The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-02-07
HOW THE zuLUs DANCE.
The Bravest Savages in the World
IN Mimic War.

INC 0E6V0St 0dvdS0S IN tuo w OT1O
IN Mimic War.
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A dozen magnificent long horned
cattle were run into the kraal, and
several stalwart warriors followed
them in, assegais in hand. Crowd
ing the cattle in a bunch up against
the wall, each warrior singled out a
victim, and with mighty thrust
plunged the keen. bright blade into
the animals heart. Generally speak
ing, the one swift sure stroke was
sufficient. But in two or three cases
the stricken animals avoided the
death thrust, and, goaded to mad
ness blythe deep wound, made mat
ters exceedingly lively for the Zulus
the next minute, chasing them fran
tically about the kraal until some
we'll hurled assegai brought them
to earth. One big steer, horned like
a Texan, kept his feet, and fought
until a dozen assegai blades were
buried 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 a 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 skinning and cutting up.
AS many as could get around an
animal assisted, and one could
scarce imagine a more barbarous
spectacle than a horde ofZulus skin
ming and dissecting dozen COWS.
The blood was allowed to remain
in the flesh, and men, women and
children were seen carrying off huge
pieces of red, quivering flesh slung
over their shoulders, with the blood
trickling down their sleek, dark
skins to their heels. Children be-
smeared their faces and bodies for
fun, and about each carcass group
of tall, black warriors hacked and
slashed, like the savages they 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 described, any more than
you can realize the exhileration of
wine without trying it.. The war
riors turned out about 300 strong
on this occasion, and the dance
took place on level bit of ground
outside the kraal. The whole COM
munity was gathered in black
mass, squatting in irregular ranks
on the grass to see the dance. After
the beeves had all been 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 decor
ated 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 leop-
ard skins. On each warriors head
was a discus of black mimosa gum,
polished until it looked like cir
clet of jet. With OK hide shields
and bright assegais they trooped
into the kraal until all were assem-
bled. Then forming into ranks as
a company of grenadiers they
marched out on the dancing ground,
singing a strange weird chant in
accompaniment to the rattle of as
segai on shield and measured tramp
of feet. One could see at a glace now
that every Zulu is a warrior born
Here they were, the veriest sava-
ges to all intent, naked as animals,
yet playing soldier with bearing
and precision of movement that
Europen troops, with all their sci
entific training, could hardly hope
to beat. Forward they stepped,
then, filing off into a semi-circle two
deep, they stood proud and erect,
the most splendid specimens of
martial manhood l ever saw, their
black eyes glistening with sup
pressed fire, their chests heaving
and muscles twitching in anticipa-
ton of the signal to begin. For a
minute they stood there, every foot
in the crescent keeping time and
every assegai tapping the time
against the shield to low, buzzing
melody.-Boston Bulletin.