San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-07-28


gomboco, or witch hunt, and many were
smelled out by the witch doctors at work
ing magic against the king. Now in
Zululand the whole people covered be-
fore the witch doctors. No man knew
but that on the morrow he would be
touched by the wand of an Isanusi, as
we named finder of witches, and led
away to his death. For awhile Chaka
said nothing, and so long as the doctors
smelled out those only whom he wished
to Stay, he was we'll pleased. But when
they began to do those to death whom
he did not desire to kill, he grew angry.
Yet the custom of the land was that he
whom the witch doctors touched must
die, he and all his house; therefore the
king scarcely dared to save even those
whom he loved. One night | came to
doctor him, for he was sick in his mind
On that very day there had been an In
gomboco, and five of the bravest cap
tains of the army had been smelled out
by the Abangoma, the witch finders, to-
gether with many others. All had been
slain, and men had been sent to kill the
wives and children of the dead. Now,
Chaka was sore at heart about this STAY
ing and opened his breast to me.
1T is the witch doctors who rule in
Zululand, and not |, Mopo, son of Make
DANA" he said to me. Where, then, is
it to end? Shall be smelled out and
slain? Tell me, how may be free of
them?"
Those who walk the Bridge of Spears,
o king, fall off into the Nowhere"
answered darkly. even witch doctors
cannot keep a footing ON that bridge.
Has not witch doctor a heart that can
cease to beat? Has he not blood that
can be made to tiow?"
Chaka looked at me strangely. Thou
art bold man who darest to speak thus
to me, Mopo," he said "Dost thou not
know that it is sacrilege to touch an
Isanusi?"
"Hearken, o king! 1t is indeed sacri-
lege to touch a true lsanusi, but what if
he smell out falsely, bringing those to
death who are innocent of evil? Is it
then sacrilege to bring him to that end
which he has given to many another?
Say, o king"
Good words!" answered Chaka.
Now tell me, son of Makedama, how
may this matter be put to proof"
Then / leaned forward, whispering
into the ear of the Black One, and he
nodded heavily.
Thus | spoke then, because |, too saw
the evil of the Isanusis.
One morning thereafter a new thing
came to pass in the royal kraal, for the
king himself ran out, crying aloud to all
people to come and see the evil that had
been worked upon him by wizard.
They came together and saw this. On
the doCrposts of the gateway of the In
tunkulu, the house of the king, were
great smears of blood. The knees of
men strong in battle trembled when they
saw it. Women walled aloud as they
wall over the dead; they walled because
of the horror of the omen.
"Who has done this thing?" cried
Chaka in a terrible voice. who has
dared to bewitch the king and to strike
blood upon his house?"
" cS III lboNSlS anu Suuhd
spoke again. This is no little matter"
he said, ito be washed away with the
blood of one or two to be forgotten.
The man who wrought it shall not die
alone or travel with a few to the world
of spirits. All his tribe shall go with
him, down to the baby in his hut and
the cattle in his kraal! Let messengers
go out east and west, and north and
south, and summon the witch doctors
from every quarter! Let them summon
the captains from every regiment, and
the headmen from every kraal! On the
tenth day from now the circle of the In
gomboco shall be set, and there shall be
such a smelling out of wizards and of
witches as has not been known in Zulu
landr'
On the last night before the forming
of the Ingomboco the witch doctors, male
and female, entered the kraal. There
were hundred and half hundred of
them, and they were made hideous and
terrible with the white bones of men,
with bladders of fish and of oxen, with
fat of lizards and with skins of snakes.
The morning dawned heavily, and be-
fore it was well light the heralds were
out summoning all to the kings Ingom
boco. Men came by hundreds, carrying
short stick only-for to be seen armed
was death-and seated themselves in the
great circle before the gates of the royal
house. They seated themselves; then
around them on the outside of the circle
gathered knots of warriors-chosen men,
great and fierce-armed with kerries
only. These were the slayers.
When all was ready the king came
forth, followed by his indunas and by |
me. AS he appeared, wrapped in his |
karnss of tirer skins and towering