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Updated: May 11, 2025
On the other hand he would earn much credit with his majesty by revealing the plot, saying that he had learned it from the lips of the white hunter, whom Umgona and Nahoon had forced to participate in it, and of whose coveted rifle he must trust to chance to possess himself.
"The old wizard," he replied, nodding at Umgona; "then his daughter after him, and last of all this fellow," and he struck Nahoon in the face with his open hand. "Come on, Wizard," said the captain, grasping Umgona by the arm, "and let us see how you can swim." At the words of doom Umgona seemed to recover his self-command, after the fashion of his race.
"You must not call me lady, Inkoos," she answered, "I am no chieftainess, but only the daughter of a headman, Umgona." "And named Nanea," he said. "Nay, do not be surprised, I have heard of you. Well, Nanea, perhaps you will soon become a chieftainess up at the king's kraal yonder." "Alas! and alas!" she said, covering her face with her hands.
The two men fell on their knees before him, and bowed till their foreheads touched the ground the while giving him his sibonga or titles of praise. "Speak," he said impatiently. "O King," said the young warrior, seating himself Zulu fashion, "I am Nahoon, the son of Zomba, a captain of the Umcityu, and this is my uncle Umgona, the brother of one of my mothers, my father's youngest wife."
Speak more humbly, son of Zomba; my soldiers and my cattle have no rights." Nahoon bit his lip, for he had made a serious mistake. "Pardon, O King. The matter stands thus: My uncle Umgona here has a fair daughter named Nanea, whom I desire to wife, and who desires me to husband.
Awaiting the king's leave I am betrothed to her and in earnest of it I have paid to Umgona a lobola of fifteen head of cattle, cows and calves together.
"What will you give me, Maputa, if I show you that way, a sure and certain one, whereby you may be avenged to the death upon Nahoon, whose violence I also have seen, and upon Umgona, whose witchcraft brought sore sickness upon me?" "What reward do you seek, White Man?" asked Maputa eagerly.
When next the harvest ripens, this I promise, that neither Nahoon nor Umgona, nor any of his kraal shall be left to gather it." "And how will you manage that, Maputa?" "I do not know, but I will find a way. Oh! I tell you, a way shall be found." Hadden patted the pony's neck meditatively, then leaning forward, he looked the chief in the eyes and said:
But Umgona has a powerful neighbour, an old chief named Maputa, the warden of the Crocodile Drift, who doubtless is known to the king, and this chief also seeks Nanea in marriage and harries Umgona, threatening him with many evils if he will not give the girl to him. But Umgona's heart is white towards me, and towards Maputa it is black, therefore together we come to crave this boon of the king."
Ay, Umgona, it is well for you and for your daughter that you sought my word before she was given in marriage to this man. Now this is my award: I refuse your prayer, Nahoon, and since you, Umgona, are troubled with one whom you would not take as son-in-law, the old chief Maputa, I will free you from his importunity.
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