San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-08-09

was half cat upon her." and she point
ed to a cats skin which was bound about
her loins.
Then the king laughed and clapped
his hands, saying that at length his
dream was answered; and he killed no
more that day nor ever again-save once
only.
That evening my heart was heavy
within me, and wandered out from the
kraal to the great cleft in the mountains
yonder, and sat down upon a rock up in
the cleft, so that | could see the wide
lands rolling to the north and south, to
my right and to my left. Now the day
was drawing toward the night, and the
air was very still, for the heat was great
and tempest was gathering, as l. who
am Heaven Herd, knew well. The sun
sank redly, flooding the land with blood;
it was as though all the blood that
Chaka had shed flowed about the land
which Chaka ruled. Then great shapes
of cloud rose up and in their hearts
the lightning quivered like a blood of
fire.
Now of sudden, my father, a bright
star fell from the height of heaven and
lit upon the crest of the storm, and as it
lit the storm burst. Then an icy breath
burst from the lips Of the tempest and
rushed across the earth. 1t caught the
falling star and drove it on toward me,
and as it came the star grew and took
shape, and the shape that it took was
that of a woman. l knew her now, my
father, while she was yet far off knew
her-the Inkosazana who came as she
had promised, riding down the storm.
Now she was at the mouth of the pass;
before her was stiffness; behind her
beat the wings of the storm; the thun-
der roared, the rain Missed like snakes;
she rushed on past me, and as she passed
she turned her awful eyes upon me,
shriveling me up. She was therel she
was gone! but she spoke no word, only
shook her flaming spear. Yet it seemed
to me that the storm spoke, that the
rocks cried aloud, that the rain Kissed
out word in my ear, and the word
was:
"Smite, Mopo!"
Then / turned to look. Through the
rush of the tempest and the reek of the
rain still could see her sweeping for
ward high in air. Now the kraal Du-
guza was beneath her feet, and the
flaming spear fell from her hand upon
the kraal, and fire leaped up in answer.
Then she passed on over the edge of
the world, seeking her own place. Thus,
my father, for the third and last time
did my eyes see the Inkosazana-y -Zulu.
For awhile | sat there in the cleft.
Then l rose and fought my way through
the fury of the storm back to the kraal
Duguza. AS | drew near the kraal |
heard cries of fear coming through the
roaring of the wind and the hiss of the
rain. entered and asked one of the
matter, and it was told me that fire from
above had fallen on the hut of the king
as he lay sleeping, and all the roof of
the hut was burned away, but that the
rain had put out the fire.
Then went on till | came to the front
of the great hut, and saw by the light
of the moon, which now shone out in
the heaven, that there before it stood
Chaka, shaking with fear, and the water
of the rain was running down him, while
he stared at the great hut, of which all
the thatch was burned away.
l saluted the king, asking him what
evil thing had happened. Seeing me
he seized me by the arm and chung to
me, drawing me after him into a small
hut that was near.
''What evil thing has befallen o
king?" said again.
Little have known Of fear, Mopo,"
said Chaka, yet am afraid now-aye,
as much afraid as when once on a by
gone night the dead hand of Baleka
summoned something that walked upon
the faces of the dead"
"And what fearest thou, o king, who
art the lord of all the earthT
Now Chaka leaned forward and whis-
pered to me: "Hearken, Mopo, | have
dreamed dream. laid me down and
/ slept, but a dream arose and sat by
me with a hooded face, and showed me
a picture. 1t seemed to- me that the
wall of my hut fell down, and | saw an
open place, and in the center of the
place | lay dead, covered with many
wounds, while around my corpse my
brothers Dingaan and Umhlangana
stalked in pride like lions.
ION the shoulders of Umhlangana
was my royal kaross, and there was
blood on the kaross; and in the hand of
Dingaan was my royal spear, and there
was blood upon the spear. Then, in
the vision of my dream, Mopo, thou
didst draw near, and lifting thy hand
didst give the royal salute of Bayete to
these brothers of mine and with thy