Indeed, as there was more land than we could possibly occupy, I persuaded Henri Marais, the Prinsloos and the Meyers, with whom I had trekked from Delagoa, to visit it with me.  When they had seen it they agreed to make it their home in the future, but meanwhile elected to return to the other Boers for safety’s sake.  So with the help of some Kaffirs, of whom there were a few in the district, remnants of those tribes which Chaka had destroyed, I pegged out an estate of about twelve thousand acres for myself, and, selecting a site, set the natives to work to build a rough mud house upon it which would serve as a temporary dwelling.  I should add that the Prinsloos and the Meyers also made arrangements for the building of similar shelters almost alongside of my own.  This done, I returned to Marie and the trek-Boers.

On the morning after my return to the camp Piet Retief appeared there with his five or six companions.  I asked him how he had got on with Dingaan.

“Well enough, nephew,” he answered.  “At first the king was somewhat angry, saying that we Boers had stolen six hundred head of his cattle.  But I showed him that it was the chief, Sikonyela, who lives yonder on the Caledon River, who had dressed up his people in white men’s clothes and put them upon horses, and afterwards drove the cattle through one of our camps to make it appear that we were the thieves.  Then he asked me what was my object in visiting him.  I answered that I sought a grant of the land south of the Tugela to the sea.

“‘Bring me back the cattle that you say Sikonyela has stolen,’ he said, ‘and we will talk about this land.’  To this I agreed and soon after left the kraal.”

“What did you do with Hernan Pereira, uncle?” I asked.

“This, Allan.  When I was at Umgungundhlovu I sought out the truth of that story you told me as to his having made a plot to get you killed by the Zulus on the ground that you were a wizard.”

“And what did you discover, uncle?”

“I discovered that it was true, for Dingaan told me so himself.  Then I sent for Pereira and ordered him out of my camp, telling him that if he came back among the Boers I would have him put on his trial for attempted murder.  He said nothing, but went away.”

“Whither did he go?”

“To a place that Dingaan gave him just outside his kraal.  The king said that he would be useful to him, as he could mend guns and teach his soldiers to shoot with them.  So there, I suppose, he remains, unless he has thought it wiser to make off.  At any rate, I am sure that he will not come here to trouble you or anyone.”

“No, uncle, but he may trouble you there,” I said doubtfully.

“What do you mean, Allan?”

“I don’t quite know, but he is black-hearted, a traitor by nature, and in one way or the other he will stir up sorrow.  Do you think that he will love you, for instance, after you have hunted him out like a thief?”