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was sent to take me as you had arranged； and who now commands our
escort。〃
〃A savage！〃 exclaimed Pereira。 〃Is the tale of a savage to be taken
against that of a white man？ Also； who will translate his story？ You；
Mynheer Quatermain； are the only one here who knows his tongue； if you
do know it； and you are my accuser。〃
〃That is true；〃 remarked Retief。 〃Such a witness should not be admitted
without a sworn interpreter。 Now listen； I pass judgment as commandant
in the field。 Hernan Pereira； I have known you to be a rogue in the
past； for I remember that you cheated this very young man； Allan
Quatermain； at a friendly trial of skill at which I was present； but
since then till now I have heard nothing more of you； good or bad。
To…day this Allan Quatermain and a number of my own countrymen bring
grave charges against you； which； however； at present are not capable of
proof or disproof。 Well； I cannot decide those charges； whatever my own
opinion may be。 I think that you had better go back with your uncle；
Henri Marais； to the trek…Boers； where they can be laid before a court
and settled according to law。〃
〃If so； he will go back alone；〃 said the Vrouw Prinsloo。 〃He will not
go back with us； for we will elect a field…cornet and shoot himthe
stinkcat； who left us to starve and afterwards tried to kill little
Allan Quatermain； who saved our lives〃； and the chorus behind her
echoed：
〃Ja； ja； we will shoot him。〃
〃Hernan Pereira；〃 said Retief； rubbing his broad forehead； 〃I don't
quite know why it is； but no one seems to want you as a companion。
Indeed； to speak truth； I don't myself。 Still； I think you would be
safer with me than with these others whom you seem to have offended。
Therefore； I suggest that you come on with us。 But listen here； man；〃
he added sternly； 〃if I find you plotting against us among the Zulus；
that hour you are dead。 Do you understand？〃
〃I understand that I am one slandered；〃 replied Pereira。 〃Still； it is
Christian to submit to injuries； and therefore I will do as you wish。
As to these bearers of false witness； I leave them to God。〃
〃And I leave you to the devil；〃 shouted Vrouw Prinsloo； 〃who will
certainly have you soon or late。 Get out of my sight； stinkcat； or I
will pull your hair off。〃 And she rushed at him； flapping her dreadful
vatdoekwhich she produced from some recess in her raimentin his
face； driving him away as though he were a noxious insect。
Well； he went I know not where； and so strong was public opinion against
him that I do not think that even his uncle； Henri Marais； sought him
out to console him。
When Pereira was gone； our party and that of Retief fell into talk； and
we had much to tell。 Especially was the commandant interested in the
story of my bet with Dingaan； whereby I saved the lives of all my
companions by shooting the vultures。
〃It was not for nothing； nephew； that God Almighty gave you the power of
holding a gun so straight；〃 said Retief to me when he understood the
matter。 〃I remember that when you killed those wildfowl in the Groote
Kloof with bullets； which no other man could have done； I wondered why
you should have such a gift above all the rest of us； who have practised
for so many more years。 Well； now I understand。 God Almighty is no
fool； He knows His business。 I wish you were coming back with me to
Dingaan； but as that tainted man； Hernan Pereira； is of my company；
perhaps it is better that you should stay away。 Tell me； now； about
this Dingaan； does he mean to kill us？〃
〃Not this time； I think； uncle；〃 I answered； 〃because first he wishes to
learn all about the Boers。 Still； do not trust him too far just because
he speaks you softly。 Remember； that if I had missed the third vulture；
we should all have been dead by now。 And； if you are wise； keep an eye
upon Hernan Pereira。〃
〃These things I will do； nephew； especially the last of them； and now we
must be getting on。 Stay； come here； Henri Marais； I have a word to say
to you。 I understand that this little Englishman； Allan Quatermain； who
is worth ten bigger men； loves your daughter； whose life he has saved
again and again； and that she loves him。 Why； then； do you not let them
marry in a decent fashion？〃
〃Because before God I have sworn her to another manto my nephew；
Hernan Pereira； whom everyone slanders；〃 answered Marais sulkily。
〃Until she is of age that oath holds。〃
〃Oho！〃 said Retief； 〃you have sworn your lamb to that hyena； have you？
Well； look out that he does not crack your bones as well as hers； and
perhaps some others also。 Why does God give some men a worm in their
brains； as He does to the wildebeeste； a worm that always makes them run
the wrong way？ I don't know； I am sure； but you who are very religious；
Henri Marais； might think the matter over and tell me the answer when
next we meet。 Well； this girl of yours will soon be of age； and then；
as I am commandant down yonder where she is going； I'll see she marries
the man she wants； whatever you say； Henri Marais。 Heaven above us！ I
only wish it were my daughter he was in love with。 A fellow who can
shoot to such good purpose might have the lot of them〃； and uttering one
of his great； hearty laughs； he walked off to his horse。
On the morrow of this meeting we forded the Tugela and entered the
territory that is now called Natal。 Two days' short trekking through a
beautiful country brought us to some hills that I think were called
Pakadi； or else a chief named Pakadi lived there； I forget which。
Crossing these hills； on the further side of them； as Retief had told us
we should do； we found a large party of the trek…Boers； who were already
occupying this land on the hither side of the Bushman's River； little
knowing； poor people； that it was fated to become the grave of many of
them。 To…day； and for all future time； that district is and will be
known by the name of Weenen； or the Place of Weeping； because of those
pioneers who here were massacred by Dingaan within a few weeks of the
time of which I write。
Nice as the land was； for some reason or other it did not quite suit my
fancy； and therefore； in view of my approaching marriage with Marie；
having purchased a horse from one of the trek…Boers； I began to explore
the country round。 My object was to find a stretch of fertile veld
where we could settle when we were wedded； and such a spot I discovered
after some trouble。 It lay about thirty miles away to the east； in the
loop of a beautiful stream that is now known as the Mooi River。
Enclosed in this loop were some thirty thousand acres of very rich；
low…lying soil； almost treeless and clothed with luxuriant grasses where
game was extraordinarily numerous。 At the head of it rose a flat…topped
hill； from the crest of which； oddly enough； flowed a plentiful stream
of water fed by a strong spring。 Half…way down this hill； facing to the
east； an