First went Hans, because at following a spoor he was, I believe, almost unequalled in Africa, and with him, Umslopogaas, and three of his Zulus to guard against surprise.
These were followed by Captain Robertson, who seemed to prefer to walk alone and whom I thought it best to leave undisturbed.

Then I came and after me straggled the Strathmuir boys with the pack animals, the cavalcade being closed by the remaining Zulus under the command of Goroko.

These walked last in case any of the mixed-bloods should attempt to desert, as we thought it quite probable that they would.
Less than an hour's tramp brought us to the bush-veld where I feared that our troubles might begin, since if the Amahagger were cunning, they would take advantage of it to confuse or hide their spoor.

As it chanced, however, they had done nothing of the sort and a child could have followed their march.

Just before nightfall we came to their first halting-place where they had made a fire and eaten one of the herd of farm goats which they had driven away with them, although they left the cattle, I suppose, because goats are docile and travel well.
Hans showed us everything that had happened; where the chair in which Inez was carried was set down, where she and Janee had been allowed to walk that she might stretch her stiff limbs, the dregs of some coffee that evidently Janee had made in a saucepan, and so forth.
He even told us the exact number of the Amahagger, which he said totalled forty-one, including the man whom Inez had wounded.