San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-08-04

| umsIopogaas.
"Of late years few indeed" she said,
'tfor none dare stand against him-no,
not with all to win. For, holding the ak
Groanmaker, he is unconquerable, and
: to fight with him is sure death Fifty
and one have tried in all, and before the
hut of Jikiza there are piled fifty and
one white skulls And know this. the
ak must be won in fight; if it is stolen or
! found it has no virtue-nay, it brings
shame and death to him who holds it."
How, then, may man give battle TO
Jikiza?" he asked again
Thus: Once in every year, on the
! first day of the new moon of the summer
season, ,Jikiza holds a meeting Of the
headmen. Then he must rise and chal-
| lenge all or any to come forward and do
battle with him to win the AK and be-
come chief in his place. Now if one
comes forward they go into the cattle
kraal and there the matter is ended.
Afterward, when the head is hewn from
his foe, Jikiza goes back to the meeting
of the headmen and they talk as before.
All are free to come to the meeting, and
Jikiza must fight with them if they will
it, whoever they be"
Perhaps shall be there" said UNI
slopogaas.
After this meeting at the new moon
l am to be given in marriage to Masilo,"
d, said the maid. But should one con-
quer Jikiza then he will be chief, and
can give me in marriage to whom he
will"
"If perchance | should be there" he
said, land if perchance should win the
iron chieftainess, the ak Groanmaker
and rule over the People of the AK, you
should not live far from the shadow of
the AK thenceforward, Maid Zinita."
at is well, Wolf Man; but first you
must win the AK. Many have tried and
all have failed"
"Yet one must succeed at last" he
said, land so farewellr'
Now the maid Zinita watched him till
he was gone, and love of him entered
into her heart.
Fifteen days must pass before the day
of the new moon, and during this time
Umslopogaas thought much and said lit
tie. Still he told GalaZi something of the
tale, and that he was determined to do
battle with Jikiza the Unconquered for
the ak Groanmaker, for his heart was
set both on the AK and the girl, but more
on the first than the last.
So the time wore on, and at length
came the day of the new moon. At the
dawn of that day Umslopogaas arose and
clad himself in a moocha, binding the
she VOLTS skin round his middle beneath
the moocha. In his hand he took a stout
fighting shield, which he had made of
buffalo hide, and. that same light, moon
shaped az with which he had slain the
captain of Chaka.
Now UmslOpogaas ate, and then they
moved together slowly down the noun
tain and crossed the river by ford, for
he would save his strength. On the far
Their side of the river Galazi hid himself
in the reeds because his face was known,
and there Umslopogaas babe him fare
well, not knowing if he should look
upon him again. Afterward he walked
up to the Great Place of Jikiza. Now
when he reached the gates of the kraal
he saw that many people were stream
ing through them and mingled with
the people. Presently they came to the
open space in front of the huts of Jikiza,
and there the headmen were gathered
together.
In the center of them, and before
heap of the skulls of men which were
piled up against his doorsteps, sat Jikiza,
huge man, hairy and a proud, who
glared about him, rolling his eyes.
| Fastened to his arm by a throng of
leather was the great AK Groanmaker,
and each man as he came up saluted the
Ak, calling it "Inkosikaas," or chief
tainess, but he did not salute Jikiza.
Umslopogaas sat down with the people
in front of the councillors, and few took
any notice of him except Zinita, who
moved sullenly to and fro bearing pots
Of beer to the councillors. Near to Jikiza,
on his right hand, sat fat man with
small and twinkling eyes, who watched
the maid Zinita greedily.
WON man." thought Umslopogaas,
sis Masilo. The better for blood letting
wilt thou be, Masilo"
Presently Jikiza spoke, rolling his
eyes: This is the matter before you,
councillors. | have settled it in my
mind to give my daughter Zinita in mar
rage to Masilo but the marriage gift is
not yet agreed on. demand hundred
head of cattle from Masilo, for the maid
is fair and straight-a proper maid
and, moreover, my daughter, though |
not of my blood. But Masilo offers fifty |
head only; therefore l ask of you to set
tie it,"
1--WE hear you, Lord of the AK" an
swered one of the councillors; but first |