"For every man of ours there are three of these Swazis!" The soldiers saw also, and the courage of some of them sank low.

Then Umslopogaas spoke to them:-- "Yonder are the Swazi dogs, my children; they are many and we are few.
Yet, shall it be told at home that we, men of the Zulu blood, were hunted by a pack of Swazi dogs?
Shall our women and children sing THAT song in our ears, O Soldiers of the Axe ?" Now some cried "Never!" but some were silent; so Umslopogaas spoke again:-- "Turn back all who will: there is yet time.

Turn back all who will, but ye who are men come forward with me.

Or if ye will, go back all of you, and leave Axe Groan-Maker and Club Watcher to see this matter out alone." Now there arose a mighty shout of "We will die together who have lived together!" "Do you swear it ?" cried Umslopogaas, holding Groan-Maker on high.
"We swear it by the Axe," they answered.
Then Umslopogaas and Galazi made ready for the battle.

They posted all the young men in the broken ground above the bottom of the slope, for these could best be spared to the spear, and Galazi the Wolf took command of them; but the veterans stayed upon the hillside, and with them Umslopogaas.
Now the Halakazi came on, and there were four full regiments of them.
The plain was black with them, the air was rent with their shoutings, and their spears flashed like lightnings.