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

Then, standing far beneath, he lifted
up his voice, yet it came family, like
the voice of one speaking from a noun
tain top.
Mourn, children of Makedamal"
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 woTldf'
And the thousands answered:
Mourn, people of the Langeni, mourn
with the whole world!N
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. ye maidens; sob. ye
little childrell
Drink of the water Of tears, cover
yourselves with the dust of affection,
Mourn. o tribe Of the Langeni, be-
cause the Mother OF the Heavens is no
morei
Mourn, children of MakademA, be-
cause the spirit Of fruitfulness Is no
more!
Mourn. o ye 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 wandeTs in dissolution because the
Mother OF the Heavens il no moTel
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 tbemi
"Ou-ai! Ou-ai! QUAR-
Chaka listened. and large tears cOursed
down his cheeks, whose heart was easily
stirred by the sound of song. Presently
there came hush, and looked to the
right There, above the heads OF the
people, coming over the brow Of the
hill, were the plumes of warriors, and
in their hands CLEANED hedge of spears.
l looked to the left; dimly through
the FILLING rain there also saw the
plumes of warriors, and in their hands
a hedge of spears. | looked before me
toward the end Of tho cleft; there also
doomed the pluInes of warriors, and in
their hands was hedge of spears
Then from all the people there rose
another cry-e cry of terror and OF
agony.
"Ah, now they mourn indeed, Mopo,'
said Chaka in my ear. ''nOw thy people
mourn from the heart. and not with the
lips alone
As he spoke the multitudes of the peo-
pie on either side OF the cleft surged for
ward like a wave. surged back again,
once more surged forward. then, with a
dreadful crying, driven on by the MGR
ciless spears of the soldiers, they began
to fall in a torrent of men, women and
children, far into the black depths be-
low.
Thus was Makedama buried beneath
the bodies of his people, and thus was
ended the tribe of the Langeni. As my
mother had dreamed, so it came about.
And thus did Cha1a take vengeance for
that cup of milk which was refused to
him many year before.
Thou hast not won thy bet, Mopo,N
said the king presently. see. here is
little space where one more may find
room to sleep. Full to the brim is this
corn chamber with the ears of death, in
which no living grain is left. Yet there
is one little space, and is there not one
to fill it, Are all the tribes Of the Lam
gent dead indeed%
There is one. . king" answered.
Il am of the tribe of the Langeni Let
my carcass fill the place"
"Nay, Mopo, nayl Who. then. should
take the bet? Moreover, 1 slay thee not,
for it is against my oath. Also. do we
not mourn together. thou and IY7
There is no other left living Of the
tribe of the Langeui. o kingl The bet
is lost, 1t shall be paidi"
Il think that there is another" said
Chaka- There is q sister to thee and
me, Mopo. Ali See, she comes!"
Hooked up. my father and saw this,
| saw Baleka, my sister. walking toward
us, and on her shoulders was karoSs of
wildcat skins, and behind her were two
soldiers. She walked proudly, holding
her head high, and her step was like the
step of a queen. Now she saw the sight
of death. for the dead lay before her like
black water in a sunless pool. A mo-
ment she stood shivering. having guess
ed all, then walked on ard stood before
Chaka-
What is thy will with me. o kingT
she said
Thou art come in a good hour, sis
ter" said Chaka. turning his eyes from
hers lit is thus, Mopo. my servant and
my brother. made a bet with me, a bet
Of cattle. 1t was little matter that we
wagered on-as TO whether the people Of
the Langeai tribe-thine OV0 tribe.
Baleka, my sister-WYould fill yonder
place, U'Donga-lu ka-TatiyanA- When
they heard Of tho bet. my sister, the
people of the Langeni hurled themselves
into the rift by Thousands. being eager
to put the matter to the proof. And now
it seems that thy brother has lost the
bet, for there is yet place for one yonder
ere the rift is full. Then, my sister, thy
brother. Mopo. brought it to my mind
that there was still ono of the Langeni
tribe left upon the earth who, should
she sleep in that place, would turn the
bet in his favor. and he prayed me to
aud for her. So, my sister, as would
not take that which | have not won
have done so, and now do thou go apart
and talk with Mopo, thy brother. alone
upon this matter, as once before thou
didst talk when child was born to
thee, my sister,"
Now Balekn took no heed of the words
Of Chaka which he spoke Of me, for she
knew his meaning WELL Only she look
ed him in the eyes and said:
III shalt thou sleep from this night
fexth. Chaka, till thou cemest to land
where no sleep q. have spoken"
ChnlEa saw sud heaEA md e q sud