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"I come to salute you, Umbulazi, and to ask you why you detained my young companions; but as they have been restored to me I will not enter into that subject," he said, drawing up at such a distance that he might, without difficulty extricate himself should it be necessary. "Do you come as a friend or a foe?" asked the prince.
Again I ask that we may have permission to proceed on our way, as our leader, Hendricks, the great hunter, is waiting for us; and as we shall in a short time pass the borders of Zululand, we cannot trouble Umbulazi by our presence." The prince said something not very complimentary to the speaker, signifying that he was talking nonsense.
"I wish that Mangaleesu had not joined Umbulazi; for though the prince fancies he will succeed, there is every probability that he will be defeated, as, besides being supported by the king, Cetchwayo has by far the larger number of people with him," said Hendricks, addressing Crawford.
"There's nothing like putting a bold face upon the matter," thought Denis; and seeing Umbulazi standing in front of his hut, he walked boldly up to him. "Unigane!" he said, saluting him in the Kaffir fashion. "Saka bona," answered the chief, equivalent to good morning. "What is it you want, my friend?"
Cetchwayo's army, like a devouring host of locusts, advanced across the country in an extended line, burning the kraals belonging to the chiefs who had sided with Umbulazi, or were supposed to have sided with him, trampling down their mealy fields, and destroying their crops. Old men, women, and children were indiscriminately put to death when found within the huts.
As they marched along they shouted and sang songs descriptive of the deeds they had performed, or of those they intended to do, referring sometimes to their prowess in having captured a party of white men, who had not ventured to strike a blow for freedom; while they boasted especially of the way they intended to annihilate Umbulazi and his followers.
Can you doubt, O Prince, that victory will be yours?" she replied, in a loud chanting tone. Umbulazi looked highly pleased at this answer. "You hear what the wise woman says?" he exclaimed, turning to his chiefs. "We will fight, we will gain the victory," they shouted. Denis and Percy were all this time watching the proceedings with the greatest anxiety, wondering what would happen to them.
All we now ask is to be set at liberty, and to be allowed to return to our friends who are anxiously waiting us." "Such cannot be allowed," answered Umbulazi. "You will carry information of what you have seen to Cetchwayo, who will then be induced to attack us before we are ready for him." "We promise to give no information which will in any way injure you," said Denis.
Now you have them in your power, kill them! kill them all!" Mangaleesu on hearing this cried out to Umbulazi, "Be not deceived by her. The white men wish to be friends with the Zulus. Harm them not. If injury is done them, the Zulus will be the sufferers."
As he spoke, a dozen warriors with their assegais uplifted, still dripping with the blood of their former victims, approached; but at that moment there was a cry that some white men were coming, one of them waving a flag. "Hold!" exclaimed Umbulazi. "It will not be wise to kill the prisoners just as their countrymen are coming. I would rather have them as friends than enemies."
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