxes. 
 
 " They searched, and found a narrow, dangerous path, 
 which yet exists. There the priest was found half starved, 
 and fast asleep. 
 
S4o WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 "The news spread, the fanatic population was soon 
 roused. The country people flocked from far and near. 
 
 " ' Let the idolater see his chapel/ they roared, as the 
 emaciated, care-worn man was dragged into the centre of 
 the green field, stretching before the house of Penrhyn 
 to the sea. The aged priest was weak with hunger, and 
 worn with suffering. Before him seethed a rude mob of 
 infuriated peasants, and death was certain. This moved 
 him not, but the chapel, despoiled, ruined, and half 
 burned, caused the tears to roll down his thin cheeks. 
 
 " * Ha !' shouted a thickset peasant, 'ye doomed us all 
 to death, let us see how ye meet your own ;' and he hurled 
 a sharp stone at the feeble old man. 
 
 " ' I condemned ye not, children of darkness,' said the 
 priest, wiping away the blood from his eyes, and raising 
 his tall, fine figure tt> its utmost height, his grey hair 
 streaming on the wind. ' I would have saved ye from 
 the evil one, whose prey ye are. Ye cannot harm me/ 
 and a smile of withering scorn settled down upon his 
 lips. 
 
 " From the skirts of the crowd to its centre, the whole 
 became one seething, boiling mass. Knives gleamed in 
 the sunshine. One moment Father Guy stood there, firm 
 and erect, a smile of quiet scorn on his lips, and the fresh 
 breeze from the sea playing through his scanty grey hair 
 and over his shaven crown ; the next his body was whirl- 
 ing above men's heads, it was pulled to and fro, torn here 
 and there, until at length it was rived, piecemeal, by the 
 infuriated crowd, and the Roman Catholic faith died out 
 with the House of Penrhyn in Creuddyn." 
 
 The tale was told, the speaker ceased, and for a mo- 
 ment all was silence, for the story had been a melancholy 
 one. 
 
THE MASS A CRES OF CA WNPORE. 341 
 
 The sharp angry bark of a dog was heard, then a step 
 crushing the gravel as some one advanced. 
 
 " The postman, Isabel," exclaimed Hughes, springing 
 to his feet with renewed energy ; " now for news !" 
 
 But there was only a paper and one letter, and both 
 bore the Calcutta postmark. 
 
 " I know not a soul in the Presidency," said Hughes, 
 as he turned the letter, which was a very bulky one, list- 
 lessly in his hand. " I dare say it will keep." 
 
 " Well, if you find it so fatiguing to read your own 
 letters, at least read me the paper." 
 
 The soldier tore the band and flung it from him, shaking 
 out the sheet, and then threw himself on the ground in the 
 same indolent attitude. 
 
 " What news will interest you, Isabel ?" he asked ; but 
 before the reply could be given, his eye fell on the column 
 headed "Latest Intelligence," and all traces of apathy 
 disappeared as if by magic, the words " Massacre at 
 Cawnpore," "Atrocities committed by Nana Sahib," 
 meeting his eye. 
 
 " Why, what is the. matter, Enrico ?" asked Isabel, lay- 
 ing down her work in alarm, for his" eyes literally blazed 
 with fury, as he snatched up the despised letter, and tore 
 it open, reading therein the details of the terrible massacre 
 of Cawnpore. 
 
 " And where is Cawnpore ?" asked Isabel. 
 
 It is a large station on the right bank of the Ganges, 
 where a European force is generally quartered, and in 
 whose neighbourhood a large number of my countrymen 
 live. The native troops have revolted, murdered their 
 English officers, while the trusted friend of the British, 
 Nana Sahib, has seized the treasury, joined the rebels, 
 and the revolt spreading, India has thrown off our rule, 
 
342 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 while the handful of English are being murdered piece* 
 meal." 
 
 " Surely, you mean killed in open warfare, Enrico ? In 
 our days people are not murdered wholesale," said 
 Isabel, opening her eyes widely with horror and astonish- 
 ment. 
 
 " Listen to my letter, Isabel. It is from an old friend 
 and officer of my own regiment, and after telling me that 
 the corps has been ordered to join Sir Henry Havelock's 
 force, it says : — 
 
 " ' The proceedings at Cawnpore are a blot on humanity. 
 The women, children, and sick were placed in barracks, 
 which it was thought the enemy would respect. Their 
 guns thundered night and day on Wheeler's entrench- 
 ments,, held only by a handful of men against the rebel 
 army; but, not content with this, they threw carcasses 
 filled with powder on to the thatched roof which they 
 knew covered the defenceless women, burned it and them, 
 shouting and laughing when they saw the flames.' " 
 " How horrible !" ejaculated Isabel. 
 
 " Ay : but this is not all," continued Hughes, reading 
 on. " ' Without water, without provisions, the cruel Nana 
 offered terms, offered life and liberty. They were accep- 
 ted, and then, in detail, the soldiers having laid down 
 their arms, were murdered.' " 
 
 Hughes put down the letter, and a sorrowful silence 
 ensued. He was thinking of his late months of idleness, 
 while such events had been passing around him, and think- 
 ing of them, too, with regret. 
 
 Isabel was meditating also, but her thoughts were 
 turned on the future, and on her husband's duty. 
 
 Hughes again took up the letter. " ' They who met 
 death,' " he continued reading, " * were happy ; but the 
 
THE MASSACRES OF CAWNPORE. 343 
 
 prisoners suffered far worse. General Havelock, to join 
 whom we are marching up-country, has beaten the rebels 
 everywhere in detail, and as the news of his victories 
 reached Cawnpore, the European prisoners were led out 
 in small batches, the men were murdered, with every re- 
 finement of cruelty possible ; the children were killed, 
 their brains dashed out before their parents' eyes, while 
 wives and daughters were given up to the savage lust of 
 the sepoys, only to meet death at a later period.' " 
 
 Isabel started from her seat, her eyes were bright as 
 she walked to and fro, and she pushed her hair back 
 from her forehead With both hands as she spoke. 
 
 " Have you done, Enrico ?" she asked, her breath 
 seeming to come fast and thick. 
 
 " All, except smaller matters of personal detail," he 
 replied. 
 
 " Read on to the last letter," she said ; and he obeyed. 
 
 " ' You are promoted to a Majority, as you will see by 
 the enclosed Gazette. Colonel Desmond obtained leave, 
 and started for England a few days before the explosion 
 of the mutiny. Lieut-Colonel Sedley.is sick, and will 
 be sent down to Calcutta, his old wound having broken 
 out. Could you not ' " 
 
 And Hughes paused, looking sadly at Isabel. 
 
 The latter stopped in her walk, bent down, and took 
 up the letter which had fallen to the ground. 
 
 " Do you think so meanly of me ? Do you believe 
 me to be so unworthy of you ?" she said, turning her 
 eyes full upon him, and placing the document once 
 more in his hands. " Read on, Enrico." 
 
 "' Could you not join at once on receip. of this? 
 Don't bring the Kaffir bride, we have impediments 
 enough already. You will have command of the old 
 
344 
 
 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 regiment, and we will gloriously revenge on these foul 
 murderers the butchery of our women and children. 
 Don't hesitate an hour when this reaches you. 
 " ' Ever sincerely yours, 
 
 " ' Frederick Curtis.' " 
 
 " Always the same/' exclaimed Hughes. " He would 
 have the command and sure promotion, but he thinks of 
 me rather than himself." 
 
 "And you will not hesitate a minute — no, not a 
 second," cried Isabel, the hot blood rushing to her face. 
 
 " Isabel !" said the soldier, in a voice which, despite 
 all he could do, trembled. 
 
 "You will avenge the savage butchery. Shall I, a 
 daughter of sunny Portugal, in whose veins flows the 
 proud blood of Castile, bid you stay ?" 
 
 He held her out at arm's length, he gazed into her eyes, 
 flashing with pride and indignation. 
 
 " Go, Enrico. The steamer leaves to-morrow at day- 
 break. Go : and come back to me covered with glory, 
 as you will come." 
 
 " And if I return no more, Isabel ?" 
 
 "Still go, Enrico; and lead your regiment in the 
 thickest of the fray. Tell them they fight for their wives 
 and children ; and when the murders are avenged, when 
 what remains of the helpless prisoners are safe, when 
 the flag of your country waves victorious in the land, 
 come back to me, or,"— and for the first time the flushed 
 countenance paled and the voice trembled — "or," she 
 continued, "Enrico mio, I will come to you;" and, 
 bursting into tears, her beautiful head sunk on the 
 soldier's breast, as he clasped her fervently in his arms, 
 
THE RELIEF OF CA WNPORE. 345 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 THE RELIEF OF CAWNPORE. 
 
 The news of the fearful outbreak in India had taken the 
 English by surprise. The dreadful atrocities of Cawn- 
 pore, the massacres perpetrated by Nana Sahib, who had 
 ever been looked upon as the Englishman's friend, had 
 carried a sense of woe and desolation to the heart of the 
 land, but the first numbing sense of sorrow had passed, 
 and many a gallant fellow was on his way to India to 
 wipe out the stain, which the revolt of her Sepoy army 
 had cast upon the time-honoured banner of England. 
 
 " Lucknow has fallen !" were the words which met 
 Major Hughes as he hurried on to the front one bright 
 November morning in the memorable year of 1857. 
 Then came reports of the demise of Sir John Lawrence, 
 and at last, when within a few hours' march of the plaCe 
 itself, a rumour soon changed into a certainty, spread far 
 and wide, announcing the death of the gallant Havelock. 
 For a time the horizon of the Indian world seemed again 
 clouded over by an event which was wholly unexpected. 
 Lucknow had fallen before a small force, whose deter- 
 mined gallantry had carried all before it, but the man 
 whose masterly brain had planned, and whose daring 
 gallantry had carried out the advance through a country 
 literally swarming with enemies, the soldier under whose 
 direct superintendence the Secunderabagh had been 
 stormed, and who had spared neither health, constitution, 
 nor blood in the cause of his country, had consummated 
 the sacrifice with his life. The gallant Havelock was no 
 more. His body lay in a small grave in the Alumbagh. 
 
346 WILD SPORTS IN ZUL U LAND. 
 
 The flag of England was thrown over him in his death, 
 and his country, though mourning her loss, found another, 
 second perhaps to none, to step into the gap. 
 
 "You will take the command of your regiment this 
 day, Major Hughes," said Sir Colin Campbell, as that 
 officer reported himself on the morning of the 26th Nov- 
 ember, 1857. "You will find the 150th attached to 
 General Outram's brigade, holding the Bunnee Bridge. 
 Report yourself at once, and take your command," he 
 continued, rising as he spoke. 
 
 This order was given in the sharp tones of one who 
 had not a moment to lose; and Hughes, saluting his 
 superior, turned to carry it out, without a word. 
 
 The general's tent was pitched in the Dil Kooshah 
 Park, and the scene through which he picked his way 
 was enough to confuse anyone. Regiment after regi- 
 ment passed him. Infantry, cavalry, and artillery, all 
 moving in one direction towards the Alumbagh, and it 
 became evident that some great movement was going 
 on. Ladies were to be seen wandering hopelessly 
 about with children poorly provided for, only lately 
 rescued from imminent peril. Guns lay here and there, 
 which not being worth taking away, had been burst. 
 Camp followers were shouting and quarrelling, and a 
 scene of more inextricable confusion could hardly be 
 imagined. Moving along with the crowd, Major Hughes 
 found his way to the Martiniere, where lay Brigadier Little 
 and a cavalry brigade. On the banks of the canal the 53rd 
 Regiment and the 4th Sikh infantry were bivouacked, 
 and soon he stumbled on the lines of the 93rd High- 
 landers, and of Captain Peel's gallant Naval Brigade. 
 The heavy dome of the Shah Nejeef mosque lay before 
 him, its walls pierced for musketry, and breached by the 
 
THE RELIEF OF CA WNPORE. 347 
 
 fire of the British guns ; and there stood the Secundera- 
 bagh itself, with its yawning breaches and shattered walls. 
 The gardens of the doomed city had been destroyed, the 
 mosques, houses, even to the European mess-house, had 
 been in detail carried by storm. In one spot alone, the 
 bodies of three thousand mutineers had been found, 
 every corpse showing that death had been caused by the 
 deadly bayonet. Major Hughes had proceeded thus far, 
 and was just asking his way from a captain of the Royal 
 Artillery, when down a roughly cut road, his horse white 
 with foam, came an officer of the 9th Lancers. 
 
 Pulling up with a sharp jerk, which brought the tired 
 animal on his haunches, and sent the light gravel flying 
 in the air, — 
 
 "You are Major Hughes, commanding the 150th?" 
 he asked. 
 
 "lam; on my way to report myself as having joined." 
 
 " You will find the chief in the Martiniere compound. 
 Officers commanding brigades and regiments are directed 
 to join him there. Evil tidings have arrived." 
 
 Touching his horse with the spur the officer dashed on. 
 
 " Who is that ?" inquired Hughes from his companion ; 
 " I saw him with Sir Colin." 
 
 " Captain Ogilvie, of the 9th Lancers, aide-de-camp to 
 Sir Colin Campbell," was the reply ; " and I'd advise you 
 to be jogging. He himself must be yonder where you 
 see the group of men." 
 
 Retracing his steps, Major Hughes soon stood in the 
 Martiniere compound. A group of officers of all arms 
 surrounded Sir Colin. Colonel Hay, 93rd Regiment, 
 was speaking as Hughes strode up, and just outside the 
 group an officer dismounted, but holding his horse by 
 the bridle, stood listening. The poor fellow's uniform 
 
348 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 was torn and dirty, the horse, whose colour had once 
 been grey, was now of a blue black with sweat and foam, 
 his head was hanging down, and it was evident that 
 steed and rider were dropping with fatigue, 
 
 A twisted scrap of paper was between Sir Colin's 
 fingers, his brows were knit, and the forage-cap he wore 
 was pushed from his forehead. 
 
 " Bad news from Cawnpore," whispered an officer of 
 Hussars, as Major Hughes joined the group. 
 
 " What has gone wrong ?" asked the latter. 
 
 " The Gwalior Contingent have attacked the city, and 
 poor Edwardes yonder has managed to get through their 
 lines, the bearer of urgent requests for help." 
 
 " Silence, gentlemen," said Sir Colin. " There is not 
 an hour to be lost. The troops will break ground imme- 
 diately, falling back from their position of Dil Kooshah 
 and the Martiniere. Commanding officers of corps will 
 at once make their preparations, and will move at day- 
 break, taking up their several positions on the plain 
 below the city, exactly where each corps bivouacked 
 before the attack. Good morning, gentlemen. Captain 
 Gough, send the Quartermaster-General to me. Major 
 Hughes, give this to General Outram," he continued, 
 handing him a note. The little crowd of officers melted 
 away, and borrowing a horse from a captain of Lancers, 
 Major Hughes rode through the confusion, towards the 
 Bunnee camp, the position occupied by General Outram. 
 
 It was past midnight when he reached the lines, and 
 was challenged by the outlying pickets; yet he found the 
 General awake and watchful ; for every now and then a 
 heavy prolonged thud shook the air, telling of the firing 
 of great guns ; and though Cawnpore was forty miles 
 away, yet every man of the little army knew that the 
 
THE RELtEF OF CA WNPORE. 349 
 
 Gwalior mutineers, with a force far exceeding any which 
 Sir Colin Campbell could bring against them, were press- 
 ing hard upon the handful of men who garrisoned the 
 entrenchments. 
 
 Major Hughes delivered his letter. It contained an 
 enclosure from Brigadier Carthew, telling a sad tale. 
 One after another the different outposts had been taken, 
 and given to the flames. The enormous force opposed to 
 them was literally crushing out the handful of the defenders 
 of Cawnpore, and unless immediate help came all were 
 lost. Such were the details of which he was the bearer, 
 and they were disastrous enough. The note itself directed 
 Brigadier Outram to move forward one portion of the 
 force early the next morning, Sir Colin Campbell pro- 
 posing to join the advanced guard. 
 
 " Major Hughes, you will be under arms by daybreak. 
 Good night !" were the only words which greeted him 
 as General Outram turned to his aide-de-camp and sum- 
 moned his staff round him to make his arrangements for 
 the advance. 
 
 " Take this to Brigadier Greathead. i The 8th, the 2nd 
 Punjaub Infantry, with the 150th Regiment, will form the 
 advance," were the last words which reached his ears as 
 he stepped forth into the night, to find his corps as best 
 he might. 
 
 A sentry, who had held his horse, pointed out the 
 lines of the 150th, and, taking his way to a large tent 
 which he rightly conjectured to be the mess tent, the 
 . officers were soon roused and flocking around him. 
 
 " Do you remember I said you were a lucky .fellow, 
 Major," said Harris, as he shook his commanding officer 
 warmly by the hand, " that night when we shot the tiger 
 at Bellary?" 
 
35o WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 "I think you were the lucky fellow, then," replied 
 Major Hughes, laughing. 
 
 "Yes; but only fancy Colonel Desmond being sent 
 home on sick leave. Colonel Sedley invalided from the 
 effects of that ball through the lungs at Quatre Bras, and 
 you joining just in time to take the command/' 
 
 " Well, it was lucky, I must own. And what has be- 
 come of Major Ashley ?" 
 
 " Hit in the neck at the storming of the Dilkhoosha 
 House," replied Harris, now Lieutenant of the Light 
 Company; " but here's Curtis." 
 
 " How are you, Curtis ?" 
 
 " Glad to see you once more among us," was the 
 reply, as that officer, now the senior captain of the 
 regiment, shook hands with him. "And where's the 
 Kaffir bride you promised to bring back?" he added, 
 laughing. 
 
 And one after another flocked in, roused out of their 
 well-earned slumbers by the hasty summons, glad to 
 welcome an old comrade, and pleased to hear of the 
 advance. 
 
 " I say, Biddulph, won't we trounce those Gwalior 
 chaps? They'd have done better to have stayed at 
 Calpee, and they'll know it when old Colin gets at 
 them." 
 
 "There goes the reveille," replied Biddulph, as the 
 quivering notes of the bugle rose on the air, the morning 
 light just breaking grey over the plain, showing the tents 
 of the little force lying here and there. * 
 
 "The 150th Regiment will fall in at once, and move 
 off on the Cawnpore road, as soon as ready," shouted a 
 mounted orderly officer as he rode up. 
 
 "Major Hughes, the Brigadier desires you will cover 
 
THE RELIEF OF CA WNPORE. 3$t 
 
 your advance with the Light Company, and move on 
 slowly ; the sooner the better." 
 
 Saluting as he spoke with his sword, the officer rode 
 away to deliver his orders, and the work of inspecting 
 their several companies went on rapidly by the regimental 
 officers of the corps destined to lead the advance. 
 
 For the first time Major Hughes, as he sat on his bor- 
 rowed horse in the grey dawn, found himself in command 
 of the regiment he had entered as an ensign, and that too 
 with an enemy of overpowering strength in his front. He 
 thought of Isabel, his wife, " Where was she now ?" and 
 then the memories of the past thronged quickly upon him 
 — the elephant hunt on the Shire river, the " Halcyon," 
 the death of the old noble ; and he had left that brave 
 wife, who had herself been the first to bid him go alone, 
 without a protector. . What if he fell in the unequal fight 
 which was to take place ? And then on the sharp morn- 
 ing air came the subdued but heavy thud, which told him 
 of his countrymen and countrywomen in dire peril, with the 
 soldiers of the treacherous Nana gathering closely around 
 them. The Adjutant rode up, giving in nis report. Was 
 there a quiver in the voice which gave the order, " With 
 ball cartridge. Load !" 
 
 The regiment stood in column of companies, bayonets 
 fixed and shouldered, the Grenadier company leading. 
 
 " By double files from the centre rear wing to the front. 
 Two centre sections outwards wheel !" were the words of 
 command, hoarsely shouted. " Quick march !" 
 
 By this manoeuvre, the two centre sections of each 
 company opening out, permitted that immediately in 
 their rear to pass through their ranks. Thus the Light 
 Company, from being, in rear of all, now became the 
 leading one, advancing through the opened sections four 
 
352 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 deep at the double, each company closing its ranks, and 
 following in its turn, the Grenadiers forming the rear 
 guard. 
 
 " Captain Curtis, throw out the Light Bobs as skir- 
 mishers, and advance cautiously," said Hughes, the men 
 having cleared the Grenadiers, and again formed up as a 
 company. 
 
 The notes of the bugle sounding the Light Infantry 
 call to extend from the centre, floated on the air ; the 
 Light Company obeyed it, spreading across the country, 
 their right flank resting on the left of the skirmishers of 
 the Punjaub Infantry, their own left on the right of the 
 Light Bobs of H.M.'s 8th Foot, the whole regiment 
 moving off along the Cawnpore road just as the bugles 
 of the different brigades rang out on the plain, and the 
 guns of Colonel Bourchier's battery of Horse Artillery 
 came jingling along in rear. 
 
 "How slowly we move on, with the halt sounding 
 every moment, Curtis !" said Major Hughes, as he sat on 
 his horse at the head of the regiment, speaking to his 
 senior captain, towards midday of the 27th of November. 
 
 " Slowly indeed, and our force is weak, in artillery par- 
 ticularly. Two troops of Horse Artillery, the Naval Bri- 
 gade, one heavy field battery, and three light ones, with 
 the 4th, 5th, and 6th Infantry Brigades, and a handful of 
 cavalry, seem a small force." 
 
 " The more the honour for us. They shall hear of us 
 with pride in the old land," answered Hughes. " If ever 
 we meet those scoundrels of Nana's with the bayonet, We 
 will teach them a lesson." 
 
 The regiment was halted near the village of Onao, on 
 a slight eminence, and the two officers looking back 
 could see the long tortuous march of the little army, 
 
THE RELIEF OF CA WNPORE. 353 
 
 while far away, far as the eye could reach, the plain was 
 covered with the vast horde of camp followers, which is 
 the great pest of a march in India, mixed with camels 
 and baggage waggons. 
 
 The jingling of accoutrements was now heard, as, at a 
 sharp trot, a splendid regiment of English cavalry moved 
 to the front. 
 
 "Look out, 150th; there'll be sharp work for you 
 soon I" shouted the officer commanding, as he rode past, 
 his words replied to by a cheer from the men. 
 
 " M>jor Hughes, call in your light company !" shouted 
 an orderly officer, as he dashed on, not checking his 
 horse. " The Lancers will act as videttes." 
 
 Almost at the same moment, the bugles of the 8th 
 Regiment on the left, and the Punjaub Infantry on the 
 right, were heard sounding the recall, as an officer of 
 Hodgson's Horse came up at a hard gallop from the 
 front. 
 
 " Bad news from Cawnpore !" he shouted. (t Wynd- 
 ham's hard pressed ; all his outposts driven in, and hardly 
 able to hold his entrenchments'!" 
 
 " Steady, men, steady 1" called Hughes, as a thrill of 
 excitement ran through the corps. 
 
 " Orders for the 150th to press to the front !" shouted 
 another orderly officer, as he galloped past. 
 
 " One Hundred and Fiftieth, attention ! Shoulder 
 arms ! Slope arms ! By your right ! Quick, march ! 
 Steady, men ! Officers commanding companies, look to 
 your distance 1" were the words of command, as the 
 whole forced moved on, leaving Onao after a couple of 
 hours' halt, and still following the Cawnpore road. 
 
 Sir Hope Grant now rode with the advance, and 
 the cavalry videttes on the flanks had an idle time of it, 
 
 2 3 
 
354 
 
 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 for not the trace of an enemy was to be seen, while every 
 hour caused the heavy canonade in front to be heard 
 louder and louder. 
 
 The morning of the 28th dawned, and Sir Colin Camp- 
 bell's force encamped on the banks of the Ganges, with 
 the city of Cawnpore in its front. A bridge of boats had 
 been thrown across the river, as it afterwards appeared, 
 and this bridge had, by some unaccountable oversight, 
 been overlooked by the mutineers. 
 
 " Where are Major Hughes' quarters ?" asked a mounted 
 dragoon of Hodgson's Horse, before daylight, on the 
 morning of the 29th, making the inquiry of an out-picket 
 of the corps. 
 
 " Yonder," replies the man, pointing to a tent, whose 
 single pole was surmounted with a small fluttering flag. 
 
 Before the tent door lay several servants fast asleep. 
 The one nearest the trooper, as he -checked his horse 
 near the tent pegs, was lying on his face. The dragoon, 
 leaning from his saddle, pricked the sleeper gently in the 
 bare back with the point of his sword, intending to rouse 
 him; but, thus rudely woke from deep sleep, the man 
 thought at once that a snake had bitten him, commenc- 
 ing a series of howlings, which at once effectually roused 
 the occupants of the tent. 
 
 " What on earth is the matter ?" asked Hughes and the 
 adjutant of the regiment, who had both thrown themselves 
 down on the ground to sleep, dressed as they were. 
 
 " Just stop that fellow's bellowing, Reynolds, will you ?" 
 said Hughes, as he advanced to the mounted orderly, 
 who, saluting, handed hima written note. 
 
 " Brigadier Hope's Brigade will hold itself in readiness 
 to carry the bridge at eight o'clock A.M., on the morning 
 of the 29th." 
 
THE RELIEF OF CAWNPORE. 355 
 
 Here followed details as to the formation of the various 
 corps. 
 
 " Let the orderly sergeants fall in, Reynolds," said 
 Major Hughes, as he handed the trooper a receipt, and 
 half an hour after, the 150th broke- ground at the quick 
 step, but in perfect silence, moving across the flat plain 
 towards the Ganges, here spanned by a bridge of boats, 
 the approach to which was covered by the guns of the 
 Naval Brigade. 
 
 " There's Remington's Horse Artillery," said Reynolds, 
 pointing to a battery j " and there are the dragoons." 
 
 " Commanding officers of regiments to the front !" was 
 the order now given. 
 
 "You will content yourselves, gentlemen, with your 
 assigned positions ; your orders are first to gain and then 
 to hold your ground, and act purely on the defensive. 
 The 150th will have the honour of carrying the bridge," 
 said Sir Hope Grant. 
 
 At this moment a heavy gun was fired from the camp, 
 when, and as if in answer to it, Peel's Naval Battery 
 opened fire, and shortly after, Wyndham's from the en- 
 trenchments, replied to by the artillery of the Gwalior 
 rebels. 
 
 "You will push your pickets on to the banks of the 
 Ganges Canal. And now, Major Hughes, show us the 
 way." 
 
 The next instant Hughes was at the head of his regi- 
 ment, and dashing over the bridge at the double. The 
 fierce canonade still continued ; but whether from apathy 
 or want of forethought, the English column was not 
 meddled with, but quietly allowed to pass the bridge, and 
 establish itself in the buildings called the Dragoon Bar- 
 racks, and those adjoining it. This at once opened a 
 
 23—2 
 
35 6 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 communication with Wyndham's force, and left the road 
 to Allahabad free, enabling Sir Colin Campbell to send 
 away his enormous train of women, children, wounded, 
 and non-combatants, over the bridge of boats thus secured 
 by the gallantry of Major Hughes and his regiment. The 
 object was gained, as hour after hour, and day after day, 
 passed the long files of those who had been the little army's 
 greatest encumbrances, the helpless women and children. 
 
 It was early morning, and singularly enough a heavy 
 fog had settled down on the banks of the Ganges, while a 
 cool breeze was driving it along in densely packed masses, 
 sometimes lifting a little, but only to settle down more 
 heavily than ever on the domes and minarets of Cawn- 
 pore. It rolled among the long lines of white tents, and 
 along the canal banks, while a heavy dull explosion, 
 coming from the town, seemed to shake the dense vapour 
 from time to time, and show a lurid patch near the guns. 
 Then came the crashing sound of splintering wood, and 
 tumbling bricks, telling that the mutineers of Oude had 
 found out their mistake, and were cannonading the Dragoon 
 Barracks, where the 150th Regiment had entrenched 
 themselves. In the English camp all was quiet. The 
 possession of the bridge of boats, and of the line of the 
 canal, had given Sir Colin what he wanted, communica- 
 tion with Wyndham's entrenchments, and also with 
 Allahabad, and so enabled him to rid himself of the most 
 fearful accumulation of non-combatants an army was ever 
 called upon to encumber itself with. 
 
 " I feel uneasy, I know not why," said Major Hughes to 
 his adjutant, Lieutenant Reynolds, as they stood within 
 a roughly constructed barricade, near the race-stand, his 
 regiment supplying the main picket, posted close to the 
 Trunk Road, leading to Allahabad, 
 
THE RELIEF OF CA WNPORE. 357 
 
 "Who holds St. Salvador House?" 
 
 "A strong detachment of our 53rd, Major," was the 
 reply. 
 
 " It's a nasty morning, Reynolds, just visit the out- 
 lying pickets, and tell Biddulph to keep a sharp look-out." 
 
 The adjutant wrapped himself in his cloak, and went 
 out into the rolling fog, and his superior officer, leaning 
 against an upright post, his drawn sword in his hand, 
 listened eagerly for any passing noise. 
 
 He began speculating as to the chance of an attack on 
 the important post he held, covering the road by which 
 the wounded, the ladies and children were making their 
 weary way towards safety. Isabel was safe in her little 
 home looking over the Indian Ocean, but there were 
 many Isabels among that sad column, equally dear to 
 others, and whose safety was in his hands. 
 
 " Captain Robertson," he said, speaking to one of a 
 group of officers, who were laughing and chatting near, 
 with their swords drawn, " get the men under arms at 
 once. Pandy will never miss such a chance of surprise 
 as this fog gives him." 1 
 
 The picket, consisting of about two hundred rank and 
 file, were soon under arms, and the grey dawn was just 
 breaking through the mist, when suddenly the explosion 
 of a single musket was heard, followed by several others, 
 then a heavy volley from the front. 
 
 " I thought so !" exclaimed Hughes, with a sigh, as 
 though his breast was relieved of a great weight. 
 
 Firing as they were driven in, the officers and men of 
 the outlying picket were now to be seen through the 
 dense mist as, clearing away from the front of the line, 
 the well-trained fugitives dashed round the flanks and re- 
 formed under cover of the race-stand. 
 
35 8 WILD SPOR TS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 "Steady, my lads, aim low 1" shouted the major, as a 
 dark, dense mass of. men loomed through the fog, and 
 from the race stand and the stockade near, came the 
 quick, sharp fire of the English musketry poured at 
 twenty paces distant into the serried ranks of the muti- 
 neers. 
 
 Staggered by the volley, the attacking party for an 
 instant fell back, the sharp cry of pain mixing with the 
 yell for revenge, as confident in their numbers, they 
 poured in volley upon volley, and again advanced, 
 literally swarming round the English outposts. 
 
 The guns of Wyndham's entrenchment were now heard, 
 replied to hot and fast by those of the Gwalior mutineers, 
 while their Artillery from the town opened a heavy fire 
 on the Dragoon Barracks. Fearfully overmatched, the 
 150th fought on, the bayonet doing its deadly work, while 
 the clubbed muskets came crashing down on the heads 
 of the assailants as they appeared above the stockade, the 
 deep oath, the loud shout of triumph, the yell of pain, 
 and the scream of agony, mixing with the rattle of the 
 deadly volley poured into the dense files of the rebel 
 force. 
 
 " Remember, my lads," shouted Hughes, " the safety 
 of the women and children are in our hands," as his 
 sword descended on the dark shako of a man who had 
 just gained the race stand, and was firing his pistol into 
 the ranks of the 150th. "Ye fight for your wives and 
 your children, " he shouted, as the man with a deep groan 
 fell back, impaled on the clustering bayonets of his 
 friends below. 
 
 A loud cheer answered his words, taken up by the 
 defenders of the stockade, but now a second column of 
 the enemy, nearly a thousand strong, came dashing along. 
 
THE RELIEF OF CA WNPORE. 359 
 
 They were fresh men, and pouring in a volley as they came, 
 they took the little force in flank, seeming to bury it 
 under their heavy mass, as they dashed on. The fight 
 became a mele'e now. 
 
 Major Hughes had received a ball in the shoulder. 
 His adjutant lay on the planking of the stand, with a 
 bullet through his forehead, his fair hair bedabbled in a 
 stream of blood, the groans of the wounded, the sad, 
 pitiful cries for water, rang around him, while the heavy 
 guns from the town and entrenchment combined with 
 the rattling volleys of musketry to make a fiendish up- 
 roar, such as few had ever heard. 
 
 There was no time for thought, it was a hand-to-hand 
 struggle now, but still the loud cry, " Ye fight for your 
 wives and children, men !" rang out, answered by a 
 feeble cheer, from race-stand and stockade, and a storm 
 of yells from the swaying, panting crowd of assailants 
 below. 
 
 The day was dawning clear now, but the cheers from 
 the stockade became more and more feeble, as man after 
 man went down. No time to' load, but the bayonet and 
 clubbed musket are doing their work, doggedly, des- 
 perately, and in silence. The British force is melting 
 away, when hark ! the feeble cheers from the battered 
 race-stand are at last answered, as a long line of tall 
 shakoes and red uniforms comes into view in rear. It 
 was his regiment, the 150th, commanded by its senior 
 captain, Curtis. 
 
 " Hurrah, my lads, we are safe now !" shouted Hughes, 
 as he swung himself from the rear of the stand, a des- 
 perate leap ; and the next moment, without his forage 
 cap, his face streaked with blood, and begrimed with 
 smoke, stood among his men. " Halt !" shouted his 
 
360 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 powerful voice, as he waved his sword in his right hand, 
 his left hanging powerless. 
 
 " Men of the 150th, prepare to charge !" 
 
 The muskets came down with a clang, as of one man. 
 
 " Charge!" shouted Major Hughes, and round the stock- 
 ade, round the stand, with a loud howl for vengeance, 
 came the British line. The shock was tremendous, for 
 the men fought like fiends, while from the two positions 
 which had been so hotly contested, the bright flashes of 
 musketry came thick and fast, mingling their reports with 
 the roar of the heavy guns from town and entrenchment. 
 
 The men of the Gwalior Contingent were literally 
 borne back by that terrible bayonet charge, then the 
 whole mass became mixed, the scene more resembling an 
 Irish row than a fight among disciplined men. 
 
 Pandies and English were jumbled together, fighting 
 for life, and for revenge more than for victory, the red 
 glare of the guns seen through the rising mist, the shouts 
 and cheers of the men in the race-stand, maddening still 
 further the already savage combatants below. 
 
 " Clear the way, my hearties," shouted a hoarse voice, 
 as with a loud cheer, the men of Peel's Naval Brigade 
 came laughing and shouting along, after forming behind 
 the grand stand, dragging along a 24-pounder. Star- 
 board, you may. Heave ahead with the gun." 
 
 "Who is commanding officer?" asked Captain Peel. 
 " Here, bugler, sound the recall. Now, my lads, give 
 them No. one broadside — ram in grape !" and as the notes 
 of the bugle sounded in the morning air, the discipline 
 momentarily lost again regained its hold; and the 150th 
 came streaming back, re-forming behind the gun, Major 
 Hughes grasping the gallant sailor's hand as he passed 
 him. 
 
THE RELIEF OF CA WNPORE. 361 
 
 Staggered by the bayonet charge, the mutineers 
 paused. A man, evidently an officer of high standing, 
 could be seen encouraging them, and urging them on. 
 At length, with a savage yell, the massive column wavered 
 to and fro, the officer, grasping a green flag, dashed for- 
 ward, full twenty paces in front of his men. 
 
 " File firing from the right of companies !" shouted 
 Hughes, as the regiment, re-formed, once again stood in 
 line. 
 
 " Take that, you landlubber," shouted a sailor, hitting 
 the mutineer officer over the head with his short cutlass, 
 as the brave fellow dashed at ithe gun, while the 24- 
 pounder, with its terrible fire of grape, swept right through 
 the advancing column. 
 
 The mutineers wavered, stopped dead, while with a 
 cheer the gallant tars loaded the gun. 
 
 Over the din came the well-known shout, " Men of 
 the 150th, prepare to charge !" 
 
 " Charge !" 
 
 And once more the indomitable British line hurled 
 itself on the foe, who broke and fled just as the tramp of 
 cavalry was heard, and three troops of the Lancers, 
 among whom could be seen the brilliant uniforms of 
 Brigadier Hope Grant's staff, came sweeping over the 
 plain. 
 
 The fight had lasted two hours, and was the only 
 attack made on the British picket. The] punishment 
 inflicted by the Lancers was severe, and the 24-pounder 
 took an active part in the pursuit. 
 
362 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 THE KAFFIR BRIDE. 
 
 " Officers in command of regiments are requested to 
 meet the Commander-in-chief at ten o'clock this evening. 
 "Dec. 5, 1857." 
 
 Such was the order placed in Major Hughes' hands a 
 few days after the desperate attack on the out-picket had 
 been so gallantly repulsed. The loss of the regiment 
 had been severe ; but the men were in high spirits, and 
 ready for everything, being proud both of themselves and 
 of their commanding officer, whom the old soldiers of 
 the corps had known as a youngster, and had learned 
 to trust and to love. 
 
 Sir Colin Campbell, as he entered the tent which was 
 to serve as a council-room, held out his hand, advancing 
 to meet him as he did so. " I congratulate you, sir, on 
 the gallant behaviour of your regiment. Your name will 
 appear in General Orders to-morrow with an appointment 
 as lieutenant-colonel of your corps, pending her Majesty's 
 approbation," 
 
 The tell-tale blood flushed his cheek as he grasped the 
 hand held out to him, and one and another of the men 
 who stood around him added their congratulations to 
 those of the rough but true-hearted old soldier. 
 
 There stood Brigadier Hope Grant talking eagerly to 
 the officer commanding Hodgson's Horse, but who found 
 time for a cordial shake of the hand ; Captain Middleton, 
 who, with his field battery, had ever been among the fore- 
 most ; Brigadier Greathead ; Captain Peel, of the gallant 
 Naval Brigade; Captain Remington, of the Horse Ar- 
 
THE KAFFIR BRIDE. 363 
 
 tillery ; the Commanding Officers of the Cavalry ; of the 
 4th, 5th, and 6th Infantry Brigades, and of the Royal 
 Engineers, all men trained in a school of actual warfare ; 
 and it was with difficulty Hughes could suppress his 
 emotion, as one after another advanced and shook his 
 right hand, congratulating him on a firmness and steadi- 
 ness which had perhaps saved the little force, but, at 
 all events, kept open the communications with Allaha- 
 bad. 
 
 " Oh, that Isabel could have been here," he thought. 
 But Isabel was away, and far better that it was so, for 
 stern work was yet to be done. 
 
 " Be seated, gentlemen," said Sir Colin, motioning 
 with his hand. A momentary bustle ensued and then a 
 dead silence, broken only by the boom of an occasional 
 gun from the town. 
 
 " I dare say you have wondered not a little," said the 
 fine old soldier, "why I have remained so long inactive. 
 My object has been to disembarrass my force from the 
 incubus of non-combatants. The want of foresight of the 
 enemy in leaving us the bridge of boats permitted the 
 attempt to be made. The true British pluck and gallantry 
 of the 150th Regiment has enabled me to carry it out 
 completely." 
 
 All eyes turned towards Hughes, who again blushed 
 with pleasure. 
 
 " I intend, gentlemen, to strike our tents at sunrise to- 
 morrow, and attack the enemy." 
 
 Sir Colin paused, and a general murmur of gratifica- 
 tion ran round the table, as he continued, with a smile on 
 his war-worn countenance, — 
 
 " Ay, ay ; you have all been grumbling at me in your 
 hearts, but we'll make up for lost time. My attack will 
 
364 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 be on the enemy's right, and if we can drive that from its 
 position, the day will be ours. 
 
 Here are the instructions for the Cavalry and Horse 
 Artillery, who will act together. Brigadier Greathead, 
 here are yours. You will call in the out-pickets of the 
 150th, and direct that regiment to join your brigade, 
 holding the centre of our line. You hear me, Colonel 
 Hughes," said the veteran, as he turned to the officers 
 he addressed, those named rising and each receiving his 
 written instructions. 
 
 " Officers commanding Infantry Brigades, you will 
 parade your regiments in contiguous columns in rear, and 
 under cover of the cavalry barracks half an hour before 
 sunrise, according to seniority. And now, gentlemen, 
 good night, for I have much to do," continued Sir Colin. 
 " The enemy muster twenty-five thousand men, with all 
 the guns of tb* Gwalior Contingent. We can count only 
 about four thousand and thirty-two guns." 
 
 "And quite enough, too," exclaimed the gallant Peel, 
 replying to his chief, utterly against all military etiquette. 
 
 " We'll have more before we pipe to supper to-morrow 
 night. I say, Hughes, you can answer for how my fellows 
 do their work ? Eh V 
 
 There was a general laugh, a few hearty shakes of the 
 hand, as the officers of the force crowded round their 
 beloved leader, and the council of war broke up. 
 
 " Let General Wyndham have this order, Ogilvie," were 
 the last words Hughes heard, as he took his way into the 
 night. " It will tell him to open the heaviest fire he can 
 from his entrenched camp before sunrise." 
 
 Some one touched him on the shoulder. It was 
 General Greathead. 
 
 " Are you well enough to take command of your regi- 
 
THE KAFFIR BRIDE. 365 
 
 ment ?" asked the General, pointing to the left arm, which 
 was in a sling. 
 
 " I would not relinquish the honour for any reward the 
 world could give me," was the reply. 
 
 "Very well, Colonel Hughes, then good night. We 
 shall meet at sunrise, and a memorable day it will be. 
 Good night !" and shaking hands heartily, as men do 
 under such circumstances, the two separated, taking their 
 way to their respective commands, challenged at every 
 few paces by the watchful sentries, the boom of an occa- 
 sional gun from the town breaking the stillness of the 
 night. 
 
 Morning dawned bright and beautiful, with that fresh- 
 ness in the air so well known to all who have inhabited 
 hot countries. The guns in the town and entrenchments 
 were for once silent, as the domes and minarets of Cawn- 
 pore flashed back the first rays of the rising sun. The 
 river rolled its sacred waters lazily along, and the trees in 
 the compounds, and on its banks, hardly moved in the 
 breeze. The Ganges canal alone separated the out-pickets 
 of the two forces, the ring of an occasional shot breaking 
 the calm stillness of the morning. 
 
 Behind the Cavalry Barracks, and close to the Allahabad 
 road, corps after corps formed up. There were Hope's and 
 Inglis's brigades. Shoulder to shoulder stood the men of 
 those two splendid regiments, the 42nd and 93rd High- 
 landers, and there, too, laughing, joking, and putting all 
 notions of discipline at utter defiance, were the tars of 
 the Naval Brigade. 
 
 Sir Colin Campbell seemed in high spirits, as regiment 
 after regiment marched past, and took up the position as- 
 signed it, the whole movement being concealed from the 
 enemy by the large buildings called the Dragoon Barracks. 
 
366 WILD SPORTS IN ZULZ/ LAND. 
 
 " How well the 2nd and 3rd battalions of the Rifles look, 
 Biddulph," he said to the quartermaster-general, who stood 
 by his side. " Captain Wheatcroft, let Wyndham know 
 that his guns should open." 
 
 Saluting with his sword, the dragoon officer dashed 
 away, and in a few minutes the calm silence of the morn- 
 ing was broken by the loud boom of a single gun, quickly 
 replied to from the town, and followed by one after another, 
 until the whole of Wyndham's artillery was hotly engaged, 
 and the firing on both sides the heaviest during the siege. 
 Seated on his horse, watch in hand, Sir Colin calmly list- 
 ened to the deafening uproar. 
 
 " Captain Remington," said he, at last, beckoning to 
 his side an officer commanding a troop of horse artillery, 
 "take the cavalry and with your guns cross the canal 
 higher up, threatening the enemy's rear. I think, Bid- 
 dulph, the fire from the entrenchments slackens, let the 
 infantry deploy into line." 
 
 All was now bustle and excitement as the orders to de- 
 ploy were given, and the various brigades were put into 
 motion, the bugles of the Sikh Infantry sounding merrily 
 on the breeze, as the brave fellows spread over the plain 
 in skirmishing order. 
 
 " The 53rd Regiment to support skirmishers," shouted 
 Captain Dalzell of the 93rd, and the regiment indicated 
 moved off at the double. 
 
 To the right lay Brigadier Greathead's brigade, con- 
 sisting of the 8th and the 150th Regiments, and the 2nd 
 Punjaub Infantry. 
 
 The whole line was now in motion, the enemy having 
 been completely deceived, the heavy firing from the en- 
 trenchments causing them to expect an attack on their 
 centre, which lay fully prepared right in front of Great- 
 
THE KAFFIR BRIDE. 367 
 
 head's regiments. So silently and so skilfully had the 
 movement been conducted, under shelter of the build- 
 ings of the Dragoon Barracks, that the whole force was 
 hurled on their right flank before they knew anything 
 about it. 
 
 " There go Walpole's and Smith's guns," said the chief, 
 as a heavy firing was heard among the brick-fields and 
 kilns under the city walls; "let the whole line advance, 
 I long to hear the scream of my Highlanders." 
 
 Over the canal bridge poured regiment after regiment. 
 Brigade after brigade appearing in great confusion for a 
 moment, and the next re-forming their ranks, as regularly 
 as though on parade. The long line of the enemy's force 
 lay before them, as pouring in volley upon volley, the skir- 
 mishers being driven in, the British line struggled forward. 
 
 Colonel Biddulph was shot down. The gallant Dalzell, 
 of the 93rd Highlanders, was lying on the ground dead ; 
 he fell as he was leading his regiment to the charge. Cap- 
 tain Wheatcroft, of the 6th Dragoons, Hardy of the Royal 
 Artillery, were moistening the plain with their hearts' blood. 
 Sir Colin Campbell himself was wounded, and eight of 
 the staff around him were more or less hurt. The Naval 
 Brigade, working their twenty-four-pounder as though it 
 were a plaything, had been dreadfully cut up, but still 
 above the roar of the guns, and the pattering of the musk- 
 etry, came the shout, " Forward !" not a man thought of 
 retreat. 
 
 " Brigadier Greathead is hard pressed, Sir Colin," said 
 a mounted officer, dashing up. 
 
 " I can't spare a man, Major Robertson," replied the 
 chief. " Tell him to look to himself." 
 
 " Captain Heale, this for Sir Hope Grant ; tell General 
 Mansfield I want him." 
 
368 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 While the battle was thus hotly contested on the left, 
 Brigadier Greathead's little force found itself opposed to 
 the enemy's centre. Walpole's guns, it is true, were 
 steadily clearing the brick-fields, driving the enemy before 
 them, but the Punjaub infantry had already lost ninety- 
 five men, and the 150th were severely cut up. 
 
 " Within five minutes of receiving this you will charge 
 the enemy's centre, such are the chiefs orders," ex- 
 claimed a staff officer galloping up, and handing over a 
 small pencilled note. 
 
 The thing seemed impossible, and the Brigadier, amid 
 Hie roar of the battle, for a moment doubted his ears. 
 The next, the word of command [was given, and pouring 
 a shattering volley into the enemy's line, the little brigade 
 dashed on with the bayonet. 
 
 Precisely at the same moment, on the left, Sir Colin 
 heard the scream of his Highlanders, the whole British 
 force dashing forward at the charge. It was a splendid 
 sight, as emerging from the heavy smoke cloud, the long 
 line of bayonets glittering in the sun, with one mighty 
 shout for vengeance, the English force buried itself in 
 the heavy opposing masses of ^the murderers of Cawn- 
 pore. 
 
 " Forward — remember Cawnpore !" shouted Hughes, 
 as at the head of his men he dashed on, leaving a long 
 line of dead and dying in his rear. 
 
 Utterly astonished at the attack, the mutineers of the 
 Gwalior Contingent gave way, then came the ringing 
 cheer of the 8th Regiment, as the men dashed onward 
 with the bayonet, and the enemy, fairly doubled up, 
 turned and fled. 
 
 At this moment, and just when the first runaways 
 carried dismay into the ranks of the still resolute right 
 
THE KAFFIR BRIDE: 369 
 
 wing, the Highland scream was heard as the little army 
 moved forward, and emerging from the smoke, hurled 
 itself in one glittering line on the mutineers, who broke 
 at once. 
 
 " General Mansfield/' shouted Sir Colin, as he rode 
 on through the enemy's camp, among whose white tents 
 the Highlanders and the men of the 32nd Regiment 
 were bayoneting' right and left. " General Mansfield, 
 take Greathead's brigade, and storm the enemy's left at 
 Subadar's Camp." 
 
 "Colonel Hughes, let your bugles sound the recall, 
 and fall into line at once," cried General Mansfield, as 
 he rode up in obedience to the order. 
 
 The men of different regiments were now fairly mixed, 
 and a motley corps was hastily got together. There were 
 the uniforms of the 23rd, 64th, the 90th Regiments, with 
 the 150th, and some dismounted troopers of the 9th 
 Lancers. 
 
 " You will take the command, Colonel Hughes," said 
 General Mansfield, as they moved hastily forward against 
 the enemy's left ; " one volley only, and then the bayonet. 
 Steady, men, you will have enough to do soon." The 
 enemy's fire now reached them, and man after man 
 dropped as the line moved forward. A withering volley 
 was poured in, and then came the irresistible charge of 
 the British soldier, and the next moment the 150th were 
 among the tents, and the whole Gwalior Contingent in 
 full flight. 
 
 Gun after gun was spiked ; the English artillery playing 
 upon the masses of retreating and disorganised mutineers. 
 Grape and canister being poured into their broken masses 
 at two hundred paces distant, while the Lancers and 
 Dragoons rode them down, sabring right and left 
 
 24 
 
370 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 Sir Colin himself led the pursuit, and for fourteen 
 miles along the banks of the river the carnage continued, 
 until tired out, and unable to do more, the bugles and 
 trumpets sounded a halt, and men and horses bivouacked 
 on the ground, not an enemy in sight. 
 
 The whole of the rebel stores, ammunition, and a 
 great part of the guns were taken, but the loss on the 
 side of the English was heavy. i 
 
 The 150th counted over one hundred men in killed 
 and wounded, and the 93rd Highlanders alone had 
 ninety-three killed and one hundred and eight wounded. 
 
 " It was a splendid sight, Curtis," said Hughes, as he 
 sat on a spiked gun, while a hospital dresser who had 
 happened to be passing was looking to a bullet wound in 
 his right leg. "It was indeed a splendid sight w r hen the 
 cavalry debouched from yonder grove, and with Sir Colin 
 at their head, dashed into the retreating pandies. I shall 
 never forget the day." 
 
 "Where's Harris? I have not seen him for the last 
 two hours." 
 
 " Poor fellow, he is lying among the tents at Subadar's 
 Tank, shot through the heart. He fell close to me at 
 our first charge." 
 
 The two were silent, for the mad excitement of the 
 fray was passing away, and the cost had now to be 
 counted. They were seated at the junction of the Calpee 
 and Cawnpore roads, masses of men of different regi- 
 ments, and peletons of cavalry and artillery were moving 
 across the plain in every direction, the animals fagged 
 and weary, the men exultant, and bandying rough 
 jokes. 
 
 Their horses covered with sweat and dust, their arms 
 and accoutrements jingling as they rode, a group of 
 
THE KAFFIR BRIDE. 371 
 
 officers came along. It was Sir Colin, General Mansfield, 
 and Brigadier Greathead, with their staffs. 
 
 Reining in his horse, Sir Colin spoke. 
 
 "Colonel Hughes, you will parade the 150th to-morrow 
 afternoon. I have a word to say to them." 
 
 Steadying himself, with his right hand leaning on the 
 gun-carriage, his left being useless, his leg half swathed 
 up in its bloody bandages, and the hospital dresser kneel- 
 ing at his feet, his forage cap lost, and the heavy masses 
 of hair hanging over a forehead smeared with blood, 
 Colonel Hughes saluted, and the General and his staff 
 rode on. 
 
 " I wonder what he wants with us," said Curtis. " We 
 shan't be able to turn out very well." 
 
 Events in India had justified fully the confidence re- 
 posed in her sons by England. The retreating rebels 
 were pursued the following day, and the column, under 
 Sir Hope Grant, came up with and at once attacked them 
 at a place called Serai Ghat, took fifteen guns, and a vast 
 quantity of ammunition; then pushing on to Bithoor, 
 carried Nana Sahib's palace, and captured all his trea- 
 sure. It was one of the closing scenes of the Indian 
 mutiny. 
 
 "Steady, men, steady!" said Colonel Hughes, as, 
 leaning heavily on his sword, he stood in the centre of 
 his regiment formed up in square, just where the Calpee 
 and Cawnpore roads join. 
 
 "There comes the General and his staff — 150th, at- 
 tention !" 
 
 The rattle of the muskets as the men came to attention 
 was heard. " Fix bayonets — shoulder arms !" were the 
 words of command which followed as a mounted aide, at 
 the gallop, left the group who were advancing across the 
 
 24 — a 
 
372 WILD SPORTS IN ZULU LAND. 
 
 plain, their plumes dancing in the breeze, and the sun 
 glinting from their accoutrements. 
 
 " Order arms, and keep the men at attention only," 
 were the directions given and obeyed. " Have you the 
 muster roll of your losses ?" asked the aide. 
 
 "A heavy casualty list, Colonel Hughes," said Sir 
 Colin, as, with the paper in his hand, he rode into the 
 centre of the square. " Three officers, and one hundred 
 and four rank and file. 150th Regiment, I am proud of 
 you !" said the stern old soldier, raising his plumed hat 
 as he spoke. " Twice have you done good service to 
 the whole force under my command. At the race-stand, 
 your determined gallantry saved our communications 
 being cut off; to your splendid charge we owe our first 
 success yesterday. Men of the 150th, I repeat I am 
 proud to have had you under my command. This I 
 give as a token of the admiration of the whole force 
 under my orders, and you it is who have won it for your 
 commanding officer. As he spoke, the old soldier 
 stooped, and himself attached the Victoria Cross, the 
 first ever won in India, to Colonel Hughes' breast. For 
 you, my men, the glorious word ' Cawnpore ' shall in 
 future be borne on your regimental colours." 
 
 " Colonel Hughes, dismiss your regiment." 
 
 Three hearty cheers for Sir Colin were given, as the 
 regiment broke its ranks, and the General and his staff 
 rode away, winding in and out among the fatigue parties, 
 busy burying the dead. 
 
 The Gwalior Contingent melted away. British supre- 
 macy again reigned in India, and regiment after regi- 
 ment was poured into the country, now rapidly being 
 pacified. 
 
 Three months had hardly elapsed, when the 150th 
 
THE KAFFIR BRIDE. 373 
 
 Regiment was marching for Calcutta, under orders for 
 embarkation for England. 
 
 The sun was shining brightly on the ocean, and the 
 houses of Cape Town. Isabel sat at her window looking 
 across the sea, watching the white sails of a large ship, 
 which with a pyramid of canvas, rising over a dark hull, 
 was standing right for the anchorage. It was her favourite 
 spot, and much of her time had been spent at that 
 window, looking over the sea. Many a vessel had she 
 watched driving through the waves, while she speculated- 
 on the hopes and fears which attached themselves to 
 those whose home lay within the dark hulls. Some had 
 been coming from Europe, bound for far away lands; 
 others returning, but all bearing, doubtless, their living 
 cargoes, and their freights of happiness and of misery. 
 
 The successes of the British army had been known, 
 but no news had arrived in the colony for some time, 
 and so Isabel looked musingly over the sea, and the 
 stately ship came on letting fly her royals, and next the 
 topgallant sails were handed, her topsails settled down 
 on the caps, her lower sails hung in the brails, and soon a 
 heavy splash was heard, as the anchor dropped into the 
 water, and a crowd of shore boats surrounded the ship. 
 
 There was nothing in the scene that she had not 
 watched daily, and now she remained at her window, 
 sunk in reverie. A gentle breeze was blowing, the sun 
 was shining brightly, and her book had dropped from her 
 hand. Suddenly her ear caught a quick step on the 
 stairs, which sent the red blood mantling under the clear 
 olive skin, the fluttering heart beat wildly, and the net- 
 work of blue veins seemed filled to bursting. Isabel 
 rose, her hands clasped together, her eyes fixed on the 
 door. It opened, and, with a cry of happiness, the next 
 
374 WILD SPORTS IN ZUL U LAND. 
 
 moment she found herself clasped in her husband's arms. 
 Sobbing with delight, Isabel raised her head, and her 
 eye caught the glitter of that cross, the noblest decoration 
 the world can give. 
 
 " Where, oh, where did you win that, Enrico mio ?" 
 she asked, pushing the clustering hair from her eyes, and 
 resting her two hands on her husband's shoulder. 
 
 " On the battle-field of Cawnpore," replied the soldier, 
 " from the hand of the bravest of the brave." 
 
 Isabel's head sunk on the speaker's breast, resting on 
 the cross given only for deeds of high daring and devoted 
 courage, and she sobbed heavily, not from sorrow, but 
 
 joy 
 
 A knock came to the door. Encircling Isabel's waist 
 with his arm, Hughes bid the new-comer enter, and 
 Major Curtis stepped into the room. 
 
 "Captain Edmonds wants to know " he said, 
 
 hastily, and then stopped abruptly. 
 
 " Allow me to present you, Curtis, to my Kaffir bride," 
 said Colonel Hughes, laughing. 
 
 Thav night Isabel was on board the " Larkins " hired 
 transport, surrounded by her husband's men, and his 
 comrades, tried and proved trusty on many an occasion, 
 and when the morning sun tipped the ocean waves with 
 its rising beams, the gallant ship, with every sail set, and 
 a leading wind, could just be made out from land, as she 
 steered her course straight for the whits chalk cliffs of 
 England. 
 
 THE END. 
 
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 Don Quixote de la Mancha ; His Life and Ad- 
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 The Carbridges : A Suburban Story. 
 
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 Seventeen to Twenty-one ; or, Aunt Vonica. 
 
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 Women of the Last Days of Old France. 
 
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 One Year; or, The Three Homes. 
 
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 Fair Else, Duke Ulrich, &c. 
 
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 Frank Sinclair's Wife. Ditto. 
 
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