38 
AFRICAN HUNTING. 
Panda. His Majesty, however, was asleep, and liis 
attendants did not dare disturb him. After re¬ 
maining some time we were ordered to go to the 
gate and wait there, so we took huff and rode away 
without seeing him, broke up our camp, made a 
great bonfire of all the huts the Kaffirs had erected, 
and once more proceeded on our journey. We had 
not gone more than two miles when one of Panda’s 
captains came up in a great fury, swearing awfully 
by the bones of Dingaan, Chkka, the much-dreaded 
and cruel, and other renowned warriors of the 
nation, that if we did not immediately turn back, 
an impi (regiment 500 strong) would be down upon 
us and kill us instanter. He was in a great state of 
excitement, would not hear of our outspanning or 
delaying our return a moment, said the signal for 
attack was crossing that watercourse (pointing to a 
running stream not twenty yards ahead) ; and as 
we were entirely in their power, we thought dis¬ 
cretion the better part of valour, and did as we were 
ordered, looking very foolish in both our own and 
our followers’ eyes. Panda had always opposed our 
wish to go that way, and it was bearding the lion 
in his den, and most foolish and misjudged on the 
part of White, to go in direct opposition to his 
orders. On passing his kraal gates we went through 
two lines, at least 200 yards long, of magnificent men, 
armed with assegais, shields, knobkerries, and knives, 
in close file, waiting only the slightest intimation 
from His Majesty to annihilate us instantly. It was a 
