To this Retief demurred, whereon the messengers appealed to me, whom they had recognised, asking if that were not the custom of their country.
I answered that I had not been in it long enough to know.

Then there was a pause while they sent for someone to bear evidence; at the time I did not know whom, as I was not near enough to Thomas Halstead to make inquiries.

Presently this someone appeared, and turned out to be none other than Hernan Pereira.
He advanced towards us attended by Zulus, as though he were a chief, looking fat and well and handsomer than ever.

Seeing Retief, he lifted his hat with a flourish and held out his hand, which, I noted, the commandant did not take.
"So you are still here, Mynheer Pereira!" he said coldly.

"Now be good enough to tell me, what is this matter about the abandoning of our arms ?" "The king charges me to say--" began Hernan.
"Charges you to say, Mynheer Pereira! Are you then this black man's servant?
But continue." "That none must come into his private enclosure armed." "Well, then, mynheer, be pleased to go tell this king that we do not wish to come to his private enclosure.