Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-05-18
MADE HIM A KING
An Irishman's Career in South
Africa.
The Savage War Dance and the Hor-
ribie kites OF the Muti-They
Objected to Being
Sacrificed.


ttlbCos oNAphS 'S
a sine qua non. Indeed, most savage
tribes ia any part Of the world have a
war dance; but, as a rule, this dance Is
simply q scene Of wild disorder, each
warrior shouting, yelling and brandishing
his weapons without any aim AT dis
cipline. With the Zuius it 10 IA very diff
ferent affair, they being guided by q dis
cipline and precision Of drill equal to
that found in a regular army Of civilized
soldiers. Before assembling for the
dance they paint their faces a
scarlet or red color, put on all their
ornaments and carry their arms as If go
ing into battle. Being assembled, they
form in lines, all the while comforting
their features in a horrible manner and
working themselves up TO
TREMENDOUS PITCH OF EXCITEMENT.
They by stamping their feet
in perfect time with each other. Then
the war song is raised and the drum
sounded. The vigor of the stamping
continually increases in proportion to the
excitement. With a yell the whole body
of men leap into the air simultaneously,
as If aciuated by a shock Of electricity,
the war o n is Chautcd louder and louder
n in accordance with It's rhythm the,
leap from side to side, coming down TO
:he earth like a huge batJeIjng rom. u.
terly lost in excitement they continue the
dance, their faces tfightfutly contorted
aud Of an absolutely demoniacal ca pres.
sion un il the chief gives the order To dis
band. When under the influence of the
war dance they are quite devoid of
fear aud will rush 10 the cannon's
mouth, those behind clambering over the
fallen aid dead In trout. 1t NAV he
imagined That, when Get, wayo had 30 900
of these warriors assembled at Fort
Weber IL was 40 Child's play for the
small British force o. 800 men to contend
with them. Tle Zllus fought Ii k
demons, wb'le the British moving them
down like hay With the Calling guns.
were in danger of being Ii crafty sweep
away by the vast numerical superiority
Of the Zulgs. Nearly half the small
British force was killed before the Zulus
were repulsed, The English government
has now established relations more or
less friendly with most of the South
African tribes and in some cases the
ulues nave p
WHITE MEN As CHIEFS.
Notable among these il the now cele.
brated john Dunn THIS man. a native
OF Ireland, has been in this country
many years. He was a trader, and be
came very friendly with The kafirs
During a war between the Usibepus anC
Dinnizulus, he joined the former, AT
was successful in defeating the latter
After the war he was offered absolute
power, lands and cattle, aud the pick o.
the ladies of the tribe for his wives If h,
would become their chief. The latter
lnducement was more nan the gallant
son Of Erin could withstand. and b.
threw in his lot with the warriors. lie
lives in barbara spiendor, aud owns vast
tracts o. lands, herds of cattle and
horses. once had an offer Of a position
similarlto that of John Dunn. Whilst in
Pretoria, Prince Siccoocuni, of the
tribe of that name, invited me to Join
his tribe. He offered to give me first
position in this nation, his sister. the
princess. as chief wife, with as many
others rs | wished, together with a hut
for each, and as many oxen and as much
land as desired. Treating the whole
thing as q joke, l consented. Directly
after the prince came along accompanied
by the dark princess for his acceptance.
There Is a tide in the affairs Of men,
which, taken at the food. leads on Ia
fortune" | was much disposed to think
that the tide In my affairs was at the
Hood, but the thought o. the fair face
and bright eyes Of a true. hearted girl far
away weighed more in the balance ihan
all the inducements offered by the gen.
erous barbarian was compelled to TX.
cuse myself with the hes grace possible
under the circumstances.
THB &c ClNB MAN.
Next 10 the chief in kafir tribes the
mutt (medicine many has perhaps the
most influence. He - )oked on as pos
sessing supernatural pow'rs :, AND is PUP.
posed to stand high ia favor with Incosi
Pesulu tthe great spirit. but to Judge by
his appearance, enc would conclude that
he was q minion Of his satanic majesty
rather than an angel Of the gods. He
paints his face and body in a most de-
mOniacal fashion, bedecks his neck and
arms with snakes and other loaihsome
reptiles, garlands his head with crows
feathers, and practices ali kinds of fraud
on the people, exacting large gifts for
uiblocit, anu oASu as eaCffuceS 10 the
great spirit Sometimes even human VIC
Tins are demanded. In the latter case
the victim 10 generally one who has incur
red the displeasure Of the mutt. l nad a
narrow escape from ending my days as a
Precipitation Of that kind. Being amongst
the Sitantas. and the country being
badly in need Of rain, the mutt having
tried oil other means without producing
the desired results. declared that a human
sacrifice was desired to appoase the dis
pleasure of the great spirit. and accord
ingly the necessary preparations were
entered upon. A great feast was pre-
pared. The people gathered, forming a
circle, in the center Of which was the
mutt. Fires were kindled, and ten oxen
were, n by one, slaughtered, the beasts
being led by 6 number of young men to
the mutt, who all the time repeating some
unintelligibie ] rgon. stabbed them with
a long knife, catching the blood in YES
sells, wallowing in IL and scattering it all
around and high in the air midst the
shoutings and wild dancing of the chosen
assistants, the
POOR BRUTES WHILE e ALIVE
being ripped open. the en,rails torn out
and flung hot and smoking on the fire.
The flesh was then roasted and eaten by
the people, the mutt all the time bran.
dishing his bloody knife and chanting a