108 EXPEDITION INTO [CAap.XIII. 



who were humiliating themselves in the royal pre- 

 sence, " what they meant by pestering the king 

 with falsehoods and accusations ? " An effort was 

 immediately made on the part of the exasperated 

 warriors to secure the traitor ; and at that moment 

 Umslungani and Dingaan, the two elder brothers 

 of the despot, stealing unperceived behind him, 

 buried their assagais in his back. Chaka was en- 

 veloped in a blanket, which he instantly cast off, 

 making an ineffectual attempt to escape that death 

 to which his odious decrees had consigned so many 

 of his unoffending and loyal subjects. Being over- 

 taken in his flight by his pursuers, the domestic 

 Boper transfixed him with his weapon. Falling at 

 their feet, the wretch besought his assassins in the 

 most abject terms to let him live, that he might be 

 their slave. To this dastardly appeal, however, no 

 heed was given ; he was presently speared to death, 

 and the assassins then left him in order to execute 

 a similar deed upon the chiefs who were with him, 

 and who had also attempted to escape, but were 

 arrested in their flight, and shared the fate of their 

 ferocious master. One of these was an old grey- 

 headed warrior, who had only a short time before 

 put to death his seven concubines, together with 

 their children, for having neglected to mourn for 

 the death of Umnante. Returning to the prostrate 

 body of their oppressor, the regicides then danced 

 and howled around it, as round the carcase of a 

 vanquished panther, an animal they greatly dread. 

 The inhabitants of the kraal fled in consternation. 



