San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-01-25

$>< ton was the prop
49,. erty of the soci-
>EsSSS'-'-. ~ ETY. set to work
s.>;SiSs-EN-I to. carry out
r<ESc ~ plan which had
49, long cherished,
but been unable
to execute, because it involved separa-
ton from my father. Put shortly, it
was to undertake q trading journey of
exploration light through the countries
now known is the Free State and the
Transvaal. and as much further north
as | could 20. it was an adventurous
scheme, for, though the emigrant Beers
had begun to occupy positions in these
territories. they were still to all practi-
cal purposes unexplored. But | was
now alone in the world, and it mattered
little what became of me; so, driven on
by the ov"rmustering love of adventure,
which, old Is am, will perhaps still be
my cause Of death, determined to I'M
dertake it.
Accordingly | sold such stock and
goods as we had upon the station, resery-
ing only the two best wagons and two
pairs Of oxen. The proceeds invested
in such gOUd~ Il were then in fashion,
for trading purposes, and in guns and
ammunition. The guns would have
moved any modern explorer to merri-
ment; but such as they were | man.
aged to do good deal of execution
with them. One of them was single
barreled, smooth bore, fitted for percus-
Il - oh
threw a three-ounce ball, and was
charged with a handful of coarse black
powder. Many is the elephant that
killed with that roer, although it gener-
ally knocked me backwards when fired
it, which | only did under compulsion.
The best of the lot, perhaps, was dou-
BILE barreled No. u shot gun, but it had
flint locks Also, there were some old
tower musket5 which might or might
not throw straight at seventy yards. ]
took six Kaffirs with me, and three good
horses, which were supposed to be sailed
that is, proof against sickness. Among
the Katfirs was an old fellow named In
daba-zimbi, which, being translated,
means "tOngue of iron"
OhplH'N' itE 3OI tAilo titlIIt HUN
strident voice and exhaustleSs eloquence.
This man was great character in his
way. He had been a noted witch
doctor among neighbOring tribe, and
| came to the station under the following
circumstances, which, as he plays con-
siderable part in this history, are per-
haps worth recording.
, T,y-O Joor,- kafCro NV c,tl.nr', 4
| had occasion to search the country
round for some lost oxen. After a long
and useless quest it occurred to me that
had better 90 to the place where the
oxen Were bred by a kaffir chief, whose
name | forgot, but whose kraal was
about fifty miles from our station.
| There went, and found the oxen safe
at home. The chief entertained me
handsomely, and on the following morn
ing went to pay my respects to him
before leaving, and was somewhat sur
prised to find a collection of some hun
| dredS Of men and women sitting round
him anxiously watching the sky, IN
| which the thunder-clouds were banking
up in a very OminOus way.
You had better wait, white man."
said the chief, land see the rain doctors
fight the lightning"
Inquired what he meant, and learned
| that this man. Indaba-zimbi, had for
some years occupied the position of
wizard-in-chief to the tribe, although he
was not y member of it, having been
born in the country now known as
Zululand. But son of the chiefs,
man of about 30, had lately set up rs a
rival in supc natural powers. This irri-
tated Indaba-zmbi beyond measure, and
a quarrel ensued between the two witch
doctors that resulted in a challenge to
trial by lightning being given and &C
Cepted. These were the conditions.
| The rivals must await the coming of
serious thunderstorm, DO ordinary tenn
pest would serve their turn. Then,
carrying assegais in their hands, they
must take their stand within fifty PAGES
of each other upon a certain patch Of
TO BE CONTINUED.