“To Hendricks the hunter and trader. He is well known to you,” answered Denis.
“I care not for your relatives or friends. Whom do you hold to be the chief person in Zululand?”
“Surely who else but King Panda and his son Cetchwayo?” replied Denis, in a confident tone.
“In that respect you have not answered wisely. Panda is king it is true; but Cetchwayo, who is he?”
“I thought that you were Cetchwayo,” said Denis.
“In that you are mistaken, young Englishman; I am Umbulazi, a better man than Cetchwayo, and have more right to be the prince than he has.”
“I beg your pardon,” answered Denis, in no way abashed.
“Understand, Prince, that we are travellers through the country, that we have come to trade and to hunt, but we do not pretend to have more affection for one ruler than another. We were on a hunting expedition to obtain some meat for our camp when your followers seized us and brought us here. All we now ask is to be set at liberty, and to be allowed to return to our friends who are anxiously waiting us.”
“Such cannot be allowed,” answered Umbulazi. “You will carry information of what you have seen to Cetchwayo, who will then be induced to attack us before we are ready for him.”
“We promise to give no information which will in any way injure you,” said Denis.