never have been massacred.  Also as the peaceful Panda, his brother, would, I suppose, have succeeded to the throne, probably the subsequent slaughter at Weenen, and all the after fighting, would never have taken place.  But so it was fated, and who am I that I should quarrel with or even question the decrees of fate?  Doubtless these things were doomed to happen, and they happened in due course.  There is nothing more to be said.

Early on the following morning we collected our oxen, which, although still footsore, were now full fed and somewhat rested.  An hour or two later began our trek, word having come to us from Dingaan that we must start at once.  Also he sent us guides, under the command of the captain Kambula, to show us the road to Natal.

I breakfasted that day with the Reverend Mr. Owen and his people, my object being to persuade him to come away with us, as I did not consider that Zululand was a safe place for white women and children.  My mission proved fruitless.  Mrs. Hulley, the wife of the absent interpreter, who had three little ones, Miss Owen and the servant, Jane Williams, were all of them anxious enough to do as I suggested.  But Mr. and Mrs. Owen, who were filled with the true fervour of missionaries, would not listen.  They said that God would protect them; that they had only been a few weeks in the country, and that it would be the act of cowards and of traitors to fly at the very beginning of their work.  Here I may add that after the massacre of Retief they changed their opinion, small blame to them, and fled as fast as anyone else.

I told Mr. Owen how very close I had gone to shooting Dingaan, in which event they might all have been killed with us.  This news shocked him much.  Indeed, he lectured me severely on the sins of bloodthirstiness and a desire for revenge.  So, finding that we looked at things differently, and that it was of no use wasting breath in argument, I wished him and his people good-bye and good fortune and went upon my way, little guessing how we should meet again.

An hour later we trekked.  Passing by the accursed hill, Hloma Amabutu, where I saw some gorged vultures sleeping on the rocks, we came to the gate of the Great Kraal.  Here, to my surprise, I saw Dingaan with some of his councillors and an armed guard of over a hundred men, seated under the shade of two big milk trees.  Fearing treachery, I halted the wagons and advised the Boers to load their rifles and be ready for the worst.  A minute or so later young Thomas Halstead arrived and told me that Dingaan wished to speak with us.  I asked him if that meant that we were to be killed.  He answered, “No, you are quite safe.”  The king had received some news that had put him in a good humour with the white people, and he desired to bid us farewell, that was all.

So we trekked boldly to where Dingaan was, and, stopping the wagons, went up to him in a body.  He greeted us kindly enough, and even gave me his fat hand to shake.