fresh he managed for some little time to keep on his legs. Passing some large rocks, however, which jutted out half across the pathway, a large piece of stone was hurled at him from above, and felled him to the ground, and while half-stunned and insensible, he was overtaken by half-a-dozen savages, and after receiving several severe blows from knobkerries, was seized and pinioned with thongs. Even as they lifted him, he could see in the distance that Baudoin had managed to gain the troopers in advance, and the three seemed to have some chance of escape. Umbelini's "big place," or kraal, is on the south side of the Zlobani, and rather more than half way up from the valley. To this place, with a considerable amount of abuse, Grandier was led. Wounded as he was, beaten, bruised, and footsore, the prisoner was dragged round the slopes of the mountain, and forced by assegais to keep up with his escort, who, like all their countrymen, went at a sort of double stride or trot until the outskirts of the kraal were reached. The sun was still high over the mountain when they reached Umbelini's stronghold, and he was at once placed under an escort in one of the Zulu huts, which formed part of the outer circle of the defences. It was constructed of strong wickerwork, and thatched with reeds and long grass, the door being merely a small matted hurdle, which did not so entirely block the doorway as to prevent those outside from looking in--an advantage of which the crowd of men, women, and children did not fail to avail themselves to the fullest extent. The walls were so thin that voices and conversation, even though carried on in a moderate tone, could be distinctly heard from hut to hut. After having been kept without food or water for some hours, Grandier was brought the same evening before the chief, Umbelini, whose appearance he described as at the same time villainous and ferocious in the extreme. The interview was certainly an interesting one. The name and power of the ex-Swazi chief were known and renowned all over Zululand. The recent favour shown to him by Cetywayo, and his position being now considered as more that of an ally than a vassal, gave to his authority and prestige an influence they had never before possessed. So blindly did his people believe in him, that it is more than probable had further success crowned his efforts, he would have been found a dangerous rival for the Zulu throne. Umbelini sat in front of the principal hut, surrounded by about fifty of his favourite warriors, while large numbers of savages appeared to be leaving the kraal in different directions. Masses of natives, evidently belonging to outlying tribes, were continually arriving, and reports were brought from time to time to the chief, who gave his orders rapidly and without hesitation. Upwards of a hundred principal men appeared to be in conference with Umbelini, and the number seemed rapidly increasing. Many of these men,