"Why are you always trying to scare me with your fancies, Allan?
Dingaan is our friend, not our enemy.
So let us take the gifts that fortune gives us and be thankful.

Come, march." This he said about eight o'clock in the morning.
We strolled through the gates of the Great Kraal, most of the Boers, who, as usual, had piled their arms under the two milk trees, lounging along in knots of four or five, laughing and chatting as they went.

I have often thought since, that although every one of them there, except myself, was doomed within an hour to have taken the dreadful step from time into eternity, it seems strange that advancing fate should have thrown no shadow on their hearts.

On the contrary, they were quite gay, being extremely pleased at the successful issue of their mission and the prospect of an immediate return to their wives and children.

Even Retief was gay, for I heard him joking with his companions about myself and my "white-bread-week," or honeymoon, which, he said, was drawing very near.
As we went, I noticed that most of the regiments who had performed the great military dances before us on the previous day were gone.