But as I suspected that John Dunn knew no Latin, I only said aloud: "What an infernal fool!" (We were talking in English.) "Can't you get Umbelazi to do it now ?" (I meant, to send the women and children across the river.) "I fear it is too late, Mr.Quatermain," he answered.

"The Usutu are in sight.

Look for yourself." And he handed me a telescope which he had with him.
I climbed on to some rocks and scanned the plain in front of us, from which just then a puff of wind rolled away the mist.

It was black with advancing men! As yet they were a considerable distance away--quite two miles, I should think--and coming on very slowly in a great half-moon with thin horns and a deep breast; but a ray from the sun glittered upon their countless spears.

It seemed to me that there must be quite twenty or thirty thousand of them in this breast, which was in three divisions, commanded, as I learned afterwards, by Cetewayo, Uzimela, and by a young Boer named Groening.
"There they are, right enough," I said, climbing down from my rocks.
"What are you going to do, Mr.Dunn ?" "Obey orders and try to make peace, if I can find anyone to make peace with; and if I can't--well, fight, I suppose.