358 EXPEDITION INTO [Chap. XL. 



Other of Moselekatse's principal kraals, in which 

 resided Kalipi, and a large portion of the fighting 

 men. To this spot were the steps of the emigrant 

 farmers directed. As the first streaks of light 

 ushered in the eventful morning of the 17th of Ja- 

 nuary, Maritz's little band suddenly and silently 

 emerged from a pass in the hills behind the houses 

 of the American missionaries ; and ere the sun had 

 reached the zenith, the bodies of four hundred 

 chosen Matabili warriors, the flower of barbarian 

 chivalry, garnished the blood-stained valley of Mo- 

 sega. N ot a creature was aware of the approach of 

 danger, and the entrance of a rifle-ball by one of the 

 bed-room windows, was the first intimation received 

 by the missionaries of the impending onslaught. 

 One of their domestics, Baba, the converted Bechu- 

 ana, who, it will be remembered, accompanied the 

 author to the king's residence in capacity of inter- 

 preter, being mistaken for a Zooloo, was hotly 

 pursued to the river, into which he plunged, hippo- 

 potamus-like, and narrowly escaped annihilation by 

 counterfeitingdeath, after three bullets had whistled 

 past his protruded head. So perfect were the mili- 

 tary dispositions which the information afforded by 

 the captive had suggested, that the valley was 

 completely invested, and no avenue of escape re- 

 mained. The Matabili flew to arms at the first 

 alarm, and bravely defended themselves, but were 

 shot like sparrows as fast as they appeared outside 

 of the inclosure, nor did they succeed in perforating 

 the leathern doublet of a single Dutchman. But 



