Ah! my
father, if I had spoken, how many would have lived who were soon dead!
But what does it matter? In any case most of them would have been dead
by now.
On the fourth morning, early, Dingaan sent a messenger to the Boers,
bidding them meet him in the cattle kraal, for there he would mark the
paper. So they came, stacking their guns at the gate of the kraal, for
it was death for any man, white or black, to come armed before the
presence of the king. Now, my father, the kraal Umgugundhlovu was
built in a great circle, after the fashion of royal kraals. First came
the high outer fence, then the thousands of huts that ran three parts
round between the great fence and the inner one. Within this inner
fence was the large open space, big enough to hold five regiments, and
at the top of it--opposite the entrance--stood the cattle kraal
itself, that cut off a piece of the open space by another fence bent
like a bow. Behind this again were the Emposeni, the place of the
king's women, the guard-house, the labyrinth, and the Intunkulu, the
house of the king. Dingaan came out on that day and sat on a stool in
front of the cattle kraal, and by him stood a man holding a shield
over his head to keep the sun from him. Also we of the Amapakati, the
council, were there, and ranged round the fence of the space, armed
with short sticks only--not with kerries, my father--was that regiment
of young men which Dingaan had not sent away, the captain of the
regiment being stationed near to the king, on the right.
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