〃That　is　good；〃　I　said。　　〃You　played　well。〃
  〃Good！　baas；〃　he　answered；　〃and　I　with　two　cuts　in　my　nose　in　which　I
  can　lay　my　finger；　and　bites　all　over　me。　　Look　how　my　trousers　are
  torn。　　Look　at　my　headwhere　is　the　hair？　　Look　at　my　nose。　　Good！
  Played　well！　　It　is　those　verdomde　aasvogels　that　played。　　Oh！　baas；　if
  you　had　seen　and　smelt　them；　you　would　not　say　that　it　was　good。　　See；
  one　more　second　and　I；　who　have　two　nostrils；　should　have　had　four。〃
  〃Never　mind；　Hans；〃　I　said；　〃it　is　only　a　scratch；　and　I　will　make　you　a
  present　of　some　new　trousers。　　Also；　here　is　tobacco　for　you。　　Come　to
  the　bush；　let　us　talk。〃
  So　we　went；　and　when　Hans　was　a　little　composed　I　told　him　all　that　I
  had　observed　about　the　habits　of　the　aasvogel　in　the　air；　and　he　told　me
  all　that　he　had　observed　about　their　habits　on　the　ground；　which；　as　I
  might　not　shoot　them　sitting；　did　not　interest　me。　　Still；　he　agreed
  with　me　that　the　right　moment　to　fire　would　be　just　before　they　pounced。
  Whilst　we　were　still　talking　we　heard　a　sound　of　shouts；　and；　looking
  over　the　brow　of　the　hill　that　faced　towards　Umgungundhlovu；　we　saw　a
  melancholy　sight。　　Being　driven　up　the　slope　towards　us　by　three
  executioners　and　a　guard　of　seven　or　eight　soldiers；　their　hands　tied
  behind　their　backs；　were　three　men；　one　very　old；　one　of　about　fifty
  years　of　age；　and　one　a　lad；　who　did　not　look　more　than　eighteen。　　As　I
  soon　heard；　they　were　of　a　single　family；　the　grandfather；　the　father；
  and　the　eldest　son；　who　had　been　seized　upon　some　ridiculous　charge　of
  witchcraft；　but　really　in　order　that　the　king　might　take　their　cattle。
  Having　been　tried　and　condemned　by　the　Nyangas；　or　witch…doctors；　these
  poor　wretches　were　now　doomed　to　die。　　Indeed；　not　content　with　thus
  destroying　the　heads　of　the　tribe；　present　and　to　come；　for　three
  generations；　all　their　descendants　and　collaterals　had　already　been
  wiped　out　by　Dingaan；　so　that　he　might　pose　as　sole　heir　to　the　family
  cattle。
  Such　were　the　dreadful　cruelties　that　happened　in　Zululand　in　those
  days。
  CHAPTER　XIV
  THE　PLAY
  The　doomed　three　were　driven　by　their　murderers　into　the　centre　of　the
  depression；　within　a　few　yards　of　which　Hans　and　I　were　standing。
  After　them　came　the　head　executioner；　a　great　brute　who　wore　a　curiously
  shaped　leopard…skin　capI　suppose　as　a　badge　of　officeand　held　in　his
  hand　a　heavy　kerry；　the　shaft　of　which　was　scored　with　many　notches；
  each　of　them　representing　a　human　life。
  〃See；　White　Man；〃　he　shouted；　〃here　is　the　bait　which　the　king　sends　to
  draw　the　holy　birds　to　you。　　Had　it　not　been　that　you　needed　such　bait；
  perhaps　these　wizards　would　have　escaped。　　But　the　Black　One　said　the
  little　Son　of　George；　who　is　named　Macumazahn；　needs　them　that　he　may
  show　his　magic；　and　therefore　they　must　die　to…day。〃
  Now；　at　this　information　I　turned　positively　sick。　　Nor　did　it　make　me
  feel　better　when　the　youngest　of　the　victims；　hearing　the　executioner's
  words；　flung　himself　upon　his　knees；　and　began　to　implore　me　to　spare
  him。　　His　grandfather　also　addressed　me；　saying：
  〃Chief；　will　it　not　be　enough　if　I　die？　　I　am　old；　and　my　life　does　not
  matter。　　Or　if　one　is　not　sufficient；　take　me　and　my　son；　and　let　the
  lad；　my　grandson；　go　free。　　We　are　all　of　us　innocent　of　any　witchcraft；
  and　he　is　not　even　old　enough　to　practise　such　things；　being　but　an
  unmarried　boy。　　Chief；　you；　also；　are　young。　　Would　not　your　heart　be
  heavy　if　you　had　to　be　slain　when　the　sun　of　your　life　was　still　new　in
  the　sky？　　Think；　White　Chief；　what　your　father　would　feel；　if　you　have
  one；　should　he　be　forced　to　see　you　killed　before　his　eyes；　that　some
  stranger　might　use　your　body　to　show　his　skill　with　a　magic　weapon　by
  slaying　the　wild　things　that　would　eat　it。〃
  Now；　almost　with　tears；　I　broke　in；　explaining　to　the　venerable　man　as
  well　as　I　could　that　their　horrible　fate　had　nothing　to　do　with　me。　　I
  told　him　that　I　was　innocent　of　their　blood；　who　was　forced　to　be　there
  to　try　to　shoot　vultures　on　the　wing　in　order　to　save　my　white
  companions　from　a　doom　similar　to　their　own。　　He　listened　attentively；
  asking　a　question　now　and　again；　and　when　he　had　mastered　my　meaning；
  said　with　a　most　dignified　calmness：
  〃Now　I　understand；　White　Man；　and　am　glad　to　learn　that　you　are　not
  cruel；　as　I　thought。　　My　children；〃　he　added；　turning　to　the　others；
  〃let　us　trouble　this　Inkoos　no　more。　　He　only　does　what　he　must　do　to
  save　the　lives　of　his　brethren　by　his　skill；　if　he　can。　　If　we　continue
  to　plead　with　him　and　stir　his　heart　to　pity；　the　sorrow　swelling　in　it
  may　cause　his　hand　to　shake；　and　then　they　will　die　also；　and　their
  blood　be　on　his　head　and　ours。　　My　children；　it　is　the　king's　will　that
  we　should　be　slain。　　Let　us　make　ready　to　obey　the　king；　as　men　of　our
  House　have　always　done。　　White　lord；　we　thank　you　for　your　good　words。
  May　you　live　long；　and　may　good　fortune　sleep　in　your　hut　to　the　end。
  May　you　shoot　straight；　also；　with　your　magic　tool；　and　thereby　win　the
  lives　of　your　company　out　of　the　hand　of　the　king。　　Farewell；　Inkoos；〃
  and　since　he　could　not　lift　his　bound　hands　in　salutation；　he　bowed　to
  me；　as　did　the　others。
  Then　they　walked　to　a　little　distance；　and；　seating　themselves　on　the
  ground；　began　to　talk　together；　and　after　a　while　to　drone　some　strange
  chant　in　unison。　　The　executioners　and　the　guards　also　sat　down　not　far
  away；　laughing；　chatting；　and　passing　a　horn　of　snuff　from　hand　to　hand。
  Indeed；　I　observed　that　the　captain　of　them　even　took　some　snuff　to　the
  victims；　and　held　it　in　his　palm　beneath　their　noses　while　they　drew　it
  up　their　nostrils　and　politely　thanked　him　between　the　sneezes。
  As　for　myself；　I　lit　a　pipe　and　smoked　it；　for　I　seemed　to　require　a
  stimulant；　or；　rather；　a　sedative。　　Before　it　was　finished　Hans；　who　was
  engaged　in　doctoring　his　scratches　made　by　the　vultures'　beaks　with　a
  concoction　of　leaves　which　he　had　been　chewing；　exclaimed　suddenly　in
  his　matter…of…fact　voice：
  〃See；　baas；　here　they　come；　the　white　people　on　one　side　and　the　black
  on　the　other；　just　like　the　goats　and　the　sheep　at　Judgment　Day　in　the
  Book。〃
  I　looked；　and　there　to　my　right　appeared　the　party　of　Boers；　headed　by
  the　Vrouw　Prinsloo；　who　held　the　remnants　of　an　old　umbrella　over　her
  head。　　To　the　left　advanced　a　number　of　Zulu　nobles　and　councillors；　in
  front　of　whom　waddled　Dingaan　arrayed　in　his　bead　dancing　dress。　　He　was
  supported　by　two　stalwart　body…servants；　whilst　a　third　held　a　shield
  over　his　head　to　protect　him　from　the　sun；　and　a　fourth　carried　a　large
  stool；　upon　which　he　was　to　sit。　　Behind　each　party；　also；　I　perceived　a
  number　of　Zulus　in　their　war…dress；　all　of　them　armed　with　broad
  stabbing　spears。
  The　two　parties　arrived　at　the　stone　upon　which　I　was　sitting　almost
  simultaneously；　as　probably　it　had　been　arranged　that　they　should　do；
  and　halted；　staring　at　each　other。　　As　for　me；　I　sat　still　upon　my　stone
  and　smoked　on。
  〃Allemachte！　Allan；〃　puffed　the　Vrouw　Prinsloo；　who　was　breathless　with
  her　walk　up　the　hill；　〃so　here　you　are！　　As　you　did　not　come　back；　I
  thought　you　had　run　away　and　left　us；　like　that　stinkcat　Pereira。〃
  〃Yes；　Tante　（aunt）；　here　I　am；〃　I　answered　gloomily；　〃and　I　wish　to
  heaven　that　I　was　somewhere　else。〃
  Just　then　Dingaan；　having　settled　his　great　bulk　upon　the　stool　and
  recovered　his　breath；　called　to　the　lad　Halstead；　who　was　with　him；　and
  said：
  〃O　Tho…maas；　ask　your　brother；　Macumazahn；　if　he　is　ready　to　try　to
  shoot　the　vultures。　　If　not；　as　I　wish　to　be　fair；　I　will　give　him　a
  little　more　time　to　make　his　magic　medicine。〃
  I　replied　sulkily　that　I　was　as　ready　as　I　was　ever　likely　to　be。
  Then　the　Vrouw　Prinsloo；　understanding　that　the　king　of　the　Zulus　was
  before　her；　advanced　upon　him；　waving　her　umbrella。　　Catching　hold　of
  Halstead；　who　understood　Dutch；　she　forced　him　to　translate　an　harangue；
  which　she　addressed　to　Dingaan。
  Had　he　rendered　it　exactly　as　it　came　from　her　lips；　we　should　all　have
  been　dead　in　five　minutes；　but；　luckily；　that　unfortunate　young　man　had
  learnt　some　of　the　guile　of　the　serpent　during　his　sojourn　among　the
  Zulus；　and　varied　her　vigorous　phrases。　　The　gist　of　her　discourse　was
  that　he；　Dingaan；　was　a　black…hearted　and　bloody…minded　villain；　with
  whom　the　Almighty　would　come　even　sooner　or　later　（as；　indeed；　He　did）；
  and　that　if　he　dared　to　touch　one　hair　of　her　or　of　her　companions'
  heads；　the　Boers；　her　countrymen；　would　prove　themselves　to　be　the
  ministers　of　the　Almighty　in　that　matter　（as；　indeed；　they　did）。　　As
  translated　by　Halstead　into　Zulu；　what　she　said　was　that　Dingaan　was　the
  greatest　king　in　the　whole　world；　in　fact；　that　there　was　not；　and　never
  had　been；　any　such　a　king　either　in　power；　wisdom；　or　personal　beauty；
  and　that　if　she　and　her　companions　had　to　die；　the　sight　of　his　glory