Umhala then retired to his position, and there was a silence of some minutes, the Kaffirs examining us with their keen glances, and we, in turn, looking at them in true English style, "straight in the face." At last, after a long pause, Mr Shepstone entered upon the business of the meeting, by reading to them a translation, in the Kaffir language, of Colonel Hare's letter, demanding Umhala's reason for annoying and letting his people annoy Gasella, etc, etc. After due deliberation, and sundry whispers between his Hemraaden, or councillors, and himself, Umhala began his reply by apologies for keeping Colonel Hare at Fort Peddie, in expectation of his arrival. He said "the weather had been severe, the rains had made the roads heavy for his horses, his people were unable to hurry themselves," and so forth; and all this apology was delivered in a cold sarcastic tone, indicative of a contempt he scarcely cared to conceal. He denied much that Gasella had stated, though the story was well authenticated; and, though I could not understand the language, the characters of the two chiefs were manifested in their deportment. Umhala spoke slowly and deliberately, having listened patiently (with an occasional ejaculation of "Soh," "Soh," at each period) to Mr Shepstone's address. Now and then he smiled scornfully, and with an air of mock civility, towards Gasella, and the whole import of his speech appeared to me to mean this--"I hate you--you are the ally of the English; we dare not touch you now, as you are surrounded by them, but this is only temporary, we will annihilate you whenever a good opportunity offers." I found afterwards that my translation was wonderfully literal. Gasella, in replying, rather lost his temper, and no wonder, finding that Umhala denied everything, and persisted that his adversary had seriously injured the Imrad, though he had taken care to leave the said Imrad at the kraal, where he had been seen a day or two before, by an agent of Mr Shepstone's, and was reported perfectly free from injury. Finding the meeting such a peaceful-looking affair, another officer's wife who was of the party, proposed that she and I should ride on half a mile farther, to the missionary station, but it was thought unadvisable; and it was as well we remained where we were, for we learned that the peaceful valley behind the site of the council contained a thousand armed Kaffirs, Umhala fearing we might attempt to take him prisoner. The sight of those savages would have been unpleasant, though, without a signal from their chief, they would not have molested us. On each hill-top, looking gigantic, as the clear sky threw out their forms in strong relief, were scouts--their blankets or karosses flying in the wind, and their assegais over their shoulders--placed there, no doubt, to watch our proceedings, and alarm Umhala's "reserve battalion," in the event of our displaying hostile intent.