An answer seemed to rise within me:  That I might be one of the instruments of vengeance upon that devilish murderer, Dingaan.  Looking upon those poor shattered and desecrated frames that had been men, I swore in my heart that if I lived I would not fail in that mission.  Nor did I fail, although the history of that great repayment cannot be told in these pages.

Turning my eyes from this dreadful sight, I saw that on the opposite slope, where we had camped during our southern trek from Delagoa, still stood the huts and wagons of the Reverend Mr. Owen.  I asked Kambula whether he and his people were also dead.

“No, Inkoos,” he answered; “they are of the Children of George, as you are, and therefore the king has spared them, although he is going to send them out of the country.”

This was good news, so far as it went, and I asked again if Thomas Halstead had also been spared, since he, too, was an Englishman.

“No,” said Kambula.  “The king wished to save him, but he killed two of our people and was dragged off with the rest.  When the slayers got to their work it was too late to stay their hands.”

Again I asked whether I might not join Mr. Owen and trek with him, to which Kambula answered briefly: 

“No, Macumazahn; the king’s orders are that you must go by yourself.”

So I went; nor did I ever again meet Mr. Owen or any of his people.  I believe, however, that they reached Durban safely and sailed away in a ship called the Comet.

In a little while we came to the two milk trees by the main gate of the kraal, where much of our saddlery still lay scattered about, though the guns had gone.  Here Kambula asked me if I could recognise my own saddle.

“There it is,” I answered, pointing to it; “but what is the use of a saddle without a horse?”

“The horse you rode has been kept for you, Macumazahn,” he replied.

Then he ordered one of the men with us to bring the saddle and bridle, also some other articles which I selected, such as a couple of blankets, a water-bottle, two tins containing coffee and sugar, a little case of medicines, and so forth.

About a mile further on I found one of my horses tethered by an outlying guard hut, and noted that it had been well fed and cared for.  By Kambula’s leave I saddled it and mounted.  As I did so, he warned me that if I tried to ride away from the escort I should certainly be killed, since even if I escaped them, orders had been given throughout the land to put an end to me should I be seen alone.

I replied that, unarmed as I was, I had no idea of making any such attempt.  So we went forward, Kambula and his soldiers walking or trotting at my side.