Hendricks the Hunter | Page 6

figures. Blood streamed from the side and
right arm of the man. Both were panting for breath.
"Mangaleesu claims your protection, white chief, for her he loves, and
for himself, that he may avenge the death of those he has lost. You will
not refuse it?"
"I will gladly conceal you, and afford you all the help I can," answered
the trader. "Come on: there is not a moment to be lost. Your wife can
get into the waggon, and you can lie in the hammock beneath it, where,
even if your enemies come, they will not think of looking for you."
This was said as the young chief and the girl were being conducted to
the waggon. All was done so rapidly and silently, that none of the
sleeping servants were awakened, and only those who had charge of the
cattle could have observed what had happened, while the curtain which
closed the front of the waggon was allowed to remain open, so as not to
excite the suspicion of the Zulus, should they come to the camp.
The trader and Umgolo slowly paced up and down with their rifles in
their hands, waiting the arrival of their pursuers. At length they began
to hope that Mangaleesu had evaded them, and that they had gone off
in a different direction. So satisfied were they that this was the case,
that the trader returned to the waggon to see what assistance he could
render to the wounded chief. Mangaleesu, however, made light of his
hurts, although they were such as any white man would have
considered very serious.
He told his white friend that his wife was uninjured, notwithstanding
the many assegais thrust at her.

"Have any more of your people escaped from your enemies?" asked the
trader.
"No; few even fought for their lives," answered the Zulu chief. "When I
was first awakened out of sleep by the shouting around my kraal, I
knew well what was about to happen; but I resolved for Kalinda's sake,
as well as my own, to struggle for life. To fight my way out and to save
my wife, I knew was impossible, had I dashed out boldly as I at first
thought of doing; but she whispered to me, `Let us make a figure; our
enemies will stab at that, and we meantime may perchance get clear.'
The idea struck me as good. She brought me a mat, and we rolled it up
round a thick stick. We then fastened a shield to it, and on the top a
bundle of assegais, as if held in the hand of a warrior. It was much too
dark for our enemies to discover the deceit. When all was ready, I held
the figure in one hand, while I grasped my weapons in the other,
Kalinda keeping close behind me. I then opened the door, and thrust
out the figure in the midst of those standing near, thirsting for my blood.
They instantly, as I knew they would, gathered round it, piercing it with
their assegais. While they were thus employed, I sprang out, still
holding the figure, and in a few bounds reached the inside of the outer
fence, against which I placed my back, and kept my assailants at bay.
As they drew away from the door to attack me, Kalinda rushed out; and
our enemies, who had supposed that there was only one person in the
hut, seeing another appear, fancied that there might be more, and
became confused, not knowing how to act; for many of them had
already felt the point of my assegai. Kalinda, getting close to me
without a wound, threw the figure over the fence, among those
guarding the outside. They instantly rushed at it, leaving the gate for a
few seconds unguarded. This was all I required. Sheltering my wife
with my shield, as she clung to my arm, I sprang with her through the
opening, over the bodies of my slaughtered followers, and before our
enemies knew we had gone we were running like springbocs down the
hill. We knew that if our flight should be discovered we should be
pursued, but we hoped that we had not been seen at the moment we
were rushing out of the kraal. I had been out hunting until late in the
evening, and had discovered the tracks of your waggon. I guessed
therefore whereabouts you would camp, and determined to place my

wife under your protection, knowing that while with you our pursuers
would not molest her. For myself, I intended to follow up my enemies,
and revenge myself by trying to kill some of them. When morning
breaks, and they do not find my dead body, they'll know that I have
made my escape."
"You have acted a