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spears　of　the　soldiers；　they　began　to　fall　in　a　torrent　of　men；　women；

and　children；　far　into　the　black　depths　below。



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My　father；　forgive　me　the　tears　that　fall　from　these　blind　eyes　of

mine；　I　am　very　aged；　I　am　but　as　a　little　child；　and　as　a　little

child　I　weep。　I　cannot　tell　it。　At　last　it　was　done；　and　all　grew

still。



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Thus　was　Makedama　buried　beneath　the　bodies　of　his　people；　thus　was

ended　the　tribe　of　the　Langeni；　as　my　mother　had　dreamed；　so　it　came

about；　and　thus　did　Chaka　take　vengeance　for　that　cup　of　milk　which

was　refused　to　him　many　a　year　before。



〃Thou　hast　not　won　thy　bet；　Mopo；〃　said　the　king　presently。　〃See　there

is　a　little　space　where　one　more　may　find　room　to　sleep。　Full　to　the

brim　is　this　corn…chamber　with　the　ears　of　death；　in　which　no　living

grain　is　left。　Yet　there　is　one　little　space；　and　is　there　not　one　to

fill　it？　Are　all　the　tribe　of　the　Langeni　dead　indeed？〃



〃There　is　one；　O　King！〃　I　answered。　〃I　am　of　the　tribe　of　the　Langeni；

let　my　carcase　fill　the　place。〃



〃Nay；　Mopo；　nay！　Who　then　should　take　the　bet？　Moreover；　I　slay　thee

not；　for　it　is　against　my　oath。　Also；　do　we　not　mourn　together；　thou

and　I？〃



〃There　is　no　other　left　living　of　the　tribe　of　the　Langeni；　O　King！

The　bet　is　lost；　it　shall　be　paid。〃



〃I　think　that　there　is　another；〃　said　Chaka。　〃There　is　a　sister　to

thee　and　me；　Mopo。　Ah；　see；　she　comes！〃



I　looked　up；　my　father；　and　I　saw　this：　I　saw　Baleka；　my　sister；

walking　towards　us；　and　on　her　shoulders　was　a　kaross　of　wild…cat

skins；　and　behind　her　were　two　soldiers。　She　walked　proudly；　holding

her　head　high；　and　her　step　was　like　the　step　of　a　queen。　Now　she　saw

the　sight　of　death；　for　the　dead　lay　before　her　like　black　water　in　a

sunless　pool。　A　moment　she　stood　shivering；　having　guessed　all；　then

walked　on　and　stood　before　Chaka。



〃What　is　thy　will　with　me；　O　King？〃　she　said。



〃Thou　art　come　in　a　good　hour；　sister；〃　said　Chaka；　turning　his　eyes

from　hers。　〃It　is　thus：　Mopo；　my　servant　and　thy　brother；　made　a　bet

with　me；　a　bet　of　cattle。　It　was　a　little　matter　that　we　wagered　on

as　to　whether　the　people　of　the　Langeni　tribethine　own　tribe；

Baleka；　my　sisterwould　fill　yonder　place；　U'Donga…lu…ka…Tatiyana。

When　they　heard　of　the　bet；　my　sister；　the　people　of　the　Langeni

hurled　themselves　into　the　rift　by　thousands；　being　eager　to　put　the

matter　to　the　proof。　And　now　it　seems　that　thy　brother　has　lost　the

bet；　for　there　is　yet　place　for　one　yonder　ere　the　donga　is　full。

Then；　my　sister；　thy　brother　Mopo　brought　it　to　my　mind　that　there　was

still　one　of　the　Langeni　tribe　left　upon　the　earth；　who；　should　she

sleep　in　that　place；　would　turn　the　bet　in　his　favour；　and　prayed　me

to　send　for　her。　So；　my　sister；　as　I　would　not　take　that　which　I　have

not　won；　I　have　done　so；　and　now　do　thou　go　apart　and　talk　with　Mopo；

thy　brother；　alone　upon　this　matter；　as　once　before　thou　didst　talk

when　a　child　was　born　to　thee；　my　sister！〃



Now　Baleka　took　no　heed　of　the　words　of　Chaka　which　he　spoke　of　me；

for　she　knew　his　meaning　well。　Only　she　looked　him　in　the　eyes　and

said：



〃Ill　shalt　thou　sleep　from　this　night　forth；　Chaka；　till　thou　comest

to　a　land　where　no　sleep　is。　I　have　spoken。〃



Chaka　saw　and　heard；　and　of　a　sudden　he　quailed；　growing　afraid　in　his

heart；　and　turned　his　head　away。



〃Mopo；　my　brother；〃　said　Baleka；　〃let　us　speak　together　for　the　last

time；　it　is　the　king's　word。〃



So　I　drew　apart　with　Baleka；　my　sister；　and　a　spear　was　in　my　hand。　We

stood　together　alone　by　the　people　of　the　dead　and　Baleka　threw　the

corner　of　the　kaross　about　her　brows　and　spoke　to　me　swiftly　from

beneath　its　shadow。



〃What　did　I　say　to　you　a　while　ago；　Mopo？　It　has　come　to　pass。　Swear

to　me　that　you　will　live　on　and　that　this　same　hand　of　yours　shall

taken　vengeance　for　me。〃



〃I　swear　it；　my　sister。〃



〃Swear　to　me　that　when　the　vengeance　is　done　you　will　seek　out　my　son

Umslopogaas　if　he　still　lives；　and　bless　him　in　my　name。〃



〃I　swear　it；　my　sister。〃



〃Fare　you　well；　Mopo！　We　have　always　loved　each　other　much；　and　now

all　fades；　and　it　seems　to　me　that　once　more　we　are　little　children

playing　about　the　kraals　of　the　Langeni。　So　may　we　play　again　in

another　land！　Now；　Mopo〃and　she　looked　at　me　steadily；　and　with

great　eyes〃I　am　weary。　I　would　join　the　spirits　of　my　people。　I　hear

them　calling　in　my　ears。　It　is　finished。〃



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For　the　rest；　I　will　not　tell　it　to　you；　my　father。







CHAPTER　XIX



MASILO　COMES　TO　THE　KRAAL　DUGUZA



That　night　the　curse　of　Baleka　fell　upon　Chaka；　and　he　slept　ill。　So

ill　did　he　sleep　that　he　summoned　me　to　him；　bidding　me　walk　abroad

with　him。　I　went；　and　we　walked　alone　and　in　silence；　Chaka　leading

the　way　and　I　following　after　him。　Now　I　saw　that　his　feet　led　him

towards　the　U'Donga…lu…ka…Tatiyana；　that　place　where　all　my　people　lay

dead；　and　with　them　Baleka；　my　sister。　We　climbed　the　slope　of　the

hill　slowly；　and　came　to　the　mouth　of　the　cleft；　to　that　same　spot

where　Chaka　had　stood　when　the　people　fell　over　the　lips　of　the　rock

like　water。　Then　there　had　been　noise　and　crying；　now　there　was

silence；　for　the　night　was　very　still。　The　moon　was　full　also；　and

lighted　up　the　dead　who　lay　near　to　us；　so　that　I　could　see　them　all；

yes；　I　could　see　even　the　face　of　Baleka；　my　sisterthey　had　thrown

her　into　the　midst　of　the　dead。　Never　had　it　looked　so　beautiful　as　in

this　hour；　and　yet　as　I　gazed　I　grew　afraid。　Only　the　far　end　of　the

donga　was　hid　in　shadow。



〃Thou　wouldst　not　have　won　thy　bet　now；　Mopo；　my　servant；〃　said　Chaka。

〃See；　they　have　sunk　together！　The　donga　is　not　full　by　the　length　of

a　stabbing…spear。〃



I　did　not　answer；　but　at　the　sound　of　the　king's　voice　jackals　stirred

and　slunk　away。



Presently　he　spoke　again；　laughing　loudly　as　he　spoke：　〃Thou　shouldst

sleep　well　this　night；　my　mother；　for　I　have　sent　many　to　hush　thee　to

rest。　Ah；　people　of　the　Langeni　tribe；　you　forgot；　but　I　remembered！

You　forgot　how　a　woman　and　a　boy　came　to　you　seeking　food　and　shelter；

and　you　would　give　them　noneno；　not　a　gourd　of　milk。　What　did　I

promise　you　on　that　day；　people　of　the　Langeni　tribe？　Did　I　not

promise　you　that　for　every　drop　the　gourd　I　craved　would　hold　I　would

take　the　life　of　a　man？　And　have　I　not　kept　my　promise？　Do　not　men　lie

here　more　in　number　than　the　drops　of　water　in　a　gourd；　and　with　them

woman　and　children　countless　as　the　leaves？　O　people　of　the　Langeni

tribe；　who　refused　me　milk　when　I　was　little；　having　grown　great；　I　am

avenged　upon　you！　Having　grown　great！　Ah！　who　is　there　so　great　as　I？

The　earth　shakes　beneath　my　feet；　when　I　speak　the　people　tremble；

when　I　frown　they　diethey　die　in　thousands。　I　have　grown　great；　and

great　I　shall　remain！　The　land　is　mine；　far　as　the　feet　of　man　can

travel　the　land　is　mine；　and　mine　are　those　who　dwell　in　it。　And　I

shall　grow　greater　yetgreater；　ever　greater。　Is　it　thy　face；　Baleka；

that　stares　upon　me　from　among　the　faces　of　the　thousands　whom　I　have

slain？　Thou　didst　promise　me　that　I　should　sleep　ill　henceforth。

Baleka；　I　fear　thee　notat　the　least；　thou　sleepest　sound。　Tell　me；

Balekarise　from　thy　sleep　and　tell　me　whom　there　is　that　I　should

fear！〃and　suddenly　he　ceased　the　ravings　of　his　pride。



Now；　my　father；　while　Chaka　the　king　spoke　thus；　it　came　into　my　mind

to　make　an　end　of　things　and　kill　him；　for　my　heart　was　made　with　rage

and　the　thirst　of　vengeance。　Already　I　stood　behind　him；　already　the

stick　in　my　hand　was　lifted　to　strike　out　his　brains；　when　I　stopped

also；　for　I　saw　something。　There；　in　the　midst　of　the　dead；　I　saw　an

arm　stir。　It　stirred；　it　lifted　itself；　it　beckoned　towards　the　shadow

which　hid　the　head　of　the　cleft　and　the　piled…up　corpses　that　lay

there；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　the　arm　was　the　arm　of　Baleka。

Perchance　it　was　not　her　arm；　perchance　it　was　but　the　arm　of　one　who

yet　lived　among　the　thousands　of　the　dead；　say　you；　my　father！　At　the

least；　the　arm　rose　at　her　side；　and　was　ringed　with　such　bracelets　as

Baleka　wore；　and　it　beckoned　from　her　side；　though　her　cold　face

changed　not　at　all。　Thrice　the　arm　rose；　thrice　it　stood　awhile　in

air；　thrice　it　beckoned　with　crooked　finger；　as　though　it　summoned

something　from　the　depths　of　the　shadow；　and　from　the　multitudes　of

the　dead。　Then　it　fell　down；　and　in　the　utter　silence　I　heard　its　fall

and　a　clank　of　brazen　bracelets。　And　as　it　fell　there　rose　from　the

shadow　a　sound　of　singing；　of　singing　wild　and　sweet；　such　as　I　had

never　heard。　The　words　of　that　song　came　to　me　then；　my　father；　but

afterwards　they　passed　from　me；　and　I　remember　them　no　more。　Only　I

know　this；　that　the　song　was　of　the　making　of　Things；　and　of　the

beginning　and　the　end　of　Peoples。　It　told　of　how　the　black　folk　grew；

and　of　how　the　white