The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1890-02-01
CHAPTER II.

uIQy lOUGGA3 1OI ut3 w DIS uCo1A4
CHAPTER II.
When I had buried my father and
seen his successor installed in his place
for the station was the property Of
the Society," set to work to carry out
plan which had long cherished, but
been unable to execute because it would
have involved separation from my
father. Put shortly, it was to under
take q trading journey Of exploration
right through the countries now known
as the Free State and the Transvaal,
and as much further north as | could
90. 1t was an adventurous scheme, for
though the emigrant Beers had begun
to occupy positions in these territories,
they were still, to all practical pur-
poses, nnexplored. But I was now
alone in the world, and it mattered lit
tie what became Of me; so, driven on
by the commissioning love of adventure,
which, old as am, will, perhaps, still
be my cause Of death, I determined to
undertake it.
Accordingly sold such stocks and
goods as we had upon the station, re-
serving only the two best wagons and
two pairs Of oxen. The proceeds in
vested in such goods as were then in
fashion, for trading purposes. and in
guns and ammunition. The guns would
have moved any modern explorer to
merriment; but such as they we're man
aged to do good deal Of execution
with them. One OF them was single
barreled, smooth bore, fitted for percus-
sion caps-a roer we called (which
threw a. three-ounce ball, and was
charged with a handful of coarse black
powder Many is the elephant [ killed
with that roer, although it generally
knocked me backwards when fired
it, which l only did under compulsion.
The best of the lot, perhaps, was g
double barreled No. IL shotgun, but it
had fint~locks. Also there were some
old tower muskets, which might Or
might not throw straight at seventy
yards. I took six Kafirs with me, and
three good horses, which were supposed
to- be salted-that is, proof against sick
ness. Among the Katfirs was an old fell
low named Indaba-zimbi, which, beinS
transla ted, means tongue Of iron" I
suppose he got his name from his
strident voice and exhaustless eloquence
This man was q great character IN his
way. He had been a noted witch-doc-
tor among a neighboring tribe, and came
to the station under the following Cir
oumstances, which, as he plays a con-
siderable part in this history, are, per-
haps, worth recording.
Twoyears before my fathers death
had occasion to search the country round
for some lost oxen. After a long and
useless quest it occurred to me that
had better go to the place where the
oxen were bred by a Kafiir chief, whose
name I forget, but whose kraal was
about fifty miles from our station.
There T went, and found the oxen safe
at home. The chief entertained me
handsomely, and on the following morn
ing I 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 very ominous way.
'You had better wait, white man,
said the chief, ''and see the rain-doctors
fight the lightning"
inquired what he meant, and learned
that this man, Indaba-zimbi, had fol-
some years occupied the position Of
wizard in-chief to the tribe, although
he was not a member of it, having beer
born in the country now known as Zu
luland. But a son Of the chief, a man
of about thirty, had lately set up as a
rival in supernatural powers. This
irritated Indaba-zimbi beyond measure,
and a quarrel ensued between the two
Witch-doctors that resulted in a chal
lenge to trial by lightning being given
and accepted. These were the condi.
lions: The rivals must await the com
| ing OF a serious thunder storm; nc
ordinary tempest would serve thei1
turn. Then, carrying assegais in their
hands, they must take their stand with
in fifty PAGES Of each other upon GER
tain patch Of ground where the big
thunderbolts were observed to strike
continually, and by the exercise Of thei1
occult powers and invocations to the
lightning must strive to avert death
from themselves and bring it on theil
rival. The terms Of this singular match
had been arranged month previously
but no storm worthy Of the occasion had
arisen. Now the local Weather-prophet
believed it to be brewing. Ii. 4
/ inquired what would happen I
neither Of the men were struck, and wa
told that they must then wait for an 80
other storm IL they escaped the sec
tsond time, however, they would be hell u
Ito be equal IA power, and be jointly con
suited by the tribe on occasions OF I'm
sportanoe.
Tho prospect Of being 8 spectato1rl. 8 .
sof unusual sight oyercame my des iir,
TO be gone, and I pied the chiefs Il u
lsyitation to see 81 out. Before mild ~ Ira
ted Il, for thong the western heaven
/ rev darker and darker and the still 81
sheralded the coming 81 the stoErn,,s 4
did not come. ~
81 must soon:
sun e, ths nd