At  the  dawn  a  company  of  soldiers  will  be  waiting  with
orders  to  take  him  to  the  border.  You  will  go  with  him
and  answer  for  his  safety  with  your  life.  Let  him  be  well
treated  on  the  road  as  my  messenger."

Then  Cetewayo  rose  and  stood  while  all  present  gave
him  the  royal  salute,  after  which  he  walked  away  down
the  kloof.  I  remained  for  a  moment,  making  pretence  to
examine  the  blade  of  the  httle  assegai  that  had  been  thrown
by  the  figure  on  the  rock,  which  I  had  picked  from  the


KAATJE  BRINGS  NEWS  227

ground.  This  historical  piece  of  iron  which  I  have  no
doubt  is  the  same  that  Chaka  always  carried,  wherewith,
too,  he  is  said  to  have  killed  his  mother,  Nandie,  by  the
way  I  still  possess,  for  I  slipped  it  into  my  pocket  and  none
tried  to  take  it  from  me.
Really,  however,  I  was  wondering  whether  I  could  in
any  way  gain  access  to  Zikali,  a  problem  that  was  settled
for  me  by  a  sharp  request  to  move  on,  uttered  in  a  tone
which  admitted  of  no  further  argument.
