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dead？　They　must　go　somewhere；　and　would　it　be　strange　that　they　should

return　to　look　upon　the　lands　where　they　were　born？　Yet　I　never

thought　much　of　such　matters；　though　I　am　a　doctor；　and　know　something

of　the　ways　of　the　Amatongo；　the　people　of　the　ghosts。　To　speak　truth；

my　father；　I　have　had　so　much　to　do　with　the　loosing　of　the　spirits　of

men　that　I　never　troubled　myself　overmuch　with　them　after　they　were

loosed；　there　will　be　time　to　do　this　when　I　myself　am　of　their

number。



So　I　sat　and　gazed　on　the　mountain　and　the　forest　that　grew　over　it

like　hair　on　the　head　of　a　woman；　and　as　I　gazed　I　heard　a　sound　that

came　from　far　away；　out　of　the　heart　of　the　forest　as　it　seemed。　At

first　it　was　faint　and　far　off；　a　distant　thing　like　the　cry　of

children　in　a　kraal　across　a　valley；　then　it　grew　louder；　but　still　I

could　not　say　what　it　might　be；　now　it　swelled　and　swelled；　and　I　knew

itit　was　the　sound　of　wild　beats　at　chase。　Nearer　came　the　music；

the　rocks　rang　with　it；　and　its　voice　set　the　blood　beating　but　to

hearken　to　it。　That　pack　was　great　which　ran　a…hunting　through　the

silent　night；　and　now　it　was　night；　on　the　other　side　of　the　slope

only；　and　the　sound　swelled　so　loud　that　those　who　were　with　me　awoke

also　and　looked　forth。　Now　of　a　sudden　a　great　koodoo　bull　appeared

for　an　instant　standing　out　against　the　sky　on　the　crest　of　the　ridge；

then　vanished　in　the　shadow。　He　was　running　towards　us；　presently　we

saw　him　again　speeding　on　his　path　with　great　bounds。　We　saw　this　also

forms　grey　and　gaunt　and　galloping；　in　number　countless；　that　leaped

along　his　path；　appearing　on　the　crest　of　the　rise；　disappearing　into

the　shadow；　seen　again　on　the　slope；　lost　in　the　valley；　and　with　them

two　other　shapes；　the　shapes　of　men。



Now　the　big　buck　bounded　past　us　not　half　a　spear's　throw　away；　and

behind　him　streamed　the　countless　wolves；　and　from　the　throats　of　the

wolves　went　up　that　awful　music。　And　who　were　these　two　that　came　with

the　wolves；　shapes　of　men　great　and　strong？　They　ran　silently　and

swift；　wolves'　teeth　gleamed　upon　their　heads；　wolves'　hides　hung

about　their　shoulders。　In　the　hands　of　one　was　an　axethe　moonlight

shone　upon　itin　the　hand　of　the　other　a　heavy　club。　Neck　and　neck

they　ran；　never　before　had　we　seen　men　travel　so　fast。　See！　they　sped

down　the　slope　towards　us；　the　wolves　were　left　behind；　all　except

four　of　them；　we　heard　the　beating　of　their　feet；　they　came；　they

passed；　they　were　gone；　and　with　them　their　unnumbered　company。　The

music　grew　faint；　it　died；　it　was　dead；　the　hunt　was　far　away；　and　the

night　was　still　again！



〃Now；　my　brethren；〃　I　asked　of　those　who　were　with　me；　〃what　is　this

that　we　have　seen？〃



Then　one　answered；　〃We　have　seen　the　Ghosts　who　live　in　the　lap　of　the

old　Witch；　and　those　men　are　the　Wolf…Brethren；　the　wizards　who　are

kings　of　the　Ghosts。〃







CHAPTER　XXIII



MOPO　REVEALS　HIMSELF　TO　THE　SLAUGHTERER



All　that　night　we　watched；　but　we　neither　saw　nor　heard　any　more　of

the　wolves；　nor　of　the　men　who　hunted　with　them。　On　the　morrow；　at

dawn；　I　sent　a　runner　to　Bulalio；　chief　of　the　People　of　the　Axe；

saying　that　a　messenger　came　to　him　from　Dingaan；　the　king；　who

desired　to　speak　with　him　in　peace　within　the　gates　of　his　kraal。　I

charged　the　messenger；　however；　that　he　should　not　tell　my　name；　but

should　say　only　that　it　was　〃Mouth　of　Dingaan。〃　Then　I　and　those　with

me　followed　slowly　on　the　path　of　the　man　whom　I　sent　forward；　for　the

way　was　still　far；　and　I　had　bidden　him　return　and　meet　me　bearing　the

words　of　the　Slaughterer；　Holder　of　the　Axe。



All　that　day　till　the　sun　grew　low　we　talked　round　the　base　of　the

great　Ghost　Mountain；　following　the　line　of　the　river。　We　met　no　one；

but　once　we　came　to　the　ruins　of　a　kraal；　and　in　it　lay　the　broken

bones　of　many　men；　and　with　the　bones　rusty　assegais　and　the　remains

of　ox…hide　shields；　black　and　white　in　colour。　Now　I　examined　the

shields；　and　knew　from　their　colour　that　they　had　been　carried　in　the

hands　of　those　soldiers　who；　years　ago；　were　sent　out　by　Chaka　to　seek

for　Umslopogaas；　but　who　had　returned　no　more。



〃Now；〃　I　said；　〃it　has　fared　ill　with　those　soldiers　of　the　Black　One

who　is　gone；　for　I　think　that　these　are　the　shields　they　bore；　and

that　their　eyes　once　looked　upon　the　world　through　the　holes　in　yonder

skulls。〃



〃These　are　the　shields　they　bore；　and　those　are　the　skulls　they　wore；〃

answered　one。　〃See；　Mopo；　son　of　Makedama；　this　is　no　man's　work　that

has　brought　them　to　their　death。　Men　do　not　break　the　bones　of　their

foes　in　pieces　as　these　bones　are　broken。　Wow！　men　do　not　break　them；

but　wolves　do；　and　last　night　we　saw　wolves　a…hunting；　nor　did　they

hunt　alone；　Mopo。　Wow！　this　is　a　haunted　land！〃



Then　we　went　on　in　silence；　and　all　the　way　the　stone　face　of　the

Witch　who　sits　aloft　forever　stared　down　on　us　from　the　mountain　top。

At　length；　an　hour　before　sundown；　we　came　to　the　open　lands；　and

there；　on　the　crest　of　a　rise　beyond　the　river；　we　saw　the　kraal　of

the　People　of　the　Axe。　It　was　a　great　kraal　and　well　built；　and　their

cattle　were　spread　about　the　plains　like　to　herds　of　game　for　number。

We　went　to　the　river　and　passed　it　by　the　ford；　then　sat　down　and

waited；　till　presently　I　saw　the　man　whom　I　had　sent　forward　returning

towards　us。　He　came　and　saluted　me；　and　I　asked　him　for　news。



〃This　is　my　news；　Mopo；〃　he　said：　〃I　have　seen　him　who　is　named

Bulalio；　and　he　is　a　great　manlong　and　lean；　with　a　fierce　face；　and

carrying　a　mighty　axe；　such　an　axe　as　he　bore　last　night　who　hunted

with　the　wolves。　When　I　had　been　led　before　the　chief　I　saluted　him

and　spoke　to　himthe　words　you　laid　upon　my　tongue　I　told　to　him。　He

listened；　then　laughed　aloud；　and　said：　'Tell　him　who　sent　you　that

the　mouth　of　Dingaan　shall　be　welcome；　and　shall　speak　the　words　of

Dingaan　in　peace；　yet　I　would　that　it　were　the　head　of　Dingaan　that

came　and　not　his　mouth　only；　for　then　Axe　Groan…Maker　would　join　in

our　talkay；　because　of　one　Mopo；　whom　his　brother　Chaka　murdered；　it

would　also　speak　with　Dingaan。　Still；　the　mouth　is　not　the　head；　so

the　mouth　may　come　in　peace。'〃



Now　I　started　when　for　the　second　time　I　heard　talk　of　one　Mopo；　whose

name　had　been　on　the　lips　of　Bulalio　the　Slaughterer。　Who　was　there

that　would　thus　have　loved　Mopo　except　one　who　was　long　dead？　And　yet；

perhaps　the　chief　spoke　of　some　other　Mopo；　for　the　name　was　not　my

own　onlyin　truth；　Chaka　had　killed　a　chief　of　that　name　at　the　great

mourning；　because　he　said　that　two　Mopos　in　the　land　were　one　too

many；　and　that　though　this　Mopo　wept　sorely　when　the　tears　of　others

were　dry。　So　I　said　only　that　this　Bulalio　had　a　high　stomach；　and　we

went　on　to　the　gates　of　the　kraal。



There　were　none　to　meet　us　at　the　gates；　and　none　stood　by　the　doors

of　the　huts　within　them；　but　beyond；　from　the　cattle　kraal　that　was　in

the　centre　of　the　huts；　rose　a　dust　and　a　din　as　of　men　gathering　for

war。　Now　some　of　those　were　with　me　were　afraid；　and　would　have　turned

back；　fearing　treachery；　and　they　were　yet　more　afraid　when；　on　coming

to　the　inner　entrance　of　the　cattle　kraal；　we　saw　some　five　hundred

soldiers　being　mustered　there　company　by　company；　by　two　great　men；


who　ran　up　and　down　the　ranks　shouting。



But　I　cried；　〃Nay！　nay！　Turn　not　back！　Bold　looks　melt　the　hearts　of

foes。　Moreover；　if　this　Bulalio　would　have　murdered　us；　there　was　no

need　for　him　to　call　up　so　many　of　his　warriors。　He　is　a　proud　chief；

and　would　show　his　might；　not　knowing　that　the　king　we　serve　can

muster　a　company　for　every　man　he　has。　Let　us　go　on　boldly。〃



So　we　walked　forward　towards　the　impi　that　was　gathered　on　the　further

side　of　the　kraal。　Now　the　two　great　men　who　were　marshalling　the

soldiers　saw　us；　and　came　to　meet　us；　one　following　the　other。　He　who

came　first　bore　the　axe　upon　his　shoulder；　and　he　who　followed　swung　a

huge　club。　I　looked　upon　the　foremost　of　them；　and　ah！　my　father；　my

heart　grew　faint　with　joy；　for　I　knew　him　across　the　years。　It　was

Umslopogaas！　my　fosterling；　Umslopogaas！　and　none　other；　now　grown

into　manhooday；　into　such　a　man　as　was　not　to　be　found　beside　him　in

Zululand。　He　was　great　and　fierce；　somewhat　spare　in　frame；　but　wide

shouldered　and　shallow　flanked。　His　arms　were　long　and　not　over　big；

but　the　muscles　stood　out　on　them　like　knots　in　a　rope；　his　legs　were

long　also；　and　very　thick　beneath　the　knee。　His　eye　was　like　an

eagle's；　his　nose　somewhat　hooked；　and　he　held　his　head　a　little

forward；　as　a　man　who　searches　continually　for　a　hidden　foe。　He　seemed

to　walk　slowly；　and　yet　he　came　swiftly；　but　with　a　gliding　movement

like　that　of　a　wolf　or　a　lion；　and　always　his　fingers　played　round　the

horn　handle　of　the　axe　Groan…Maker。　As　for　him　who　followed；　he　was

great　also；　shorter　than　Umslopogaas　by　the　half　of　a　head；　but　of　a

sturdier　build。　His　eyes　were　small；　and　twinkled　unceasin