A minute or so later young Thomas Halstead arrived and told me that Dingaan wished to speak with us.

I asked him if that meant that we were to be killed.

He answered, "No, you are quite safe." The king had received some news that had put him in a good humour with the white people, and he desired to bid us farewell, that was all.
So we trekked boldly to where Dingaan was, and, stopping the wagons, went up to him in a body.

He greeted us kindly enough, and even gave me his fat hand to shake.
"Macumazahn," he said, "although it has cost me many oxen, I am glad that your magic prevailed yesterday.

Had it not done so I should have killed all these your friends, which would have been a cause of war between me and the Amaboona.