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"Yet, you made common cause with these foul and noisome Izímu," said the king, shifting somewhat his ground. "These carrion dogs, who devour one another, even their own flesh and blood?" "I but spared one of their villages, O Great North Wind. For the rest, how many have I left standing?" "That is so," said Tyisandhlu, still gazing fixedly at his prisoner.
Ten tusks of ivory are even now being brought in," replied Laurence. "Also an unusually fine leopard skin which fell to my bullet, and which I would beg the king to accept." "You are a great hunter, Nyonyoba a very great one. Whau! The Ba-gcatya will become too rich if you tarry long among us," said Tyisandhlu quizzically, but evidently pleased at the news.
With large possessions it is indeed a pleasant land to dwell in with no possessions a man might often think longingly of the restful sleep of death." "That may well be," said Tyisandhlu thoughtfully. "The cold and the gloom and the blackness, the fogs and the smoke the mean and horrible-looking people who go to make up the larger portion of its inhabitants.
And he spat full towards Tyisandhlu. An indescribable shiver of awe ran through the dense and serried ranks of armed warriors, followed by a terrible tumult. "Au! he is mad!" cried some; while others clamoured, "Give him to us, Great Great One. We will put him to the fiery death!" But the king returned no word.
"Give me your word, Great Great One, in the sight of the whole nation," he said in a loud voice, "that these two shall be suffered to depart unharmed now, at once and I will take the place of Nomtyeketye." "That will I readily do, Nyonyoba, for I have no need of strangers here such as these," answered Tyisandhlu. Then, sadly, "And you are resolved?" "I am." "Then it must be.
I believe Tyisandhlu is a decent fellow all round, and mind, you do come across plenty of pretty good fellows even among savages, whatever bosh some men may talk to the contrary. But I don't care for Nondwana. I believe he'd make short work of us if he dared. Possibly the king may be watching his opportunity of smuggling us out of the country.
The thoughtless act of Holmes had necessitated the destruction of Nondwana's kraal there and then; and, indeed, the king's brother was more than dissatisfied with the clemency extended to the other two white men. But the word of Tyisandhlu, once given, stood.
Tyisandhlu made no reply, but reaching out his hand he took up a whistle and blew a double note upon it. Immediately there entered an inceku. "Let no man approach until this note shall again sound," said the king. "Preserve clear a wide space around, lest the ear that opens too wide be removed from its owner's head. Go." The man saluted humbly and withdrew.
"And so art thou, I think," replied Tyisandhlu, turning a somewhat haughty stare upon the speaker. Then he muttered, "Yet not this one." An interruption occurred; gruesome, grotesque. A number of figures, seeming to spring from no one knew where, were seen gliding forward.
Yet Laurence Stanninghame, gazing upon him, recognized a natural dignity nay, a majesty enthroning this nearly naked savage such as he had never seen quite equalled in the aspect or deportment of any other living man. Clearly this was the king Tyisandhlu "The Strong Wind that burns from the North."
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