The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1873-07-10
AN AFRICAN GENERAL.


The Zulus, who live porth Of Natal, are par
amount among the tribes Of South Africa, and
they gained this bre-eminence through the.
energy and ability Of one man,
Chaka. wh0,, had he beer. European. would
surely have been called "Ihe Great" but 1e.
ing only an African barbarian. Is simply SIR.
named 1.-The Bloody" Previous to his reign
his people were first among their brethren.
They occupied tract Of land Of not more
than ten or twelve square miles in extent.
Chaka was q son of the Chief Of this little
community. From Some peculiar circumstances
attending upon his birth, he was regarded by
the people as the pOssessOr OF superhuman
gifts Probably his mother, in her ambition
for her child, suborned the medicine men to
fabricate lying wonder On his behalf But
as he grew in years he did not disappoint the
expectations that were thus formed of him.
He was tall in stature, great in strength, and.
in oil deeds of daring and energy. he outstripPed
these qualities obtained for him excited the
jealousy of his father. and Chaka, to save his
life, fed to the Amatetwe, . neighboring tribe,
whose Chief gave him protection. With these
people he remained until he was thirty years
of age, when his father died, and by which
time he was distinguished above all men as tho
possessor of gifts that are in high esteem with
the Zulus., .,,-, s..ry .es.Yaa.l. ~ 1a. = {
| BY the aid of some Of the Ametetwe he
made himself Chief Of his own people; and
the first act that signalized his reign was the
putting to death Of all whom be suspected OF
being hostile to himself. This was saDgIinary,
but from bis point Of view no worse. and fully
as necessary as the coup fefat by which more
civilized potentates have obtained the supreme
power His next exploit was to make war
upon and subdue the tribe that had protected
him when he was an exile. This was ungrate-
full, but men of great ambition nearer home
have contemplated ingratitude 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 Was
made subservient to the production and main
tenance of an army. Then he introduced q
new system of warfare. He marshaled his
troops into regiments, which were formed into
three divisions, o portion Of each being incOr-
ported with every force that took the field.
Instead Of the ordinary bush fighting he made
his men fght at close quarters; and for the
slender javelin that was thrown at distanee,
he substituted stabbiDg spear of stouter ma
terials, the loss Of which was punished with
death For defensive purposes he gave to
each man a large shield made Of buffalo hide.
His discipline was severe. His soldiers had
no alternative hut tn conquer or die, Tor re-
treat. even when compelled thereto BY superb.
or numbers, was visited by him with death.
But such Punishment was rarely necessary;
for 'Chaka was q consummate General, and had
the art Of inspiring his followers with an ire
sistible spirit.
He made war upon all aTound him, and tribe
after tribe was conquered. until he had been
proclaimed victorious from the MaPOota to the
Umzimyubu. Having thus satisfied his war
like ambition, he directed his energies to tho
consolidation Of his empire And in the doing
of this he seemed to have earned his terrible.
surname as much by the merciless exercise Of
his despotic power upon those who had become
'.his people" as by his warfare upon his enc
miles,. AS he grew old his uataral force abated,
his servants conspired against him, and he was
murdered on the 23d Of September, 1873. Many
reioccd at his death, but the znaus cherish the
memory of. his greatness, swear BY the terror
of his name, and have made his twar-sApg their
national anthem. And, Judging By the stand
ard OF his possibilities, lie 'was worthy OF this
honor Out of number Of petty and conflict
ING kingdoms be made an empire which did
not disappear at his death Out of an undis-
ciplined rabble he organized an army of 1OO.-
GOO men, which have been found to be irresist-
ible by every native force against which. it has
been hurled. And the influence Of his life has
extended lar beyond the boundaries Of, his own
dominlons Cornhill Magazine. ~ 7i' '-'''" -
) as STOW.