child of storm-第21节

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ever　see　his　face　again。　　Then　I；　my　bearer　Scowl；　the　two　remaining
hunters；　and　the　ten　score　Amangwane　who　were　left　turned　and　soon　were
following　the　road　by　which　we　had　come　down　the　rugged　pass。　　I　call　it
a　road；　but；　in　fact；　it　was　nothing　but　a　water…washed　gully　strewn
with　boulders；　through　which　we　must　pick　our　way　as　best　we　could　in
the　darkness；　having　first　removed　the　percussion　cap　from　the　nipple　of
every　gun；　for　fear　lest　the　accidental　discharge　of　one　of　them　should
warn　the　Amakoba；　confuse　our　other　parties；　and　bring　all　our　deep…laid
plans　to　nothing。

Well；　we　accomplished　that　march　somehow；　walking　in　three　long　lines；
so　that　each　man　might　keep　touch　with　him　in　front；　and　just　as　the
moon　began　to　rise　reached　the　spot　that　I　had　chosen　for　the　ambush。

Certainly　it　was　well　suited　to　that　purpose。　　Here　the　track　or　gully
bed　narrowed　to　a　width　of　not　more　than　a　hundred　feet；　while　the　steep
slopes　of　the　kloof　on　either　side　were　clothed　with　scattered　bushes
and　finger…like　euphorbias　which　grew　among　stones。　　Behind　these　stones
and　bushes　we　hid　ourselves；　a　hundred　men　on　one　side　and　a　hundred　on
the　other；　whilst　I　and　my　three　hunters；　who　were　armed　with　guns；　took
up　a　position　under　shelter　of　a　great　boulder　nearly　five　feet　thick
that　lay　but　a　little　to　the　right　of　the　gully　itself；　up　which　we
expected　the　cattle　would　come。　　This　place　I　chose　for　two　reasons：
first；　that　I　might　keep　touch　with　both　wings　of　my　force；　and；
secondly；　that　we　might　be　able　to　fire　straight　down　the　path　on　the
pursuing　Amakoba。

These　were　the　orders　that　I　gave　to　the　Amangwane；　warning　them　that　he
who　disobeyed　would　be　punished　with　death。　　They　were　not　to　stir　until
I；　or；　if　I　should　be　killed；　one　of　my　hunters；　fired　a　shot；　for　my
fear　was　lest；　growing　excited；　they　might　leap　out　before　the　time　and
kill　some　of　our　own　people；　who　very　likely　would　be　mixed　up　with　the
first　of　the　pursuing　Amakoba。　　Secondly；　when　the　cattle　had　passed　and
the　signal　had　been　given；　they　were　to　rush　on　the　Amakoba；　throwing
themselves　across　the　gully；　so　that　the　enemy　would　have　to　fight
upwards　on　a　steep　slope。

That　was　all　I　told　them；　since　it　is　not　wise　to　confuse　natives　by
giving　too　many　orders。　　One　thing　I　added；　howeverthat　they　must
conquer　or　they　must　die。　　There　was　no　mercy　for　them；　it　was　a　case　of
death　or　victory。　　Their　spokesmanfor　these　people　always　find　a
spokesmananswered　that　they　thanked　me　for　my　advice；　that　they
understood；　and　that　they　would　do　their　best。　　Then　they　lifted　their
spears　to　me　in　salute。　　A　wild　lot　of　men　they　looked　in　the　moonlight
as　they　departed　to　take　shelter　behind　the　rocks　and　trees　and　wait。

That　waiting　was　long；　and　I　confess　that　before　the　end　it　got　upon　my
nerves。　　I　began　to　think　of　all　sorts　of　things；　such　as　whether　I
should　live　to　see　the　sun　rise　again；　also　I　reflected　upon　the
legitimacy　of　this　remarkable　enterprise。　　What　right　had　I　to　involve
myself　in　a　quarrel　between　these　savages？

Why　had　I　come　here？　　To　gain　cattle　as　a　trader？　　No；　for　I　was　not　at
all　sure　that　I　would　take　them　if　gained。　　Because　Saduko　had　twitted
me　with　faithlessness　to　my　words？　　Yes；　to　a　certain　extent；　but　that
was　by　no　means　the　whole　reason。　　I　had　been　moved　by　the　recital　of
the　cruel　wrongs　inflicted　upon　Saduko　and　his　tribe　by　this　Bangu；　and
therefore　had　not　been　loath　to　associate　myself　with　his　attempted
vengeance　upon　a　wicked　murderer。　　Well；　that　was　sound　enough　so　far　as
it　went；　but　now　a　new　consideration　suggested　itself　to　me。　　Those
wrongs　had　been　worked　many　years　ago；　probably　most　of　the　men　who　had
aided　and　abetted　them　by　now　were　dead　or　very　aged；　and　it　was　their
sons　upon　whom　the　vengeance　would　be　wreaked。

What　right　had　I　to　assist　in　visiting　the　sins　of　the　fathers　upon　the
sons？　　Frankly　I　could　not　say。　　The　thing　seemed　to　me　to　be　a　part　of
the　problem　of　life；　neither　less　nor　more。　　So　I　shrugged　my　shoulders
sadly　and　consoled　myself　by　reflecting　that　very　likely　the　issue　would
go　against　me；　and　that　my　own　existence　would　pay　the　price　of　the
venture　and　expound　its　moral。　　This　consideration　soothed　my　conscience
somewhat；　for　when　a　man　backs　his　actions　with　the　risk　of　his　life；
right　or　wrong；　at　any　rate　he　plays　no　coward's　part。

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I　called　to　him。

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

He　waved　the　gun　in　answer；　for　he　was　too　breathless　to　speak；　and　went
on　with　those　who　were　left　of　his　followingperhaps　thirty　men　in
allin　the　track　of　the　cattle。　　Before　he　was　out　of　sight　the　Amakoba
arrived；　a　mob　of　five　or　six　hundred　men　mixed　up　together　and
advancing　without　order　or　discipline；　for　they　seemed　to　have　lost
their　heads　as　well　as　their　cattle。　　Some　of　them　had　shields