The Globe-republican., 1890-10-01

SPEAR.
death upon a mortal who dared to stand
against thee. Deign to kneel before me
and let me pierce thy heart with this
speart, then when call upon thee arise
unhurt.'
knelt down, not because l wished to,
but because I must. l had not over
much faith in Indaba-zimbi. and thought
it probable that he was in truth about to
make an end of me But really was so
worn with fears, and the horrors of the
night and day had so shaken my nerves,
that did not greatly care what befell
me. When I had been kneeling thus
for about half minute Indaba-zimbi
spoke.
''People of the Umtetwa children of
TChaka," he said, ''draw back little
space, lest an evil fall on you, for now
the air is thick with ghosts
They drew back space, leaving us in
circle about twelve yards in diameter.
look on him who kneels before
you," went on 1ndaba-zi mbi, ''and
listen to my words, to the words Of the
witch-fnder, the words of the rain
maker, Indaba-zimbi, whose fame is
known to you. He seems to be a man,
does he not? 1 tell you, children of the
Umtetwa, he is no man. He is the
spirit who gives victory to the white
men, he it is who gave them assegais
that thunder and taught them how to
Stay. Why were the Impis of Dingaan
rolled back at the Blood river? Because
lie was there. Why did the Amaboona
Stay the people of Mosilikaayye by the
thousand? Because lie was there. And
so say to you that, had 1 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 fire is awake among it. Ay, be-
cause he had but been there many Of
your braves were slain in overcoming
few-a pinch Of men who could be
counted on the fingers. But because l
loved you, because your chief, SusuSa,
is my half brother-for had we not one
father?-I came to you, 1 warned you.
Then you prayed me and 1 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 l 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 Stay Bomby-
ane as you have seen, and now you say:
Stay him; he is no spirit Now I will
show you if he is a 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
and he lifted the bangwsn of the de-
ceased Bombyane high above his head
SO that all the multitude could see it. |
Every eye was fixed upon the broad !,
bright spear. For awhile he held it !
still, then he moved it round and round |
in circle, muttering as he did so, and |
still their gaze followed it! For my
part, followed his movements with the |
greatest anxiety. That assegai had al |
ready been nearer my person than !!
found at ali pleasant, and had no de- |
sire to make further acquaintance with |
it Nor. indeed, was sure that Indaba- !
zimbi was not really going to kill me.
I could not understand his proceedings !
at all. and at the best did not relish |
playing the corpus Gle 20 his magical ex-
perimentA