Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-01-08
A Zulu Mar-Dance.

When the principal favOrtes had danced
themselves into apparent helplessness the
leaders drew the whole body of blacks off
into two camps, about 100 yards apart.
Now commenced a war-dance of even more
violent character than the first, for it was
proposed that there should be mimic
battle here on the spot. The joke was
bit ghastly to me, as | recalled that this
same harbor town of Lorenzo Marquee had
been more than once threatened with ex-
tincton by possibly the same blacks who
today were brandishing their clubs in sham
war. But it was well done, and the better
for the fact that every black present threw
himself into his part with fervor that
made my illusion almost complete. They
| approached one another with demonstra-
tions of great hatred; making huge springs
into the air, which no doubt were intended
by way of intimidation; they sang together
the same Zulu war-cry which rang through
the ranks of Cetewayos warriors, and at
one time carried disaster amongst English
regulars. There could not have been more
than seven hundred in this fight, but with
all the gyrations of their arms and heads
and legs and sticks | could have almost
sworn that thousands were engaged.
The battle looked as though it might
| have furnished inspiration to Zulu Ho-
mer. Blows fell with painful suddenness;
eyes glared with mock frenzy; passes were
made which suggested violent death. Then,
while the great body of warriors was en-
gagged in this furious scuflie, one champion
| would challenge another from the opposite
ranks, and the two would engage in spr-
tied duel, according to the rule of Zulu
chivalry, using the right-hand stick as a
broadsword, and the left-hand one by way
of shield Their eyes blazed with excite
ment the foam dripped from the corners
of their voluble lips; their bodies quivered
with frenzy that seemed real, or else it
was such a frenzy as only great actors
could have stimulated. The shouts that
burst from them and the savagery they
were enaeting were equally calculated to
recall the wrongs they had suffered at the
hands of the Portuguese and the wars in
which they had shared only few months
gone by.
Yet, in the midst of such fury of mind
and action, not once did see blow dealt
in malice not once did l catch a resentful
look. Now and then on the naked head
came crack that would have split CO.
coanut; but, so far from evoking angry re-
taliation, it was met by grin of good ma
ture and redoubled zeal in warning.
Finally both sides became exhausted in
the prolonged conflict, and they retired, as
by mutual consent, to rub their sore limbs
and laugh over their little trumphs.
When they had rested little they gave
us an entertainment that closed and
crowned the whole affair. The white over
seer knew who among the natives were the
champions of Zulu fighting, and he coaxed
some of them to challenge the rest to sin
gle combat. So we had now some fencing
more exciting to watch than even that
which we had previously witnessed. For
in the grand fight the matching was the re.
suit of accident, and each fought with an
eye solely to a general effect. Now, how
ever, the champions were carefully selected,
and the duel was watched by the assembled
armies. Nothing on the floor of any fenc-
ing club has ever held me so interested as
this series of gladiatorial duels on the sandy
beach of Delagoa bay. 1t is difficult to tell
what most l admired-the surprising
workmanship or the splendid display of
muscular agility, or the exquisite good
breeding of the knights engaged, or the
wildly interested ring of spectators; it was
all of it admirably strange, single of its
kind, and withal typical of the black race
before it had been degraded by ill treat
ment.-Hdrper's Magazine for January.