Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1890-01-18


dropped Tota on the ground.
'Oh!" he said, putting his hand TO his
nose, ''the white spirit has hard fist.
Come, spirit, I win fight you for the
child
The soldiers cheered and laughed.
eyes! yesl" they said, .'let Bombyune
fight the white spirit for the child. Let
them fight with assegais.
For y moment l hesitated. What
chance had against this black giant
But had promised poor Hans to save
the child if could, and what did it mat
ter? AS well die now as later. How
ever, / had wit enough left to make a
favor of it, and intimated to the chief
through Indaba-zimbi that I was quite
willing to condescend to kill Bombyane,
on condition that If I did 50 the child's
life should be given to me. Indaba-ximbi
interpreted my words, but / noticed that
he would not look on me as he spoke,
but covered his face with his hands and
spoke of me as 1.-THE ghost or the ''son
of the spirit" For some reason that
have never quite understood, the chief
consented to the duel. fancy It was
because he believed me to be more than
mortal, and was anxious to see the last
Of Bombyane
'Let them fight" he said. "Give them
assegais and no shields; the child shall
be to him who conquers." teH
eyes! yesl" cried the soldiers. "Let
them fight. Don't be afraid, Bonn
byane; If he Is spirit, he's very small
one"
81 never was frightened of man or
beast, and / am not going to run away
from white ghost" answered the re-
doubtable Bombyane, as he examined
the blade of his great bangwanar stab
bling assegai.
Then they made ring round US, gave
me similar assegai and set us some ten
PAGES apart. I kept my face as calm as
could, and tried to show no signs of
fear, though In my heart was terribly
afraid. Humanity speaking. my doom
was on me. The giant warrior before me
had used the assegai from child had
no experience Of the weapon. Moreover,
though I was quick and active, he must
have been at least twice as strong as
was However, there was no help for it,
so, setting my teeth, grasped the great
spear, breathed prayer, and waited.
The giant stood awhile looking at me,
and, as he stood, Indaba-zimbi walked
across the ring behind me, muttering as
he passed, keep cool, Macumazahn, and
wait for him."
AS had not the slightest intention of
commencing the fray, thought this
| good advice.
Heavensl how long that half minute
seemed! It happened many years ago,
| but the whole scene rises up before my
eyes as write. There behind us was
the. bloodstained lager. and near 1t lay
the piles Of dead; round us was rank
upon rank Of plumed savages, standing
| In silence to wait the issue of the duel,
and In the center stood the gray haired
chief and general, Sususa, in all his
war finery, cloak Of leopard skin upon
his shoulders. At his feet lay the sense
less form of little Tota, to my left squat
ted Indaba-zimbi, nodding his white
lock and muttering something -proba-
bly, spells; while in front was my giant
| antagonist, his spear aloft and his
| plumes bending in the gentle breeze.
Then over all, over grassy slope, river
and koppie, over the wagons Of the
lager, the piles of dead, the dense ranks
Of the living, the swooning child, over
all shone the bright impartial sun, look
ing down like the great Indifferent eye
Of heaven upon the loneliness of nature
and the cruelty Of man. Down by the
river grew thorn trees, and from them
fioated the sweet scent Of the mimosa
flower, and came the sound of cooling
turtle doves. I never smell the one or
hear the other without the scene fash
ing into my mind again, complete in its
every detail.
Suddenly, without sound, Bombyane
shook his assegai and rushed straight at
me. I saw his huge form come; like a
man in dream, saw the broad spear
fash on high; now he was en- me. Then,
| prompted to 1t by some providential i'm
pulse, I dropped to my knee, and quick
as light stretched out my spear. He
drove at me; the blade passed over my
head. felt a weight on my assegai; it
was wrenched from my hand, his great
limbs knocked against me. I glanced
round. Bombyane was staggering along
with head thrown back and outstretched
arms from which his spear had fallen.
His spear had fallen, but the blade Of
mine stood out between his shoulders-I
had transfixed him. He stopped, swung
round slowly as though to look at me,
then with sigh the giant sank down
| dead.
For moment there was silence; then
great cry rosa cry of "Bombyane is
dead The white spirit has slain Bomb
yane. Kill the wizard, kill the ghost
who has slain Bombyane by witchcraft."
Instantly was surrounded by fierce
faces, and spears flashed before my eyes.
folded my arms and stood calmly wait
ing the end. In moment 1t would
have come, for the warriors were mad
OF coainos thar rho h1.oxr-x.