San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-08-06

NOW my tongue claVe 10 the root or
my mouth.
The people are many" said Chaka,
yet. Mopo, bet thee fifty head of cat
tie that they will not fill the donga."
THE king is pleased to jest" said.
Yes, Mopo, jest; yet as jest take
thou the bet"
LAS the king wills, murmured who
could not refuse. Now the people of my
tribe drew near; at their head was an
old man with white hair and beard, and
looking at him | knew him for my
! father, Makedama. When he came
within earshot of the king he gave him
the royal salute of Bayete, and fell upon
his hands and knees, crawling toward
him, and konsaed to the king, praising
him as he came. All the thousands of
the people also fell upon their hands and
knees and praised the king aloud, and
the sound of their praising was like the
sound of great thunder.
At length Makedama, my father,
writing on his breast like snake, lay
before the majesty of the king. Chaka
babe him rise, and greeted him kindly;
but all the thousands of the people yet
lay upon their breasts, beating the dust
with their heads.
Rise, Makedama, my child, father of
the people Of the tangent" said Chaka,
land tell me why art thou late in COM
! ing to my mourning"
"The way is far, o king" answered
Makedama, my father, who did not know
me. THE way is far and the time short
Moreover, the women and the children
grew weary and footsore, and they are
weary in this hour"
Speak not of it, Makedama, my
child" said the king. Surely thy heart
mourned and that of thy people, and
soon they shall rest from their weari-
ness. Say, are they here, every one%
Every one, o Elephant-none are
wanting, My kraals are desolate. The
cattle wander INTENDED on the hills
birds pick at the unguarded crops"
"lt is well, Makedama, thou faithful
servant! Yet thou wOuldst mourn with
me an hour-is it not so? Now hearken
Bid thy people pass to the right and to
the left of me, and stand in all their
numbers upon the slopes of the grass
that run down to the lips of the rift"
So Makedama, my father, babe the
people do the bidding of the king. Then
the people filed past to the right and to
the left by hundreds and by thousands
and presently the grass on the slopes
could be seen no more, because of their
number. When all had passed Chaka
spoke again to Makedama, my father,
bidding him to climb down to the bot
tom of the rift, and thence lift up his
voice in mourning. The old man obeyed
the king
Then, standing far beneath, he lifted
up his voice, yet it came family, like
the voice of one speaking from noun
tain top.
Mourn, children of Makedama~
And all the thousands of the people
men, women and children-echoed his
words in thunder of sound, crying:
! Mourn, children of Makedamar'
Again he cried:
Mourn, people of the Langeni, mourn
with the whole worldr'
And the thousands answered:
Mourn, people of the Langeni, mourn
with the whole world"
A third time came his voice:
Mourn, children of Makedama,
mourn, people of the Langeni, mourn
with the whole world!
Howl, We warriors; weep, We women;
beat your breasts, We maidens; Sob We
little children!
Drink of the water of tears, cover
yourselves with the dust of affiictionl
Mourn, O tribe of the Langeni, be-
cause the Mother of the Heavens is no
more
Mourn, children of Makadema, be-
cause the spirit of fruitfulness is no
moreL
Mourn, o We people, because the Lion
of the Zulu is left desolate!
Let your tears fall as the rain falls;
let your cries be as the cries of women
who bring forth!
For sorrow is fallen like the rain the
world has conceived and brought forth
DEATH
"Great darkness is upon us-darkness
and the shadow of death!
THE Lion of the Zulu wanders and
and wanders in desolation because the
Mother of the Heavens is no more!
"Who shall bring him comfort? There
is comfort in the crying of his children!
Mourn, people of the Langeni; let
the voice of your mourning beat against
the skies and rend theml
"Ou-ai! DUAL! QUAR-
Chaka listened. and large tears coursed