The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-08-19

true hearted men.
As he spoke we came upon man,
chief of renown. He was named
Zwaumbana, chief of the Amabovus,
and with him were his wives and fol- |
lowers. This man could weep no more. |
He gasped with thirst and heat. The
king looked at him
See, Mopo," he said, ''see that brute
who has no tears for my mother who Is
dead! Oh, the monster without q hearth
Shall such as he live to look upon the
sun while and thou must weep, Mopos |
Never, neverl Take him away and all
those who are with hini Take them |
away, the people without hearts. who do !
not weep because my mother Is dead by |
witchcraft!H
And Chaka walked on weeping. and
followed also weeping. but the chief
Zwau1nbana and those with him were
all slain by those who do the bidding of
the king, and the slayers also must weep
as they slew. Presently we came upon
another man, who. seeing the king,
took snuff secretly to bring tears to his
eyes. But the glance of Chaka was
quick and he noted it.
Look at him, Mopo." he said; ''look
at the wizard who has no tears, though
my mother is dead by witchcraft. See,
he takes snuff to bring tears to his eyes
that are dry with wickedness. Take
him away, the heartless brutei Oh, take
him awayr
So this one also was killed, and these
were but the first of thousands. for
presently Chaka grew mad with wick
edness, with fury and with the lust OF
blood. He walked to and fro weeping,
going now and again into his hut to
drink beer, and with him, for he said
that we who sorrowed must have food.
And ever as he walked he would wave
his arm or his assegai, saying, "Take
them away, the heartless brutes, who DO
not weep because my mother Is dead,
and those who CHANGED to stand before
his arm were killed, till at length the
slayers could slay no more and them
selves were slain. because their strength
had failed them and they had no more
tears And also, / must slay, lest if
slew not should myself be slain.
And now at length the people also
went mad with their thirst and the fury
of their fear. They fell upon each other.
killing each other. Every man who had
a foe sought him out and killed him.
None were spared; the place was but
shambles. There on that day died full
seven Thousand men, and still ChGka
walked weeping among them, saying:
Take them away, the heartless brutes;
take them awayr' Yet. my father, there
was cunning in his cruelty, for though
he destroyed many for sport alone, also
he slew on this day Gil those whom he
hated or whom he feared.
At length the night came down. the
sun sank red that day, all the sky was
like blood and blood was all the earth
beneath Then the killing ceased, be-
cause none had now the strength to kill
and the people lay painting in heaps upon
the ground. the living and the dead to-
gether. looked at them and saw that
if they were not allowed TO eat and
drink before day dawned again the most
of them would be dead, and l spoke to
tho king, for cared little in that hour
if l lived or died. Even my hope of
vengeance was forgotten in the sickness
of my heart.
"a mourning, indeed, o king"
said: "a merry mourning for true heart
ed men, but for wizards q mourning
such as they do not love. l think that
thy surrows are avenged, o king. thy
sorroSTs and mine also"
Mot so, Mopo," answered the king;
this is but the beginning. Our mourn
ing was merry today, it shah be mer-
! rier tomorrow"
Tomorrow. o king. few will be left
| TO mourn, for the land will be swept Of
| them"
why, Mopo, son of Makedams? But
| few have persisted of all the thousands
who are gathered together. Number
the people and they will not be missed. >
But few have died beneath the as
segai and the kerry, o king. Yet hun
ger and thirst shall finish the spears
work. The people have neither eaten
nor drunk for day and a night, and
for day and a night they have walled
and moaned. Look without, Black One:
there they lie in heaps with " dead.
By tomorrow's light they also will be
dead or dying"
Now Chaka thought awhile, and he
saw that the work would go too far,
leaving him but q small people over
whom to rule.
1t is hard, Mopo," he said, that thou
and | must mourn alone over our woes
while these dogs feast and make merry.
Yet because of the gentleneSs of my
heart l will deal gently with them. Go
out, SON of Makedaula, and bid my chill
dren eat and drink if they have the
heart, for this mourning is ended"
Happy are the people over whom
such O king is set" l said in answer.
Then went out and told the words OF
Chaka to tho chiefs and captains
On the morrow many of the people
went back to their homes, having sought
leave from the king: others drew away
the dead to the place OF bones. and yet
others were sent out in impls to XIII
such as had not come to the mourning
| Of the king. When midday was passed
! Chaka said that he would walk, and or
dered me and other Of his indunas and
servants to walk with him. We went
on in silence, the king leaning on my
shoulder as on stick. What of thy
people, Mopo?" he said at length; what
of the Langeni tribe? Were they at my
mourning? did not see them"
Then answered that did not know.
They had been summoned, but the way
was long and the time short for so many
to march so far.
1850
master calls, MopO, my servant" said
Chaka. Then grew sick at heart, my
Hather-aye. though loved my people
little and they had driven me away.
Now we had come to a spot where there
is a great rift of black rock, and the
name of that rift is U'Donga-lu-ka-Tati-
yana. On either side of this rift the
ground slopes steeply down toward ITS
yawning lips, and from its end a man
may see the open country. Here Chaka
sat down at the end of the rift, ponder
ing. Presently he looked up and saw
vast multitude OF men, women and
children, who wound like a snake across
the plain beneath toward the kraal Giba-
L1aXegu.
"Methinks, Mopo,- said the king,
that by the color Of their shields yon-
der should be the tangent tribe-thine
own people. Mopo."
1T is my people, o king" answered.
Then Chaka sent messengers, running
swiftly, and babe them summon the
| yoasOy,lo y hin, xulNa1.a no Saf