"O King," he said, "I am a very old man; as a youth I served under Chaka
the Lion, and I heard his dying prophecy of the coming of the white man.
Then the white men came, and I fought for Dingaan at the battle of the
Blood River. They slew Dingaan, and for many years I was the counsellor
of Panda, your father. I stood by you, O King, at the battle of the
Tugela, when its grey waters were turned to red with the blood of
Umbulazi your brother, and of the tens of thousands of his people.
Afterwards I became your counsellor, O King, and I was with you
when Sompseu set the crown upon your head and you made promises to
Sompseu--promises that you have not kept. Now you are weary of me, and
it is well; for I am very old, and doubtless my talk is foolish, as
it chances to the old. Yet I think that the prophecy of Chaka, your
great-uncle, will come true, and that the white men will prevail against
you and that through them you shall find your death. I would that I
might have stood in one more battle and fought for you, O King, since
fight you will, but the end which you choose is for me the best end.
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