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words of Zinita and suffered women to come between us。 May we one day

find a land where there are no women; and war only; for in that land

we shall grow great。 But now; at the least; we will make a good end to

this fellowship; and the Grey People shall fight their fill; and the

old Witch who sits aloft waiting for the world to die shall smile to

see that fight; if she never smiled before。 This is my word: that we

fall upon the men of Dingaan twice; once in the glade of the forest

whither they will come presently; and; if we are beaten back; then we

must stand for the last time on the knees of the Witch in front of the

cave where Nada is。 Say; Wolf; will the Grey Folk fight?〃



〃To the last; brother; so long as one is left to lead them; after that

I do not know! Still they have only fangs to set against spears。

Slaughterer; your plan is good。 Come; I am rested。〃



So they rose and numbered their flock; and all were there; though it

was not as it had been years ago when first the Wolf…Brethren hunted

on Ghost Mountain; for many of the wolves had died by men's spears

when they harried the kraals of men; and no young were born to them。

Then; as once before; the pack was halved; and half; the she…wolves;

went with Umslopogaas; and half; the dog…wolves; went with Galazi。



Now they passed down the forest paths and hid in the tangle of the

thickets at the head of the darksome glen; one on each side of the

glen。 Here they waited till they heard the footfall of the impi of the

king's Slayers; as it came slowly along seeking them。 In front of the

impi went two soldiers watching for an ambush; and these two men were

the same who had talked together that dawn when Galazi sprang between

them。 Now also they spoke as they peered this way and that; then;

seeing nothing; stood awhile in the mouth of the glen waiting the

coming of their company; and their words came to the ears of

Umslopogaas。



〃An awful place this; my brother;〃 said one。 〃A place full of ghosts

and strange sounds; of hands that seem to press us back; and whinings

as of invisible wolves。 It is named Ghost Mountain; and well named。

Would that the king had found other business for us than the slaying

of these sorcerersfor they are sorcerers indeed; and this is the

home of their sorceries。 Tell me; brother; what was that which leaped

between us this morning in the dark! I say it was a wizard。 Wow! they

are all wizards。 Could any who was but a man have done the deeds which

he who is named the Wolf wrought down by the river yonder; and then

have escaped? Had the Axe but stayed with the Club they would have

eaten up our impi。〃



〃The Axe had a woman to watch;〃 laughed the other。 〃Yes; it is true

this is a place of wizards and evil things。 Methinks I see the red

eyes of the Esedowana glaring at us through the dark of the trees and

smell their smell。 Yet these wizards must be caught; for know this; my

brother: if we return to Umgugundhlovu with the king's command undone;

then there are stakes hardening in the fire of which we shall taste

the point。 If we are all killed in the catching; and some; it seems;

are missing already; yet they must be caught。 Say; my brother; shall

we draw on? The impi is nigh。 Would that Faku; our captain yonder;

might find two others to take our place; for in this thicket I had

rather run last than first。 Well; here leads the spoora wondrous

mass of wolf…spoor mixed with the footprints of men; perhaps they are

sometimes the one and sometimes the otherwho knows; my brother? It

is a land of ghosts and wizards。 Let us on! Let us on!〃



Now all this while the Wolf…Brethren had much ado to keep their people

quiet; for their mouths watered and their eyes shone at the sight of

the men; and at length it could be done no more; for with a howl a

single she…wolf rushed from her laid and leapt at the throat of the

man who spoke; nor did she miss her grip。 Down went wolf and man;

rolling together on the ground; and there they killed each other。



〃The Esedowana! the Esedowana are upon us!〃 cried the other scout;

and; turning; fled towards the impi。 But he never reached it; for with

fearful howlings the ghost…wolves broke their cover and rushed on him

from the right and the left; and lo! there was nothing of him left

except his spear alone。



Now a low cry of fear rose from the impi; and some turned to fly; but

Faku; the captain; a great and brave man; shouted to them; 〃Stand

firm; children of the king; stand firm; these are no Esedowana; these

are but the Wolf…Brethren and their pack。 What! will ye run from dogs;

ye who have laughed at the spears of men? Ring round! Stand fast!〃



The soldiers heard the voice of their captain; and they obeyed his

voice; forming a double circle; a ring within a ring。 They looked to

the right; there; Groan…Maker aloft; the wolf fangs on his brow; the

worn wolf…hide streaming on the wind; Bulalio rushed upon them like a

storm; and with him came his red…eyed company。 They looked to the left

ah; well they know that mighty Watcher! Have they not heard his

strokes down by the river; and well they know the giant who wields it

like a wand; the Wolf King; with the strength of ten! Wow! They are

here! See the people black and grey; hear them howl their war…chant!

Look how they leap like waterleap in a foam of fangs against the

hedge of spears! The circle is broken; Groan…Maker has broken it! Ha!

Galazi also is through the double ring; now must men stand back to

back or perish!



How long did it last? Who can say? Time flies fast when blows fall

thick。 At length the brethren are beaten back; they break out as they

broke in; and are gone; with such of their wolf…folk as were left

alive。 Yet that impi was somewhat the worse; but one…third of those

lived who looked on the sun without the forest; the rest lay smitten;

torn; mangled; dead; hidden under the heaps of bodies of wild beasts。



〃Now this is a battle of evil spirits that live in the shapes of

wolves; and as for the Wolf…Brethren; they are sorcerers of the

rarest;〃 said Faku the captain; 〃and such sorcerers I love; for they

fight furiously。 Yet I will slay them or be slain。 At the least; if

there be few of us left; the most of the wolves are dead also; and the

arms of the wizards grow weary。〃



So he moved forward up the mountain with those of the soldiers who

remained; and all the way the wolves harried them; pulling down a man

here and a man there; but though they heard and saw them cheering on

their pack the Wolf…Brethren attacked them no more; for they saved

their strength for the last fight of all。



The road was long up the mountain; and the soldiers knew little of the

path; and ever the ghost…wolves harried on their flanks。 So it was

evening before they came to the feet of the stone Witch; and began to

climb to the platform of her knees。 There; on her knees as it were;

they saw the Wolf…Brethren standing side by side; such a pair as were

not elsewhere in the world; and they seemed afire; for the sunset beat

upon them; and the wolves crept round their feet; red with blood and

fire。



〃A glorious pair!〃 quoth great Faku; 〃would that I fought with them

rather than against them! Yet; they must die!〃 Then he began to climb

to the knees of the Witch。



Now Umslopogaas glanced up at the stone face of her who sat aloft; and

it was alight with the sunset。



〃Said I not that the old Witch should smile at this fray?〃 he cried。

〃Lo! she smiles! Up; Galazi; let us spend the remnant of our people on

the foe; and fight this fight out; man to man; with no beast to spoil

it! Ho! Blood and Greysnout! ho! Deathgrip! ho! wood…dwellers grey and

black; at them; my children!〃



The wolves heard; they were few and they were sorry to see; with

weariness and wounds; but still they were fierce。 With a howl; for the

last time they leaped down upon the foe; tearing; harrying; and

killing till they themselves were dead by the spear; every one of them

except Deathgrip; who crept back sorely wounded to die with Galazi。



〃Now I am a chief without a people;〃 cried Galazi。 〃Well; it has been

my lot in life。 So it was in the Halakazi kraals; so it is on Ghost

Mountain at the last; and so also shall it be even for the greatest

kings when they come to their ends; seeing that they; too; must die

alone。 Say; Slaughterer; choose where you will stand; to the left or

to the right。〃



Now; my father; the track below separated; because of a boulder; and

there were two little paths which led to the platform of the Witch's

knees with; perhaps; ten paces between them。 Umslopogaas guarded the

left…hand path and Galazi took the right。 Then they waited; having

spears in their hands。 Presently the soldiers came round the rock and

rushed up against them; some on one path and some on the other。



Then the brethren hurled their spears at them and killed three men。

Now the assegais were done; and the foe was on 

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