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Updated: June 29, 2025
At the entrance to this Ghamba stopped, and said in a whisper that they were now close to the cave. They now held a consultation, in terms of which it was decided that Ghamba should go forward and reconnoitre. So Whitson and Langley sat down close together and waited, conversing in low tones. Whitson felt very uneasy, but Langley tried to argue him out of his fears.
This is only some of what he said; when Langley's tongue got into motion, he seemed to have some difficulty in stopping it. However, he paused at last, and then Ghamba, looking very intently at him, said; "Look here, can you keep a secret?" Here was a mystery. "Rather," said Langley. "Will you swear by the name of God that you will not reveal what I tell you?" Langley swore.
His eyelids were very red, and his eyes, though dim, had a deep and intent look. Ugly as was the man or perhaps by virtue of his ugliness he exercised a strange fascination over Langley. The old man, whose name turned out to be Ghamba, proved himself a talker after Langley's own heart. They discussed all sorts of things. Ghamba startled his hearer by his breadth of experience and his shrewdness.
"I should think I would. But how could one man take or kill Umhlonhlo? They say he is well armed and that he has a lot of followers with him." "Umhlonhlo," said Ghamba, glancing anxiously round as if he feared the very ant-heaps were listening, "is hiding in a cave in the mountain, not three days' walk from here. He has not got a single man with him, because he fears being given up.
"I should think I would. But how could one man take or kill Umhlonhlo? They say he is well armed and that he has a lot of followers with him." "Umhlonhlo," said Ghamba, glancing anxiously round as if he feared the very ant-heap were listening, "is hiding in a cave in the mountains, not three days' walk from here. He has not got a single man with him, because he fears being given up.
Next morning they met Ghamba again, and agreed to start on their expedition that evening. He explained that they must do all their traveling by night, and lie by during the day, because it would never do for him, Ghamba, to run the risk of being recognised by persons whom they might meet.
Charmed as was Langley by the old man's conversation, he felt that on this occasion there was a little too much of it, that Ghamba was not nearly so good a listener as he had been on the previous day, so when the latter at length put a question to him, thus affording an opportunity for the exercise of his own pent-up loquacity, Langley felt elated, more especially as several inquiries were grouped together in the one asking, Ghamba asked whether anything had been heard of Umhlonhlo; whether the capture of that fugitive rebel was considered likely, and whether it was true that a reward of 1500 pounds had been offered by the Government for his capture, dead or alive.
So he thought over the matter for a few moments and then said: "Look here, Ghamba; I do not care to tackle this job alone, but if I can take another man with me, I am on." "Then you will only get half of the five hundred pounds, and will not be able to buy the farm. You need not be afraid; you can shoot him without his seeing you."
Langley replied to the effect that it was quite true such a reward had been offered as to Umhlonhlo's whereabouts, but that the government believed him to be in Pondoland; that he was sure to be captured eventually; that he, Langley, only wished he knew where Umhlonhlo was, so as to have the chance of making five hundred pounds with which to buy a certain nice little farm he knew of; and that should he ever succeed in obtaining the reward, and consequently in taking his discharge and purchasing the farm, he would be jolly glad if old Ghamba would come and live with him.
The last words were hardly out of the speaker's mouth before Whitson had seized him by the throat with a vice-like grasp. "Seize his hands and hold them," he hissed to Langley. Ghamba struggled desperately, but could not release himself. Whitson compressed his throat until he became unconscious, and then gagged him with a pocket-handkerchief.
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