The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-11-17

the doerposts of the gateway of the In
tunkulu, the house of the king, were
great smears of blood. The knees of
men strong in battle trembled when they
saw it. Women walled aloud us they
wall over the dead; they walled because
OF the horror of the omen
who has done this thing?' cried
Chaka in a terrible voice who has
dared to bewitch the king and to strike
blood upon his house?"
There was no answer, and Chaka
spoke again. This is no little matter, :"
ne said, Ito be washed away with the
blood of one or two to be forgotten.
The man who wrought it shall not die
alone or travel with few to the world
OF spirits. All his tribe shall go with
him, down to the baby in his hut and
the cattle in his kraal! Let messengers
go out east and west. and north and
south, and summon the witch doctors
from every quarterl Let them summon
the captains from every regiment, and
the headmen from every kraall On the
tenth day from now the circle of the In
gomboco shall be set, and there shall be
such smelling ont of wizards and of
witches as has not been known in Zulu
landr'
On the last night before the forming
OF the ln:so,nboco the witch doctors, male
and female, entered the kraal. There
Were IL hundred and half a hundred Of
theA. and they were made hideous and
fQJ.1.i l,la -
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 well light the heralds wel~
out summoning all to the kings Ingom-
boco. Men came by hundreds, carrying
q 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 fierce 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 his
kaross of tiger skins and towering a
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 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 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 y heralds Of the kings feast. All Al!
Vultuy shall eat it. All! Ahl
1t is gof Ait is good to die for the kingl
They ceased and ranged themselves in
body behind us. Then Chaka held up
his hand, and there was a patter of run
ni,.s feet. Presently from behind the
Royal huts appeared the great company
of the Abang o1na, the witch doctors
men to the right and women to the left.
In the left hand of each was the tail of
vilderbeeste. in the right bundle OF
assegais and little shield. They were
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 the Black One. Awhile
they stood thus. then suddenly every
one of them thrust forward the little
shield in his hand, and with q 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
swered.
They turned and spoke each to each.
the company of the men spoke to the
company of the women.
"TheLio of the Zulu seeks blood
he shall be fedv' screamed the wo-
men.
1.-THE Lion of the Zulu smells blood"
He shall see it!' screamed the wo-
men.
His eyes search out the wizards"
'He shall count their dead!" screamed
the women.
"Peacer' cried Chaka. Waste not
the hours in talkl 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, ye vul-
lures! Smell at the gates of the people
AMI name them, We jackals! Drag them
from the caves if they be hidden, from
the distance if they be fled, from the
graves if they be dead. To the work.
to the work! Show them to me truly.
and your gifts shall be great; and for
them. if they be nation, they shall be
slain Now begin. Begin by companies
of ten, for you are many, and all mus.
be finished ere the sun sink"
st shall be finished. father" they an