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you； ask this man who is with me； and his companions who are of your own
race。 They will tell you everything。〃
Then the captain Kambula called my servant apart and talked with him for
a long while。
When the interview was finished he advanced to me and said：
〃Now I have heard all about you。 I have heard that although young you
are very clever； so clever that you do not sleep； but watch by night as
well as by day。 Therefore； that I； Kambula； name you Macumazahn；
Watcher…by…night； and by that name you shall henceforth be known among
us。 Now； Macumazahn； son of George； bring out these Boers whom you are
guiding that I may lead them in their moving huts to the Great Place；
Umgungundhlovu； where dwells Dingaan the king。 See； we lay down our
spears and will come to meet them unarmed； trusting to you to protect
us； O Macumazahn； Son of George；〃 and he cast his assegai to the ground。
〃Come；〃 I said； and led them to the wagons。
CHAPTER XII
DINGAAN'S BET
As I advanced to the wagons accompanied by Kambula and his two
companions； I saw that Marais； in a state of great excitement； was
engaged in haranguing the two Prinsloo men and Meyer； while the Vrouw
Prinsloo and Marie appeared to be attempting to calm him。
〃They are unarmed；〃 I heard him shout。 〃Let us seize the black devils
and hold them as hostages。〃
Thereon； led by Marais； the three Boer men came towards us doubtfully；
their guns in their hands。
〃Be careful what you are doing；〃 I called to them。 〃These are envoys；〃
and they hung back a little while Marais went on with his haranguing。
The Zulus looked at them and at me； then Kambula said：
〃Are you leading us into a trap； Son of George？〃
〃Not so；〃 I answered； 〃but the Boers are afraid of you and think to take
you prisoners。〃
〃Tell them；〃 said Kambula quietly； 〃that if they kill us or lay a hand
on us； as no doubt they can do； very soon every one of them will be dead
and their women with them。〃
I repeated this ultimatum energetically enough； but Marais shouted：
〃The Englishman is betraying us to the Zulus！ Do not trust him； seize
them as I tell you。〃
What would have happened I am sure I do not know； but just then the
Vrouw Prinsloo came up and caught her husband by the arm； exclaiming：
〃You shall have no part in this fool's business。 If Marais wishes to
seize the Zulus； let him do so himself。 Are you mad or drunk that you
should think that Allan would wish to betray Marie to the Kaffirs； to
say nothing of the rest of us？〃 and she began to wave an extremely dirty
〃vatdoek〃； or dishcloth； which she always carried about with her and
used for every purpose； towards Kambula as a sign of peace。
Now the Boers gave way； and Marais； seeing himself in a minority；
glowered at me in silence。
〃Ask these white people； O Macumazahn；〃 said Kambula； 〃who is their
captain； for to the captain I would speak。〃
I translated the question； and Marais answered：
〃I am。〃
〃No；〃 broke in Vrouw Prinsloo； 〃_I_ am。 Tell them； Allan； that these
men are all fools and have given the rule to me； a woman。〃
So I told them。 Evidently this information surprised them a little； for
they discussed together。 Then Kambula said：
〃So be it。 We have heard that the people of George are now ruled by a
woman； and as you； Macumazahn； are one of that people； doubtless it is
the same among your party。〃
Here I may add that thenceforward the Zulus always accepted the Vrouw
Prinsloo as the 〃Inkosikaas〃 or chieftainess of our little band； and
with the single exception of myself； whom they looked upon as her
〃mouth；〃 or induna； would only transact business with or give directions
to her。 The other Boers they ignored completely。
This point of etiquette settled； Kambula bade me repeat what he had
already told me； that we were prisoners whom he was instructed by
Dingaan to convey to his Great Place； and that if we made no attempt to
escape we should not be hurt upon the journey。
I did so； whereon the vrouw asked as I had done； who had informed
Dingaan that we were coming。
I repeated to her word for word what the Zulus had told me； that it was
Pereira； whose object seems to have been to bring about my death or
capture。
Then the vrouw exploded。
〃Do you hear that； Henri Marais？〃 she screamed。 〃It is your stinkcat of
a nephew again。 Oh！ I thought I smelt him！ Your nephew has betrayed us
to these Zulus that he may bring Allan to his death。 Ask them； Allan；
what this Dingaan has done with the stinkcat。〃
So I asked； and was informed they believed that the king had let Pereira
go on to his own people in payment of the information that he had given
him。
〃My God！〃 said the vrouw； 〃I hoped that he had knocked him on the head。
Well； what is to be done now？〃
〃I don't know；〃 I answered。 Then an idea occurred to me； and I said to
Kambula：
〃It seems to be me； the son of George； that your king wants。 Take me；
and let these people go on their road。〃
The three Zulus began to discuss this point； withdrawing themselves a
little way so that I could not overhear them。 But when the Boers
understood the offer that I had made； Marie； who until now had been
silent； grew more angry than ever I had seen her before。
〃It shall not be！〃 she said； stamping her foot。 〃Father； I have been
obedient to you for long； but if you consent to this I will be obedient
no more。 Allan saved my cousin Hernan's life； as he saved all our
lives。 In payment for that good deed Hernan tried to murder him in the
kloofoh！ be quiet； Allan； I know all the story。 Now he has betrayed
him to the Zulus； telling them that he is a terrible and dangerous man
who must be killed。 Well； if he is to be killed； I will be killed with
him； and if the Zulus take him and let us free； I go with him。 Now make
up your mind。〃
Marais tugged at his beard； staring first at his daughter and then at
me。 What he would have answered I do not know； for at that moment
Kambula stepped forward and gave his decision。
It was to the effect that although it was the Son of George whom Dingaan
wanted； his orders were that all with him were to be taken also。 Those
orders could not be disobeyed。 The king would settle the matter as to
whether some of us were to be killed and some let free； or if all were
to be killed or let free； when we reached his House。 Therefore he
commanded that 〃we should tie the oxen to the moving huts and cross the
river at once。〃
This was the end of that scene。 Having no choice we inspanned and
continued our journey； escorted by the company of two hundred savages。
I am bound to say that during the four or five days that it took us to
reach Dingaan's kraal they behaved very well to us。 With Kambula and
his officers； all of them good fellows in their way； I had many
conversations； and from them learned much