Between Snow and Fire — page 209: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

i ie Fa | | man was going to snatch no easy victory. fell and murderous purpose swept across his face, that many of those who witnessed it realised that their country- The stout raw-hide reims which bound his hands behind him were loosened—and that which secured his feet was removed. He stood swinging his arms and stamping to hasten the circulation—then he asked for some water, which was brought him. “ Ha, umlingu!” jeered Ngcenika, addressing Eustace, as the two white men stood talking together. “Give this valiant fighter some white magic to strengthen him. He will need it.” Well, Eustace, I’m going to kill that dog,” said Carhayes. ‘I’m going to die fighting anyway, so that’s allright. Now —I’m ready. What are we going to fight with ?” “This,” said one of the bystanders, handing him a pair of hard-wood kerries. Hlangani now made his appearance similarly armed. The crescent formation of warriors had narrowed their © ranks, the chiefs and councillors and Eustace and his The pris- oner could not have broken through that dense array of armed men which hemmed him in on every side, had he en- guards composing the upper arc of the circle. tertained the idea. Both the principals in that strange impromptu duel were men of splendid physique. The Kafir, nearly naked, looked like a bronze giant, towering above his adversary.in his magnificent height and straight and perfect proportions. The Englishman, thick-set, deep-chested, concentrated a vast amount of muscular power within his five-foot-eight. He had thrown off his ragged shirt, and the muscles of his chest and arms stood out like ropes. He looked a terribly awkward antagonist, and moreover on his side the conflict He was a would be fought with all the ferocity of despair. man bent on selling his life dearly. Hlangani, for his part, was confident and smiling. He was going to fight with his natural weapons, a pair of good, trusty kerries. This blundering white man, though he had the strength and ferocity of an enraged bull, had more than that quadruped’s stupidity. He would knock him out of shape in no time. When blood isup, the spirit of Donnybrook is very strong among Kafirs. The next best thing to taking part in a (E(o) m (E v.00