New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-12-16
REvERsIoN TO sAvAGERY.
FROM LONDON AND BIBLE READING TO zULULAND
AND A .MARRIAGE WITH COWS"

FROM LONDON AND BIBLE READING TO ZULULAND
AND A MARRIAGE WITH cows
From The Cornhn Magazine
think quite the most curious instance Of the
thinness Of surface civilization among these peo-
pie came TO me in the case Of young Zulu girl,
who had been early left an orphan, and had been
carefully trained in a clergyman's family. She
was about sixteen years old when she came as
my nuFsenaid, and was very plump and comedy.
with beaming countenance and the sweetest
voice and prettiest manners possible. She had
a great love Of music and performed harmo-
mously enough on an accordion, as well as on
several queer little pipes and reeds. She could
speak. read and write Dutch perfectly. as well
as Zulu, and was nearly as proficient in English.
She carried little Bible always in her pocket,
and often tried my gravity by dropping on one
knee by my side whenever she caught me sitting
down and alone, and beginning To read aloud
from it. 1t was quite new possession, and she
had not got beyond the opening chapters of
Genesis, and delighted in the story of Dam and
Eva, as she called our hrst parents. she proved
excellent nurse and thoroughly trustworthy;
the children were devoted to her, especially the
baby, who learned 10 speak Zulu before English,
and TO throw a reed assegai as soon as he could
stand firmly on his little fat legs / brought her
10 England after she had been about year with
me. and she adapted herself marvellously and
unhesitatingly TO the conditions of civilization
far beyond what she had ever dreamed Of After
she had got over her surprise at the ship know
ing its way across the ocean, she proved capt.
tai sailor She took 10 London life and London
ways as if she had never known anything else.
The only serious mistake she made was once in
yielding 10 the Establishments of persuasive
Italian image man and promising 10 buy ms
whole tray of statues l found the nail nlieo
with these works Of art, and Malta rendering,
with sweetest smiles. few pence in exchange
for them. IL a disagreeable JOB 10 have
TO persuade the man TO depart in peace with all
his images. even with a little money to console
him.
friend Of mine CHANGED to be returning TO
Natal and proposed that I should spare my
Zulu nurse to her. Her husbands magistracy
being close TO where Malia's tribe dwelt, II
seemed good opportunity for Malta TO return
TO her own country, so, OF course, let her
go, begging my friend TO tell me how the girl
got on. The parting from the little boys was a
heart breaking scene, nor was Malta at all
comforted by the fine clothes all my friends
insisted on giving her. Not even a huge Gains
borough hat garnished with giant peoples could
console her for leaving her little chieftaln.
.ut il was at all events something to send her
of comfortably provided for, ana with TWO
large boxes OF good clothes
In the course of a few months l received
letter from my friend, who was then settled IN
her up country home. but her story or Mana
d0ings seemed welngh incredible though per
All had gone well on the voyage, and SO long
as they remained al Durham and MarltZburg
but as soon as the distant settlement was
reached Malia's kinsmeA- came around her and
began to claim some share in her property
Free fights were of constant occurrence, ana In
one Of them Malta. using the skull OF an OK as
a veanon broke her sisters leg. Soon after
that she returned TO the savage life she had not
known since her infancy, and took TO II with
clothes but she had presented herself before
my friend clad in an old sack and with neck
laces Of wild animals teeth, ana proudly an
nounced she had Just been married with COWS
thus showing how completely her Christianity
had fallen away from her. and she had pFac-
tically returned, the first opportunity, 10 the
deUth of that saVageTy from which she had
been taken before she could even remember IL
soon lost all trace of her but Malia's story has
always remained in my mind a an amazing
instance Of the strength Of race instinct