The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1890-03-26

Sluc vi Cfic flll, d tIlOuSouu dI Us VI LAO1S
from the lager, came a faint ,humming
sound. 1t grew and grew till it gathered
to achant-the awful war chant Of the
Zulus. Soon could catch the words.
They were simple enough:
We shall slay. we shall STAY Is it not so. my
brothers?
Our spears shall blush blood red Is it not So my
brotherS2
For are the stockings Of Chaka, blood Is Our
milk, my brothers
Awake. children of the Umtetwa. awake!
The vulture wheels, the jackal shifts the air.
Awake, children of the Umtetwa-cry aloud. ye
ringed men;
There is the foe, we shall STAY them Is it not So
my brothers?
S'gee! S'gee! S'gee
Such is rough translation of that
hateful chant which often hear to this
very day in my dreams 1t does not
look particularly imposing on paper. but
if the reader could have heard it as it
rolled through the still air from the
throats of nearly three thousand warriors
singing all to time. he would have found
it impressive enough. ~
Now the shields began to appear over
the brow of the rise. They came by
companies. each company about a hum
dred strong. Altogether there were
thirty-one companies. counted them.
When all were over they formed them
selves into triple line, then trotted
down the slope toward 'us. At dis
lance of hundred and fifty yards, or
just out of shot of such guns as we had
in those days, they halted and began
singing again:
Wonder is the kraaI- of the white man little
kraaf my brothers;
We shall eat i up. we shall trample it fiat. my
brothers. -%s s
But where are the white mans cattle-where are
his oxen,.my brothers2 -
- This question: seemed to puzzle them
good1deal, for they sang the song again
and again At last herald came for,
ward, great man with ivory rings on
his arm, and putting his hands to his
mouth. called out to us asking where our
cattle were.
Hans Botha climbed on to the top of
wagon and roared out that they might
answer that question themselves.
Then the herald called again, saying
that he saw that the cattle had been sent
away.
I'VE shall go and find the cattle. he
said. then we shall come and kill you
because without cattle you must stop
where you are, but if we wait to kill you
before we get the cattle. they may have
trekked too far for us to follow. But if
you try to run away we shall easily
catch you white n1en!'
This struck me IS a very odd speech,
for the Zulus generally attack an enemy
first and take his cattle afterwards: still
there was certain amount of plausi
bility about it. While | was still won
dering what it all might mean, the
ZuIus began to run past us in companies
towards the river. Slddenly shout
announced that they had found the spoor
of the CATTLE and the whole impi of
them started down it at a run till they
vanished over rise about quarter Of a
mile away.
We waited for half an hour or more.
but nothing could we see of them.
'sNow / wonder if the devils have
really gone" said Hans Botha to me.
1T is very strange.
Twill go aud see, said Indaba-zimbi,
'sif you will come with me, Macuma-
zahn We can creep to. the top Of the
ridge and look over.
At first hesitated, but curiosity over
came me. was young in those days