The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-10-03

men, ne IL Is VINO gave bnem aSseSa io
that thunder and taught them how to
slay. Why were the Impis of Dingaan
rolled back at the Blood river? Because
he was there. Why did the Amaboona
slay the people of Mosilikaayye by the
thousand2 Because he was there. And
SO say to you that, had I not drawn
him from the lager by my magic but
three hours ago, you would have been
conquered-yes, you would have been
blown away like the dust before the
wind; you would have been burnt up
like the dry grass in the winter when
the Are is awake among 1t. Ay, be-
cause he had but been there many OF
your braves were slain in overcoming
q few-a pinch of men who could be
counted on the fingers. But because i
loved you, because your chief, Sususa,
is my half brother-for had we not one
father?-I came to you, warned you.
Then you prayed me and l drew the
spirit forth. But you were not satisfied
when the victory was yours, when the
spirit of all you had taken asked but
one little thing-a white child to take
away and sacrifice to himself, to make
the medicine of his magic Of"
Here / could hardly restrain myself
from interrupting, but thought better
of it.
"You said him nay; You said: Let
him fight with our bravest man, let him
fight with Bombyane the giant for the
child And he deigned to slay Bomby-
ane as you have seen, and now you say:
'Slay him; he is no spirit Now L will
show you If he is spirit, for will slay
him before your eyes, and call him to
life again. But you have brought this
upon yourselves. Had you believed,
had you offered no insult to the spirit,
he would have stayed with you, and you
should have become unconquerable.
Now he will arise and leave you, and
woe be on you if you try to stay him.
Now, all men, "he went on. 'look for
space upon this assegai that hold up, y
and he lifted the bangwan of the de-
ceased Bombyane high above his head
SO that all the multitude could see 1t.
Every eye was fixed upon the broad
bright spear. For awhile he held 1t
still. then he moved it round and round
in a circle, muttering as he did so, and
still their gaze followed It'll For my
part, followed his movements with the
greatest anxiety. That assegai had al
ready been nearer my person than
found at all pleasant, and had no de-
sire to make a further acquaintance with
it. Nor, indeed, was sure that 1ndaba-
zimbi was not really going to kill me.
could not understand his proceedings
at all, and at the best did not relish
playing the corpus eile to his magical ex
periments.
"Look! look! lookr" he screamed.
Then suddenly the great speaS flashed
down towards my breast, I felt nothing
but it seemed as though it passed
through me.
ssSeeT roared the Zulus. "Indaba
zimbi has speared him; the red assega
stands out behind his back"
sRorl over, Macumazahn," 1ndaba
zimbi Missed in my ear, roll over and
pretend to die-quickl quick!'
1 lost no time in following these
strange instructions, but falling on m!
side, threw my arms wide, kicked m.
legs about and died as artistically as
could. Presently gave stage shive
and lay still.
s'See!n said the Zulus, she is dead, the
spirit is dead. Look at the blood upol
the assegai."
STAND back stand back!" cried In
daba-zimbi, ''or the ghost will haun
you. Yes, he is dead, and now 1 will
call him back to life again. Look" anC
putting down his hand, he plucked thu
spear from wherever it was fixed, anC
held it aloft. 1.-THE spear is red, is i
not? Watch, men, watchl 1t grow
whiter'
sYes, it grows white" they said. 'Oh
it grows white1
at grows white because the blood re
turns to whence it came" said Indaba
zimbi. ''Now, great spirit, hear me
Thou art dead, the breath has gone GU
of thy mouth. Yet hear me and arise
| Awake, white spirit, awake and shoy
thy power. Awake! arise unhurt!"
/ began to respond cheerfully to thi
imposing invocation.
mot so fast, Macumazahn, whispers
Indaba-zimbi.
took the hint, and first held up m
arm, then lifted my head and let 1t fal
again.
HE lives! by the head of T'Chaka, b
livesv roared the soldiers, stricken wit
mortal fear.
Then slowly and with the creates
dignity 1 gradually arose, stretched m
arms, yawned like one awakening fror
heavy sleep, turned, and loeked upo
them unconcernedly. As l did so
noticed that old Indaba-zimbi was q
most fainting from exhaustion. Bead
of perspiration stood upon his brow, b
limbs trembled and his breast heaved.
As for the Zulus, they waited for n
more. With howl of terror the Who'll
regiment turned and fed across the ris,
SO that presently we were left alon
with the dead and the swooning child.
"How on earth did you do that, Il
daba-zimbi?" asked, in amazement
Don't ask me, Macumazahn," b
rasped. s.You white men are yer
clever, but you don't know every thini
There are men in the world who ca
make people believe they see thins
which they do not see. Let US be goin
while we may, for when these Umtetws
haveg over their fright they will CON
back to loot the wagons, and then pc
haps they will begin to ask question
that can't answer"
And here I may as we'll state that
never got any further information G
this matter from old Indaba-zimbi. B,
have my theory, and here it is, fl
whatever it may be worth: 1 belie'
that Indaba-zimbi mesmerized the who
crowd of onlookers, making them b
lieye that they saw the assegai in m