Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-06-02

The man who wrought it shall not die
alone or travel with a few to the world
Of spirits. All his tribe shall 20 with
him, down to the baby in his hut and
the cattle in his kraall Let messengers
60 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 smelling out of wizards and of
witches as has not been known in Zulu
land"
On the last night before the forming
of the Ingomboco the witch doctors, male
and female, entered the kraal There
were a 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 we'll 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 6erce-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 bis
kaross of tiger skins and towering u
head higher than any man there, all the
multitude cast themselves to earth, and
from every lip sharp and sudden went
up the royal salute of Bayete. But
Chaka took no note. His brow was
cloudy as a mountain top. He cast one
glance at the people and one at the
slayers, and wherever his eye fell men
turned gray with fear. Then he stalked
on, and sat himself upon a stool to the
north of the great ring, looking toward
the open space.
For awhile there was silence; then
from the gates of the women's quarter
came band of maidens, arrayed in their
beaded dancing dresses and carrying
green branches in their hands. AS they
came they clapped their hands and sang
softly:
We are the heralds Of the kings feast. All! All!
Nultures shall eat it. All. All!
1t is good-it Is good to die for the king!
They ceased and ranged themselves in
body behind US. Then Chaka held up
his hand, and there was patter of run
ming feet. Presently from behind the
royal huts appeared the great company
of the AbangDma, the witch doctors
men to tho right and women to the left.
In the left hand of each was the tail Of
q vilderbeeste, in the right a bundle of
assegais and little shield. They We're
awful to see, and the bones about them
ratified as they ran, the bladders and
the snakeskins foated in the air behind
them, their faces shone with the fat of
amounting, their eyes started like the
eyes Of fishes, and their lips twitched
hungrily as they glared around the
death ring.
On they came till they stood in long
ranks before tho Black One. Awhile
they stood Thus, then suddenly every
one of them thrust forward the little
shield in his hand, and with a single
voice they cried, Hail, father!'
Hail, my children!' answered Chaka.
What seekest thou, father" they
cried again. "Blood:"
The blood of the guilty" he an
swercd
They turned and spoke each to each
the company of the men spoke to the
company OF the women.
The Lion of the Zulu seeks blood"
lie shall be fed. screamed the wo
men.
The Liou ot the Zulu smells blood"
lie shall see it," screamed tho wo
men.
His eyes search ont the wizards"
He shall count their deadw screamed
the women.
"Peace' cried Chaka. "Waste not
the hours in talk. Wizards have dared
to smite blood upon the gateways Of the
king. Dig in the burrows of the earth
and find them, ye rats! Fly through the
| paths of the air and find them, We vul
lures. Smell at the gates of the people
and name them, we jackals. Drag then
from the caves if they be hidden, from
the distance if they be fled, from tho
graves if they be dead. To the work
to the work! Show them to Inc truly
and your gifts shall be great; and fol
them, if they be nation, they shall be
slain. Now begin. Begin by companie:
OF ten, for You are many, and all mus
be finished ere the sun sink
at shall be finished, father" they an
swcred.
Then ten of the women stood forward
and at their head was the most famou;
witch doctress of that day-an ageC
woman named Nobela, a woman tC
whose eyes the darkness was no veil
whose scent was keen as a dogs, whC
heard the voices of the dead as they CRIED
in the night, and spoke truly Of what sh,
heard. All the other Isanusis, male ans
female, sat down in a half moon facing
the king, but this woman drew forward
and with her came nine of her sister
hood. They turned east and west, nortl
and south, searching the heavens; they
turned east and west, north and south