AN ABDUCTION AND A RESCUE. 213 



head with a knob-kerry, and lay as if dead. They got 

 off well from the kraal, and were out of sight when I 

 returned, for they did not think I should be back so soon. 

 I shouted for the men, who soon came in. We got our 

 assagies, and I had my gun. Ama Sheman came all 

 alive again, and eight of us started in chase. We went 

 fast, and soon sighted the four rascals. As we came near 

 them, they seemed surprised, and did not know what to 

 do. They soon let Peshauna loose, and ran for their 

 lives. We gained on them, and I threw away my gun, 

 that I might run quicker. They had a river to cross, 

 which was deep ; they were wrong to try and get across ; 

 they ought to have fought on this side. Before they had 

 gone over half the water, we had assagied two of them. 

 They soon sank, and were eaten up by the alligators. 

 The other two got over. We all jumped into the water, 

 and swam after them. One of our young men, a very 

 fast runner, went past me, and neared Boy ; as he did, 

 he shouted to him not to run like a dog, but to stop and 

 fight. Boy took no notice until the man was close to 

 him, when he suddenly stopped, turned round, and threw 

 an assagy, which went through our fast runner, and 

 killed him. It was Boy's last achievement, for I was on 

 him like a leopard, and my assagy going into his heart was 

 pleasant music to me. The other Kaffir was killed by 

 Ama Sheman. We hid their bodies, as we did not wish 

 a war with their kraal. We all kept the story quiet, and 

 they did not for some time discover what had become of 

 Boy and his party. The hyaenas and vultures soon picked 

 their bones." 



