Evening star., 1909-03-11

man of the people of Ibubesi. dying. who
with his last breath narrated to him the
story of the taking Of the lnkosazana
and the white lord by 1bubesi. He told
of how he had run to the town OF Ma
footi to find out the truth. and OF the
message he had sent by the herd BOY 10
Ibubesi and his people. Lastly he told
all the rest of that story, OF now he had
come back to Zululand 'as though he
had Wings and. finding the regiment that
had escorted the InkoSaZana still in
camp near the river. had returned with
them to attack Mafoot which they dis
covered to be deserted by its people.
While he described how by the flare OF
the lightning they saw the 1nkosazana
standing on the roof of a hut. how they
captured the wild beast. 1bubesf: how they
learned that the spirit of lnkosazana was
wandering" and the dreadful words she
said. the burning of Mafooti. and the
fearful death of Ibubesi by fire. all the
council listened in utter silence. Thus
they listened also whilst he showed how
evil after evil had fallen upon the regi-
ment evil by fire and water and sickness.
as evil had fallen upon the land also by
the plague of locusts.
AT length Tamboosa's S story was fin
iShed and certain men were brought for
ward. bound, who had been the captains
of the band that went with Ishmael.
among them those who had killed. or
caused to die, the white teacher and his
wife.
Upon the stern command of the king
these men also told their story, saying
that they had not meant to kill the white
man and that what they did was done
at the word of Ibubesi, whom they were
ordered TO obey in all things. but who.
as they now understood, had dared to
lay plot to capture the Inkosazana for
himself. When they had finished the
king rose and poured out his wrath on
Them because through their deeds the
spirit of the Inkosazana had been driven
away, and her curse laid upon the land.
where already it was at work Then he
commanded that they should be led
thence, all of them, and put to a terrible
death. and with them those captains of
the regiment who had spoken against
the following of the people of Mafooti,
who should, he said. have been destroyed,
every one.
At his words executiOners rushed in to
seize these wretched men, and then it
was that Rachel. who all this while had
sat as though she heard nothing lifted
her head and spoke for the first time.
Set them free. set them free"' she
commanded. vengeance is from Heaven,
and Heaven will pour it out In plenty.
Not on my hands. not on my hands,
shall be the blood of those who sent the
spirit OF the lnkoSaZana to wander in the
skies Who was it that bade an impi
run to Ramah and what did they there
In the house of those who gave me birth?
When the master calls the dogs must
be more blood between the Inkosazana
and her people of the Zulus''
When he heard these words. spoken in
strange, wailing voice, Dingaan trem-
bied, for he knew that it was he who
had bidden his dogs to run
Let them co. he said, land let the
land see them no more forever"
SO those men went thankfully enough.
and the land saw them no more. AS they
passed the gate other men entered
starved and hungry-looking men, whose
bones almost pierced their skins, and who
carried in cheir hands remnants of shields
that looked as though they had been
gnawed by rats. They saluted the king
with feeble voices and squatted down
upon the ground.
Who are those skeletons?' he asked,
angrily, who dare break In upon my
council?''
king" answered their spokesman.
we are captains of the Nobambe, the
NodWenge and the Isangu regiments.
whom thou didst send to destroy the
chief Madaku and his people who dwell
far away in the swamp land to the north,
near Where the Great River runs into the
sea. King, We could not come at this
chief because he fled away on RATS and in
boats. he and his people and we lost our
path among the reeds, where again and
again we were ambushed, and many of us
sank In the swamps and were drowned
Also We found no food and were forced to
live upon our shields and he held up
gnawed fragments in his hand. so we
perished by hundreds, and of all who
went forth but twenty-one times ten re-
main alive.
When Dingaan heard this he sroaned.
for his arms had been defeated and three
of his best regiments destroyed. But
Rachel laughed aloud, the terrible laugh
at which al who heard 1t shivered.
(To be continued tomorrow