, 1873-06-08
An African General

The Znlus who live north Of Natal sro pa1a-
mount among the tribes OF South Africa, and
they Ensd this sp e through the t: CON-
who, had ne been d European, would surely
hare been called ''the great" but being only m
African barbarian, is simply surnaIned 1.-THE
Bloody" Previous to bis reign, his people were
Least s'ong them Ihes ~ occupied
square miles in extent. Chaka Was =
son Of the Chief Of this commu-
nifty. From some peculiar circumstances
attending upon his birth, he vas re-
garded by the people as the possessor
her ambition for her child euboTned the medi-
cine-men to fabricate q lying wonder On his be-
half. But as he grew in years he did not disap-
point the expectations TINT we're thus formed OF
hin: He was tau IN stature, great IN strength
stripped those Of his own age. The reputation
which these qualities obtained for him excited
the jealousy Of his father, and Chaka, to save
his life. fled to the Amatetwe: neighboring
these people he remained until he was 80 yeala
Of age, when his father died, and BY which
time he was distinguished above all men
as the possessor. Of gifts that are in
high esteem with the Zulus- By the aid OF
some Of the Amatetwe he made himself Chief Of
his own people; and the first act that signal
lied his reign was the putting to death OF all
whom he suspected OF being hostile to himself.
This was sanguinary, but from his point OF view
no worse, and fully as necessary, as the coup
obtained the supreme power. His next exploits
was to make war upon and 6ubdue the tribe
that had protected him when he WAS an exile.
This Was ungratefu1, but men OF great
ingratitnde as great. Then he abolished
the old laws, and enacted the Code
Chaka, by which, as Chief, he was invested
with absolute personal authority, and, as in
more enlightened lands, the entire nation WIS
made aubservient to the production and main-
system Of warfare. He marshaled his troops
into regiments, which we're formed into three
divisions, q portion OF each being incorporated
with every force that took the field lnstead OF
fight st close quarters; and for the slender jave-
lin, which wa8 thrown from distance, he SUBJ
stituted single stabbing spear OF stouter mate
rials, the loss of which Was punished with DEATH
For defensive purposes he gave to each man 41:
discipline was severe. His soldiers had no
alternative but to conquer OF to die, for
retreat, even when compelled thereto by su-
perior numbers, WAS visited by him with DEATH
But such punishment "aa rarely necessary
for Chaka Was consummate General, and had
the art Of inspiring his followers with his OVID
Irresistible spirit. He made war upon all
around him, and tribe after tribe was con
quered, until he had been proclaimed victorious
thus satisfied his warlike ambition, he directed
his energies to the consolidation Of his empire.
And in the doing Of this he seems to have eaE1-
cd his terrible surname as much by the merc1"
less exercise Of his despotio power upon
those who had become q his people," az By
his warfare upon his enemies As he grew
old his natural force abated, his servants con-
spired against him, and he was murdered on the
22d Of September, 1928. Many re1oiced at his
death but the Zulus cherish the memory Of his
hxrfh In n Hi