A WIFE’S REVENGE 
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returning alone, dressed in her husband’s clothes, instinctively 
divined that there was something wrong, retired into the wagon 
with her baby, and armed herself with a shot gun. The 
Hottentot came up and brutally told her that she was now his 
wife given him by the king, and detailed the events of her 
husband’s death to her, ordering her out at once. The distracted 
woman threatened to shoot the man if he attempted to come 
near her, and sat nursing her child while daylight lasted. The 
Hottentot, who meanwhile got out of range of her gun, told her 
that he was only waiting for the night when he would come and 
fetch her, now his wife, out of the wagon at his leisure. Towards 
evening she lit a candle, and then as the Hottentot came near 
she dropped the burning light into a cask full of gunpowder, 
which exploded, killing her, the child, the Hottentot, and several 
natives who had approached to see the fun, as well as smashing 
the wagon, cart, and most of the goods to atoms. Indala kept 
the horse. 
This terrible tale told to some of our boys at night, by some 
Mashubia women living amongst the Mombokooshus, who had 
clandestinely visited our camp to ask for news from their country, 
opened anything but a reassuring prospect for the possibilities 
of our future here. We found ourselves in a considerable fix. Go 
back I was determined we would not, and if we could only ford 
the river before us, I felt that we would make a fight for it in 
case of unpleasantness arising, knowing that, if we only got a 
fair chance, the Mombokooshus would have cause to reckon the 
cost of wiping us out before we were beaten. Our main pre¬ 
caution must be against treachery, not from our own boys, for 
they were tried metal, and not to be got at. Chiki, Paul, 
Styrman, Sjamboke, and several others, opportunely came to 
me and quietly said, ‘ “ Kolwani,” we have weapons, and are 
sharpening them, you watch and see if we do not have them 
ready for these people who hide at night in the river like fish. 
We, of the Swangi nation, know how to fight when our lives are 
at stake.’ These brave fellows laughed the fears of Franz to 
scorn, and kept up a cheerful humour in our camp that was 
