St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1890-01-23
"RINGS MUST NOT GO TO THE
PLACE OF THE DEAD ALONE

The above for centuries was the
| national saving of the Zulus of South
Eastern Africa Accordingly, on the
death of a king, certain persons
were killed, generally strangled, and
those were the Immediate servants
of his majesty. One would suppose
that the individuals suspecting their
probable fate, would endeavor to es-
cape, but | have been told that rare
ly, if ever, was this the case. A sort of
fatalism attaches to them, and they
say as Zulus often do, when antici-
pating calamities, I'VE can't help
ourselves, we are the victims of tate"
Possibly some of them cOmforted
themselves with the belief that if they
accompanied their Sovereign to the
unknown world, they would be
supremacy happy. Their dead bodies
are so arranged in the grave, that
the royal corpse, lying upon them,
NAV not touch the earth. a large
flat stone is placed above the kings
head, and into the grave are thrown
all his belongings ornaments,
and robe of state, consisting chiefly
of the skins of wild animals of the
most costly kind Then the nation
al dirge, used only at royal funerals,
an exceedingly pathetic one, is chant
ed by the thousands of Zulus assem-
bled, and the men strike their shields
with their knob-kerries in a most
frantic manner. A large mound of
earth with stones on the top marks
the place of burial which is closely
watched day and night for six weeks
or more This is to keep witch doc
tors from stealing any part of the
royal body, which is supposed to
have power to work charms and even
miracles Often times, when strange
things happen, the Zulus say, ''Our
departed kings caused them" In
1850 an earthquake took place in
South Africa which filled the minds
of all the Zulus with the greatest
perturbation. A number of their
wise men, being near my house, as
sembled to discuss the cause of that
fearful phenomenon. The majority
attributed it to the trolling over in
his grave," of Tyaka, one of their an
cestral kings. However, as there
was not unanimity on the subject,
they agreed to refer it to their mis-
SlOlldl v gave lICill d lSIluiI vi
Geology, and dismissed them, but
whether they were satisfied was
more than | could tell. The Zulus
have a sacred regard for the graves
of their kings and | may also say,
they respect the graves of their enc
mics. During the Zulu War" the
'savagcs," as they were called, had
repeated opportunities to desecrate
the resting places of the English sol
dierS in Zululand; but not once did
they touch them. How sad and
strange the contrast with the dis
graceful procedure of some British
red coats" who are said to have
gone to the tomb of Umpande, the
Zulu king who died about the year
10 and rifed it of its bones They
were asked, What are you going to
do with them ?" The reply was,
Take them to England for exhibi-
ton | sincerely hoped when |
heard of this mean and wicked &C
ton, that their cOnsciences would
disturb them, and that | should hear
that they had done as did the person
who stole the arm Of George Whit
field from the tomb at NewburvpOrt,
and carried it to England, that is
restore them to the place from which
they were stolen Rev. Josiah Tyler
in the Religious Herald.