Thereafter the strength of Umslopogaas gathered on him slowly, and the hole in his skull skinned over.

But now his hair was grizzled, and he scarcely smiled again, but grew even more grim and stern than he had been before.
Soon we learned all the truth about Zinita, for the women and children came back to the town of the People of the Axe, only Zinita and the children of Umslopogaas did not come back.

Also a spy reached me from the Mahlabatine and told me of the end of Zinita and of the flight of Dingaan before the Boers.
Now when Umslopogaas had recovered, I asked him what he would do, and whether or not I should pursue my plots to make him king of the land.
But Umslopogaas shook his head, saying that he had no heart that way.

He would destroy a king indeed, but now he no longer desired to be a king.

He sought revenge alone.