The record-union., 1891-04-27
FEAST IN zULULAND.
The Affair Was as Exciting as a Span
iSh Bul Fight


A dozen magnificent long-horned cattle
were run into the kraal, and several stall
wart warriors followed them in, assegais
in hand. Crowding the cattle in bunch
up against the wall, each warrior singled
out victim, and with a mighty thrust
plunged the keen, bright blade into the
animals heart. Generally speaking, the
swift, sure stroke was sufficient, but in
two or three cases the stricken animals
avoided the death thrust, and, goaded to
madness by the deep wound, made mat
ters exceedingly lively for the Zulus for
the next few minutes, chasing them franti-
cally about the kraal until some we'll
hurled assegai brought them to earth
One big steer, horned like q Texan, kept
his feet and fought until dozen assegai
blades were hurled in his body, and in his
blind rushing he knocked over couple
of men and ripped one very badly up the
thigh.
The whole affair was as exciting as
Spanish bull fight. When they were all
killed, the crowd, who had been enjoying
the fun from the kraal wall, hoped into
the arena and assisted in the work of
sklnnlng and cutting up. AS many as
could get around an animal assisted. and
one could scarce imagine more barbarous
spectacle than a horde of Zulus skinning
and dissecting dozen COWS. The blood
was allowed to remain in the flesh, and
men, women and children were soon car
rying off huge pieces of red, quivering
flesh, slung over their shoulders, with
the blood trickling down their sleek, dark
skins to the heels. Children besmeared
their faces and bodies for fun, and about
each carcass group of tall, black warriors
hacked and slashed, like the savages thev
were. While the women boiled the beef
in big iron kettles, obtained from Natal.
the warriors engaged in a big dance.
You can never quite catch the spirit of
Zulu dance by merely hearing it de-
scribed, any more than you can realize
the eXhilaration of wine without trying.
The warriors turned out about 800 strong
on this occasion, and the dance took place
on a level bit of ground outside the kraaI.
The whole community was gathered in a
black mass, squatting in irregular ranks
on the grass TO see the dance. After the
beeves had been all cut up the warriors
retired to their huts. Then very shortly
they came struggling out again, one by
one, the blood washed off and their bodies
decorated with all the gewgaws of war.
Many wore kits of Zanzibar cat tails or
the tails of wolves and foxes, and round
their calves and biceps were ornaments of
beads and of leopard skin. On each war
rior's head was discus of black mimosa
gum, polished until it looked like a cir
clet of jet. With oXhide shields and
bright assegais they all trooped into the
kraal.
Then, forming into ranks as natural as
company of grenadiers, they marched
out unto the dancing ground, singing a
strange, weird chant in accompaninoept
to the rattle of assegai on shield and meas
ured tramp of feet. One could see at a
glance now that every Zulu is a warrior
born. Here they were, the veriest saw
ages to all intent, naked as animals, vet
playing soldier with bearing and pre-
cision of movement that European troops.
with all their scientific training, could
hardly hope to beat. Forward they
stepped, then filing off into semi-circle:
two deep they stood, proud and erect.
the most splendid specimens of martial
manhood l ever saw, their black eyes glist-
ening with suppressed fire, their chests
heaving, and muscles twitching in antici-
patton of the signal to begin. For a min
ute they stood there, every foot in the
crescent keeping time, and every assagai
softly tapping time against the shield to
low, buzzing melody.-Boston Bulletin.