The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-10-03
AN AFRICAN ROMANCE.
CHAPTER v.-cosTrNUED.


The fight was ended and the two lines
On the slope broke their order and
moved down to the laager. Presently
we were there, and dreadful sight 1t
was. Many of the attacking Zulus were
dead-auite fifty / should say, and at
least hundred and fifty were wounded,
some of them mortally. The chief
Sususa gave an order, the dead men
were picked up and piled in heap,
while those who were slightly hurt
walked off to get some one to tie up
their wounds. But the more serious
cases met with different treatment.
The chief or one of his indunas consid-
cred eac case, and If it was in any way
bad the man was taken up and thrown
into the river which ran near. None OK
them offered any objection, though one
poor fellow swan to shore again. he did
not stop there long, however, for they
pushed hi m back and drowned him by
force.
Tie strangest case of all was that of
the chiefs own brother. He had been
captain of the line, and his ankle was
smashed by a bullet. Sususa came up
to him, and having examined the
wound, rated him soundly for falling in
the first onslaught.
The poor fellow made the excuse that
it was not his fault, as the Beers had
hit him in the first rush. his brother
admitted the truth of this, and talked
to him amicably.
"Well," he said, at length, offering
him pinch of snuff, 'tyou can not walk
again"
No. chief" said the wounded man,
looking at his ankle.
And tomorrow we must walk far"
went on Sususa.
"Yes, chief"
"Say, then, will you sit there on the
yeldt. or" and he nodded toward the
river.
The man dropped his head on his
breast for minute as though in thought.
Presently he lifted it and looked Sususa
straight in the face.
my ankle pains me, my brother" he
said; 81 think l will go back to Zulu
land, for there is the only kraal wish
to see, even if creep about it like a
snake"
ut is we'll, my brother" said the
chief. s'Rest softly" and having shaken
hands with him, he gave an order to
one Of the inJuna, and turned away.
Then, men came, and, supporting the
wounded man, helped him down to the
banks of the stream. Here, at his re-
quest, they tied heavy stone around
his neck, and then threw him into the
deep pool. 1 saw the whole sad scene,
and the victim never WINGED. 1t was
impossible not to admire the extraordi-
nary courage of the man, or to avoid be-
ing struck with the cold-blooded cruelty
ofhis brother, the chief. And yet the act
was necessary from his point of view.
The man must either die swiftly or be
left to perish of starvation, for no Zulu
force will cucumber itself with wounded
men. Years of merciless warfare had Sc
hardened these people that they looked
on death as nothing, and were, to do
them Justice, as willing to meet it them
selves as to infiict it on others. When
this very Impi had been sent by the
Zulu King Dingaan, it consisted of some
nine thousand men. Now it numbered
about three, all the rest were dead.
They, too. would probably soon be dead.
What did it matter? They lived by wal
TO die in blood. 1t was their natural
end. kill till you are. killed" That
is the motto of the Zulu soldier. 1t has
the merit of simplicity.
Meanwhile the warriors were looting
the wagons, including my own, having
first thrown all the dead Beers into {
heap. looked at the heap; ali of then
were there, including the two stout
fraus, poor things. But 1 missed one
body, that of Hans Botha's daugh
Ter, little Tota. A wild hope came intc
my heart that she might have escaped
but no, it was not possible. l could only
pray .hatshe was already at rest.
Just then the great Zulu, Bombyane
who had left my side to indulge in thu
congenial occupation Of looting, came
out of wagon crying that he had go
the ''little white one" I looked. III
was carrying the child Tota, gripping