to the assegai, and then falling upon the town shall surprise it, and
drive the soldiers of Wambe as a wind blows the dead husks of corn. This
is my plan. I have spoken.'

"'_Ou!_' said Nala, 'it is good, it is very good. The white man is
cleverer than a jackal. Yes, so shall it be; and may the snake of the
Butiana people stand up upon its tail and prosper the war, for so shall
we be rid of Wambe and the tyrannies of Wambe.'

"After that the girl Maiwa stood up, and once more producing the
dreadful little dried hand, made her father and several of his head
councillors swear by it and upon it that they would carry out the war of
vengeance to the bitter end. It was a very curious sight to see. And by
the way, the fight that ensued was thereafter known among the tribes of
that district as the War of the Little Hand.

"The next two days were busy ones for us. Messengers were sent out,
and every available man of the Butiana tribe was ordered up to 'a great
dance.' The country was small, and by the evening of the second day,
some twelve hundred and fifty men were assembled with their assegais and
shields, and a fine hardy troop they were. At dawn of the following day,
the fourth from the departure of the heralds, the main impi, having
been doctored in the usual fashion, started under the command of Nala
himself, who, knowing that his life and chieftainship hung upon the
issue of the struggle, wisely determined to be present to direct it.
With them went Maiwa, who was to guide them up the secret path. Of
course we were obliged to give them two days' start, as they had more
than a hundred miles of rough country to pass, including the crossing of
the great mountain range which ran north and south, for it was necessary
that the impi should make a wide détour in order to escape detection.