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LIBRARY 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF 
 CALIFORNIA^ 
 
 5jkJJTHR0P0L0GY LIBRARY 
 
 ANTHROPOLOGY LIBRARY 
 
N 
 
 ! 
 
 THE 
 
 K A F I E S OF NATAL, 
 
 ETC. 
 
i 
 
 1. 
 
 
THE 
 
 KAFIRS OF NATAL 
 
 AND 
 
 THE ZULU COUNTRY. 
 
 BY THE 
 
 REV. JOSEPH SHOOTER, 
 
 CURATE OF HOLY TRINITY AND SAINT MARY'S, GUILDFORD, 
 AND FORMERLY OF ALBERT, NATAL. 
 
 OF THE ^ \ 
 
 UWIVERSITY ] 
 
 OF 
 
 ^^/fORS\^^ 
 
 LONDON: 
 E. STANFORD, 6, CHARING CROSS. 
 
 1857. 
 

 
 fi^ 
 
 ~*f«<i 
 
 
 Ot'lLOrORn: PRINTBD BY QAHONIR AND STBNT. 
 
<r 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 The natives of Africa south of the equator may 
 be divided into two classes — those, namely, 
 whose lang-uag-e is characterized b}^ Clicks, and 
 those who speak what have been called the Alliteral 
 lano-uao*es. The former class embraces the Hot- 
 tentots and Bushmen. The latter includes the 
 Kafirs, Bechuanas, Damaras (of the Plain), the 
 people of Cong'o, the Suaheh, and other tribes 
 less known. 
 
 The Kafirs — a name borrowed from the Arabs — 
 lie on the east coast between the Cape Colony and 
 Delag'oa Bay. The Amaxosa, who extend to the 
 Bashee Eiver, consist of three divisions, known in 
 Colonial phraseolog-y as the Galekas, Gaikas, and 
 Hlambies. The Abatembu (Tambookies) lie N.W. 
 of the Amaxosa, and are supposed to be a few 
 g'enerations older. The Amampondo, under Faku, 
 live on the Umzimvubu and beyond. N.E. of the 
 Amampondo are Natal and the Zulu-countr}^ — a 
 region some years ag"o inhabited by tw^o divisions 
 of the Kafir race. The one, called by their neio-h- 
 hours Amalala (apparently an opprobrious term), 
 
IV TREFACE. 
 
 occupied a great part of Natal. The other readied 
 from the Amalala towards Delao-oa Bay, and 
 iiichided the Ztilus, Dmandwes, Tetwas, Quabies. 
 A more particular account of these tribes (Avhose 
 names it has been thouo-ht best to p'ive in an 
 Eng'lish form) will be found in the Appendix. 
 Each embraced a number of smaller tribes or fami- 
 lies — the chief of the parent-fixmily being* reg-arded 
 as head of all. 
 
 The Zulus were comparatively unimportant 
 before the time of their celebrated chieftain 
 Tshaka (Chaka). That extraordinary man, having- 
 adopted a new s^^stem of Avarfare, became the 
 terror of all the people from Delag-oa Ba}^ to the 
 Amaxosa. Some of his more immediate neio"h- 
 hours submitted ; but others, including* most of the 
 Dwandwes, fled. When the tribes living- in the 
 present Colony of Natal were attacked, a few 
 received permission to remain as tributaries • many 
 were taken captive • others soug-ht refug-e in the 
 bush 01" among' more distant people. Some of the 
 last found their wa^^ to the Amaxosa, among- Avhom 
 they lived in a state of abject bondag-e until 18:3o, 
 \\hen they were liberated by Sir Benjamin U'Urban. 
 Their masters had denominated them Amafeng-u, 
 "destitute people in search of service" — a name 
 which has been corrupted into Fing-oes. 
 
 During" Tshaka's reig-n, a few Europeans estab- 
 lished themselves at Port Natal, and laid the 
 foundiition of a settlement which subsequently be- 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 came a Britisli Colony. Their presence encourag-ed 
 some of the frig-htened natives to leave the bush j 
 others subsequently returned to the country they 
 had been oblig-ed to quit; while many liave 
 soug'ht refug-e there from the tyranny of the 
 Zulu king-s. The consequence is that a district 
 found by the white men almost without inhabitants 
 now possesses a native population of one hundred 
 and twenty or thirt}^ thousand souls. 
 
 The author lived above four years in Natal 
 where he made some researches into the manners 
 of the people. His enquiries were primaril}'^ ad- 
 dressed to his native servants, and especially to a 
 young- man of about twenty-four, who was in his 
 employment half the time that he resided in the 
 country, and never g-ave him any reason to doubt 
 his truthfulness. His veracity however was not the 
 only point to be considered. The mental habits of a 
 barbarian had to be taken into account, as well as 
 the uncertainty which attaches to all statements 
 respecting" the past made by people without written 
 documents. To obviate the difficulties arisino* from 
 these sources (as well as to test his informant's truth- 
 fulness) it was the author's practice to write down the 
 result of every conversation ; and, at some future 
 period, to go over the same subject, ag-ain committing- 
 the information to paper. The two accounts were 
 then compared. In the vicinity of the Avriter's 
 abode Avere several kraals, which not only afforded 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 an op])ortuTiity of witnessino- native customs, but 
 enabled him to procure information from men of 
 standing* and respectability. A strang-er's ques- 
 tions mig'lit have been reg-arded with suspicion ; 
 but the author was well acquainted with his neig-h- 
 bours and found them ready to help him in his 
 investig'ations. Other Kafirs, especially the mem- 
 bers of his servant's tribe, frequently called at his 
 residence. From some of these knowledg*e was 
 occasionally obtahied ; but, g'enerally speaking", the 
 author placed no reliance on the testimony of 
 natives Avhom he did not know. Information 
 was also acquired from several Europeans. 
 
 Great use has been made in the following* pag*es 
 of the '^ Travels " of Mr. Isaacs, one of the first 
 settlers at Natal. Reference also occurs to the 
 Evidence taken by a Commission appointed to en- 
 quire into some matters connected with the Kafirs 
 of Natal. Of the witnesses examined, Mr. Fynn, 
 from his long- acquaintance with the people, is espe- 
 cially entttled to consideration, and has been freely 
 quoted. Reference is also made to the evidence of the 
 Rev. C. L. Dohne, a native of G<'rmam-, but con- 
 connected with the American Mission. The Com- 
 missioners' Report is cited. The MSS. referred 
 to are those of the unfortunate traveller Green and 
 a g*entleman who visited Natal fi*om the Cape. They 
 were kindly shown to the author by J. C. Chase, 
 Esq., Civil Commissioner of Uitenhag-e, with per- 
 mission to make extracts. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I. — Peksoxal ArPEARANCE. 
 I. Physical Character. II. Dress and Ornaments. 
 
 CHAPTER II.— Mode of Life. 
 
 I. Habitations. II. Agriculture, III. Cattle. IV. Hunt- 
 ing. 
 
 CHAPTER III. — Domestic Institutions. 
 
 I. Restrictions on Marriage. II. Purchase of Women. 
 
 III. Preliminaries to Marriage. IV. Marriage Ceremonies. 
 V. Matrimonial Relation. VI. Parents and Children. 
 VII. Dependants. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. — Political Institutions. 
 
 I. Normal Government of the Tribes. II. Zulu Govern- 
 ment. III. Adventures of a Chief. 
 
 CHAPTER V. — Crimes against Life and Property. 
 I. Murder. II. Poisoning. III. Robbery. 
 
 CHAPTER VI.— Superstitions. 
 
 I. Religion. II. Prophets or Seers. III. Rain-makers. 
 
 IV. Miscellaneous Superstitions. 
 
 
VIU CONTEXTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VII.— SociAi, Instiutions. 
 
 I. Proper Nanies and Titles of Honour. II. Snuff-taking. 
 III. Hospitality. IV. Amusements. V. Treatment of the 
 Sick and Funeral Ceremonies. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII.— History of Tshaka. 
 
 I. Early Life. II. Conquests. III. Policy. IV. Inter- 
 course with Europeans. V. Reverses of His Arms. VI. His 
 Death. 
 
 CHAPTER IX.— Tshaka's Stjccessoks. 
 
 I, Early part of Dingan's Reign. II. Troubles of the Euro- 
 peans. III. War with the Boers. IV. Accession of Pande. 
 
 CHAPTER X.— Zulu Wakfare. 
 
 I. Military Polity. IT. Mode of Warfare. III. An Expe- 
 dition. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. — Arts and Manufactures. 
 I. Medicine. II. Iron. III. Miscellaneous. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Sketch of Natal. Missionary Operations. List of Tribes. 
 The Language. 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 THE PLATES. 
 
 The plates, executed by Mr. M'Lean, are from sketches for 
 which the author is indebted to the kindness and facile pencil of 
 Mr. E. Redinger of Natal, plate i (Frontispiece) is a "man" 
 with shield and assagai, on a journey. plate ii (facing p. 17) 
 is a married woman going to work in the garden. plate hi 
 (facing p. 151) is a young wife. An unthatched hut in the 
 distance, plate it (facing p. 61). An unmarried woman. 
 In the distance a thatched hut. 
 
 THE WOOD CUTS. 
 
 Page 3. Three squatting figures; viz., 'a *'boy" smoking 
 hemp through a cow's-horn containing water; a "man," dis- 
 tinguished by the ring on his head, expectorating through a 
 tube, after smoking ; another " man," producing fire by means 
 of two sticks. Page 9. A portrait. Page 12. A kraal. Page 
 173. A prophet. Page 238. An unmarried woman ; a " boy ;" 
 a child; a "man" with a blanket ^vrapped round him. Page 356. 
 Utensils, &c. In the background, two large baskets, in front of 
 them a large earthenware pot with cover, a rolled mat on one 
 side, and a bottle-shaped basket on the other ; next to that a 
 milk pail, between which and the shield is a wide-mouthed 
 basket. A hoe lies against the basket ; near that a knob-stick ; 
 
••if n bu.Jl.rf. (l.„,(„^ B«.l,luf « ll«n|((V„7uS«. 
 
THE KAFIRS aJ^^NATAL, &c. 
 
 "v \ 3 R A rt y "S, 
 or THE \^ 
 
 yMiVSRS ITY 
 
 OF 
 
 CHAP. I.— PERSONAL APPEARANCE. 
 
 1.— PHYSICAL CHARACTER. 11.— DRESS AND ORNAMENTS. 
 
 I. — Though the Kafirs belong- to the Negro variety 
 of mankind, their features differ much from those 
 popularl}' ascribed to the race; and instances occur 
 in which, but for its colour^ the countenance mig'ht 
 be taken for that of a European.^ The illustrations 
 accompan3'ino' the present work, Avill g"ive the 
 reader a better idea of this subject than could be 
 conveyed by any verbal explanation. 
 
 Except among* the tribes near Delag'oa Bay/ 
 the skin is not usually black. The prevailing- 
 colour is a mixture of black and red, the most 
 common shade being" chocolate. Lio-hter colours 
 are met with, an olive, for example, not darker than 
 the complexion of a Spaniard, and occasionally an 
 instance of copper colour. Generally, the hair is 
 black, while the eyes are dark j but in some cases 
 the former is of a red hue. Albinos are not 
 unknown.^ Dark complexions, as being- most com- 
 mon, are naturally held in hig-liest esteem. To 
 be told that he is lig'ht coloured, or like a white 
 man, would be deemed a very poor compliment by 
 a Kafir. I have heard of one unfortunate person, 
 who was so very fair that no girl would marry 
 
 B 
 
2 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 liiui ; mid it may have been the dread of such a 
 dire cnlamity, which made a young- man vehe- 
 mently indig-nant, when told that he was as fair as 
 a European : his colour was a lig"ht olive. A 
 modest g'entleman^ whose opinion I asked re- 
 specting- the most approved complexion, assured 
 me that it was jvst his own, black with a little red. 
 One of the Zulu king-'s titles is " You who are black." 
 A new-born infixnt is not so dark as when a 
 few da3'S old. It is said that when a native has 
 been wounded, the new skin is at first lio'ht 
 coloured. Hung-er deepens the colour; I have heard 
 the Zulu soldiers, Avhen they have returned from a 
 long- expedition and suffered much want of food, 
 described as peculiarly black. The same thing- 
 has been observed among- the Hottentots in the Cape 
 Colony, who sometimes come back to service, after 
 a period of idleness and privation, with a skin much 
 darker than usual. This illustrates the passag-e in 
 Jeremiah : " Our skin was black like an oven, be- 
 cause of the terrible famine."^ 
 
 AVhen a Kafir squats on the g-round, as he ordi- 
 narily does while at rest, his appearance is by no 
 means imposing-; but when standing-, or in motion, 
 lie is " altog-ether graceful." Mr. Isaacs, who had 
 i\w. opportunity of comparing- these people with 
 others, thought them the finest African race that 
 he had seen ; while another author records his im- 
 pression of the Frontier tribes in terms of absolute 
 enthusiasm. " 'Jlicir fig-ures," says he, ^'^ are the 
 noblest thiit my eye evei- g'azed upon ; their move- 
 
DEFORMITIES^. 
 
 3 
 
 iiients the most g-race- 
 ful; and their atti- 
 tudes the proudest^ 
 stand in o-like forms of 
 monumental bronze. 
 I was much struck 
 with the strono- re- 
 semblance that a 
 g'roup of Kniirs bear 
 to the Greek andEtru- 
 scan antique remains, 
 except that the savag'e 
 draper}' is more scanty 
 and falls in simpler 
 folds." Instances of 
 deformity are rare. 
 I do not remember to 
 have met with more 
 than three in which 
 the malformation was 
 conspicuous, but have 
 heard of two others 
 sufficiently curious to 
 be described. The one 
 had a body of the 
 usual size, and when my informant saw him sitting* 
 on an ant-hill he had the appearance of an ordinary 
 man, but his leg's were very short, and, except that 
 he had larg-e feet, he mig'ht have served for tlie 
 original of some of Punch's caricatures. The 
 other was a dwarf, about four and a half feet hig-h 
 and sino-ularlv uo-lv: his chin was lono-, his forehead 
 b2 
 
 ^\^ VW 
 
 ,^\V»'^ 
 
4 THE KAFIHS OF NATAL. 
 
 lnra'« iiixl 'liitj tlie rest of his face was siiiall^ 
 w liil(! liis teetli were larg-e ; liis tlii«>-]is were flat, 
 and ciirvpfl outwardsj and he had scarcely any heel. 
 'J'houiih examples of deformity be seldom observed, 
 it must not be altog'ether attributed to the reg'ular- 
 ity witli \\]iich nature performs her functions j for 
 we shall see that infanticide is practised, and that 
 a child born with any very g-reat defect, would 
 liardly be allowed to live. 
 
 Corpulence, thoug'h much admired, is not very 
 common. It is probably as a proof of g-ood feeding-^ 
 and therefore as an evidence of riches, that this 
 uncomfortable condition is so hig-hly esteemed j but 
 another reason was g'iven me by a Kafir, viz. that 
 in case of famine a fat person might survive till the 
 next season, while a lean one would die. Obesity 
 has its accidental advantages. A Aery corpulent 
 man had incurred the displeasure of the Zulu king*, 
 who summoned him to the Great Place, and after 
 ti'eating- him with some indignities ordered him 
 to be tlirown down a precipice.. The victim was 
 lieavy, and his descent rapid j but his fiit protected 
 his bones, and he was not much worse for the fall. 
 His executioners then removed him to the bush, 
 ^\ here he was left for the wild beasts to kill ; but 
 in the mean time his son sought out the place 
 and conveyed him safe home. This man was a 
 chief, and it is to ])ersons of exalted station that 
 the distinction of unwieldly proportions is princi- 
 pally confined. Connnon peo])le are more or less 
 limited in tlx' matter of food and l)eer ; but a chief's 
 suj)eri<tr wealth enables liim to eat and drink 
 
A FAT LADY. 5 
 
 without stint^ and when thus situated a Kafir is 
 tolerably certain to make the most of his privileg-e. 
 If the reader will g'o upon his knees and peep into 
 a hut in one of the Zulu monarch's kraals, he will 
 see how natural it is for people of rank to g-row fat. 
 Crawling- throug'h the small entrance, we see a 
 larg-e lady — one of many queens — reclining" on a 
 mat, and supporting- her head with her hand. A 
 pot, containing" porridg-e of white millet, stands 
 near her j a vessel of bruized corn and curds keeps 
 it company ; while a third, no small one, holds a 
 supply of native beer. Of these she partakes during" 
 the intervals of sleep, a female being* in attendance 
 to hand her now the one and now the other, as her 
 majesty may feel inclined. Before the day is over 
 a supply of beef will probably be broug'ht in, nor 
 will she fail to do it justice, notwithstanding- that 
 she complains of being" unwell. We cannot wonder 
 at the lady's ailments; to which we are indebted for 
 this g'lance at a scene as jealously g"uarded as those 
 of the Grand Seig-nior's harem ; it is described on 
 the authority of a European who officiated as her 
 ph3'sician. The bulk to which chiefs and rich men 
 attain is sometimes enormous. Dino-an was esti- 
 mated to weigfh twenty stones ; and others have 
 been described to me as unable to walk. I have 
 heard, however, of one chief in the Zulu-country no- 
 torious for his leanness. He differs from the rest of 
 the people in several respects, but especially in this, 
 that he eats only when hung-ry and does not care 
 to drink much beer. But, thoug-h a petty chief, he 
 is also a blacksmith 5 and his leanness may be 
 owing to his exertions at the anvil. 
 
Tin: KAFIUS OF NATAL. 
 
 11. — A .plan's ordinary dress is very simple, and 
 consists of two parts. The one is a square piece of 
 skin hano'ing- l)eliind, t]ie other a few strips of the 
 same material in front; both being* suspended from 
 a small string- round the hips. For gTand occasions, 
 as wedding* feasts, they are of more showy materials 
 and more ample dimensions ; the former is then 
 made of strips of g'oat or monkey's skinj the latter 
 of the tails of a small feline animal, or of its skin 
 cut into strips [j^l. 1). To protect themselves from 
 cold the men w^ar blankets, which are also used 
 for a covering- at nig'ht^ but before they had the 
 opportunity' of purchasing- these from Europeans, 
 they employed sheets of prepared hide. The 
 women's principal g-arment is still made of hide. 
 It is folded round the loins, and reaches to about 
 the knee ipl. 2) j but for dances they have a larg-er 
 one, descending- lower (j)!. 8). Young- wives have 
 another piece of clothing-, viz. the skin of an ante- 
 lope, with the hair off down the centre, and orna- 
 mented with brass buttons or knobs ; it is tied 
 under the arms, and hang-s down in front {j)!, 3). 
 A belt is fastened round the waist of married 
 women, who also tie a piece of blue calico over 
 their shoulders to protect them from the cold. 
 Unmarried women are more scantily dressed (plA.) 
 
 A very singular head-dress is adopted by the 
 married men among- the Zulus. A piece of thong- 
 or other material is formed into a rino- and sewed to 
 the hair on the top of the head ; when it is covered 
 with ii g-hitinous sul)stance obtained from the bush, 
 iiiid blackened with charcoal. The hair is then 
 
ORNAMENTS. 7 
 
 shaved off, both inside find outside the ring-, which 
 now appears Uke a crown of solid leather surmount- 
 ino- the bare skull. When the hair otows ag-ain, 
 the ring- is carried up with it and gives the in- 
 dividual a still more sing-ular aspect. But I believe 
 it is contrary to strict etiquette to allow it to do so ; 
 the head oug'ht to be frequently shaved^ and the 
 ring' periodically removed and sewed on ag'ain close 
 to the head. The barber sometimes works by con- 
 tract, receiving" perhaps a g-oat for attending* to a 
 rich man's poll for half a year. The married 
 women also among* the Zulus are disting'uished by 
 a shaven head. But, in place of the ring', they leave 
 a small tuft of hair, and colour it red.^ 
 
 Ornaments are worn by all classes. Ring's for 
 the fing-ers, arms, and ankles, are made of brass or 
 copper. Beads of the same metal were formerly 
 manufactured by the natives j but g'lass ones of 
 various colours and sizes are now boug'ht from the 
 traders. The small beads are fastened to their 
 clothes y an ornament of red and white beads is 
 sometimes suspended from the neck ; a band of 
 beads is worn round the head j and I have seen 
 several strings of small white ones worn over each 
 shoulder, so as to form a cross on the back and 
 front. Larg'e beads are worn as necklaces. Tails of 
 cattle, that is, the tufted ends, are worn by the men. 
 The tufts are opened and made to form a fring-e, 
 which is tied round the arms, knees, and ankles, 
 and sometimes several are fastened tog-ether and 
 tied round the breast like a tippet (pi. 1). Feathers 
 
8 Tin: KAFIKS OF NATAL. 
 
 are conspiruous niiioiig* the decorfitioiis of the men. 
 These various onianients are displayed on g-rand 
 occasions, as at wedding- feasts, when a Kafir is sure 
 to be arrayed in all his finely. Ordinarily little 
 more is worn than the ring-s, of which two or three 
 may be seen on a young* man's fing-er ; but, g-e- 
 nerally speaking', a wealthy man would wear only 
 one or two armlets or anklets. 
 
 Besides his ornaments there are some articles 
 which a Kafir wears, and without ti knowledo-e of 
 which we cannot form a just idea of his personal 
 appearance. Of these, his snuff-box is the most 
 indispensable. It usually consists of a small round 
 calabash, in which is a hole fitted wdth a stopper, 
 and ojiposite to it another hole with a piece of 
 string inserted, and by means of which it is sus- 
 pended from the string* round his body. When he 
 can afford it, he carries an ivory spoon, with which 
 to appl}' the snuff to his nostrils. The size of this 
 s[)oon Avould astonish a Highlander. The operation 
 of snuff taking* is, with a Kafir, one of great 
 imjiortance. Having" first squatted on the g'round, 
 lie shakes a cpiantity out of the calabash into his 
 left hand ; and then taking- uj) a spoonful (or in 
 default of a spoon, using' his finger and thumb) he 
 ap])]ies it to his nose, and inhales it slowly. After 
 a u hile, tears roll down his face ; but before 
 they flon , and a]>})arently to excite them, he draws 
 the ends of his fing'ers from the eyes downwards, as 
 if to make a channel for them. The fiowino- of the 
 tears is a necessary part of his enjoyment ; and so 
 (•onij)lete]y is he entranced that it is almost impossi- 
 
EFFECT OF SNUFF TAKING. 
 
 9 
 
 ble to induce liim to move until the operation is 
 completed. This excessive use of snuff has neces- 
 sarily a g-reat effect on the nerves ; and the Kafir 
 seems to be as dependent on its excitement as 
 many civilized people are on other sorts of stimula- 
 tion equally needless and more bttneful. All classes 
 and both sexes indulg-e in the excitement; and there 
 are perhaps very few individuals who abstain from 
 
 it. 
 
 A Kafir usually carries something- in his hand. 
 If he is g'oing- far from home he takes his weapons, 
 and perhaps a long- stick to assist him in fording- 
 rivers, unless he be a rich man and have a servant 
 to bear his arms. 
 
CIIArTER IT.— MODE OF LIFE. 
 
 I. HABITATIONS,— II. AGRICULTURE.— IH. CATTLE— IV. HUNTING. 
 
 1. — The Kafirs live in small communities and oc- 
 cupy what Europeans denominate kraals.^ In its 
 most simple form^ a kraal consists of a circular 
 cattle fold, with huts disposed around itj but in 
 bushy districts, where the materials can be easily 
 procured, an external fence is added and made to 
 enclose the whole. Kraals of this latter description 
 occur near the coast, and when built on the side 
 of a hill form a conspicuous and characteristic 
 feature of the landscape. The accompanying- illus- 
 tration shows one in such a position, as seen from 
 an opposite elevation and at some distance. 
 
 Perhaps the reader would like to take a nearer 
 view, and examine it more closely. We will there- 
 fore descend into the valley' and cross that small 
 stream which is just visible where the woman is 
 filling- her waterpot, but elsewhere is concealed by 
 the trees and bushes which otow on its maro-iu. 
 A narrow crooked path will conduct us to the ford, 
 where the water will cool our feet while we stand 
 for a moment to examine the plants which it nou- 
 rishes. Further down the valley there mio-ht be 
 little to attract our notice, save hig-li o-rass and taller 
 reeds ', ])ut here the ^'eg•etation is of a more interest- 
 ing" character; a wild date is consjiicuous among- the 
 \ aried foliag-e, while at u little distance a strelitzia 
 
DESCRIPTION OF A KRAAL. 18 
 
 displays its broad leaves beside a clump of water- 
 booms. We must not however tarry too loug-^ but 
 proceed^ taking- care to select the rig-ht path^ for 
 several converg-e at this ford. The ascent before us 
 is rather toug-h ; but the kraal now comes in sig'ht 
 (never mind the noisy dogs while you have a stick 
 to show them) and the outer fence appears a really 
 formidable barrier. We will not stay to examine 
 its construction^ but proceed at once to the entrance^ 
 which is here of a respectable width^ thoug-h in some 
 cases it is so narrow that one cannot help wondering- 
 how the cattle g-et throug'h. The ]:)oles of which it 
 is formed give it the aspect of a rude and not ill 
 looking- g-ateway, and which would be the more 
 complete if, as is sometimes done, others had been 
 laid across the top and surmounted with small 
 sticks. At nig-ht it is closed by means of other 
 poles and strong- sticks, at present lying- inside. 
 AVe have now passed the entrance and will examine 
 the huts. These about the g-ateway are appropri- 
 ated to the servants; but they will answer our pur- 
 pose as well as others, for all have the same beehive 
 form and are constructed of the same materials. 
 On an averag*e, they are about fourteen feet in di- 
 ameter and six or eig-ht feet hig'h, and consist of a 
 frame work of sticks, covered with thatch. The 
 door-way is semicircular, and so very small that, 
 thoug-h the supple Kafir manag-es it more easily, a 
 European crawls throug-h with difficulty. If how- 
 ever the reader be willing- to try the experiment, 
 and care not for certain insectile annoyances which 
 he mav brino- awav, avp will enter one of these dark 
 
14 TIIK K MM!- <il- N \'I'AL. 
 
 aliddcs :iJi(l takr m hiicf <2-1:imc(' ;it its j»eii('tr;iliu. 
 ]]ut tlioii;^"li w»» nic now inside, we must wait awliilu 
 that tlio pvo ina\ . after su(1(1«mi1v leavinir tlie brifflit 
 li^'lit without, athipt itself" to the obscurity of a 
 wiiulowless hut. A few moments will sulfiee, and 
 we may now observe the hard smooth floor on 
 
 which we are sittin*:*, and w liich has the additional 
 merit of being- quite clean, A circular ridg'e (for 
 most tliing-H are of that form her<') raised a few 
 inches above the iloor^ and situate between the 
 entrance and the centre, contains wood ashes, which 
 bespeak its use as a fire-])lace, the smoke escap- 
 ing- wherever it can, as the blackened roof testi- 
 fies. Cooking--po1s and other earthenware uten- 
 sils are dis])Osed around the circumference of the 
 floor ; the calabashes standing- near them contain 
 milk, which is being- converted into mnn-si or curds, 
 the condition in which it is usually taken ; others 
 empty are hang-ing- from the sides or roof of 
 the hut ; liere is a larg-e basket for carrying- corn ; 
 tliere a small one, so close in its texture as to be used 
 for a drinking" vessel; that rolled-up mat serves 
 the purpose of a bed, while the singular looking* arti- 
 cle, so like a wooden stool, is a ])illow. 'I'W hirg-e 
 stone, which has been left inside, is the woman's mill; 
 that ])on(lerous im])lement is the rude hoe, with 
 w hich she cullivales the •'•round. The man's assa<rais 
 need not be poinli'd out, though it is not very 
 obvious that the cow's horn near them is a native 
 hookah. 'I'here are several other articles that might 
 be noticed, but our limbs are cranijx'd, and we will 
 crawl out ag-ani, no! icing as we p.iss ihe fraiiie of 
 basket work w Inch is used to elosr- tlw <lo(»i-\\ ;i\ . 
 
DESCRIPTION OF A KRAAL. 15 
 
 Once more in the open air^ we will enter the 
 isi-haya or central enclosure, and proceed towards 
 the top of the kraal. The isi-haya is a very im- 
 portant part of a Kafir's homestead. It is here 
 that his beloved cattle are secured by nig"ht, and his 
 idolized cows milked by day. The herd is now at 
 pasture^ and there is nothing- to represent the live 
 stock of the kraal, except those fowls, which are 
 being- closely watched by a thievish hawk that cares 
 little for the missiles of a native. The isi-haya is 
 also the usual scene of those dances which form the 
 chief part of the wedding- ceremonies, and of which 
 we shall speak hereafter. We are now approaching- 
 the top, and may inspect the small enclosure where 
 the larg-er calves are confined at nig-ht, the smaller 
 ones being- kept in the huts. Near this is a narroAv 
 passag-e throug-li the fence, which bring-s us once 
 more among- the houses. We remarked that those 
 neai' the g-ate belong- to the servants ; this, at the 
 head of the kraal, and a little larg-er than the rest, 
 is for the umnumzana, a compound word sig-nifying- 
 the owner of a place f while those which occupy 
 the intermediate space are appropriated to his 
 famil}^ — each wife, as the g-eneral rule, having* a 
 separate hut j married sons occupying- others ; and 
 one being- set apart for unmarried men. The di- 
 mensions of a kraal are therefore determined by 
 the number of a man's family and dependants. 
 This, which is eig-hty yards across, contains about 
 fourteen huts ; but there are many smaller. Some 
 of these may be seen from our present position. 
 Those two which lie conspicuously on the opposite 
 
10 THE KAl-IUS OF NATAL. 
 
 slope, belong" to men dependent on our nmnumzana, 
 but not so nbsolutely as those living- inside his 
 kraal. A third, at the bottom of that broad valley, 
 is probably occupied by one of his married sons, who 
 has left the paternal kraal, and will in due time be 
 followed by others.^ 
 
 II. — The PLANTS cultivated by this people are 
 more numerous than might be expected. The most 
 prominent are maize, millet, and some cucurbitace- 
 ous plants. These last include the calabash, 
 which when ripe is so easily converted into a 
 bottle as to render it invaluable to a barbarous nation 
 — the water melon — and the pumpkin.^ 
 
 A Kafir's g-arden, the usual translation of in-simi 
 (plural ama-simi) is irreg'ular in shape — not always 
 enclosed — and sometimes so small as to look like a 
 mere patch amid the surrounding* wilderness of na- 
 tural vegetation. A Kafir is by no means restricted 
 to a sing-le garden ; for, as custom does not recog- 
 nize private property in the soil beyond that of ac- 
 tual possession, he may break up whatever land he 
 finds unoccupied, and cultivate as many ama-simi 
 as he pleases. He can thus select his soil to suit 
 liis crop ; and when an old garden is worn out, can 
 easily make a new one — a circumstance specially 
 important, since his ancestors have not taught him 
 to use manure. It may therefore happen that several 
 gardens belono- to one kraal : close at hand may be 
 
 Co-' • 
 
 a plot of sweet potatoes; down in the valley a garden 
 of maize, with pum])kins running among the plants; 
 and on the opposite hill another field of corn. 
 
11. 
 
AGRICULTURE. 1 7 
 
 When a piece of land has been selected for cul- 
 tivation^ the task of clearing- it belong-s to the men. 
 If the gTound be much encumbered^ this becomes a 
 laborious undertaking-^ for their axe is very small, 
 and when a larg-e tree has to be encountered, they 
 can only lop the branches j fire is employed when 
 it is needful to remove the trunk. The reader will 
 therefore not be surprised that the people usually 
 avoid bush-land, thoug-h they seem to be aware of 
 its superior fertility. As a g-eneral rule the men 
 take no further share in the labour of cultivation ; 
 and, as the site chosen is seldom much encumbered 
 and frequently bears nothing- but g-rass, their part 
 of the work is very slig-ht. The women are the 
 real labourers ; for (except in some particular cases) 
 the entire business of dig"g-ing-, planting*, and weed- 
 ing- devolves on them ; and, if we regard the assag-ai 
 and shield as symbolical of the man, the hoe may 
 be looked upon as emblematic of the woman. The 
 form of this implement, which is of a most un- 
 feminine character and in strikino- contrast with 
 the small axe of the men, will be best understood 
 from the accompanying* illustration (pi. 2), The iron 
 blade is now g*enerally purchased of European tra- 
 ders ; but, thoug-h made in Eng-land, it must corres- 
 pond to the African model. A merchant, not aware 
 of this necessity, paid rather dearly for his inexperi- 
 ence. He had introduced a quantity of these blades, 
 made after a new shape and better adapted to 
 penetrate the g-round than those of the old fashion- 
 ed form ; but the Kafir would not tolerate the inno- 
 vation, and the " improved " hoea were unsaleable, 
 c 
 
18 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 until they liad been restored to the shape sanctioned 
 by ancestral usag-e. With this rude and heavy 
 instrument tlie woman dig's^ plants^ and weeds her 
 g'arden. Difrg'ing* and sowing- are g-enerally one 
 operation, which is thus performed; the seed is 
 first scattered on the gTOund^ when the soil is dug- 
 or picked up with the hoe, to the depth of thi'ee or 
 four inches, the larg-er roots and tufts of gTass being* 
 g-athered out, but all the rest left in or on the 
 g-round. The seed, as may be imag-ined, is only 
 imperfectly covered ; and as a consequence (thoug-h 
 this may be owing- also to the careless mode of 
 sowing-) you may see considerable patches of bare 
 soil, when the corn appears above g-round. AVhen 
 the corn-plants are about a month old, and the 
 weeds have attained a heis'ht that would astonish 
 an Eng-lish farmer, the g-round is ag-ain hoed j and 
 this terminates the process of cultivation.* 
 
 Superstition is sometimes resorted to when the 
 plants do not thrive. Among- other devices, medicine 
 is burned on a fire placed to windward of the g-ar- 
 den, the fumig-ation which the plants in consequence 
 receive being- held to improve the crop. It is be- 
 lieved that what thus benefits one man's corn 
 would injure that of an adjoining- proprietor, unless 
 he burned it at the same time. Custom, therefore, 
 requires that when a man uses this mysterious medi- 
 cine he must give some to his neig'hbour, unless he 
 would run the risk of beino- deemed an " evil doer."^ 
 
 The crops are subject to g-reat depredations ; quad- 
 rupeds, birds, and insects conspire to destroy them. 
 
ENEMIES OF AGRICULTURE. 10 
 
 To protect the g"ardens from four footed depreda- 
 tors^ two methods are employed, viz. fences and 
 watching*. The former — desig-ned especially for 
 protection ag'ainst the wild pig* — sometimes sur- 
 round the g-ardens; but they also appear in the 
 form of a barrier between the cultivated lands and 
 a pig'-infested reg-ion. When two or three kraals 
 are situated near an extensive bush, the owners 
 may ag^ree to carry a fence along* that side of the 
 country where the pig'S approach, and so exclude 
 them fi'om the neig'hbourhood g'enerally. These 
 barriers are sometimes very long*, and not always 
 finished in one season ; but their leng'th is need- 
 lessly increased by the irregular direction given 
 them ; for, though a Kafir is marvellously clever 
 at describing- a circle, he cannot draw a rig-ht line. 
 The labour of constructing- these fences devolves on 
 the men, who also cut the materials ; but the task 
 of carrying- these from the bush falls upon the 
 women. When watching- is resorted to, a platform of 
 poles and strong- sticks is erected in the g-arden, with 
 a small hut on the top. This structure, which 
 corresponds in use to the "lodg-e" mentioned by 
 Isaiah, is for the accommodation of the watchers. 
 In an extensive g-arden two or three are necessary, 
 and the women have sometimes to assist the men in 
 defending- their crops ag'ainst nocturnal depredators. 
 Thoug-h we have mentioned the pig- as the 
 especial enemy of the crops, he is by no means the 
 only beast that assails them. The ^^ fretful porcu- 
 pine " is a most undesirable visitor and not easy to 
 exclude. Antelopes eat the young- plants ; and ba- 
 c2 
 
20 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 boons, wliero they prevail, steal the ripe maize. In 
 bushy districts the buffalo does mischief; and when 
 a gfarden is situace near a river occupied by hip- 
 popotami, it is liable to their visitations. Of all 
 four footed depredators the elephant is the most 
 destructive, not only from the great capacity of 
 his appetite, but because of his hug-e feet and pon- 
 derous body, which crush more than he consumes. 
 ]Vor is it safe to disturb him at his unbidden repast, 
 for he is a touchy irritable brute, and must be 
 treated with great caution. It is said b}' the na- 
 tives that the shrill voice of a child alarms him — 
 a circumstance by no means favourable to the juven- 
 iles, for it occasions them more beating-s than they 
 deserve ; it is generally considered, however, that a 
 noise excites him, and that if a man were to raise 
 his voice and attempt by that means to drive him 
 out of the garden, it would only make him more 
 furious. It seems also that, instead of being repelled 
 by a fire, he is attracted by it. Two men, who 
 Mere engaged in watching a garden, had a very 
 narrow escape. There was a platform, but no hut 
 had been placed upon it; they therefore la}' down 
 beneath the incomplete structure and went to sleep, 
 having previously kindled a small fire, not so much 
 perhaps to warm themselves, as to scare the hyenas 
 and " evil doers." Meanwhile an elephant enters 
 the garden, catches sight of the smouldering embers, 
 goes straight to the fire, and while disturbing it with 
 his trunk scorches one of the watchers. The man 
 was fortunately but half asleep, and was not there- 
 fore aroused with that sudden start which miaht 
 
ELEPHANTS. CI 
 
 have proved fatal to them both. His position was 
 appalling* • but he had sufficient presence of mind, 
 not only to avoid making- a noise, but also to arouse 
 his companion and prevent his doing* so, while he 
 communicated in a whisper their fearful danger. 
 By this means they escaped j for the elephant, 
 having* dispersed the fire without discovering* them, 
 returned to his supper and left them to breathe 
 more freely. On another occasion, an elephant 
 walked over or through the fence of a kraal^ at- 
 tracted by some millet lying* there. His enjoyment 
 of the dainty being* interrupted by the g'lowing* of 
 a fire in one of the huts, he rushed to the spot, 
 overturned the house and trampled to death a sleep- 
 ing* woman, her husband manag'ing* to creep away 
 between the leg's of the hug-e beast. 
 
 We need not say more to show the dang*er of 
 interfering* with these herculean thieves, and cannot 
 wonder that a man should sometimes prefer to 
 contemplate the entire destruction of his crops, to 
 hazarding* his life in defending* them. But the 
 women, who have all the labour of the g-arden, are 
 not always so passive. I have heard of one who 
 rated her husband soundly because he would not 
 attempt to drive a troop of elephants away. He had 
 distinctly heard the brutes and knew that they would 
 destroy everything* j but he was well aware that he 
 could do nothing* to expel them, and that it would 
 be extremely hazardous to attempt it. It was in 
 vain to urg*e this upon his wife — visions of hung*er 
 flitted before her eyes — the beasts were destroying* 
 her corn — her children would have to starve ; and 
 
22 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 she became so frantically violent^ that he was forced 
 to creep out of the Imt and pretend at least to 
 conijily with her wishes. He soon returned faster 
 than he had g'one and broug'ht the terrible intelli- 
 g'ence that the elephants were coming- towards the 
 kraal, and that they must all escape for their lives. 
 They according-ly made a hasty retreat to the top 
 of a neig-hbouring' eminence (elephants run badly up- 
 iiill) and remained there until they discoA^ered that 
 it was safe to return. The}^ found the huts standing-, 
 but the crops were utterly ruined ; what had not 
 been eaten was trampled down, and the g-arden was 
 as bare as a cattle-fold.^ 
 
 The feathered enemies of ag-riculture are beau- 
 tiful but most destructive ; and the boys, to 
 whom the task of scaring* them is allotted, have 
 no sinecure. Sometimes, when the birds are very 
 troublesome, tlie doctor is called in, and medi- 
 cine resorted to. The mode in which it is applied 
 is sing-ular. The practitioner, having- obtained a 
 small tortoise, cuts off its head, stuffs the animal Avith 
 corn and medicine, and buries it. A fire is then made 
 over the g'rave, and some of the heads of corn which 
 had been partially eaten by ihe birds, tog-ether with 
 medicine, are burned in it. A chameleon also is 
 stufled with corn and medicine, and when scarcely 
 able to move is placed in a tree. On the following- 
 day medicine is ag-ain burned in the g-arden; and 
 until this has been done, the people of the kraal are 
 ])laced under some restriction as to food. If the 
 birds still come, no noise is to be made, thoug-li mis- 
 siles may he thrown at them j but if tliey persist in 
 
LOCUSTS. j23 
 
 their visits after a certain time, the remedy is con- 
 sidered to have failed, and the doctor must return 
 the whole or g-reater part of his fee. AVhen crows 
 attack the maize, it is believed that if one of the 
 cobs which have been partially eaten be thrown 
 among* another man's corn, the birds will follow it, 
 and devote their attention to the g^arden where it 
 lies. This unneig'hbourly act must be performed in 
 secret, if the malefactor would escape punishment. 
 It is said that Tshaka, the mig-hty chief already 
 spoken of, not only employed his warriors ag'ainst 
 the beasts of the field, but frequently declared war 
 ag'ainst the feathered tribes themselves. Knob- 
 sticks do not appear very formidable weapons to use 
 in the chase of birds ; but a Kafir throws them with 
 great precision ; and if it be true that the whole dis- 
 posable part of the male population was turned out 
 in these strang-e forays, the birds if not killed must 
 have been terribly frig'htened and driven to more 
 quiet regions. At all events their numbers were 
 very considerably thinned, for a traveller to whose 
 MSS. I have had access, noticed the scarceness of 
 finches and other g-rain-destro} ing' birds, and gives 
 the above circumstance in explanation of it. 
 
 The locust is by far the most terrible enemy of 
 ag-riculture. " It is a sing-ular fact that these insects 
 were not known in this quarter before 1829 or early 
 in 1830 ; and the Zulus superstitiously attribute 
 their visitations to the power of Sotshang-ana, whom 
 the Zulus were sent to attack by Tshaka in the dis- 
 trict of Delag-oa, and whom they followed on their re- 
 treat after having been defeated bv that chieftain."" 
 
24t THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 This stateinent, thoug-h extraordinary, ag^rees with 
 what I have heard — the account g-iven to me being- 
 only more full and particular. "When they had 
 reached Sotshano-ana's country, the Zulus were in 
 g-reat want of food; and a detachment of them com- 
 ing- to a deserted kraal beg-in, as usual, to search for 
 it. In so doing', they discover some larg-e baskets 
 used for storing* corn, and their hung-ry stomachs 
 rejoice at the prospect of a meal. But when a 
 fiimished warrior has impatiently removed the cover 
 from one of them, out rush a multitude of insects and 
 the anticipated feast flies about their ears. Astonish- 
 ment seizes the host, for they had never beheld such 
 an apparition before; every man asks his neighbour, 
 but none can " tell its quality or name." One of their 
 number at length throws some lig'ht on the mystery; 
 he had seen the same insects in Makazana's country; 
 and perhaps he tells his wondering* companions that 
 they had been collected for food. But they soon 
 learn this from the people of the kraal, who had 
 only retired to escape the enemy, and whose voices 
 are now heard from a neio-hbourinc: rock. In no case 
 would the fugitives have been likely to spare their 
 lungs, since they could rail and boast and threaten 
 the invaders with impunity ; but when they see their 
 food is in danger, they lift up their voices with des- 
 perate enei-gy, and utter the terrible threat that if the 
 invaders eat their locusts, others should follow them 
 home and carry famine in their train. The Zulus 
 were too hungry to heed the woe or be very dis- 
 criminating in the choice of victuals, and the locusts 
 were devom'ed. But when the army had returned 
 
FEAST OF FIRST FRUITS. 25 
 
 home^ the scourg-e appeared^ and the threatening" 
 was fulfilled. 
 
 The locusts being- a new evil^ the doctors had no 
 remedy to employ ag-ainst them. One ventured to 
 try his art^ but without success; when^ as I have 
 been told^ Ding-an killed him for promising- ^^ hat he 
 could not perform. I have heard that application 
 was made to Makazana^ in whose territory the locusts 
 were first seen by the Zulu^ and that he sent a 
 doctor of reputed power to work his enchantments on 
 the foe. But his medicine produced no better effect 
 than that of the indig-enous artist^ and the insects 
 continued their ravag-es. Superstition having* ftiiled^ 
 the people have adopted the only rational means which 
 can be employed when these formidable insects 
 appear — ^iz. to make all the noise they can^ and 
 produce as much smoke as possible by kindling- fires 
 to M'indward of the g-arden and heaping* g-reen gi^ass 
 upon them. We have seen that Tshaka wag*ed war 
 ag-ainst the bu'ds, and must now mention that Ding-an 
 once turned out a reg'iment "^ and ordered them to 
 destroy some myriads of locusts infesting- his fields."^ 
 
 A ceremony^ which has been called the Feast of 
 First Fruits^ appears to have been common to all 
 the tribes in their orig-inal state. The primitive in- 
 stitution was doidjtless an act of thanksg-iving* for 
 the fruits of the earth j but Tshaka added to it cer- 
 tain military rites^ and g-ave it much more the aspect 
 of a war-feast. The following- are the principal 
 circumstances which occur in its celebration at the 
 Zidu court. 
 
2Q THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 About tlie end of Decem])er the people assemble 
 at tlie Great Place, where a black bull haying" been 
 brouo-lit fi-oni the herd, the young- men twist the 
 animal's neck, and throAv it on the gTound. The 
 doctor then makes an incision in the side of the g-roan- 
 ing- beast ; and, having- taken out the g:all bladder, 
 squeezes part of its contents into a vessel contain- 
 ing- medicine previously boiled. The king- dips his 
 fino-ers into the decoction, and applies them to his 
 mouth. Whether he swallows any of the mixture I 
 know not, but a portion at least he squirts over his 
 person. Other medicine is prepared, into which 
 bruized corn and various productions of the g-arden 
 are put. This is taken by the king-' in the same man- 
 ner as before. Powders of various colom-s having- 
 been rubbed on his breast and face, he takes some of 
 the first mentioned mixture into his mouth, and 
 squu'tin^ it on an assag-ai, points the weapon towards 
 the sun. The doctor now kills the bull by striking 
 it on the head T\ith an axe. It is then skinned and 
 the flesh thro^m on a larg-e fire. Towards evening- 
 "boys" assemble to eat the beef — a privileg-e con- 
 siderably impaired by the fact that they may not 
 drink till morning. It is believed that if this rule 
 were violated, the king- ^\'ould suffer defeat in ^^'ar or 
 be visited by some personal misfortune j the doctor 
 and others therefore keep a strict watch over the 
 thirsty soldiers, and with their sticks beat back \\ ho- 
 ever may attempt to leave the fire. 
 
 Next day another bull, of a different colom*, is 
 slauMitered with an assagai in the usual way. Some 
 of the gall is put into a decoction of medicine, which 
 
CATTLE. 27 
 
 the men take with their Ung-ers. The}^ then g-o to the 
 stream and wash. Having- returned^ they assemble 
 round the doctor^ ^^ ho is provided witJi pieces of the 
 bulFs flesh previously cooked and rolled in pounded 
 medicine. Taking- one of these in his hand he throA\ s 
 it into the air, when it is caug-ht by the nearest per- 
 son, who applies it to his mouth, and throws it up 
 ag-ain for another to catch. In this way it g-oes 
 round the circle, unless it fall to the g-round, in which 
 case the doctor throws up another piece in its stead. 
 Next day the king- comes into the fold arrayed in 
 grass, when a dance called umhosi takes place. This 
 being- ended, he retires to resume his proper dress. 
 When he returns, some ftn-ther ceremony takes 
 place — the chief feature of which consists in his 
 dashing- a calabash to the g-round. The people g-o 
 and wash, while the doctor and the king-'s chief 
 officers pick up the frag-ments of the calabash. These, 
 too-ether with the o'rass in which the chief had been 
 clothed, are burned where the black bull had been 
 roasted. The ashes are then scattered about, and 
 cattle afterwards introduced to tread them into the 
 g-round. At the conclusion of the ceremony the king- 
 addresses the people, speaks of their various duties, 
 and gives them permission to reap their harvest. As 
 the g-eneral rule no crop can be g-athered previously 
 to the celebration of this feast.^ 
 
 III. — The Kafir sets a hig-h value on his cattle. 
 An Eng-lish dair3'man would not think them deserv- 
 ing- of the admiration they receive, but a Kafir does 
 not view his herd \\ ith the eyes of a European. To 
 
i28 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 his mind they represent several ideas. Cattle enable 
 him to i)rociire wives j cows are needful to rear a 
 family; oxen furnish sacrifices wherewith to propi- 
 tiate the spirits; while, if he have more cows than 
 are requisite for his o^mi use, he can lend them to 
 others, and thus acquire dependants, over whom he 
 exercises the authority of a petty chief. To a Kafir, 
 therefore, his cattle are most important, and we can- 
 not M'onder that he esteems them hig'hly. It must 
 not be supposed, hoAvever, that he reg-ards them 
 merely as a means to an end, and loves them only for 
 the benefits they place within his reach; he has 
 learned to set his heart on them as property; he 
 values them for their oaaii sake, and delig-hts " to 
 boast himself in the multitude of his riches." They 
 are, as it has been rather quaintly expressed, the very 
 idol which he worships. 
 
 The Zulu cattle are usually small, the averao^e 
 weio'ht of a coav, in g-ood condition, beino* not more 
 than about 400 lbs. They yield little milk, thoug-h 
 \\'hat they g'ive is peculiarly rich. Milk forms a 
 favourite part of a Kafir's diet, and is preferred to 
 all other food except flesh. Generall}' it is used only 
 in a curdled state, young* people and ver}" old ones 
 alone di'inkino- fi-esh milk. A Kafir does not often 
 slaug'hter his cattle, except for sacrifices or to cele- 
 brate a marriag-e. Eich men sometimes kill an ox 
 for the })urpose of g'iving* a feast, but common peo]de 
 cannot afford to do so. The native appetite for beef 
 is very excessive, nor is the quantity sometimes eaten 
 less surpi'ising-. Ca])tain Gardiner's servants told 
 him that five men would eat an ox in a day and a 
 
A Kafir's appetite. 29 
 
 half j " and this/' he says^ ^^ I firmly believe, from the 
 specimen they have already given of their carni\- 
 orous powers." I have heard a Kafir say that he 
 could eat a sheep in tA\ o da^^s, and that fom* men 
 would finish a cow in tln-ee days.^" With so g-reat a 
 passion for beef, A^'e cannot feel surprised that they 
 should eat animals which have died from disease. 
 Nor does it much sig'nify how long- they may have 
 been dead, provided they are not absolutel}^ putrid. 
 The man just mentioned told me that he ^\ ould eat a 
 cow which had been lying* in the bush three days j but 
 he did not think that the beef would be palatable on 
 the fourth. Very rich men are nicer, for they do 
 not g'enerally condescend to eat cattle which have 
 died a natural death. If an animal appear likely to 
 do so, they usualty ^^save its life by killing- it,'^ and 
 so secure themselves a creditable indulg-ence. 
 
 The Kafirs attach g-reat importance to the appear- 
 ance of their cattle, and take much pains to improve 
 it, as they think. With this view, they cut the ears 
 so as to give them a jag-g-ed look j pieces of skin are 
 partially cut from the face and suffered to hang- 
 down • incisions are made througii the dewlap, por- 
 tions of which are also partially severed and left 
 hang-ing- towards the g-round. The horns — at least 
 those of the oxen — are sometimes modified, and 
 made to assume a most unnatural aspect. Means 
 are occasionally employed to cause one horn to bend 
 downwards while the other remains uprig-ht. Among- 
 the herds of the Zulu king*, horns of most extraor- 
 dinary shapes may be seen. One ox, for instance, 
 
30 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 will have his horns bent backAvards towards the 
 shoulders , T\liile a second stands by with one horn 
 crumpled in front, and the other tending; doAMiwards. 
 Not tar off are several beasts whose liorns meet at 
 the tips like an arch over tlie head ; and before ^^ou 
 have done wondering- how this was accomplished, 
 yom' attention is attracted by what seems a veritable 
 unicorn, for his two natiu'al horns have been broug-ht 
 tog'ether on the top of the head, and made to gTow 
 u]> in contact. But Monoceros is not the g-reatest 
 mar^'el, for while he has been deprived of an antler, 
 there stands a beast ^\itli more than nature g-ave 
 him, and you stare at a three-horned monster !^^ 
 
 A Kafir does not confine his attention to the mere 
 physical aspect of his cattle. They are the joy of 
 his heart and the pride of his life, and so far as he 
 can he makes them his companions. He talks to 
 them — be addresses them by name — he praises them, 
 as if they could comprehend his meaning* j and in- 
 deed I have known a cow acknowledg-e the compli- 
 ment and sustain her part in the conversation, by 
 the utterance of those peculiar sounds which natm'- 
 ally exj^ress a cow's satisfaction. The skill with 
 which these people manage their cattle is calculated 
 to surprise an Eng-lishman j but it is said that, in 
 this respect, they are inferior to the Frontier tribes.'^ 
 
 It has been stated that the cattle are secured at 
 nig-ht in the isi-h(nja or central enclosure of the kraal, 
 the larg-er calves being* placed in a separate pen. In 
 the morning' the herd is sent out to pasture under 
 the care of a boy, ^\\\o bring's them home about ten 
 o'clock, A\ hen the cows are milked. That process is 
 
MILKING THE CATTLE. 31 
 
 singular and not calculated to find favour with an 
 Eng-lisli nymph of the pail j it requires strong* lung-s 
 as well as vio-orous fing-ers, and is altoo-ether a rouirh 
 and barbarous proceedino*. The Kafir eng-ag'es in it 
 with enthusiasm^ and it is about the only kind of 
 work he really likes. The first thing* he does is to 
 introduce the calf and allow it to suck a short time ; 
 he then squats on his heels^ pushes away the calf, 
 and with a wooden vessel between his knees draws 
 as much milk as he can obtain. Meanwhile, the 
 calf makes vig'orous efforts to share it with him, and 
 receives sundry monitory blows from a young- boy 
 who keeps watch and ward over the precious fountain 
 with a stick. When the cow will yield no more, the 
 calf is ao-ain allowed to suck, and ag-ain oblio-ed to 
 gi\e place to the man. The process of milking* is 
 thus a contest between the calf and the milker, in 
 which the cow is umpire. Tliis is a very imperfect 
 sketch of the scene, and the reader must imag-ine that 
 he hears the operator talking* to the cow and whistling* 
 in a manner incomprehensible to civiHzed ears, as if 
 she required to be wheedled into benevolence, and 
 would give her milk only when coaxed to do so by 
 screams and ear piercing* notes. And so it is, for the 
 cows have been so uniformly accustomed to the savag-e 
 accompanirtient, that it is almost impossible for a 
 white man to milk his own cattle. When the milk- 
 ing* is over, the calves remain some time with their 
 mothers j after which they are separated from them, 
 and the herd is again driven to pastm-e. At sunset 
 the cattle are brought home and the cows milked a 
 second time. The herd is then fastened in the kraal 
 for the night. 
 
8'3 THE KAFIRvS OF NATAL. 
 
 The Knfir lias no difficulty in providing" food for 
 his cattle, during* Avinter as well as summery for he 
 occupies a favoured country, and may rejoice in his 
 g-oodl}' climate. The only exertion required of him 
 to secure g-reen pasture all the 3'ear, is to remove the 
 old g-rass, which he does by setting- fire to it. It is 
 needful however to exercise some judg-ment in the 
 matter and not burn " all at once, but in sections, so 
 that the numerous flocks and herds may always have 
 al)undance of fresh g-rass." The burning* usually 
 takes place at nig-ht ', and, if you are so situated as 
 to command a g'ood view of the conflagTation, it is a 
 sig'ht worth beholding*. Let the reader imag*ine 
 himself on an eminence sufficiently elevated to over- 
 look a plain, A^ here the g*rass is dr^^ and ready to 
 burn. Before sunset we observe a dark fio-ure 
 moving* among* the white herbag-e, and, except that 
 he is a mile off, we mig'ht see the brand which he 
 carries. Now he stops, and presently a wreath of 
 smoke appears to indicate what he has been doing*. 
 But, thoug'h the grass is dry, the air is still and the 
 flame spreads slowly. Soon a g*entle breeze springs 
 up, and the fire burns more brig'htly, extending* it- 
 self laterally while it advances forward. Meanwhile 
 the sun has g'one down, and now that the brief twi- 
 light also has expu*ed, darkness overspreads the earth, 
 and the lengthening* fire becomes conspicuous amid 
 the gloom. Generally the flame is of a tolerably 
 uniform heig'ht, but now and then it finds more sub- 
 stantial fuel in a patch of tall g*rass or a small clump 
 of bush, and "g-rows by what it feeds on." Gradu- 
 ally but surely the fiery line proceeds, disturbing* the 
 
BURNING THE GRASS. 33 
 
 fleet antelope and terrifying* the cowardly hyena; 
 the slower reptiles are scorched and not unfrequently 
 killed, while multitudes of disag-reeable and noxious 
 insects are swept away by the destructive element. 
 The fire is now approaching* a morass, where it will 
 surely die out j but no ! it creeps down to the edg-e 
 of the marsh, and laying* hold of the dry reeds, ex- 
 tends over the very sm*face of the water. The frog's 
 cease their croaking", and we hear instead the loud 
 crackling" of the canes. Beyond the bog", is a ridg'e 
 of hills, which the fire now ascends. In this posi- 
 tion it becomes more conspicuous and imposing-. Its 
 long- crooked leng-th is distinctly visible, as it proceeds 
 towards the crest of the ridg-e and crowns itself Avith 
 clouds of vapour. Now and then we catch a view 
 of trees looming- throug-h the lurid spectacle; and 
 may imag-iue, if we cannot see, the timid birds, as they 
 rush in terror from their perch, and fly bewildered 
 among* the smoke. The fire is much more irreg-ular 
 here than it was on the plain; for, while the g-round 
 is g-enerally open and presents only g-rass, there are 
 some places in which the "vehement flame" is con- 
 suming- the larg-er herbag-e of deserted g-ardens, while 
 in other situations it is rag-in g- amid considerable 
 patches of bush. Its g-eneral advance, however, 
 is steady; and the two extremeties of the line, 
 having- reached the top of the ridg-e, disappear and 
 descend into the valley beyond. The central parts 
 are detained about the base of a more elevated sum- 
 mit, where the "fire devours briars and thorns, and is 
 kindled among- the thickets of the g-rove." Tidl 
 flames mount upwards to the sky, enclosing- the hill 
 c 
 
.'U THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 as by a \\ all oftire^ and surmounting* it with a coronal 
 of smoke. 
 
 This practice of burning- the gTass being- essential 
 to secure permanent pasturag'e^ is no doubt coeval 
 "with the pastoral habits of the people of Africa. 
 It was to it apparently that the Carthaginians owed 
 their frioht when, sailino- alono; the AVestern Const 
 under the command of Hanno, "a remarkable 
 })heuomenon arrested their attention. During* the 
 day a profound silence reig'ned^ and nothing* ap- 
 peared but a vast world of wood. But when night 
 arrived, the shore blazed with fire, and echoed with 
 tumultuous shouts, as well as with the sound of 
 cymbals, trumpets and musical instruments of every 
 description. The Carthag'inians, appalled, passed 
 hastily along* these shores, and came to another 
 region, which struck them with no less surprise. 
 Here the land appeared all on firej torrents of 
 flame rushed into the seaj and if they attempted 
 to land, the soil was too hot for the foot to tread 
 upon. One object particular!}' struck them, which 
 at nig*ht appeared a g*reater fire, ming-hng* with the 
 stars ; but in the daytime proved to be a mountain 
 of prodigious height, to which they g*ave the appel- 
 lation of the chariot of g*ods."^^ After these burn- 
 ing*s the g'round presents a dreary aspect ; and, if 
 a strang'er were to make his first acquaintance with 
 the country during* the season when tliey chiefly 
 occur, he would receive no very favourable impres- 
 sion of its fertility. But in a short time the scene 
 chang'es — the grnss g*radually spring-s up, and the 
 blackened soil is covered with a lovely g*reen. 
 
ENEMIES OF THE CATTLE. 35 
 
 When cattle are sick^ the following- remedy is 
 sometimes resorted to. The doctor having* come to 
 the kraal (where the herd had been previously col- 
 lected) makes a fire in the isi-baya and burns medi- 
 cine on it, so as to fumig-ate the cattle. They are 
 then sprinkled with a decoction of medicine. After 
 this the doctor, having melted some of the fat of the 
 deceased cattle, introduces it into his mouth, and 
 then squirts it on a fire-brand held before the face 
 of one of the animals. The beast of course rushes 
 away from so unceremonious a salutation • and as 
 the process g'oes on the herd becomes much excited. 
 When the operation has been completed, the g-ate- 
 way is opened and the frightened brutes require no 
 urging- to make their exit. Their persecution how- 
 ever is not ended j the entire kraal rushes after 
 them, the men beating- shields, the women rattling- 
 calabashes, and all shouting at the top of their 
 voices, to drive away the " evil-doer." The terri- 
 fied brutes bellow and g-allop ; but the chase is mer- 
 cilessly continued for a mile or two, when they are 
 left to ruminate on a treatment so different from 
 the g-entleness they usually experience. The doctor 
 forfeits his fee if the remedy prove unsuccessful. 
 
 Cattle, like the crops, have their enemies— the 
 most destructive being- the lion.^* The mode which 
 the people adopt to defend their cattle from his 
 nocturnal depredations, is not very formidable. A 
 platform is erected in the isi-baya, similar in struc- 
 ture to that built in the garden, and on which a 
 watchman is placed when there is reason to antici- 
 c 2' 
 
30 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 pate a visit from the king- of beasts. " The voice 
 of the fierce lion " can be heard from a long- dis- 
 tance ; and, when by a g-rowl or a roar he reveals 
 his presence (for he comes only on dark nig-hts), the 
 watcher endeavours to deter him by shouting- and 
 otherwise making" a noise. I have been told that 
 the top of the platform is sometimes covered with 
 earthy and a fire kindled on it as an additional 
 determent. If the lion approach, stones and 
 other missiles are discharg-ed at him. But it is not 
 always possible to induce him to turn aside j and, 
 in spite of shouts and stones and flames he some- 
 times springs into the isi-haya and " rends the pant- 
 ing- pre}'." An Eng-lishman, who was staying- at 
 a kraal, told me that a lion entered while he was 
 there j when the natives, in addition to other means, 
 burned torches of g-rass and fat, and thus en- 
 deavoured to scare him away. But he continued to 
 devour his meal and only growled at their harmless 
 displa}^ ; nor was he more moved by the report of 
 a g-un several times discharg-ed from the platform. 
 
 " So watchful shepherds strive to force in vain, 
 The hungry lion from the carcase slain." 
 
 Where lions abound, the platform is a permanent 
 appendag-e of the kraal ; but in other districts it is 
 constructed only when a lion visits the neig-hbour- 
 hood, and has perhaps already committed consider- 
 able ravag-es. The following- anecdote will show 
 how serious a penalty is sometimes paid for neg'li- 
 g-ence in this matter. 
 
 Two men lived about half a mile apart, and were 
 
RECEPTION OF A LION. 37 
 
 possessed of g'oodly herds. The country which 
 they occupied abounded with hj^enas and some 
 other ravenous animals; but it was not inhabited 
 by the king- of beasts. It happened, however, that 
 a Hon paid the district a visit, when one of the two 
 men provided a platform, and prepared to receive 
 him with due honour. Nor was it long- before the 
 royal plunderer approached the kraal, and the 
 cattle, scentino* him from a distance, became rest- 
 less and noisy. This awoke the man, if indeed he 
 had given sleep to his eyes, when he rushed out of 
 his hut with a glowing- brand, mounted the platform 
 as quickly as a baboon, set fire to some dry fuel pre- 
 viously collected, and lifting- up his voice yelled 
 mig-htily. The noise and flame combined, brought 
 the beast to a stand, not many yards from the 
 kraal J and a volley of missiles, discharged in 
 quick succession, confirmed his doubts as to the 
 propriety of storming a place apparently so well 
 defended. He growled fiercely, as the stones were 
 hurled; but, deeming discretion the better part 
 of valour, he turned his steps in another direction. 
 Perceiving this, the man lifted up his voice again 
 and shouted a warning to his neighbour's people, 
 telling them that the enemy was near. A dependant, 
 the only man in the kraal, came out of his hut and 
 demanded where the beast might be. This being- 
 indicated, he began to beat his shield and make an 
 unmelodious use of his lungs, for there was no plat- 
 form ; but he was lazy or cowardly, and soon crept 
 into his house, saying that he could not discover 
 any trace of the lion. He had scarcely drawn his 
 
88 THE KAFIRS OF KATAL. 
 
 feet tliroug'li the low doorway, when the beast 
 leaped into the isi-baya, and the cattle rushed about 
 in terror and distraction. The owner's chief wife 
 came out of her hut, shrieked desperately to the 
 man, and called on him to drive the intruder away. 
 The only response was from the lion, w^ho did not 
 like the interruption, and g-ave her an admonitory 
 g-rowl, when she ])luno*ed into the hut and was silent 
 in the darkness thereof. She did not however long- 
 remain so ; it was too painful to contemplate w^hat 
 was taking- place in the isi-haya, and breaking* out 
 into frantic exclamations, she upbraided the man 
 with cowardice. This probably touched his pride, 
 for he beg'an to make a loud noise, but without 
 venturing- throug;h his doorway, and ceased only 
 when the lion had intimated, in a manner not to be 
 mistaken, that the unmusical accompaniment was 
 disag-reeable and that he wished to eat his supper 
 in silence. Next mornino- there was a o'reat lamen- 
 tation, for the beast had been very rapacious ; the 
 remains of two carcases lay in the kraal; and, 
 while the women were w'eeping" over these, it was 
 found that he had chased the cattle after they 
 had escaped throug-h the fence, and left some of 
 them dead amon^ the g-rass. It being- confidently 
 expected that he would return the following- uig'ht, 
 ever}^ effort was made to construct a platform ; but 
 the wood was difhcult to obtain, or the labourers 
 were few, and the sun went down upon the un- 
 finished structure. When the lion reappeared in 
 the evening-, he ag-ain sprang- into the isi-haya to 
 connnit fresh destruction. 
 
A LION HUNT. .39 
 
 These circumstances being* reported to the king- 
 he ordered the depredator to be killed ; and a body 
 of warriors went out to execute the command. 
 Guided by the lion's footprints^ they discovered his 
 lair amono- some reeds. The officers and rich men 
 moTUited a hig-h tree, when the sig^nal was g'iven and 
 means were employed to induce the beast to come 
 forth, the soldiers having* previously arrang*ed them- 
 selves in a semicircle, that they mig'ht, as far as pos- 
 sible, enclose him. When the lion was at length 
 driven out, he bounded towards the warriors, who 
 received him with a shower of assao*ais. Two of 
 
 '&' 
 
 these took effect, but did not disable him from doing- 
 mischief, for he sprang* among* his assailants and 
 killed three or four. The warriors were now in full 
 retreat, and the king-'s commands likely to be unful- 
 filled. The brave men in the tree therefore shouted 
 vehemently, and called on the fug*itives to return to 
 the charg*e ; if the lion escaped, they should have no 
 beef to eat — if the lion escaped, the king* would 
 kill them all. These were powerful considerations, 
 and put new courag-e into the fear-stricken host. 
 The lion, partially suffering* from loss of blood, was 
 ag*ain attacked, and this time successfully. He 
 died hardly however, and almost in the act of ex- 
 piring* bit off' a man's foot. Dang*er being* past, the 
 officers and rich men desceinded from the tree, and 
 plung*ing* their assag*ais into the prostrate beast, 
 exclaimed "we have killed him, we have killed 
 him;" when the others testified their assent, and 
 replied that it was done exceeding-ly well. 
 
 The Zulu soldiers ha\e been ordered not to kill 
 
40 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 but to catch a ravenous beast. Pande directed a 
 lion^ whicli liad been destroyino- liis cattle^ to be 
 cauii'ht ; and tlie command would doubtless have 
 been obeyed^ if a missionary resident in the country 
 liad not poisoned the beast. Ding'an g-ave a similar 
 command to one of his reg'iments ; four men were 
 killed in the attack^ when Umpalilana seized the 
 lion^s tail, Tapuza jumped to one of his jaws, a third 
 person laid hold of the other, and the animal was 
 taken alive into the king-'s presence.^^ 
 
 IV. — It is only as a means of obtainincf food 
 that HUNTING requires a distinct notice. When 
 the unfortunate traveller Green passed throug'h 
 Natal and the Zulu-country, he remarked that the 
 people were "indifferent about hunting*." Since 
 then, many Colonial Kafirs have been employed by 
 Europeans to hunt the elephant ; and it cannot be 
 doubted that the occupation has g^iven them more 
 relish for the chase than they mig-ht otherwise have 
 possessed. The people however seem g*enerally to 
 reg-ard it as an amusement rather than a business — 
 as a thing" to be occasionally eng-ag-ed in and not to 
 be followed as a principal means of support. 
 
 I have heard of a bold j'oung" man who was in the 
 habit of attacking' buffaloes sing-le-handed. When 
 he had discovered one, he contrived to get in ad- 
 vance and conceal himself until the beast came up ; 
 then, spring-ing- to his feety he plung-ed an assag*ai 
 into the animal's side. The sport was dang-erous 
 and in the end proved fatal. He had waylaid an 
 old bull; but the beast was too acute or his hide too 
 
THE CHASE. 41 
 
 thick^ and the hunter was oblig-ed to run. He lied 
 towards a tree^ and had nearly found refug-e in 
 its friendly arms j but the pursuer was at his heels, 
 and while laying- hold of the lower branches he 
 received a deadly wound from the brute's horns. 
 When the enemy had withdrawn, he descended and 
 with g-reat difficulty reached home, where he died 
 in a few days. 
 
 This mode of hunting* is an exception to the rule. 
 Usually a party is formed, and as manj^ assag-ais 
 as possible are simultaneously discharg-ed at the 
 animal. If, for instance, the hunters come to a 
 clump of bush, where a small antelope or a pig* is 
 likely to be found, they surround it j and by shout- 
 ing", beating- the bushes, and sending- in the dog-s, 
 endeavour to draw the animal forth. When it ap- 
 pears, all who are within reach throw their weapons. 
 In some cases, " they endeavour," says Isaacs, " to 
 g-et the animals into narrow passes, where they pre- 
 viously station some of the party, concealed, who 
 spear them as they pass." 
 
 The wild pig- frequently makes an attack on some 
 of the assailants, who usually carry small shields to 
 protect their nether limbs from its formidable tusks. 
 The eland sometimes turns upon its pursuers and 
 makes them g-lad to mount a tree. The g-nu justi- 
 fies the praise g-iven him by the Bechuanas : ^' the 
 g-nu," say they, " is a man j it is a man j we fig-ht 
 too-ether. But we overcome the father of o-reatness 
 among-st the rocks, and his streng-th yields to ours." 
 A European told me that the father of g-reatness 
 attempted to charg-e him after he had broken two 
 
4'J THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 of its leors. The zebra sometimes bites his assail- 
 ants. The buftalo is especially dang-eroiis, though 
 he probably bears a worse character than he de- 
 serves.^^ In huntin;^- the elephant they try to g-et 
 him "into defiles where they can assail him with less 
 dang-er from the bushes around him, provided these 
 are not too thick 5 and in this position they do not 
 tail to make their assag-ais eliectual. The elephant 
 however in these situations will often escape from 
 his ])ursuers, who at times feel the effect of his 
 rag-e."^^ 
 
 Mechanical contrivances are employed for the 
 capture of wild animals. Pitfalls are made princi- 
 pally by the Tetwas^ who use them to take the 
 hippopotamus and buffalo. A white man, who fell 
 into one of these excavations, described it as six 
 feet deep, exclusive of two feet of mud. If designed 
 to take the hippopotamus, the pits are dug* " in his 
 tracks, with a larg-e stake in the centre. When he 
 emerges from the water to g-raze on the river banks, 
 the natives endeavour to drive him into the paths in 
 which the pit is prepared, covered over to elude his 
 vig*ilance, when he is precipitated into it, and the 
 stake pierces his body." In some localities these 
 pitfalls are numerous, and present serious dang-er to 
 travellers. When pits are made foi' the capture of 
 buffaloes, a long* fence is constructed, with opening's 
 or passag'es leading* through it, and near to which 
 the pits are placed. These having, been covered, 
 people watch for the animals and contrive to drive 
 them towards the fence, when they naturally pro- 
 
WILD HONEY. 43 
 
 ceed to the opening's and pass over tlie treacherous 
 holes. Snares of a peculiar construction are used 
 for the capture of the smaller animals. The Amn- 
 tong"a use poison. 
 
 Fish is held in almost universal abhorrence ; it is 
 eaten only by the deg'raded people just mentioned 
 and the Amatuli. When the latter resided near 
 Natal^ they formed enclosures of reeds in the bed 
 of the bay and placed bait in them ; as the water 
 flowed, the fish were attracted into the pens ; and if 
 the bait were laro^e enouo-h to detain them until the 
 water hud sunk below the top of the reeds^ they 
 were unable to escape. ^^ 
 
 Wild honey is plentiful and much soug'ht after. 
 The bees build their nests in hollow trees^ in crevices 
 of the rocks^ in holes in the g-round^ or any other 
 convenient place. I have known a swarm select a 
 larg-e box standing* in an inhabited house ; honey has 
 been found in a human skull ', and^ as Samson found 
 it in the carcase of a lion, so a European told me 
 that he had discovered a bees' nest in the skeleton 
 of an elephant. When a Kafir finds a nest, he 
 sometimes takes it without adopting* an}^ precaution 
 ag'ainst the sting's of the insects. It may be that 
 smoke is occasionally used to stupify them, as among* 
 the natives of the interior ; but, in the only two in- 
 stances which I have seen, nothing- was done in the 
 one case, and in the other the operator only chewed 
 the root of a particular g-rass and spattered it over 
 his shoulders and breast. 
 
 In seeking" honey the natives are assisted by a 
 small bird, which is (wtremelv fond of tlic contents 
 
44 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 of bees' nests. An extraordinaiy instinct enables 
 it to discover these j but, as it cannot obtain ac- 
 cess, it possesses the more sing-ular instinct of 
 calling- other animals to its aid. "It usually sits 
 on a tree by the wayside, and when any passeng-er 
 approaches, g-reets him with its peculiar cry of 
 cherr-a-chcrr^ cherr-a-cherr. If he shows any dis- 
 position to attend to its call, it flies on before him, 
 in short flig'hts from tree to tree, till it leads him to 
 the spot where it knows a beehive to be concealed. 
 It then sits still and silent till he has extracted the 
 honeycomb, of which it expects a portion as its 
 share of the spoil ; and this share the natives, who 
 profit by its g-uidance, never fail to leave it. Sparr- 
 man states that the Eatel or Honey Badg-er (Gtilo 
 Mellivorus) avails itself of the help of this bird to 
 discover the retreat of those bees that build their 
 nests in the g-round, and shares Avith it the plunder 
 of them. Some of the Hottentots assert also that 
 to obtain access to the hives in hollow trees, the 
 honey-bird sometimes calls to its aid the wood- 
 pecker — a bird which finds in the larvae or young- 
 bees, a treat as enticing- to its taste as the honey is 
 to that of its ing-enious associate."'^ 
 
\^ \ B H fi, ;.' ':<-^ 
 
 or TME 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF 
 
 CHAPTER III.— DOMESTIC INSTITUTIONS. 
 
 I.— RESTRICTIONS ON MARRIAGE. II.— THE PURCHASE OF WOMEN. 
 III.— PRELIMINARIES TO MARRIAGE. IV.— MARRIAGE CEREMONIES, 
 v.— THE MATRIMONIAL RELATION. VI.— PARENTS AND CHILDREN. 
 VII.— DEPENDANTS. 
 
 I. — The ties of consang-uinity are very hig-hl}^ 
 respected among- the Kafirs. If a man were to 
 take a wife within the deg-rees prohibited by cus- 
 tom^ he would be denounced as an " evildoer/' the 
 "marriage would be dissolved, and the g*eneral 
 belief entertained that the offspring* of it would be 
 a monster — a punishment inflicted by the ancestral 
 spirit."^ Mr. Fynn says that " a man cannot marry 
 any female who is related by blood." The Com- 
 missioners observe that "no Kafir can marry a 
 blood relation f and they illustrate this by adding* 
 that he "cannot marry a cousin, for instance." 
 Mr. Isaacs' languag*e is more precise, but still in- 
 definite J for, after stating* that " no intermarriag*es 
 take place between persons who are descended from 
 the same line of prog'enitors," he qualifies the re- 
 mark by adding*, " except they be of very remote 
 deg*ree." When authorities like these speak with 
 so much reserve, it may be easily believed that there 
 is some difficulty in fixing* the exact point where 
 consang-uinity ceases to be a restriction on marriag-e. 
 All that I am able to add is that, according* to the 
 testimony of a native, a man does not marry one of 
 
40 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 his own tribe — tlie word being- understood in the 
 more limited sense oi family^ as before ex])lained — 
 nor of any tribe (or family) descended from it ) but 
 if the chief of the elder tribe were to take a wife 
 from the inferior one^ his people would be at liberty 
 to do the same." 
 
 So much for consang'uinity, which, as the Com- 
 missioners remark, ^^ forms a bar to marriag*e even 
 more strict than among' the white races." Affinity, 
 however, does not impose the restraints which pre- 
 vail among" ourselves. A man, for example, may 
 marr}^ two sisters j and it is the ordinary custom for 
 him to take his deceased brother's wife.^ But if the 
 Kafirs dift'er from us in this respect, they do not 
 disreg-ard the ties of affinity. In some cases they 
 impose very extraordinary restrictions on parties 
 connected b}'' marriag-e. Thus a man is required to 
 be askmned of his wife's mother — that is to say, he 
 must altogether avoid her societ}^ : he does not enter 
 the same hut with her ; if they chance to meet on 
 the road, one or the other turns aw^ay — she perhaps 
 hiding" herself behind a bush, while he screens his 
 face w ith his shield. It matters not that they may 
 have occasion to speak to each other — the custom 
 is inexorable and they must keep apart. Their com- 
 munications must be made at a distance — shouting' 
 is certainly no hardship to a Kafir — or with some- 
 thing* to separate them, as a kraal-fence. Another 
 and perhaps more sing-ular restriction is laid upon 
 them, for they may not even pronounce each other's 
 i-gama or proper name. 
 
 This is only an exam])le, for the custom applies 
 
RESTRICTIONS ON MARRIAGE. 47 
 
 to Other relationships than the one just mentioned. 
 It is not however equally rig-orous in all cases. 
 Thus, while a man cannot enter a house in which 
 his son's wife may happen to be, but must Avait 
 until she has retired, and leave before she can re- 
 turn, I am not aware that any further restriction 
 is imposed on him. And, considering- that a man 
 generally lives in his father's kraal until he has 
 married his second wife, and that the eldest son 
 seldom leaves, it is manifestly impossible that it 
 should be otherwise. The custom must, in fact, 
 prove g'enerally inconvenient; and it may be this 
 circumstance which has introduced another singular 
 usage, viz. that the present of an ox or coav, made 
 by the man to the woman, would remove this re- 
 striction of iiha-lilonipa} 
 
 In the Zulu-countr}'', bachelors require the king-'s 
 permission to take ^\\\e^ — a permission sometimes 
 not given until they are thirty or thirty-five years 
 old. The reason of its being so long withheld is 
 that unmarried jnen are thought to make better 
 soldiers than those who have wives and families to 
 attach them to life. Tshaka permitted very hw of 
 his people to marry, but his successors have found 
 it politic to be more indulgent. This unnatural 
 practice, introduced by Tshaka, seems to have been 
 based on an existing institution. My idea is that, 
 in the normal condition of the people, no man can 
 marry until he belongs to the class of ama-doda or 
 men, the sign of which is the head-ring' ; but, as he 
 cannot enter that class without the chief's consent, 
 he is virtually unable to marry without it. When 
 
48 THE KAFIlJb OF NATAL. 
 
 therefoie he wishes to do so for tlie first time, he 
 solicits permission to become an in-doda or man ; 
 but if the chief think him too young- he probably 
 withholds it, thoug-h a sufficient present mig'ht in- 
 fluence his judg'ment. When a person has become 
 a " man," there is no further restriction on him in 
 this respect, and he may marry as many wives as 
 he pleases.'' 
 
 II. — Thoug-h ^^it is publicly known" (as asserted 
 by Mr. Dohne) ^^ that the Kafirs have the custom of 
 purchasing- and paj ing* for their wives," we are not, 
 it seems, to look upon this as one of the original 
 usag'es of the people. I do not mean that theii* 
 customs or traditions warrant us in asserting* that 
 niarriag'e has not always been attended with some 
 transfer of cattle or other property j but it appears 
 that the barbarous idea of sellino: women is of com- 
 pnratively modern origin. 
 
 The word employed to express the act of bu}'- 
 ing" a wife, supports this opinion. The verb for buy 
 is fenga ; but when a Kafir speaks of " buying- " a 
 wife, he uses the verb lobola, which means to take 
 away a cutting-, and fig-urativety to remove a pain.** 
 It would seem therefore that the word, when applied 
 to the act of g'iving- cattle for a girl, refers to the 
 pains which the mother endured in bearing- and 
 iiurtunng- her j and that they were originall}^ given 
 to remote those pains — that is, to reward her for 
 them. According- to this view the cattle should 
 belong- to the mothei-, and so they do in one sense, 
 as we shall see. 
 
PURCHASE OF WOMEN. 49 
 
 The practice of making- an express barg-ain enn 
 hardly be said to have prevailed thirty 3^ears ag-o. 
 " In the evidence I now g-ive/' says Mr. Fynn^ " I 
 wish to be understood as showing" those Kafir cus- 
 toms as they prevailed prior to Europeans coming- 
 a mono- them. If cases ever occurred in the tribes 
 of a stipulated amount of cattle behig- g-iven by a 
 bridegroom for his bride, it was not a connnou 
 occurrence. The g-eneral mode is that on the cere- 
 mony being' concluded, the male friends of the bride 
 make their demand for cattle, but not for any par- 
 ticular number. The brideg*room having- previously 
 arrang'ed as to the number he will g'ive on the 
 occasion, presents them with apolog-ies for the small- 
 ness of the number, or as the case may be ; and is 
 desired to come on some future occasion. The 
 number of cattle g-iven depends more on the wealth 
 of the bridegToom than on any other circumstance." 
 
 There can be no doubt that the people are now 
 impressed with the idea that, as reg-ards marriage, 
 woman is a legitimate article of merchandize, though 
 they have not descended so low as to permit the 
 purchaser to sell her again. Whether the usage 
 mentioned by Mr. Fynn still prevails, I know not. 
 A strict interpretation of his language would per- 
 haps require us to understand him as saying so; 
 but it does not appear to be common in Natal. 
 " The general rule is, not to let the girl go before 
 the whole payment is disposed of (a few exceptions 
 there are; paj^ment for widows i-emarried com- 
 mences with a few or one head of cattle). This 
 done to satisfaction, the purchaser demands the girl 
 
50 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 to be brouo-lit to him." Sometimes a man delivers 
 to the g-irl's father wliatever cattle he possesses, 
 and all others subsequently acquired until he thinks 
 the number given sufficient. He then requires his 
 bride to be sent to him, thouo-h the father may not 
 yet be willing- to com})ly with his request. There 
 are cases in which an express bargain is made. 
 
 The price is paid in cattle, the amount varying- 
 with the qualifications of the bride. Good looks 
 have their value, and a reasonable amount of cor- 
 })ulence is admired ; but a woman's most important 
 recommendation is the ability to work hard. Kank 
 is taken into account ; a rich man would expect 
 more than a pooi" one, and a chief more than his 
 councillor. The brideoroom's condition also would 
 be considered, and a less price accepted from a man 
 of high standing*, for the sake of his alliance, than 
 from one of an inferior position. In Natal (where 
 the men easil}^ procure cattle by working for Euro- 
 jieans) a tolerably g'ood-looking* spinster could hardly 
 be obtained, e^ en fi*om a poor person, for less than 
 six cows 5 while the daughters of rich men may 
 command twehe. Prices are much lower in the 
 Zulu-country.' 
 
 III. — It is said that the young' women prefer 
 bachelor-beaux. I do not mean that married men 
 never pay them attention and are never accepted ; 
 but ha^e been assured that they are not g-eneral 
 favourites, and usuall}' apply in the first instance to 
 the father. We will tlierefore exclude them fi*om 
 
A FATAL VISIT. 51 
 
 consideration while treating' of courtship as one of 
 the PRELIMINARIES TO MARRIAGE^ and suppose the 
 suitor to he sing'le. Most hkety he has ah*eady hnd 
 considerable experience in the art of vrooing-^ and 
 would mnke no difficulty in telling" us how laro-ely 
 his g'ood looks and g-allant speeches had subdued 
 maidens' hearts. Possibly he may have used un- 
 lawful as well as lawful weapons^ and tried the 
 efficacy of " spells and medicines 5" for the Kafir 
 believes in the power of philters and employs them 
 when he deems it necessary. 
 
 Courtship is often concealed from the g'irl's 
 father, and it may be in consequence of this that 
 interviews sometimes take place at nig-ht. It is 
 very dang-erous however to enter a kraal during- 
 that season^ all well-minded people being* supposed 
 to be then at home. A young- man, who had ac- 
 quired the g'ood opinion of a maiden, went to visit 
 her after sunset. When he reached the kraal, the 
 g'ate was closed and everything- beyond the fence 
 abandoned to "evildoers" and ^vild beasts. He con- 
 trived to o-et inside without disturbing" the dog's, and 
 crept stealthily to the door of a hut, ag-ainst which 
 he made a preconcerted sig'ual. It happened that 
 he had mistaken the house ; and, instead of l^ring-ing" 
 forth his favom'ite, the noise aroused a man, who 
 assailed him with an assag"ai. The intruder uttered 
 a fearful cry and attempted to escape, but he had 
 received a mortal wound and Avas soon overtaken. 
 When the g^irl came out of her hut, she burst into 
 a fit of frantic raving", and exclaimed that they had 
 killed her lover; but, thoug'h the discovery protected 
 E 2 
 
53 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 him from further violence, he died in a short time. 
 The king-, on becoming" acquainted with the case, 
 said thiit it was quite right to kill an}^ person 
 found under such circumstances in a kraal. Young- 
 men were advised to abstain from nocturnal assig'na- 
 tions. 
 
 Courtship does not alwa}^ beg-in with the men. 
 A certain chief in Natal, who is g-enerally admired 
 by the young- women, visited a friend of his o\\'n 
 rankj when a sister of the latter fell hi love with 
 him, as he displayed his fine fig-ure and barbaric 
 g-races in a dance. The chief was unaware of the 
 imjiression he had made, until the damsel presented 
 herself at his kraal and avowed the state of her 
 heart. Not reciprocating- the admiration, he told 
 her to g-o home. She flatly refused 5 and, having- 
 no alternative, he permitted her to remain and sent 
 a messeng-er to her brother. That personag-e caused 
 lier to be broug'ht back; but she soon reappeared 
 before the handsome chief, and beg-ged him to kill 
 her if he would not make her his wife. He was 
 still unmoved, and despatched a second messag-e 
 to his friend, a\ ho ordered a severe beating- to be 
 administered to the g-irl after her return. The 
 stripes, however, were as ineffectual as remon- 
 strances; and ere a week had elapsed, she was a 
 third time in the chief's presence, reiterating- her 
 protestations, but AAithout success. When the com- 
 nmnication reached her brother, he lost all patience 
 and answered that his neighbour had better marry 
 her. The chief persisted in his refusal, and there 
 was a g-reat interchang-e of messages ; but, yielding 
 
A QUEER GIRL. 53 
 
 at leno'tli to his councillors, he consented to neg-o- 
 tiate. Under the circumstances, he mig-ht expect 
 to obtain the g-irl at a reduced price 5 but five cows — 
 the number he sent — were a very small offer, and 
 the brother was exceeding-ly indig-nant — his sister^ 
 he said, was not a poor man's daug'hter — he must 
 have at least ten cattle. When the messeng-er re- 
 turned, the chief declined to give more, and ordered 
 those already transmitted to be sent for. A coun- 
 cillor remonstrated in vain ; the chief would not be 
 reasoned with, and said that, if no one else was 
 to do it, he would g-o for the cows himself. Accord- 
 ing-ly he set off, but his advisers persuaded him to 
 return ; and he was ultimately prevailed on to make 
 a proposal worthy of his dig-nity. The brother was 
 satisfied, and a time appointed for the wedding-. 
 
 In some cases, when the suitor wishes to bring- 
 his courtship to a crisis, he asks the maiden to come 
 to his kraal. The fact of her arrival being- commu- 
 nicated to her father, he expresses g-reat indig-nation 
 and protests that unfoir means have been employed 
 to induce his daug'hter to take such a step — she 
 must return — he will not marry her to a ^' boy '' — 
 boys do not know how to manag-e their wives pro- 
 })erly — besides how can a "boy" give him the cattle 
 he will require — she shall be given to a married 
 man. If he be determined, she must go home ; 
 but the prospect of a good bargain may hiduce him 
 to relent. If a treaty be entered on, he takes care 
 to ask enough, and does not forget to enumerate his 
 child's excellencies - she is handsome — she is tat — 
 
04 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 her arms are strono* — her irfii'flen will be laro'e — he 
 must have ])leiity of cattle. On the other hand, the 
 suitor and his friends endeavour to keep the price 
 low. 
 
 Arranirements havino: been concluded with the 
 father, a g-oat is killed at the suitor's kraal ; or, if 
 that animal cannot be obtained (for no other may 
 be substituted), a present of beads is made to the 
 g-irl. Until the one or the other has been done, she 
 eats no food belono-ino' to the kraal — a rule which 
 occasionally proves inconvenient, for a g'oat is not 
 always easy to procure, while it may be still more 
 diHicult to obtain beads. A g'irl has been thus 
 oblig'ed to fast several days. Thoug'h now at liberty 
 to eat, the promised bride may not partake of the 
 slauo-htered afoat, but must confine herself to other 
 food. The ceremony of bethrothal being- ended, she 
 remains a few da3^s at the kraal, and then returns 
 home to await the celebration of the marriag'e. 
 
 It has been already stated that married men, not 
 being- fiivourites with the 3 oung- women, usually 
 make their first application to the father. A rejected 
 suitor occasionally repairs to him, and seeks to buy a 
 wife whose affections he has failed to obtain. If 
 the applicant be rich and willing- to pay a g-ood 
 price, he w ill have little difficulty in concluding- an 
 arrangement. AVhen there are several candidates 
 for the same g-irl, the father sometimes refuses to 
 make an immediate barg-ain with any of thenij and 
 thus it may ha])pen that " several lovers, if I may 
 use the expression, send cattle to her father com- 
 
SINGUfcAH CUSTOM. .55 
 
 mencing" paying' for her. In sucli an instance the 
 ji-irl is asked to decide for herself which of those she 
 chooses for her hushand. This however is merely 
 formal; for^ if she should happen to choose one 
 who is known to possess few cattle, the father recom- 
 mends to her that one of whom he calculated to g-et 
 the g-reatest price, and as soon as " the brideg-room 
 is selected "the number of cattle also is fixed he 
 has to pay."* Marriag-es are frequently " effected/' 
 says Mr. Fynn, " by the father of the female pro- 
 posing- to the intended husband or his parents." If 
 a man have a particularly attractive daughter, he 
 will take care to acquaint some rich man with the 
 circumstance, "lest the rich should eng-ag'e the g-irl of 
 another j" and when young* women do not receive 
 early proposals they " are usually offered by their 
 fathers, brothers, or friends, who g'o from one kraal 
 to another until they have met with somebody ^\'ho 
 accepted of their offer."^ 
 
 When a husband has been selected for a g'irl, 
 she may be delivered to him without any previous 
 notice; and Mr. Fynn acknowledg-es that in some 
 cases this is done. But usually, he says, she is in- 
 formed of her parents' intention a month or some 
 long-er time beforehand — in order, I imagine, that 
 she may, if possible, be persuaded to think favour- 
 ably of the jnan. Barbarians as they are, the 
 Kafirs are aware that it is better to reason witli a 
 woman than to beat her; and I am inclined to 
 think that moral means are usually employed to 
 induce a g'irl to adopt her parents' choice, before 
 physical arg-uments are resorted to. Souietimes 
 
66 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 very elaborate efforts are made, as I have been told, 
 to produce this result. 
 
 The first steji is to speak well of the man in her 
 presence ; the kraal conspire to praise him — her 
 mother praises him— her sisters praise him — all the 
 admirers of his cattle praise him — he was never so 
 praised before. Unless she is very resolute, the 
 g-irl may now perhaps be prevailed on to see him, 
 when a messeng-er is despatched to communicate 
 the hopeful fact and summon him to the kraal. 
 "Without loss of time, he prepares to show himself 
 to the best advantng-e ; he g-oes down to the river, 
 and, having' carefully washed his dark person, comes 
 up ag*ain dripping" and shining* like a dusk}^ Triton ; 
 but the sun soon dries his skin, and now he shines 
 again with g-rease. His dancnig- attire is put on, 
 a vessel of water serving* for a mirror; and thus 
 clothed in his best, and carr^^ing* shield and assag'ai, 
 he sets forth, with beating- heart and g-allant step, 
 to do battle with the scornful belle. Having- reached 
 the kraal, he is received with a hearty welcome ; 
 and, squatting- down in the family "circle" (which 
 is here something- more than a figure of speech) he 
 awaits the lady's appearance. Presently she comes, 
 and sittino' down near the door stares at him in 
 silence. Ilien, haAing" surveved him sufhcientlv in 
 his jiresent attitude, she desires him throug-h her 
 brother (for she will not speak to him) to stand up 
 and exhibit his proportions. The modest man is 
 euibarrassed ; but the mother encourag*es him, and 
 while the young" ones laug'h and jeer, he rises 
 before the damsel. She now scrutinizes him in this 
 
A SUITOR INSPECTED. 57 
 
 position ; and, having- balanced tlie merits and 
 defects of a front-view, desires him (throiig-h the 
 same medium as before) to turn round and favour 
 her with a different aspect. At leng-th he receives 
 permission to squat ag^ain, when she retires as 
 mute as she came. The family-troop rush after her, 
 impatient to learn her decision • but she declines 
 to be hasty — she has not yet seen him walk, 
 and perhaps he limps. So, next morning*, the 
 unfortunate man appears in the cattle-fold, to 
 exhibit his paces before a larger assembly. A 
 volley of praises is showered upon him by the in- 
 terested spectators j and perhaps the girl has come to 
 think as they think, and signifies her approval. In 
 this case, arrangements are made for the betrothal. 
 If, however, she is not pleased with her parents' 
 choice, she continues silent, and probably sheds 
 tears. She has now to encounter the wrath of her 
 enraged father, who declares that she shall ha^e no 
 other husband, but remain unmarried till her hair 
 grows white. It is in vain to protest that she 
 cannot like the man — that it makes her sick to look 
 at him ', her furious parent will hear nothing- — 
 go with her husband she must — if she return home 
 she shall be slain. With sobs and tears she begs 
 him to kill her at once, for she would rather die 
 than g-o with a man she cannot bear to look at. 
 
 It not unfrequently happens that the girl " elopes 
 with the man of her own choice ; from whom she 
 may be forcibly brought back and sent to the one 
 chosen by her father."'^ A graybeard, wishing to 
 make an addition to his harem, arranged with a neigh- 
 
T)"^ Tin: KAFIHS UK NATAL. 
 
 bouriiio- pntriiiicli litr one of liis immerous dauo-hters. 
 It (lid not (»ccur to eitlier of the reverend seig-niors 
 to consult the damsel^ a merry g-ood-looking- o-irl 
 of altimt fourteen; but she Avas told her desthi}^, 
 and the eereniony of betrothal having- been per- 
 formed, a time was appointed for the wedding*. 
 She <lid not however acquiesce in her father's 
 di<>posal of her; the man was already married — 
 he was old — he was nii-lv, whereas she knew one 
 who was unmarried^ young', handsome; and her 
 h(\art counselled her feet to run. Her purpose was 
 suspected or discovered ; and, while sufficient care 
 was taken to prevent her absconding', the marriag'e 
 was hastened and some usual preparations omitted 
 that she mio-ht be the sooner handed over to the 
 custody of her liusband. Another o-irl was more 
 resolute, but she had perhaps more reason ; for her 
 hus])and elect, being- particularly ill-favoured, had 
 never been able to obtain a wife; the women had 
 uiiiforml}- repelled his advances, and he g'rew so old 
 in singleness that Ding-an told him to put on the 
 head-rhig- and take his place among' the "men," 
 \\ithout being- mnrried. This was only a mitig-ation 
 of his disg-race ; and he was so ashamed to 0A\n 
 himself a bachelor, that when I once asked him how 
 many wi\ es he had he mentioned some considerable 
 number, well knowing- that I should eventually 
 discover he was tibbing-. Though thus unfortu- 
 nate, he Mas wealthy, and ap})lying' to a chief 
 otlered him a \cry larg-e price for one of his wards. 
 'J'hat woi-thy ])ersonag-e did not hesitate, and received 
 I'ayment in advance; but, when the victim was 
 
AN UNFORTUNATE LOVER. 59 
 
 advertized of tlie matter^ she proved rebellious and 
 refused to g'o to the ug'ly man ; chastisement 
 having- no effect^ her arms were bound and she was 
 delivered like a captive. The violence was useless^ 
 for A\'ithin a few hours she escaped — not to return 
 to the affectionate care of her g'uardian^ but to 
 claim the protection of a rival chief. No attempt^ 
 I believe^ was made to recover her^ and it was said 
 that the roj^al vendor declined to return the cattle. 
 
 A man, who wished to take a certain damsel to 
 wife, applied to her brother and g-uardiaUj and was 
 referred to the lad3^ He said that he had already 
 obtained her consent; but the brother thoug'ht it 
 prudent to summon her, when she immediately 
 confirmed the statement. The suitor was delig-hted, 
 and went home a happy man. The damsel, how- 
 ever, had been acting- deceitfully ; and, before the day 
 appointed for the betrothal, she left the kraal. In 
 a short time she reappeared, accompanied by a 
 handsome youth, to whom she was attached, and 
 wdio brouo'ht a cow and calf as an earnest of 
 his willing-ness to procure more. He met with a 
 bad reception; for, when they had entered the kraal, 
 no one offered him shelter, thoug-h the day being* 
 cloudy Avas very cold. He was oblig'ed therefore to 
 sit outside alone and shivering*, until a woman invited 
 him into a hut and made a fire to warm him. 
 The girl's brother (to whom the kraal be- 
 long-ed) having- discovered this, was exceedingiy 
 wroth, and rushino- into the house dashed water on 
 the fire, drove out the j-oung- man, and sent him 
 away with his cattle. Thus ended our bachelor's 
 
00 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 yuit, but not his misfortunes; a violent thunderstorm 
 o^•<'rtook liim on the road and his cattle were lost in 
 the d«'lu<rin,U' rain. When he reached home^ he 
 found his mother weeping" over the cow^ which had 
 been torn hv the livenas and had returned without 
 her calf. Tlie unfortunate g-irl^ whom he left at 
 her brother's kraal, was condemned to receive an 
 unmerciful beating". From this, however, she Avas 
 sheltered by one of the women ; and her brother 
 contented liimself with ordering- her to §"0 next day 
 and be betrothed to the husband he had chosen. 
 8he went, the g"oat was killed, and in due time 
 she A\as married. 
 
 If a g'irl, after being- broug-ht back, continue 
 to elope, ^^ it g-enerally hnppens (according" to Mr. 
 Fynn) that her father, either of his oaau will or at 
 the intercession of the girl's mother, gives up his 
 original intention ; and he does so, frequent!}-, when 
 the amount of cattle which he receives from the 
 husband chosen by the girl is much less than he 
 would have obtained from the other party 5 and this 
 is a point of serious consideration with a Kafir."^' 
 
 The following" story will show not only how a 
 woman may avoid a forced marriao-e, but how she 
 may initiate a courtship, and triumph over many 
 d itiiculties. Our heroine (for she deserves the name) 
 was the daugiiter of a man who had been compara- 
 ti\ely wealthy; but war or other misfortune had 
 pwept away his cattle, and he was oblig-ed to become 
 a (IcjxMidimt. In time liis circumstances improved; 
 the j?ale of his daughters replaced a part of his herd; 
 

IV. 
 
 yy/j' '/-v. 
 
 
 ,.c;i*^^-i^-^~- 
 
 ^•':;^ib^^-*^iN.^i^;^2^ 
 
 
 .v*'-*^ 
 
STORY OP A HEKOINE. 01 
 
 and he beg-an once more to indulge the feeling-s 
 of independence. He had yet two g*irls unmarried, 
 and his master proposed to buy them. The price 
 offered was very small — too small even for a poor 
 man's children 5 and he refused to accept it. The 
 master was indig'nant, and waxing- exceeding-ly 
 wrathful upbraided his servant with black ing-rati- 
 tude — he had received him when a beg"g*ar — he had 
 given him food to eat — and now he might not have 
 his daughters ! The servant could storm as well 
 as the master ; he thought his services more than 
 an equivalent for his food — such food at least as he 
 had eaten — it was nothino- — when had he eaten his 
 master's beef? The latter threatened to carry a 
 complaint to the king, and as the servant persisted 
 in his refusal he journeyed to the Great Place and 
 obtained an interview with the monarch. His 
 appeal was not in vain ; for he took back a piece of 
 information \^hich quickly changed the servant's 
 tone, and made him glad to deliver the girls. They 
 were as unwilling to go, as he had been to take 
 them ; he therefore begged that they would be 
 dutiful and not jeopardize their parents' safety — if 
 they ran away, the whole family would be killed. 
 His counsels were ineffectual; for, after he had 
 placed them in his master's kraal and was re- 
 turning, they attempted to accompan}' him, and 
 would certainly have done so, if he had not driven 
 them back with his stick. Thus compelled to 
 remain, the girls sat down in the cattle-fold, and 
 utterly disregarded their ^^ husband's" order to go 
 into a hut. The command was repeated to no 
 
(;•: 
 
 THE KAFIHS OF NATAL. 
 
 purposp ; tlu'v did not even vouchsafe him a \vor<l 
 of rcliisul, l)ut sat i:i ^^ullen silence. At length he 
 directed them to be bound and carried into the 
 liouse, savinir tliat unless they remained Avith liim 
 <|ui('tly he should ao-ain g'o to the king", and kill 
 them and all their family. The}' were not to be 
 intimidated, and breaking' silence boldly bade him 
 «>-o at once — they would rather be killed than be 
 his wives — they wished to die ; then snapping- 
 tlieir hno'crs they added, as if the man were obtuse 
 enou<i*h not to know it, "^ We don't like vou — can't 
 vou liear us ? — we don't like you." The threat was 
 repeated, and they were carried into the hut. 
 
 It Mas now night, and one of the g'irls, worn out 
 with distress and vreeping-, had fallen asleep. She 
 would ha^e been glad to escape, but where was she 
 to go to? Her flither would bring* her ba^'k, no 
 neighbour would dare to shelter her, nor indeed 
 could any subject of Pande give her protection. 
 Perhaps her thoug'hts had Avandered to the ^hite 
 man's country, AA'here many of her people had found 
 lefuge ; but the journey Avas long-, and she could 
 liardly expect to reach that distant asylum. We 
 could scarcely therefore be surprised if she dis- 
 missed the idea, and resig-iied herself to the neces- 
 sity of remaining- Avhere she was. But, if she slept, 
 her sister was aAvake and determined to be free. 
 She kncAV Avell that she could find no safety in the 
 Zuhi-coimtry, and that it would be difficult to reacli 
 Natal ; she was resolved, hoAvever, to brave CAery 
 danger rather than continue Avith her ^^l!us])and." 
 She Avas draAvn as well as driven tOAvards Xatal, for 
 
STORY OF A HEROINE. 63 
 
 among' those of her tribe, who had taken refuo-e 
 there, was a certain young- man with whom she 
 had been acquainted from childhood, and who Iiad 
 obtained possession of her heart before that evil day 
 which compelled him to run for his life. 
 
 When she thouo-ht that the tit moment had 
 arrived, Uzinto released herself from her bonds, 
 and taking' up her mat crept out of the hut. If she 
 had attempted to open the entrance of the kraal, the 
 dog's mig-ht have been disturbed or the men aroused ', 
 she determined therefore to make a way over or 
 through the fence* and, this being* done, ran across 
 the dewy g'rass and beg'an her journey. For the 
 present she felt safe, except from h^^enas and "evil- 
 doers," but knew that when the sun arose and the 
 people beg-an to leave the kraals, she would incur 
 the risk of being- taken back — to say nothing* of 
 the pursuit to be expected. Soon after daylig'ht 
 she met a party of men, who asked where she was 
 g'oing'. She replied, without hesitation, that she 
 was g'oing* to see a relative among'st the Amakoba ; 
 but there were the marks of tears upon her face, 
 and her questioners wished to know why she had 
 been weeping*. It was easy to say that she had 
 been taking* snufF, which, as the reader knows, 
 is a lachrymal process j but they were not satis- 
 lied witli the explanation, and said that the 
 marks on her face had been produced by tears 
 of another sort. They expressed their conviction 
 that she was a fugitive, on the forbidden journey 
 to Natal. Her denial of this assertion being vehe- 
 ment and vigorous, she was allowed to proceed. 
 
(U THE KATIKri OF NATAL. 
 
 "When U/iiito readied tlie country of the Amakoha, 
 the sun was settinjj;-, and she liad no choice but to 
 enter a kraal and solicit permission to remain for 
 the ni<'-ht. The events of the last few days were 
 known liere ; and the people^ being- acquainted with 
 her, easily divined that she was absconding-. When 
 they charged her with doing- so, she replied, as be- 
 fore, that she was ^oing- to see a relative, whose 
 residence she now placed among* another people. 
 This was not believed, and they asked why she 
 carried a mat (in reality a bed) if she were g*oing- to 
 visit her relatives. She replied that it was to pro- 
 tect her from the rain j but they were not deceived, 
 and said plainly that they should send a messeng-er 
 to her " husband " in the morning*, and detain her 
 until an answer had been received. On hearing* 
 this, Uzinto became very desperate, wept, raved, 
 screamed, and beg'g-ed them to fetch their assag-ais 
 and kill her at once. This was perhaps a piece of 
 acting*, for she shortly afterwards displayed a very 
 g-ood appetite when food was set before her. She 
 was too well secured to escape during* the nig-ht ; 
 and next morning*, after a messeng*er had been sent 
 to Iier " husband," she was committed to the 
 custody of the women of the kraal. These had 
 their o\\n business to attend to, and contented 
 thenisehes with leaving her bound in the hut. 
 Her bonds, not being* very strong*, were soon severed ; 
 and, having- left the kraal, she was again free. 
 ]{nt she was not out of dang*er; for, before she had 
 gone iar, a boy in charge of the cattle saw her, and 
 ini mediately ran to inform the women. These, who 
 
STORY OF A HEROINE. 65 
 
 were at work in the garden^ uttered exclamations 
 of surprise and indig-nation, tlu'ew down their picks^ 
 and commenced a hot pursuit. They had not much 
 difficulty in catching' the fugitive, but it was 
 another thing- to manag-e her; she wept ag-ain, 
 ag-ain beg-g-ed them to kill her^ declared that she 
 would submit to anything- rather than return, and 
 altog-ether her conduct was so extraordinary that 
 the women allowed her to escape. 
 
 She now determhied to avoid the kraals and 
 travel as much as possible in the bush — a step 
 which obliged her to dispense with food, and 
 exposed her to dang-er from the wild beasts. A 
 terrible frig-ht caused by a leopard was however 
 the only accident she met with 5 and at the end of 
 the fourth day, she forded the river Tug-ela, very 
 tired and very hung-ry. But she forg-ot this in the 
 thoug-ht that she was free, and beyond the reach of 
 Pande himself. 
 
 Beino" now in Natal, our heroine went to a kraal 
 not only to obtain food, but to discover where her 
 people lived. The owner saw that she was a 
 fugitive, and thoug-ht it a fine opportunity to g-ain 
 a wife without expense. He therefore said that he 
 knew nothing- about them, and invited her to stay 
 with him. She decUned to become an inmate of his 
 kraal, but was g-lad to abide with one of his wives 
 for the night. So soon as she had the opportunity 
 of doing- so, the woman communicated privately the 
 information which Uzinto wanted, and said that 
 the man wished to deceive her. When our heroine 
 departed in the morning-, the master of the kraal 
 
 F 
 
Ort Tin: KAFIRS OF NAT/VL. 
 
 met Ikt in \ho pntli, jukI iig-nin endeavoured to 
 prevail on lier to reninin. He was very liberal in 
 Ills promises, he was a rich man (he said) and 
 j)ointed to a lierd of cattle, possibly not his own, in 
 proof of his assertion— she should have plenty of 
 milk, and plenty of beef— she had only to become 
 his wife, to be happy and honoured. She listened 
 in silence, and went on her way. A comparatively 
 short journey broug-ht her to the locality occupied 
 by her ]>eople, where she was received by the chief 
 as one of his wards. 
 
 Thoug-h our heroine had escaped from her " hus- 
 band," she had yet to find the young- man before 
 mentioned. This was not ver}^ difficult, his brother's 
 kraal beino- in the neio-hbourhood of her new home, 
 and both families drinking- of one stream. It was 
 not sing-ular, therefore, and may have been acci- 
 dental, that while fetching- water she met her 
 fa\om-ite's young- nephew. Affecting^ not to know 
 him, she said that his face was not altog-ether 
 strang-e to her, and wondered where she had seen 
 liim. The boy did not think he had seen her any- 
 where, and when she sug-g-ested the Folosi (a river 
 in the Zulu-country) he observed that she was 
 ])l;iinly mistaken, for he had never been there. The 
 ti-uth ^vns that he knew her very well, and had 
 been born at the Folosi j but he chose to deny it — 
 partly, perhaps, because lying' is a sort of second 
 nature with some Kafirs. He may, however, have 
 had another reason. It often fiills to the lot of 
 young- boys to l)e entrusted with delicate com- 
 missions, when their seniors have not the courag-e 
 
STORY or A HEROINE. 07 
 
 to make a declaration in person ; and the shrewd 
 urchin J seeing- the girl conceal her own knowledge 
 of himself, probably suspected that she wished to 
 employ him as an internuncio. But^ whatever his 
 motive, he persevered in his denial, thereby com- 
 pelling' her to be more explicit and say whose 
 nephew he was. He then laugiied mischievously, 
 and confessed that she was rig-ht. 
 
 The way being- now clear, she could ask after his 
 uncle, and was not altog-ether pleased to find him 
 many miles away in the service of a whi^e man. 
 It is possible that she knew this before, and onl}^ 
 wanted the boy to tell his uncle that she was there 
 and had been making- enquiries about him. At all 
 events he lost no time in carrying- the important 
 messag-e, which his uncle received with astonish- 
 ment. He had not expected her to follow him, 
 and, I am afraid, had forg-otten many of the 
 honeyed words which he had poured into her 
 attentive ears on the banks of the Folosi. Still he 
 could not but feel pleased, and his reply was 
 favourable ; no present however accompanied it, 
 and when Uzinto thought thereon her heart was 
 sad. She resolved nevertheless not to be dis- 
 couraged and patiently to bide her time. Mean- 
 while two suitors pay her unremitting- attention ; 
 but she steadfastly repels them both, and will listen 
 to no one until she shall have failed to subdue her 
 old lover. One of the two, learning how matters 
 stood, either from the girl herself or, as I suspect, 
 from a certain garrulous confidante, immediately 
 repaired to the favoured bachelor, and begged him 
 f2 
 
r.R Tin: KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 to in:iko u\) his mind, for that none of them had 
 any oliance wliile he remained midecided. I know 
 not liow lie answered; but sometime after, when he 
 had returned liome and there was a g-athering- of 
 the tribe to plant the chief's corn, he soug-ht an 
 interview with her. She was hoeing- in a distant 
 pnrt of the garden; but he contrived to find her 
 out, and saluted her with a friendty gTceting-. She 
 g-ave him no reply, nor deig-ned even to turn her 
 head. '^Why don't you speak to me?" said the 
 puzzled bachelor; but she remained silent and 
 continued to work. He then advanced nearer, and 
 lifting up her head^ looked and perhaps spoke 
 straiii'ht in her face. Still Uzinto made no remark, 
 thoug-h perhaps she mig-ht have done so, if an officer 
 of the chief had not espied the idlers and put a 
 very miromantic termination to the scene, by a 
 liberal use of his stick. I cannot say whether any 
 other interview took place until the young- man 
 became ill; when she testified lier sympathy by 
 paying' him a visit. But she contented herself 
 with this mute expression of her feelings ; while a 
 girl, who had accompanied her, uttered words of 
 kindness to the patient, she sat by in silence and 
 M cut away Avithout having' spoken. After his re- 
 cover}', she took a little g-irl and set off for his 
 kraal under cover of the nig-ht, that she mig'lit 
 have an interview without exciting* suspicion. The 
 entrance was closed, but she knew the hut appro- 
 priated to the ^"oung' men, and threw a stone upon 
 it. The veracious urchin previously mentioned, 
 wljon he hoard the sin-nal, imao-ined that some 
 
STORY OF A HEROINE. 69 
 
 " evildoer " was near ; and, had he been alone, 
 would 231'obably have taken the red embers from 
 the fire and cast them over the fence to scare him 
 away. His uncle knew better, such signals being* 
 not uncommon in the Zulu-country j but perhaps 
 he A\as not altog'ether free from apprehension, 
 seeing* that he deputed the boy to reconnoitre and 
 awaited the result. When he discovered who was 
 outside, he moved with some alacrity, and admitted 
 his persevering* admirer. She was silent still, and 
 paid no reg*ard to his salutation. " Why don't you 
 speak?" said hej ^^you deceived me Avhen you 
 were young*; I see 3'ou don't love me." This 
 appeal opened her lips and she answered vig-or- 
 ously: "x^o'y you deceived me; I am not blind — I 
 can see ', you don't care about me ; when you see 
 me you don't feel it there" (pointing* to her throat) ; 
 "I can see." The young* man declared that he 
 did feel it there, and that she didn't, for why had 
 she always refused to speak ? Having* confessed 
 enough to satisfy her, he now asked how the chief 
 was in the habit of addressing* her ; and, finding* 
 that he did not use a term which would have 
 impHed an intention to make her one of his own 
 wives, our bachelor took courage and hoped that he 
 mio*ht succeed. But alas— the cattle— where was 
 he to g-et the cattle. It was very certain that a 
 larg-e price would be required (her g-uardian being* 
 of such high rank) while he was about as poor as 
 poor could be. The lady, however, had a way and 
 will of her own ; and, fixing her value at ten cows, 
 told him that when he had worked long enough to 
 
70 J'llE KAllKS OF KATAL. 
 
 obtain tliat iiuniber, slie would come to his kmal 
 and be betrotliod ; if tliey attempted to take her 
 away, slie would tlirow herself on the gTound — she 
 knew that ])eople were not killed in this country — 
 if everytliing- failed, and she were violently given 
 to somebody else, there Avas plenty of AAater in the 
 v'wev and she would drown herself. With this 
 decisive declaration of her mind, she left the young- 
 man to meditate and dream. 
 
 Some time after\A ards, but before he had obtained 
 the ten cattle, she appeared unexpectedly at the 
 young- man's kraal, during* his absence, and de- 
 manded to be betrothed. The people were afraid 
 to kill the g-oat without the chief's approval, and a 
 messeng-er Avas sent to acquaint him with the cir- 
 cumstances. His ang-er was aroused — she must 
 have been persuaded, he said, to commit the impru- 
 dence — it was ridiculous to think of man-vino- a 
 man without cattle — he should expect to receive a 
 larg-e number — he did not wish to ^^beat" the 
 master of the kraal, but the g-irl must come home. 
 She was persuaded to submit to her guardian's will, 
 and returned in tears and sullenness. When enter- 
 ing- her hut, she pitched her mat throug-h the door- 
 way in a heedless but very vig'orous manner; 
 the chief, who happened to be inside, was somewhat 
 inconvenienced by the unexpected projectile, and 
 asked whether she wished to kill them all. For 
 several days Uzinto continued to weep and appeared 
 so thoroug'hly miserable that the chief relented, and 
 promised, if she would wait, to send her to be be- 
 trothed. Slie di-ied her tears and became cheerful : 
 
STOEY OF A HEROINE. 71 
 
 but her hope Avas deferred^ and havmg- long- waited 
 to be sent she resolved to g'o of her own accord. 
 When she appeared the second time at the young- 
 man's kraal, the people would not permit her to 
 enter a hut — she was the chief's girl, they said, 
 and he would "beat" them. Our heroine therefore 
 sat shivering- in the cold (it was a cloud}^ day) until 
 some of the family, inspired with more courag-e 
 than the rest, said that she oug-ht to be properly 
 received — she preferred one of themselves, and the 
 chief mig-ht say what he pleased. Uzinto was now 
 admitted into a hut, and before evening- a g-oat was 
 slain. Next morning- an unwilling- messeng-er went 
 to her g'uardian, who stormed outrag-eously at the 
 despisers of his authorit}^ He felt however that it 
 was useless to hold out ag-ainst so impracticable 
 a g'irl, and required cattle to be immediately 
 broug'ht. There were none forthcoming-, but that 
 did not sig-nify — he must have some at once ; and 
 some were produced. The young- man had four, 
 his brother added another by way of loan, and the 
 five being- handed over, the chief was in a better 
 humour. Others were subsequently earned, and the 
 girl obtained her wish. 
 
 ly. — In addition to the cattle which a man pays 
 for his wife, he must provide others before the 
 actual celebration of the marriag-e. One of these is 
 described by Mr. Fynn as a cow or ox " g-iven for 
 slaug-hter to the bride's mother and her attendants, 
 which is called ukuhi, meaning- the long- leather 
 thong-s for which a beast was slaughtered for the 
 
70 THE KAFIIia OF NATAL. 
 
 purpose of proniriiio- tlie tliono's or entrails wliich, 
 nccording' to custom, were hung- about the bride 
 duriuo- her infanev. The beast referred to was 
 prol)ably a sacrifice to the ancestral spirit of the 
 family. This head of cattle is always repaid by the 
 brid<M«Toom, and is not recoverable by law in case 
 of di\orce." Sometimes an ox, called um-qoUstva, 
 is g•i^•en to the father, thoug-h, as Mr. Fynn does 
 not mention it, we must conclude that it is not 
 common to the tribes. Another, to be slain at the 
 marring-e, is universally required. This, which I 
 lune heard denominated the Ox of the Girl, is pro- 
 vided by the bridegroom. 
 
 The bride's father must present at least one ox to 
 the brideg-room. It is termed the Ox a\ hich has a 
 Surplus, and " is a representative of several ideas : 
 1st, it shall represent the value of the g'irl, which 
 her father places upon herj consequently the pur- 
 chaser must not think that he paid too much for 
 the g'irl; 2nd, and most particularly^, it shall give 
 assurance to the purchaser that the spirit of the 
 father (i-hloze) after death shall not come to disturb 
 the place ^\here his daughter is married to, and that 
 his g'irl shall bring' man}- children. When this ox 
 comes to the kraal of him who purchased the g'irl, 
 it g-ets another name," and is called the Ox for 
 Opening- the Cattle-fold — the idea denoted being* 
 this, viz. that " in consequence of the purchaser's 
 paying- many cattle for the g-irl, his fold had been 
 emptied almost to be shut up ; but receiving- now 
 the first ox by his purchased wife, she opens the 
 fold l)y this ox, and shall eventually fill it by bring*- 
 
MARRIAGE CEREMONIES. 7'] 
 
 ing" him many g-irls with whom he can trade in the 
 same manner."^" 
 
 " Marriag-es/' says Mr. Fynn^ ^^ are conducted 
 after various fashions^ as the Kafir tribes differ from 
 each other in some minor points in almost all their 
 proceeding-s j but in the principal points they 
 generally correspond. AVithout entering- into un- 
 important particulars^ the g-eneral custom is that 
 the bride^ attended by all the young- women of her 
 neig-hbourhood^ proceeds to the kraal of the bride- 
 g-room, escorted by her male relatives and friends 
 bearino- their assas^ais and shields. She is also 
 attended by her mother^ and other married women. 
 The ceremony may commence immediately on the 
 arrival of the bride^ or on the following* day^ as 
 may be arrang-ed." 
 
 "When it commences, the brideg-room and his 
 companions seat themselves on the g-round, while 
 the bride and her attendants approach within 
 a short distance, dancing- in a semicircle. The 
 young* men connected with the brideg'room soon 
 unite in the dance ; the old women, who are related 
 to the latter, dance around at a distance, address- 
 ing* the bride in song's of a depressing* nature, that 
 she may not feel too hig'hly elated, or assume too 
 much importance in her new position. On the 
 other hand, the old women who accompan}^ her 
 boast of her beauty and chastity, extoUing* her 
 goodness of heart, and proclaiming; how carefully 
 she has been reared by her parents. The dnnce 
 having* continued for some time, the bride leaves 
 
74 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 her position niul dances by herself in front of her 
 conipnnions. She then proceeds, accompanied by 
 two of lier bridesmaids, towards the brideg-room 
 wlio is suiTounded by his nearest relatives, and 
 dances directly in front of him. It most frequently 
 liap])ens that the bride will take some liberty with 
 the bridegTOom just at this time, such as addressing- 
 liini by some opprobrious term, or kicking- dust in 
 his face — thus intimating- that the moment of her 
 submission has not yet arrived. 
 
 " Her attendants then come forward w^ith the 
 unshafted assag-ais, beads, and picks, which are 
 distributed by one of the bridesmaids to the nearest 
 relatives of the bridegroom. An ox is slaug-htered 
 by the bridegroom, and feasting- commences. Tliis 
 appears to be the fixing* point of the ceremony. 
 An ox or cow is then g-iven for slaughter to the 
 bride's mother," as before mentioned. 
 
 "Although dancing and other amusements be 
 continued, the bridegroom and bride ma}'^ from that 
 moment be regarded as man and wife (so long- 
 as the relations of the bride remain at the bride- 
 groom's kraal, the bride remains with her relati\es), 
 ]jut she is not desia'nated a wife until she has borne 
 a child or has a house under her charge." 
 
 I have given Mr. Flam's statement because it 
 j)rofesses to be a general one. The following 
 account supplies some facts which prevail among 
 a j)articular tribe. 
 
 According to my oami information, when the 
 l)ridegroom Avislies the marriage to take ])lace, he 
 
WA15KIAGE CEREMONIES. 75 
 
 sends the cow before mentioned to the g'irl's mother. 
 The bride's head is now shaved ; and in due time 
 she proceeds to her husba,nd's kraal^ attended by 
 male and female relatives. She reaches the gate 
 about sunset^ and gives the man a present of beads, 
 but does not S})eak. She also receives a present 
 from him J and hands it to her brother. A hut is 
 assig-ned to the party^ where they pass the nig-ht ; 
 but at sunrise^, they leave the kraal and station 
 themselves at some distance, like gypsies, in the 
 grass. The day having- considerably advanced, the 
 male friends of the bride g-o to the brideg-room's 
 kraal to claim the ox called wn-qolis7va. In a case 
 which 1 witnessed, they proceeded in a long- file, 
 with a step difficult to describe, being- a sort of slow 
 and measured stamping- — an imitation of their 
 dancino- movement. Wearino- the dress and orna- 
 ments previously mentioned as appropriated to 
 occasions of festivity, they brandished shields and 
 sticks — the usual equipment of a wedding'-dance — 
 while their tong-ues ^^■ere occupied with a monoto- 
 nous and unsentimental chaunt : 
 
 " Give us the um-qolisuia. 
 We desire the um-qolisiva.^^ 
 
 In this way they entered the kraal, and turning' to 
 the i-ig-ht reached the principal hut. The fiither of 
 the g-irl now called on the brideg-room, who was 
 inside, to come forth and g-ive them um-qolisma. 
 The latter replied that he had no ox to present 
 them. He was then assured that the bride would 
 be taken home; but he remained invisible until 
 other members of the pai'ty liad required him to 
 
70 THE KAl'IRS or NATAL. 
 
 ;ip])oar. lla\inn- left the house^ he humed to the 
 <»'at«'\vav and attempted to pass it. His exit liow- 
 e^•e^ w as barred by a company of women ah'eady in 
 j)ossession of the entrance^ wliile a smile on his face 
 sho^^•ed that his efforts to escape were merely formal, 
 and that he was o-oinof throuofh an amusino- cere- 
 mony. The nm-qoliswa was now fetched fi'om the 
 herd and driven to the bride's party, who were 
 bivouacing- under the lee of a clump of bush. Her 
 sisters affected to despise it as a paltry thino-^ and 
 bade the owner produce a better. He told them 
 that it was the larg-est and the fattest he could pro- 
 cure; but they were not satisfied — the}" would not 
 eat it. Presently the father put an end to tlieii' 
 nois}' by-play, and accepted the beast. The bride 
 then ran towards the kraal, and after a while the 
 dances commenced. 
 
 These usually take place in the cattle-fold, and are 
 sometimes two in number. The one is performed 
 by the bride's party, the brideg*room and Ids people 
 sitting- down near the calves' pen to witness it, and 
 refreshing- themselves occasionally with beer. The 
 other is performed by the brideg-room's party, 
 the bride's friends in their turn sittino- down. 
 The old women are occupied in praising* and de- 
 preciating- the bride, as before mentioned ) while, 
 at the conclusion of each dance or durino- its 
 continuance, the leader of it makes a speech. The 
 father of tlie g-irl will counsel the bridegroom to 
 Ijeliave m ell to his daug-hter. If the swain be a 
 bachelor, he will be lectured on the impropriety of 
 beating- his \\ ife, and reminded that " boys " are too 
 
MARRIAGE CEREMONIES. 77 
 
 fond of doing* so j but^ if already married^ he may 
 be complimented on bis wisdom^ and told that 
 " men " know how to manage their wives without 
 resorting- to corporal punishment. An ancient 
 patriarchy whose daug-hter had attempted to rnn 
 away before the marriag'e^ discoursed larg-ely on 
 that head^ and assured her that if she absconded 
 now she need not come to him. He reminded the 
 brideg-room that^ being- his friend^ he had accepted 
 a smaller price than he mig-ht have expected to 
 receive — when his bride wished to run away, he had 
 secured her and hastened the marriag'e — if she now 
 absconded^ he should have another of his daug-hters. 
 The toothless man replied that he would cer- 
 tainly not beat the g-irl, and made a sensible remark 
 that it was of little use to sfive him a wife who did 
 not like him. The husband of our heroine^ when told 
 not to chastise his bride, g-ave a conditional promise, 
 and undertook not to beat her if she did not beat him 
 — a conting-ency by no means unlikely to occur. 
 Any unpleasant circumstance, which may have 
 taken place in connexion with the preliminaries to 
 the marriag'e, is pretty sure to be mentioned in these 
 speeches, and in a way not calculated to heal the 
 wound occasioned. 
 
 After the dances follows the slaug'hter of the Ox 
 of the Girl — the " fixing- point of the ceremony " 
 the real matrimonial tie. Previously to this, the 
 bride mio-ht be removed — a rule of which the chief 
 wished to take advantao-e when Uzinto was married. 
 His speech had provoked a very disrespectful reply 
 from the brideg-room's brother ; and his wi-ath was 
 
78 TJIi: KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 excocdiiig'ly fierce. It had not cooled when a very 
 small niiimiil was ju'odiiccd — the smallest which the 
 l)rid('<:TOom's means had enabled him to procure, 
 but utterly unfit, as he thoug-ht, to celebrate the 
 marriag'e of his ward. This fresh insult to his 
 di<'-nitv was intolerable, and he would have taken 
 the bride from the very threshold of matrimony. 
 Her father however (A\ho had found it necessary 
 to seek refug'e in Natal) was particularly desirous 
 to retahi the cattle which had been paid ; the 
 chief's wish therefore was disreg-arded, the animal 
 died, and our herome was married." 
 
 Y. — Polyg'amy produces jealousy and discord. 
 The A\omen are more reconciled to it than mio-ht 
 liave been expected ; and, if we were to judg'e by 
 the sociability which a man's wives display in 
 ]iublic, we mig'ht conclude them to be a loving- 
 sisterhood. In reality hoAvever they are not very 
 harmonious; and what indeed can be expected, under 
 a system so unnatural, l)ut disag'reement ? I have 
 lieard it said by a native that quarrels are of fre- 
 quent occurrence, and sometimes issue in actual 
 fig-lits. The remedy for these disturbances of the 
 domestic peace is very simple , the husband g-ener- 
 ally seizes the first stick that lies in his way and 
 quiets the disputants by putting* them to flig-ht. 
 Nor does he trouble liimself to enquire who g-ave 
 the first oflfence, but deals his blows im})artially, 
 knoAN ing- that if he chastises all, the g-uilty will not 
 esca])e. 
 
 The new wife, being- of course the especial object 
 
POLYGAMY. 79 
 
 of jealousy^ is sometimes very roug-lily treated hj 
 the others. When particularly bitter^ they will try 
 to injure her personal appearance^ as by scratching* 
 her face or tearing* open the holes in the lobes of 
 her ears, that she might be less attractive in the 
 ej^es of their common husband. If she v/ere about 
 to tread unwitting-ly on a serpent, no warning- 
 would be g'iven ; poison has been put into her food ; 
 and I have heard of one instance in which she was 
 violently mm'dered. The victim was the j'oung-est 
 of three wives, and having* been married about 
 twelve months, had no doubt endured much previ- 
 ous persecution. On her husband's return home 
 one day, he found her absent, and anxiously en- 
 quired of the others where she was. They replied 
 that they did not know — when they went to the 
 bush for fire-wood they left her at the kraal — when 
 they came back they did not see her; but, on being* 
 more closely questioned, they stated that she had 
 g'one to her father's. As soon as the morning* 
 dawned he set off to follow her, and found that he 
 had been duped. The perplexed husband now 
 went to the prophet, who told him that the Uvo 
 elder wives had killed her. The information was 
 correct ; for, before he reached home, the herd boy 
 had discovered her body. She had accompanied 
 the others when they went to the bush, and been 
 hang-ed with the string used for tying the wood in 
 bundles. 
 
 Besides her domestic duties, the woman has to 
 perform all the hard work ; she is her husband's ox. 
 
80 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 as a Kalii- once .siid to me, — slie has been boua'lit, 
 111' ar;iMie(l, and must tlierefore labour. When I 
 I'emindefl liim how Europeans treat their wives^ he 
 would not ackuowledjji-e the cases to be parallel — 
 white men did not paij for their wives. 
 
 The housewifery of a Kafir woman is compara- 
 tively liiiht ', a hut does not require much keeping' ; 
 her cooker}' is very simple ; she has no laundry to 
 attend to; her children are easily scolded and as 
 easily beaten, when she can catch them ; nor has 
 she far to o-o for water, thoug-li procuring- fire-wood 
 is a more difficult task ; mats and pots have to be 
 made only occasionally. Her other duties however 
 are heavy; she has to dig- the g*round, weed the 
 crops, g-ather the harvest, and in fact do all the 
 ordinary work of ag-riculture. Besides this, the bear- 
 ing- of heavy burdens is g-enerally imposed upon her ; 
 she has to fetch the materials for buildino- the 
 kraal, except the Mood for the outer fence — an 
 exception which seems to indicate that this fence 
 was not an orig-inal feature of the habitations of 
 this peoi)le. She has also to convey the wood 
 for making' fences to protect the crops. In Natal, 
 when maize is carried to the houses of Europeans 
 for sale, the bearers are invariably females. A 
 man or boy probably' accompanies them, but he 
 simply marches at the head of the procession, and 
 carries nothing- heavier than his own dig'nity. I 
 have known one of these supercilious idlers refuse 
 to assist his wife to lift a basket of corn, and stand 
 (juietly ])y while my own servant placed it on her 
 head. 
 
CONTEMPT OF WOMEN. 81 
 
 It seems that this extremely barbarous treatment 
 of the female sex prevails only among- the Zulus, 
 and those tribes whom they have influenced. Mr. 
 Fynn says that among- the Amampondo and Ama- 
 swazi, the fields are cultivated by the men as well 
 as the women ; and I have been told that the same 
 thing* may be seen among- the Amatong-a. It 
 would appear also that the coast tribes in the Zulu- 
 country were accustomed to this better practice; a 
 D wand we man told me that his father worked in 
 the o'arden durino- the reio-n of Dino-ane, and that 
 old men among- the Tetwas did it still. He added 
 that these representatives of the ancient usag-e ver}- 
 much lamented a chang-e which had diminished the 
 supply of food, and ascribed it to Tshaka and the 
 Zulus. 
 
 Other facts may be mentioned as illustrating- the 
 haug-hty contempt with which the Zulus reg-ard 
 their Avomen. When the head-servant of a par- 
 ticular reg-iment met his aunt, "he g-ave her his 
 hand, which she kissed with much apparent affec- 
 tion; but even this dig-nified salute was not 
 returned." Captain Gardiner, who had observed 
 Ding-ane receive similar salutations from a near 
 relative, concluded that it was court-etiquette; but 
 subsequently found that it was an invariable cus- 
 tom for women to salute their male relations, some- 
 times on the hand, sometimes on the cheek, the 
 compliment never being- returned. If a man were 
 g-oing- to the bush to cut fire-wood for his wives, 
 he and they would take different paths, and neither 
 g-o nor return in company. If he were g'oing' to 
 G 
 
S2 tin: K.vriKti of natal. 
 
 visit i\ lUM'i-libour, and wislu^d his wife also to g-o, 
 she would follow at soiiio distance; thong-h^ if g-oing- 
 to a w.'dding-, they niig-ht travel tog-ether. If a 
 man were at a feast and the master of the kraal 
 g-ave hi Ml :i piece of beef to cany home^ he would 
 be told to take it for his children^ thoug-h it would 
 be meant for his wives. On the other hand, if a 
 woman were to beg' a piece of meat at her father's, 
 slie would say that she wanted it for her children. 
 
 The Amalala seem to treat their wives differ- 
 ently ; and I have heard that the Amatong-a ac- 
 company them both on visits and to fetch wood. 
 It may be mentioned, as indicating- the g-eneral 
 feeling's of this latter people, that one of them a\ ho 
 came to Natal with the view of settling- there, left 
 in disg"ust, because the roads (in the district where 
 he wished to fix his residence) were too ston}' for 
 his wives' feet. Perhaps it w as to pm*chase them a 
 present that he defrauded a fellow-servant of some 
 money before he left. 
 
 When a woman is disobedient, it is considered 
 by the ancient men that she oug'ht in the first 
 instance to be reasoned with; and that blows 
 should be resorted to only AAhen arg-uments laiL 
 This rule is not always observed, especially by the 
 young- men, A\honi the elders reg-ard as very 
 unwise. Whether he resort to the practice in the 
 first or second instance, a man may undoubtedly 
 beat his wife, if Ik; please; nor is this always done 
 in the most g-entle manner. A stick is deemed the 
 projier instrument of punishment; but some men, 
 
WIFE-KILLING. 83 
 
 when excited, will seize anything- which happens to 
 lie in their way — a piece of wood^ for instance, a 
 kerie, or even a stone. 
 
 Death sometimes results from such harbarous 
 violence. The dependant of a rich man received a 
 small ration of food, during- a season of scarcity. 
 His wife having- cooked the daily allowance and 
 given him his share, he spoke very ang-rilyj and 
 said that she had retained too much for herself. 
 She replied that his accusation was unjust, and that 
 he really could not see how much porridg-e the 
 vessel contained, owing- to the steam arising- from 
 it. This did not appease him ; but he was called 
 away at the moment and remained some time in 
 the cnttle-fold. Returning-, he renewed the accu- 
 sation ; and having-, in the heig-ht of his passion, 
 seized the heavy handle of a pick, he hurled it at 
 his wife and killed her on the spot. Mr. Isaacs 
 writes as if^ in his time, it was no rare circumstance 
 for women to fall a sacrifice to the ferocious pas- 
 sions of their husbands j he had known many 
 instances in which a man had appointed a time 
 for his wife to come and meet her fate, but prior to 
 which she had fled to the Europeans. In this 
 event they would send for the husband, and, by 
 the joint influence of reasoning- and a string- or two 
 of beads, succeed in saving- her life. Their prin- 
 cipal chief had told his wife that she must die, for 
 no heavier an oft'ence than cutting- off" a piece of his 
 kaross ; expostulation and a few beads induced 
 him to chanofe his mind. 
 
 A man, according* to Mr. Dolme, is not leg-ally 
 
84 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 accomit:il)lo, if lio kill his wifej ^^ she is his lawful 
 ])ro])('rfy, just like his ox, cow, or dog", or any thing- 
 lie houj^-lit. It follows then that none but himself 
 has to dispose of it. He may kill his wife, just as 
 li.' (Iocs his doii-, without being' g'uilty, since he 
 can defend himself by saying', ^ I have boug-ht her 
 once for all.'" In partial opposition to this, an old 
 raan (the councillor of a mag'istrate) told me that 
 if a ]ierson were to kill his wife without g'ood cause, 
 the chief Avould fine him a larg'e ox. 
 
 Notwithstnnding- her deg-raded position, the wo- 
 man retains a remarkable privileg-e. When a man 
 takes his first wife^ all the cows he possesses are 
 reg-arded as her property ; she uses the milk for the 
 support of her family, and after the bii'th of her 
 first son, the}' are called his cattle. Theoretically 
 the husband can neither sell nor otherwise dispose 
 of them AA ithout his wife's consent. If he wish 
 to take a second wife and require any of these 
 cattle for the purpose, he must obtain her concur- 
 rence^ AVhen I asked a native how this was to be 
 procured, he said by flattery, and coaxing-, or if 
 that did not succeed, by bothering' her until she 
 yielded and told him not to do so " to-morroAV."^*^ 
 Sometimes she becomes ang-ry and tells him to take 
 ally for that they are not hers Ijut his. If she 
 comply with her husband's polyg-amous desires and 
 furnish cattle to purchase and endow a new wife, 
 she A\ ill be entitled to her services ; and will call 
 her "my wife." She will also be entitled to the 
 cattlo received for a new wife's eldest daughter, 
 Tlie cattle assigned to the second wife are subject 
 
wife's privilege. 85 
 
 to the same rules; and so on, while fresh "wives 
 are taken. Any wife may furnish the cattle 
 necessary to add a new member to the harem, 
 and with the same consequences as resulted to 
 the first wife; but it seems that the queen (as 
 the first is called) can claim the rig*ht of refusal. 
 A remark of Mr. F3 nn's implies that in some 
 tribes the men disreg"ard this privileg^e of the 
 wife, and dispose of their cattle without her 
 consent. It is more important however to know 
 that the institution exists, than to ascertain how 
 far it still prevails. The innovations of barbarism 
 may have encroached on it, but enoug-h remains 
 to shed lig-ht on the ancient condition of the 
 people and show that woman was not originally 
 the deo'raded beino- she has since become. ^^ 
 
 Dissolution of marriag-e may, in some cases, be 
 effected by the husband. If a wife have no children, 
 she is sent home for a time, when the father offers 
 a sacrifice in her behalf; but if, after having- re- 
 turned to her husband, she continue childless, she 
 may be dismissed and the cattle given for her 
 recovered. Sometimes the father gives the husband 
 another of his daugiiters, one or more of whose 
 children will be accounted as belonging- to her 
 sterile sister. By this arrang-ement the father re- 
 tains the cattle. 
 
 If a rebellious wife can be neither convinced by 
 reasoning- nor subdued by punishment, she may be 
 dismissed, and more or less of the cattle reclaimed 
 accordhig' to circumstances. Sometimes a woman 
 
.^() THE K.VFIHS or NATAL. 
 
 leaves ol" her own accord, as in the instances of 
 forced niarriao-es before mentioned, or in the event 
 of ill iisnii'e bv the man or liis otlier wives. In this 
 cnsp she ninv be rechiimed; but ^^if she persist in 
 rcniainiiia* at her father's kraal and can show the 
 chief g-ood cause, a part only of the cattle paid by 
 the luisband is returned, according* to his decision. 
 Until the cattle are repaid the husband retains the 
 chil(hvn.'"^ 
 
 Adultery is of very rare occurrence — a fact 
 which Mr. Isaacs attributes, not to the "inherent 
 purity" of the people, but to the fear of conse-i 
 (juences, both the offenders being* punishable with 
 death. It seems however that the husband mio-ht 
 send the adulteress home and recover the cattle ; or 
 accept a fine and I'etain her. In the latter case, 
 she would become a drudg-e and be treated by the 
 other A\ives with the utmost contumely.'^ 
 
 Young- men usually take their first wife while 
 residing- in the paternal habitation, and sometimes 
 do not leave it until they have taken a second or 
 third. The eldest son of the first wife seldom 
 leaves ; but A\hen the eldest son of another does so, 
 lie takes not only the cattle of his mother's house 
 and the dependants, but his brothers, his sisters, 
 and his mothei-s. This is a comi)lete separation of 
 the motlier from her husband. 
 
 When a man dies, those wives Avho have not left 
 the kraal remain with the eldest son. If they wish 
 to marry ag-ain, they must g-o to one of their late 
 Inisband's brothers; in which case the children 
 wnuld l.rlong' to the son. If they should take any 
 
PARENTS AND CHILDREN. 87 
 
 other Imsband^ the son mi<^-ht fetch them home and 
 claim the children^ unless they had married with 
 his consent and cattle had been paid for them.^® 
 
 VI. — When a child has been born^ the doctor 
 makes small incisions on various parts of its bod}'-^ 
 and places powdered medicine in them. Medicine is 
 also administered internally^ while the mother is 
 washed with some decoction, Kext day the medi- 
 ciner returns j and^ having- cut the wounds deeper, 
 puts more medicine in them. The child and mother 
 are ^Aashed^ the former being' then moved about 
 in the smoke of a fire. Both are daubed with 
 a red pig-ment^ which I have observed dis- 
 fig'uring- children several months old. (Once^ when 
 I saw this paint put on^ the mother had 
 carefully washed a chubby boy, and made him 
 clean and brig'ht; she then took up the frag-- 
 ment of an earthenware pot, which contained 
 a red liuid ] and, dipping- her fing-ers into it, 
 proceeded to daub her son until he became 
 the most g'rotesque looking- little object it was 
 ever my fortune to behold. What remained, 
 being- too precious to waste, was transferred to 
 her own fiice). The child is now permitted to 
 take its natural food — a privileg'e strang-ely A\ith- 
 held until the doctor has discharged his functions. 
 In one case, this important persona g-e was at 
 a g-reat distance, working- with a European ; 
 and, being- unable or unwilling- to attend, returned 
 a messng-e, directing- that the child should be 
 allowed to suck. The direction nas misunder- 
 
88 
 
 TJIE KAFIRS or KATAL. 
 
 stood ; and the cliild^ receiving- only the in- 
 appropriate nutriment of cow's milk, nearly died 
 of starvation, before the mistake was rectified. 
 For some da3's after the birth, the mother is 
 secluded in her hut, no man, except the doctor, 
 being- allowed to enter. Even her husband is 
 excluded during- this period. If she have no one 
 to "\\ ork for her, and is therefore oblio-ed to leave 
 lier house, she g-oes out stealthily and endeavours to 
 a^ oid observation.^" 
 
 AVhen a w^oman dies in childbirth — a circum- 
 stance not uncommon — her infant is sometimes 
 buried Avith her. This arises, I conceive, from the 
 difficulty which would be experienced in bi-ing-ing- 
 it up; for, as a g-eneral rule, 
 no woman would undertake the 
 part of wet-nurse. A person 
 much among- the i)eople will 
 often see a female take up a 
 squalling- infant and try to 
 pacif}^ it after the manner of 
 mothers; but it never appeared 
 to me that the child benefited 
 by the indulo-ence, and I am 
 assured that it is done only to 
 "deceive" it. If the mother 
 Avere to die a h\\ days after 
 the birth, when the child could 
 be more easily nurtured, it might be jireserved and 
 g-iven over to the care of its i)aternal grandmother, 
 or some other old woman. When twins are born, 
 one is usually neglected and allowed to die. 
 
.'w- 
 
 MOTHERS LOVE. , 89 
 
 Children having- any g-reat deformity are treated 
 in the same manner. It sometimes happens that 
 the mother disreg-ards this inhuman custom.^® 
 
 The women manifest very considerable reg-ard 
 for their young' children. A European^ who 
 was in the habit of purchasing* maize from the 
 natives^ told me that if on arriving- at a kraal 
 he anticipated any difficulty in procuring- corn, 
 his first step was to g-et the children around him 
 and play with them. When by this means he 
 had ing-ratiated himself with the mothers, he 
 mentioned the object of his visit. I had in 
 my service a boy about ten years of ag-e — a 
 g'ood humoured merry little fellow, with whom 
 it was not easy to be very angry, and yet im- 
 possible to be always pleased. His thoug'hts 
 were frequently at home, and he often amused 
 the elder Kafirs bv exclaimino- that he wanted 
 his mother. Sometimes she came to see him, 
 bringing-, not the ^^confectionary plum," but half- 
 a-g-allon of veg-etable hodge-podg-e, which he never, 
 shared with others and usually finished at one 
 meal. When the boy had left me, I hnppened 
 to visit a kraal at some distance from my own 
 home, and was received by the women with a 
 very extraordinary welcome, one old lady seizing- 
 my arm and kissing* it. My servant explained 
 the mvsterv bv savino- that I A\as in Skafu's 
 kraal — the old lady being- his g-randmother, and 
 a younger one who was standing* by, equally 
 excited but more respectful, being* his mother. 
 
J^O Tin; K.vrius or natal. 
 
 Wht'ii the boy left me I guve liim an article 
 woi'th six shilliiio's, instead of half that sum to 
 whioh he was entitled ; hence my rece])tion. 
 
 It seems to be a necessary consequence of 
 pol^'g-ainy^ that the fiither should feel less attach- 
 ment to his children than the mother. Two 
 brothers were returnino- from a long- journey^ 
 during- w hich one of them had lost a child. My 
 servant, Avhom they called to see, was a near 
 I'elative of theirs and communicated the painful 
 f;ict. I was aware that this had been done, but 
 did not know which of the two travellers was the 
 bereaved parent. With this uncertainty, I went 
 into the hut, Avhere a smokhig- vessel of boiled 
 maize had been set before them. One was 
 eating- and talking- loudly; the other was silent 
 and fasting*. The evidence was conclusive; and 
 not wishing- to pain the afflicted man, I addressed 
 myself to his loquacious brother. Having- obtained 
 the information I wanted, I left the hut, sincerely 
 ])itying- the pensive man, and presented him 
 Mitli a ])iece of beef— a dainty which had reviv(Ml 
 the appetite of even a despairing- lover. My 
 sympathy was misplaced and my beef ill-be- 
 stowed; the pensive man, as I discovered after 
 their departure, A\as indisposed— the voracious 
 and talkative one was the fither bereft of his- 
 child. We must not however judg-e of all hy 
 this example; I kneAv a ])erson who took g-reat 
 jdeasure in talking- of his child and describino- 
 hir liftlc tricks (he \>as yry young- nnd the 
 (■\\i\t\ liis first-])orn) : Avhilo another, who bad 
 
A PATRIARCH. 91 
 
 recently lost t^vo children^, mig-ht have served 
 the sculptor for a study of Grief. 
 
 Mr. Isaacs asserts that both parents seem most 
 attached to their female children^ for (says he) an 
 instance of severity was scarcely seen towards 
 them^ while the boys often received an immoderate 
 share of chastisement. This preference may be ex- 
 plained by the superior value of the g'irls^ but it 
 must not be supposed that boys are little reg-arded. 
 In the normal condition of the people, when the 
 general practice of cattle-stealing' rendered life and 
 property insecure, a number of valiant sons would be 
 like "the arrows in the hand of the g'iant." Tshaka 
 forbade robbery, and this may have tended to 
 make men set less value on their male children ; 
 but boys are certainly held in great esteem and 
 desired in due proportion. A native, who was 
 g'iving" me an example of prayer to the spirits, in- 
 troduced a petition for plenty of boys and a few 
 g'irls. The former increase a man's importance in 
 the chief's eyes ; he shares the honour they may 
 acquire in warj when they gTow up and settle 
 around him, he becomes a little chief. We can 
 imagine the pride Avith which the old man g'oes 
 from kraal to kraal, advising- here, commending- or 
 reproving- there, respected and obeyed everywhere ; 
 or with what complacency he looks around him 
 from the hill on which his own habitation stands, and 
 viewing- those of his children, says inly, "They 
 are all muie," and receives the cono-ratulations of 
 his neig'hbour, who praises him as a g'reat mnn and 
 flatters him with the salutation of chief He is a 
 
02 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 real patriarcli j aiid^ if" lie were to remove to an un- 
 occupied country, would become the natural inde- 
 pendent ruler of his people. It is iti this way 
 doubtless that the various tribes have orig-inated. 
 
 We have alread}' seen that, when 3'oung- women 
 refuse to accept husbands chosen by their parents, 
 they are sometimes treated with g-reat severity. 
 Mr. Dohne asserts, ^\ith reference to such cases, 
 that a Katir loves his cattle more than his daug-hter j 
 and, in justification of the statement mentions in- 
 stances in which " the g*irl had become christianized 
 or only civilized, and would not allow herself to be 
 made an article of trade. She was cursed, dis- 
 owned — 3'ea, if her father and friends had had it in 
 their power, she would have been killed without 
 mercy." It must be remembered that the mother 
 sometimes induces the father to relent. 
 
 The father's authority over his children, so long- 
 as they continue with him, is very g-reat. We ha^ e 
 seen that parents occasionally kill their young* chil- 
 dren, and I have been told tlmt a man might put 
 to death even an adult son living- in his kraal. A 
 venerable patriarch, to whom I mentioned this sub- 
 ject, said tliat no father would act w^ith such severity j 
 but, if his son were very undutiful, A^•ould drive 
 him away and retain his cattle. Generally, murder 
 is punished by fine, but in case of parricide death 
 is usually infiicted.^ 
 
 19 
 
 VII. — Necessitous pei-sons resort to those who 
 are prosperous, and seek to become their defend- 
 
DEPENDANTS. 93 
 
 ANTS.^° A man's importance being- increased in 
 proportion to the number of his followers^ indig-ent 
 people have little difficulty in finding* a patron 
 willing- to receive them. When admitted into 
 his service^ they are attached to one or more of 
 the houses of his wives^ and ^^ employed in servile 
 work." I believe however that, as the g-eneral 
 rule, men perform only such tasks as are ap- 
 propriated to their class j for example^ they cut 
 wood^ make fences^ prepare land for cultivation^ 
 and milk the cows. Dependants build their huts 
 near the entrance to the kraal ; but some^ who 
 possess a few cattle, are allowed to have separate 
 establishments in the neio-hbourhood. A man's 
 head-servant is called his in-duna — a name applied 
 to the principal officers of a chief. 
 
 Cows are usually lent to dependants to furnish 
 milk for themselves and their families ; veg-etable 
 food is supplied until, in the case of married men, 
 their wives have been able to provide it by tillag-e ; 
 when beef is slaug-htered they are not forg-otten; 
 if they are sick and unable to purchase medicine, 
 it is boug-ht for them ,* if a sacrifice is required in 
 their behalf, the master would not withhold it. 
 Mr. Fynn states that they are permitted to 
 retain Avhatever they may acquire by the practice 
 of "any healing- art or handicraft with which 
 they may be acquainted ; "^^ and that, when 
 they accompany him to war, the master not un- 
 frequently g-ives them a portion of the captured 
 cattle. 
 
 Thoug-h death has sometimes been inflicted on 
 
1)4 Till, KAl'lUb Ol' NATAL, 
 
 (It'j)cn(hiii(s altcii)j)tiii;^- lu wilhdraWj it seems 
 o;eiierally ackiiowlcdg'cd that tliey are entitled to 
 lea\e.*^ This rireunistaiice occasions them more 
 independence tlian tliey mig'ht otherwise enjoy, 
 for n ])erson does not like to be deserted hy his 
 ]>en])l(' and see them j^refcr the service of another. 
 A rich proprietor, on the occasion of his son's 
 marriap'e, ask«'d a dependant to supply the ox 
 called vm-qoliswa. The man luid a tolerably 
 laro-o herd, the whole or j^-reater portion of which 
 beloiiii'ed in reality to the other, but he Avould not 
 part with a sino-le l)ullock. The master was 
 furious at the denial ; but the servant was equally 
 excited, and told him to take back all his cattle. 
 He yielded at leng-th, and surrendered the animal. 
 Dependants are "g-enerally permitted to leave 
 with the cattle which have been g-iven to them ; or, 
 if not, they are allowed to leave, retaining- the cattle 
 as a loan, Asliose ofispring- may be claimed from 
 time to time by the proprietor, as well as the 
 orig'inal stock. Such cases, liowever, are the causes 
 of extensive litiiration ; and the numerous cases 
 which exist at the ])reseHt time are occasioned by 
 so many tribes d\\elling- in a peaceful condition 
 under Uritish rule."-' When a servant withdraws 
 from liis master, lie may be called u])on to make 
 com])ensation for the cost of medicine ])urchased on 
 his account, for sacrifices oH'ered in his behalf, and 
 for cattle furnished to en;i])le him to iiiarrv. If he 
 could not do this, tiie master mii:lil kcej) one ol" his 
 dau^i'hters. The widow of a de|)cn(hint iieiiig* ill, 
 ami the j>ro])het ha\inL:" dii-eclcd an olleriiig* to be 
 
TENDER MERCIES OF THE WICKED. 95 
 
 made^ the master sacrificed a cow and the woman 
 recovered. Subsequently she married ag-ain and 
 left J when the husband being- unable to replace the 
 cow, one of her daughters was retained. She con- 
 sidered this unjust; her husband had died in his 
 master's service and she had thrown away his 
 corpse j she oug-ht therefore to have received from 
 the master a cow to sacrifice on the occasion. He 
 did not however furnish one; and it was, she said^ 
 to the omission of this ceremony that the prophet 
 ascribed her sickness. Isaacs recovered the child^ 
 and restored her to her mother. 
 
 An old woman^ who had been reduced to want, 
 was received into a kraal^ and emplo3"ed in such 
 work as she could perform. While able to stag'g'er 
 under a burden of fire-wood or carry a vessel of 
 water, she was fed; but eventually she became 
 blind. The women who had su2)plied her with 
 victuals now told her to leave — she was useless and 
 should not eat their food — why should they be 
 burdened to maintain a person unable to work? 
 The helpless creatm-e was beaten, driven away, and 
 left to wander. She gToped about, with her hard, 
 work-worn fing-ers, in the hope of detecting- some 
 edible root or fruit ; but the search was vain — 
 she could not even find the water — and ere long- 
 she died. 
 
 Solitary young- females, who have been received 
 as dependants, ^^ marry with precisely the same 
 ceremonies as those of the tribe, and are called 
 the daug-hters of their g-uardian, who offers 
 sacrifices when they are attacked bv sickness, 
 
96 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 as he would for his own cliildren. Years may 
 elapse before such a female meets Avith her real 
 relations." If however they discover her retreat 
 they may claim the cattle received from her 
 husband^ but must pay one head for her nurture, 
 and restore those which had been sacrificed in 
 her behalf or given at the marriag'e. " I have fre- 
 quently known it occur/' says Mr. F^^nn, "that 
 females so situated as not to know where their rela- 
 tives were, rather than not have a claimant, have 
 secretly arrang*ed with strang-ers to declare rela- 
 tionship. I can onl}^ account for this extraordinary 
 proceeding' by attributing" it to a natural im- 
 pression that the husband would have more respect 
 for one who had a parent or relatives than for 
 an orphan." 
 
CHAP. IV.— POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS. 
 
 I.— THE NORMAL GOVERNMENT OF THE TRIBES. II.— THE ZULU 
 GOVERNMENT. III.— ADVENTURES OF A CHIEF. 
 
 I. — In describing- the political institutions of this 
 people, we must disting-uish between the Zulu 
 government, and what may be called the normal 
 GOVERNMENT of the tribes g-enerally. The latter, 
 which obtained before Tshaka's conquests, formed 
 the basis of that established by himself, and is 
 naturally adopted by the tribes in Natal, so far as 
 the action of British authority permits. 
 
 The normal g'overnment is patriarchal, a tribe 
 being* only a larger family, of which the chief may 
 be regarded as father : ^haha, my father, is, in fact, 
 one of the titles by which he is addressed. His 
 relationship to the people is therefore more intimate 
 than that of a mere g'overnor ; for, while they obey 
 his commands, they seek his advice, and in some 
 cases obtain more substantial help. " He is the 
 centre of their thoughts and actions; with him 
 rest their prospects and even their lives ; they are 
 entirely dependent on him and theii* parents for 
 counsel and aid, not only in marrying but in every 
 emerg'ency."^ 
 
 Though the chief be thus theoretically absolute, 
 in practice he is not so, being' "obliged," says 
 Mr. Fynn, "to consider what effect his com- 
 
 H 
 
98 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 mands will have on the minds of his followers. 
 Fiven Tshaka, one of the gTeatest despots who ever 
 o'overned any nation, constantly kept this consi- 
 deration in view, being- perfectly aware that his 
 reig'n would soon terminate, if he opposed the 
 g'eneral will of his people." If then the wdll of the 
 people was thus potent under the iron sway of the 
 g'reat Zulu king*, we can imagine the position of a 
 normal chief, and believe that it requires more 
 than hereditary title to ensure submission to his 
 Avill. The principal means which he employ's for 
 that purpose is the prophet or seer, of w^hom it has 
 been said that he is the g'reat lever by which the 
 chief exercises his pow^er. 
 
 It must be acknowledg'ed^ however, that, not- 
 withstanding* their democratic tendency, these people 
 entertain g-reat respect for authorit3^ They are 
 trained to it by that reverence which custom re- 
 quires them to show toAvards their parents, and 
 which the " men " exact from the " boys." A chief 
 therefore who succeeded in corroborating* his here- 
 ditary title, and possessed a g"ood reputation for 
 Avisdom and courag'e, mig'ht acquire gTeat influence 
 over his followers. 
 
 There are three classes of officers connected with 
 the g'overnment of a tribe. The most important 
 are izin-duna (the literal meaning* of the word being- 
 bulls of a year old) diAided into g*reat and small. 
 The former are the chief's councillors and principal 
 ministers of state ; the latter are of inferior rank, 
 and perform subordinate duties. The two other 
 
chief's offcers. 99 
 
 classes are aba-yisa (which should mean cattle 
 herds) and ama-pini (axe-handles). They are ap- 
 pointed^ I believe^ by the izin-duna, and are pro- 
 moted to the lower division of that rank^ if they 
 discharg-e their office well; and appear worthy of 
 the advancement. 
 
 The Great Place (as the chief's residence is 
 termed) is the resort of all the principal men of the 
 tribe^ who attend ^^ for the purpose of paying* their 
 respects to the chief." Their ^^ visits may extend 
 from one week to four or five months, when they 
 return to their petty chieftainships or kraals, and 
 others arrive. The followers of a chief, while in 
 attendance upon him at his kraal, are g'enerally 
 desig-nated ama-pakati,'" those within (the chief's 
 circle). " He g'enerally occupies each day with his 
 ama-pakati; the topics of the time eng'ag'e their 
 attention ; trials of criminal and civil cases employ 
 a portion of their time."^ 
 
 The chief's wives are more numerous than a 
 subject's j and in the Zulu-country are carefully 
 secluded from view, not only at the king-'s court, 
 but at those of the dependent chiefs. The influen- 
 tial position which they occupy in the g-overnment 
 of the tribe will be subsequently referred to. The 
 chief's mother is also of g*reat consequence, and is 
 treated with much respect. She shares what I sup- 
 pose to be one of his highest titles, and is called 
 the Elephantess, while his g-reat wife is called the 
 Lioness. 
 
 Thoug-h a considerable amount of authorit}'- 
 H 2 
 
100 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 is exercised b}'^ the owner of a kraal over his 
 children and (l'>ppndants^ important causes must 
 be referred to tlie chief, who investig'ates them, it 
 has been already said, in the presence of his 
 amn-pahati. " As there are no professional law- 
 yers, every um-jjahati may enter freely into the 
 case ; and, from the ridicule which would result 
 fi'om the interference of one incompetent to argne 
 the cause, it seldom happens that any display of 
 incompetency occurs. Thus the chiePs residence 
 may be termed the school where law is taug'ht, 
 and its rules transmitted from one g*eneration 
 to another." 
 
 It is in forensic debates that the Kafir's mind 
 appears to most advantag-e; and no one can 
 witness the intellectual g-ladiatorship displayed on 
 such occasions "without being* convinced that in 
 their case intellect has not been affected by the 
 distinction of colour or clime."^ But, thoug-h their 
 pleading" is acute, it is very tedious and almost 
 interminable ; they have no idea of separating* 
 relevant from irrelevant matter, but g'o on from 
 beg'inning' to end, detailing* every circumstance, 
 whether important to the question or not. " If 
 you cut them short and tell them to g'et to 
 the point, they will beg'in all over ag*nin. It 
 is of no use being* impatient ; you cannot hurry 
 them ; a Kafir can alwaj's talk ag'ainst time."^ 
 He also possesses the art of making* the worse 
 a])pear the better cause. "Without minutely ex- 
 amininir him, vou mii>-ht be led to conclude that 
 everything- he says is indisputable, and that he 
 
NATIVE OATHS. 101 
 
 has been grievously wroiig'ed; biit^ on interrog-at- 
 ing- him closely, you will soon discover that the 
 fellow's tale has been a fabrication, desig-ned to 
 g*et you to punish his enemy, or to exact some- 
 thing* as a peace-offering* for himself. Nothing- 
 can be more common than impositions of this 
 kind, which required our attention to g-uard 
 ag"ainst."^ 
 
 The parties, in a cause, and the witnesses are 
 sworn — Mr. Isaacs says by the spirit of their 
 forefathers, but I suspect there is some mistake in 
 this part of the statement. Oaths are sworn (1) by 
 living* persons. The most common is a mere in- 
 vocation of the chief, sometimes by that g'eneral 
 title, sometimes by his proper name. They are 
 sworn also by an ornament belonging- to the chief, 
 and by his palace. A man sometimes swears by 
 his father and sometimes by his wife's mother, while 
 a woman will swear by her husband's father.® 
 (3.) Oaths are sworn by deceased chiefs, as by Tshaka 
 and Ding-ane ; and by a deceased father. (3.) A 
 third class of oaths consist in the person's de- 
 claring* that he will do something* peculiarly 
 enormous ; he may say, for instance, " let me 
 eat my father's bones," or '"' I will enter the 
 serao-lio." Oaths of the first class are not 
 entitled to much reg-ard, nor perhaps are those 
 of the second* but it is otherwise as to those 
 of the third, and I am disposed to think that 
 these are the oaths required to be taken before 
 the chief in all important causes. 
 
 The Kafirs ^^mav be said in their customs to 
 
100 THE KAFIHS OF NATAL. 
 
 possess laws uliich moot every crime tliat may 
 be committed." The lidministrntion of them is 
 ho\V(»ver rendered very con-upt by the injustice 
 of the Judg-es; for (says Mr, Fynn) " cu])i(lity, 
 wliicli is a strun<i-ly developed feature of tlie 
 Kafir charaete'r, will not permit either the chief 
 or those who surround him, and between whom 
 tlie fine is trenerallv disti'ibuted, to foreo-o the 
 advantao*e to be derived from the infliction of 
 heavy fines." The Commissioners say that bribery- 
 is nearly universal. In what may be called 
 civil causes, justice is done by restorin<»" the 
 property^ and makino- an allowance or not ac- 
 cording- to circumstances. These causes are chiefly 
 connected with marriag-e-questions and diy])utes 
 between a man and his dependants. If cattle 
 trespass in a corn-field^ the owner must " make 
 reparation by g'iving" a cow or a calf^ according* 
 to the extent of the damajre done." 
 
 The following* list of crimes and their punish- 
 ments is based on Mr. Fynn's evidence. 
 
 Theft .... Restitution and fine. 
 
 Injuring cattle . . Death or fine, accordiii}^ 
 
 to circiunstances. 
 
 Causing cattle to abort. Heavy fine. 
 
 Arson .... Fine. 
 
 False witne.>*s . Heavy fine. 
 
 Maiming . Fine. 
 
 Adultery Fine ; sometimes death. 
 
 Ilapc .... Fine ; sometimes deatli. 
 
 Using love philters Death or fine, according 
 
 to circumstances. 
 Poisoning and ])ractice8 
 
 with an evil intent 
 
 (termed " witchcraft ") Dr.itli iind confiscation. 
 
CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS. 103 
 
 Murder . . . . Death or fine, according to 
 
 circumstances. (When 
 a chief or parent is mur- 
 dered, death is usually 
 inflicted. In other cases 
 only a fine is levied). 
 Treason, as contriving 
 the death of a chief; 
 conveying information 
 
 to the enemy. . . Death and confiscation. 
 
 Desertion from the Tribe Death and confiscation. 
 
 A husband's authority being- absolute, he may 
 inflict capital punishment on his wife without re- 
 ference to the chief. A woman, carrying- her infant, 
 went to visit a married sistei*. Tlie latter having- 
 taken the child and kissed him, he cried lustily, and 
 continued to do so for some time. The mother 
 returned home, and within two days the child died. 
 It was suspected that the aunt had administered 
 poison, and her husband was applied to. He denied 
 that his wife was an ''^ evildoer ;" nevertheless — to 
 satisfy the accuser, who was rich, and his brother, 
 who was an iii-duna — he would kill her, and she 
 was forthAvith strano-led. In the following- instance 
 a wife was killed by her husband's brother. A 
 wealthy man, having* lost one of his wives, was 
 assured by the prophet that she had been poisoned 
 by a wife of his brother. That person was of a| 
 different opinion and attributed her death to the • 
 ang-er of the spirits. Sumali was therefore spared, 
 but afterwards, when another wife died, suspicion 
 ag-ain fell on her, and the bereaved husband deter- 
 mined that she should be slain. Accompanied by 
 some of his people, he went to his brother's kraal 
 
104 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 nnd aniioimced his determinntion to kill the nlleg-ed 
 "evildoer." Her hushand wept, for she was a 
 favourite ; and his mother advised him to resist. 
 He was afraid to do so ; his wife had been accused 
 by the prophet^ he was a poor man, he was dependent 
 on his brother, and thoug-ht it best to submit. Su- 
 mah, knowing- tliat her fate was inevitable, had put 
 on her dancing'-dress and ornaments, and was told 
 to acconipau}" her executioners to the bush. She 
 now kissed her children j and, taking* up the 
 young-est, requested, in vain, that it mig'ht be killed 
 with her. The child havino; been forcibly removed 
 from her arms, she was led out of the kraal and 
 strang-led. 
 
 The chief's revenue consists mainly of fines and 
 confiscations. When a man slaug'hters an ox or 
 cow, the chief is entitled to a portion ; but those 
 who live at a distance from the Great Place and 
 are in the habit of killing* beef, send him a beast 
 annually in lieu of the occasional triliute. He also 
 summons the people to cultivate his g'ardens, reap 
 his crops, and make his fences ; but in this, as in 
 other respects, he has to consult the popular A\'ill, 
 and hence the manual labour recpiired by the chiefs 
 has always been of very limited duration.^ This 
 tax is the more reasonable, as the men, when they 
 attend at the Great Place, are fed by the chief. 
 
 The chieftainship is hereditary, but not in the 
 eldest or any particular son. In some tribes, the 
 chief nominates his successor on the approach of 
 
SUCCESSION TO THE CHIEFTAINSHIP. 105 
 
 death j or^ if this be omitted^ he is chosen by the 
 great men and councillors^ after the chief's death. 
 He must be the son of the chief by a lawful wife. 
 In other tribes ^^the arrangements are completed 
 by establishing- the rank of the house^ each wife 
 being* looked upon as the head of a house during- 
 the chief's lifetime ; and this requires an elaborate 
 org-anization. The domestic establishment of a chief 
 and his tribe is usually divided into three principal 
 HOUSES^ which may be called sections. Each of 
 these is og-ain subdivided under the headship of 
 the particular house to which it belong-s ; and these 
 divisions are to all intents and purposes, separate 
 and distinct, and united only in the person of the 
 chief. Every section, principal and minor, is pre- 
 sided over by one of the chief's wives, whose son 
 becomes heir to it ; and which has its own peculiar 
 rank and property descending to the heir thus born 
 within it, as regularly as if it were an independent 
 house, and unconnected with any other part of the 
 tribe. This inheritance reverts to one of the other 
 sections or houses, only on the failure of issue within 
 itself, and then by regular gradation. The three 
 principal sections are called the Right Hand, the 
 Great, and the Left Hand houses. 
 
 " The ranks of all the wives, who are at the head 
 of these principal as well as smaller houses, are 
 conferred by the appointment of the chief and his 
 '^men" (as the councillors of a tribe are usually 
 called par excellence), except that of the Eight hand 
 House, which belongs, as a matter of right, to the 
 wife first married ) whose rank, and that of her son 
 
100 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 are not capable of any mod iti cation. He cannot 
 however succeed to the chieftainshij), until issue 
 from all the other houses have failed. He is here- 
 ditary reg"ent of the tribe, and head under the chief 
 of that ])art of it which belong-s to his mother's 
 house. This house, being" the senior, is the deposi- 
 tory of the family charms and medicines. It is 
 the one which the chief inhabits during- the periods 
 of purification, or other ceremonies, which are pre- 
 sided over by what are commonly called witch- 
 doctors, but whose functions appear to assimilate 
 more with those of a priesthood. It is therefore 
 more or less sacred in the eyes of the people, as 
 during- such times the chief may not enter an}- other. 
 These immunities and its other conservative func- 
 tions secure to it considerable influence in the tribe ; 
 and, for this reason, it is always more nearly con- 
 nected wdth the Great House, althoug-h of inferior 
 rank to that of the Left Hand. It will be remem- 
 bered that the influence of this house has had the 
 advantag'e of being" enhanced and consohdated by 
 time; its rank accrued the da}- of the Avoman's 
 marriag'e ; and in all probability she was the only 
 wife of five or six who held any definite rank at all, 
 because that of the others is created at or after the 
 marriag-e of the wife who is to bear the heir to the 
 chieftainship over all ; and she is seldom taken to 
 wife until the chief has passed the meridian of life, 
 and his first-born son has attained to the a^-e of 
 manhood. 
 
 " The Great House is presided over b}' the g-reat 
 wife, ^^■ho is to bear the heir. The time of her 
 
IMPATIENT HEIRS. 107 
 
 marriag"e is a season of g'reat festivity with the 
 tribe. The men assemble tog*ether at the Great 
 Place^ and witness the ceremony. A subscription 
 of cattle from among* the tribe pays for her ; and 
 thus, with her prog'eny, she becomes its peculiar 
 property. Her rank is superior to all others ; and, 
 althoug"h during- the chief's lifetime, her son is 
 merely the head of the section called the Great 
 House, he is the heir to his father's rank over the 
 whole tribe. 
 
 "This long- delay in the appointment of a 
 successor, or rather of the wife that is to bear 
 him, tog-ether with the ahnost absolute bar that 
 is placed to the succession of the first born, 
 appear to be arrang-ements made to obviate a 
 dang-er which in all savag-e tribes is one of no 
 ordinary character to the life of the reig-ning- chief — 
 viz: that of assassination or violent expulsion by 
 an ambitious heir. This is however prevented : 
 and the consequence is that the chief frequently 
 dies, leaving" his heir a minor, when the reg-ency 
 is undertaken by the first wife."^ It is implied, in 
 a remark of Mr. Isaacs, that in the Zulu-country 
 the appearance of wrinkles or g'rey hairs woukl 
 be very likely to prove fatal to the chief. I am 
 unable to say whether this applies to the normal 
 condition of the people, but have certainly heard 
 it said that when a chief's hairs become gTcy, 
 his sons enquire why he does not die, and often 
 beg-in to plot ag-ainst him. 
 
 They sometimes plot ag-ainst each other, and 
 that during- their father's life. A chief in the 
 
108 THE KAFIKS OF NATAL. 
 
 Zulu-country had t^^'0 sons, the elder of whom 
 -wished to be appointed his father's successor. 
 The old man refused his request and Avould listen 
 to no remonstrance; when the ambitious yount*- 
 man determined to destroy his more fortunate 
 brother. Accompanied by some dependants, he 
 went during- the nig-lit to the latter's kraal, where 
 he rattled a dry hide and made other noises 
 to disturb the cattle and alarm the people. His 
 brother, thinking- that a wild beast had entered 
 the fold, crept out of his hut, and was assag-ai'd 
 before he rose to his feet; while the dependants 
 who left their huts more slowly, feeling- less 
 interest in the safety of the herd, were killed in 
 the same manner. The fratricide, havino- o-iven 
 his follo\\ers an ox to eat, drove the rest of the 
 cattle home and added them to his own herd. 
 When the murder came to the kino-'s knowledo-e, 
 that personag-e did not think it politic to interfere ; 
 he had himself conspired ag-ainst his brother and 
 done his best to kill him, while Ding-ane had 
 killed Tshaka \ he did not understand the customs 
 of the tribe. It is said however that the culprit 
 was fined, owing- perhaps to the interposition of 
 the great officers. 
 
 When the old chief died, the murderer was 
 recognised as his successor both by the tribe 
 and l)y the King-. The former regarded him 
 nevertheless with great dislike ; and, several deaths 
 occurring- in his famil}', they attributed them to the 
 spirits who were supposed to be punishing- him 
 for his brother's nuirder. He, of com-se, ascribed 
 
THE ZULU GOVERNMENT. 109 
 
 them to a different orig-in, and caused several 
 persons to be slain as " evildoers." These pro- 
 ceedings were viewed with g-reat suspicion by 
 the king-'s principal councillors, one of whom 
 declared that on the next occasion he should 
 consult the prophet and ascertain the true cause 
 of the repeated calamities. After a while, another 
 death occurred, when the councillor fulfilled his 
 resolution and heard the prophet ascribe the mis- 
 fortune, not to an "evildoer," but to the spirits. 
 No more people were allowed to be slain. 
 
 II. — The Zulu Government was established 
 by Tshaka, who succeeded to the chieftainship of 
 the Zulus between fort}' and fifty years ago, and 
 subdued nearly all the people between Delagoa 
 Bay and the Frontier tribes. After a reig-n of 
 about twenty years, he was killed and succeeded 
 by his brother Ding-ane ; who, in turn, was deposed 
 and succeeded by another brother, Pande, the pre- 
 sent ruler of the Zulu-countr}'. 
 
 The government established b}^ Tshaka differs 
 from the normal t3^pe principally in this, that the 
 chief or king is absolute. Tshaka was as complete 
 an autocrat as ever lived. His influence was most 
 extraordinary, while the cruelty with which he 
 exercised it was truly diabolical. His successor 
 possessed less ability j but he was equally unfeel- 
 ing. In his reign, and it may be said in that of 
 Tshaka, there was no to-morrow for the Zulu, who 
 therefore replied to every promise with the pro- 
 verb, " Give it to-day j before to-morrow I may be 
 
110 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 killed."'" Pande, who is perhaps less blood-thirsty, 
 has also been restrained by the knowledg-e that his 
 oppressed subjects could find an asylum in the 
 British colony of Natal. 
 
 It has been previously stated that; with all his 
 desi)otism, Tshaka had to pay some reg-ard to the 
 wall of his peojile. We cannot wonder, therefore^ 
 that Dino-ane and the still more feeble Pande have 
 felt themselves oblig-ed to do so. In Tshaka's time 
 the men, being- chiefly unmarried, were pervaded 
 l)y a martial spirit ; but, the rule of celibacy having* 
 been relaxed by his successors, they are now 
 divided in their interests and w ishes — the ^^ men " 
 desirmg' peace, while the '^ boys " are more inclined 
 to the excitement of war. 
 
 It appears that Natal owes something* to the 
 elder w^arriors, for the security it has enjoyed. It 
 is not to be supposed that Pande looks w ith any 
 satisfaction on that colony, where so many of his 
 people have taken refug'e. It contains also an 
 abundance of cattle, while the plunder of the mer- 
 chants' stores would yield a rich harvest of blankets 
 and beads. The young- soldiers — thoug-htless, reck- 
 less barbarians, individually wdthout courag*e, but 
 heedless of dang-er when in a body — are said to 
 hold the white man in contempt, and represented 
 as impatient to disting'uish themselves ag'ainst him. 
 When assembled to dance, they ask the king* to 
 send them into Natal, whence they promise to bring' 
 multitudes of fine cattle, and plenty of hats to prove 
 that the Eng'li.sliman's g'un cannot protect him 
 
A coward's boastings. Ill 
 
 ag-ainst their conquering' assag-ai. Pande affects to 
 have no confidence in them j but he praises their 
 spirit, and seems both to approve and expect this 
 expression of their views. A man^ who at a dance 
 Avas next to m}^ informant^ having' neg'lected to 
 follow" the example of his comrades and descant on 
 the facility of ducking- to avoid a bullet^ the king- 
 reproached him with cowardice^ saying' that he was 
 evidently becoming- tired of war and wished to 
 marry : '■' I see — you want a wife. I remember 
 your mother requested that you mig-ht be allowed 
 to mai'ry^ because you were her only son. I shall 
 kill 3"ou." Then^ turning- to my informant, Pande 
 asked what lie had to sa3^ Never was there a 
 more arrant coward than this " boy ;" but boasting- 
 was safe, and spring-ing- to his feet he spoke like a 
 brave : " Yes, Elephant. You see me. I'll g'o 
 ao-ainst the white man. His o-un is nothing-. I'll 
 rush upon him quickly, before he has time to shoot, 
 or I'll stoop down and avoid the ball. See how 
 I'll kill him ;" and forthwith his stick did the work 
 of an assag-ai in the body of an imaginary Euro- 
 pean. Pande insinuated that his assag-ai was a 
 poor weapon with which to fig-ht a white man ; but 
 the " boy " protested that it was far better than a 
 musket, and that he would be a g-reat deal too active 
 for any white man. Our brave's hereditary chief 
 had found refug-e in Natal; and Pande now hinted 
 that, if an arm}^ were sent thither, the ^^boy" 
 would prove traitor and not act ag-ainst his natural 
 g-overnor ; but he repelled the insinuation with 
 g-reat vehemence, and I have no doubt denounced 
 
112 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 his chief as an uiii»Tateful and incorrio:ible scoun- 
 drel. At all events he declared that he was ready 
 to kill him with as little hesitation as he would kill 
 any other man whether black or white. 
 
 Thoug'h Pande and his young* warriors may 
 despise the colonists, the " men " are far from 
 ag-reeing" with them, and, if ordered to invade 
 Natal, would, as I am assured, positively refiise 
 to do so. They have had experience of w^arfare 
 with Europeans, and retain a lively recollection 
 of the g-uns and horses of the boers. It is true 
 that few of the Eng-lish are mounted ; but they 
 are known to possess cannon, to which, I sup- 
 pose, the submission of the boers is attributed. 
 They are not acquainted with these mig-ht}' 
 eng'ines from experience, but have heard of the 
 artillery-practice at Pieter-Maritzburg-, and hold 
 them in mortal dread ; they believe that the fear- 
 ful hj-and-hye eats up everything' — g-rass, stones, 
 rocks — and why not ama-dodal I have heard 
 this g-iven as the explanation of their unwilling-ness 
 to hivade Natal." 
 
 I have already had occasion to speak of the 
 division of a tribe into subordinate tribes or fami- 
 hes, each having* a chief, but all being- subject to 
 the chief of the principal or parent tribe. Of these 
 there were some who acknowledg-ed the authority 
 of Tshaka's father, and who may be included under 
 the g-eneral term of Zulus, thoug'h that name applies 
 more particularly to the ])arent tribe. AYlien, there- 
 fore, Tshaka beg'an his career, he was a little lord 
 
A MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCE. 113 
 
 paramount ; but only after the normal fiisliioUj and 
 as many other chiefs were. The tribes whom he 
 conquered, did not receive uniform treatment. Those 
 who first submitted, appear to have been left very 
 much as they were, except that they were recpiired 
 to obey his commands and serve in his army. They 
 were more liable however to become the objects of 
 violence and cruelty; and thus it has happened 
 that nearly all have removed, some beyond the 
 Maputa, and some to Natal. Those who remain 
 are chiefly of the Tetwa nation. 
 
 Chiefs subject to the Zulu monarch exercise con- 
 siderable authorit}^ over their own people, thoug-h, 
 of course, liable to be controlled by the ting-^ who 
 sometimes sets aside the reofular succession to the 
 chieftainship, and g-ives it to an individual of his 
 own choosino-. The followino* anecdote relates 
 to the chief of a division of the Zulu tribe. 
 He had lost a son, when one of Pande's wives 
 despatched a messeng-er to express her sorrow to 
 the bereaved parent. The individual selected for 
 this office was a young* unmarried man, who may 
 be pardoned if the honour made him feel unusually 
 important, and involved him in sundry quarrels re- 
 specting" the rig'ht to the path. AVhen he reached 
 his destination he found the g'ate crowded with 
 people assembled to condole with their chief; but he 
 made his way through the press, and appeared 
 inside the kraal. A councillor, perceiving- the 
 strang'er, sent a servant to ask his business; but 
 our " boy " was not g^oing- to parley with a depend- 
 ant, and answered gTuffly, " I shan't tell you." 
 I 
 
114 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 The liunil)l(' man said that he had been ordered 
 to make tlio enquiry ; but tliis did not appal the 
 im])ortant "■ boy," and the servant returned. A 
 second who was sent^ met with as httle ceremony 
 as the otlier ; and tlie messeng-er^ ^^ji^g" aside his 
 weapons, went straig-ht to the chief's hut. He did 
 not, with all his jiresumption, dare to g"o inside; 
 but stood at the door and pronounced the chief's 
 titles, when he had finished the roll, a voice came 
 from the hut : 
 
 " Au ! where do you come from ?" 
 
 From Indaba-ka-aumbi, Elephant." 
 
 " All ! what do you want V 
 
 The " bo}^ " explained his errand. 
 
 " Ail ! go into Nong-weng-u's hut^ and when the 
 sun has g-one doAvn a g-ood deal, you shall see me." 
 
 ^^Yes, Elephant;" and awaj^ g-oes the mes- 
 senger to the hut mentioned; where, having- nothing* 
 else to do, he is soon asleep. By and bye a refresh- 
 ment is sent, in the shape of a bundle of sweet 
 reeds, when etiquette requires him to g'o ag-ain to 
 the chief, and repeat as many of his titles as he 
 may think the g'ift deserves. He then returns, and 
 after a Avhile receives a more substantial present of 
 boiled beef. The sight of the smoking mess inspires 
 him with great alacrity, and he is soon standing by 
 the chief's door, pronouncing his titles in full tale 
 and with much energy. Having rendered sufficient 
 thanks for so rich a gift, he speedily returns to the 
 savory dish, and feels himself a happy man. A 
 bowl of beer would have completed his enjoyment, 
 but there did not ha])pen to be any at the kraal, or 
 
THE ROYAL KRAALS. 115 
 
 the chief was stingy, and he was content with a 
 less potent beverag-e. Towards the close of the day 
 and when the cattle had been broug-ht home^ our 
 ''• boy " leaves the hut, and finds the chief sitting- at 
 the kraal-o-ate. He salutes him as before, and 
 delivers his messao-e — the substance of which was 
 that it was very unfortunate the child had died — 
 that they who sent him were very sorr}^, and that 
 the spirits of his ancestors did not seem to take 
 proper care of him. 
 
 The Zulus have not admitted all the people 
 whom they conquered to the same privileges. 
 Some were deemed unfit for anything- but tri- 
 butaries. The Amatong-a are of this class. The 
 low country which they occupy, is peculiarly 
 unhealthy, at least in summer, and equally fatal 
 to black and white visitors. Owing* probably to 
 this circumstance, they are believed by their 
 neighbours to be especially skilled in the art of 
 poisoning*, at all events they are reg*arded as 
 egregious " evildoers ; " every sort of crime and 
 abomination is attributed to them, and I doubt 
 whether any respectable Zulu would eat in their 
 company. Their reputation is no doubt worse 
 than they deserve, but white visitors have g-iven 
 them a bad character. We cannot wonder that 
 the Zulu king's have never incorporated them 
 with the nation. They are simply put under 
 tribute, which consists of skins, calico, and metal — 
 the two last being- obtained from the Portug'uese.^^ 
 
 The king-'s residence is built of the same materi- 
 I 2 
 
11(» Tin: KAF-rns or natal. 
 
 als, and presputs tlic same p;pnernl a])pparance as 
 that of Ills siihjocts. It is liowover niucli larg^er, 
 and flic roadf'r must iinaii'inr tlio ontcr fcncf to 
 hav«' a dianictcr of troni twelve linndicd yards 
 to a mile. lie may also ima;^-ine the nj)|)er part 
 of an ordinarv kraal — namely, tlie spare ahcnit the 
 chief hnt — to be enclosed hv a fence when he 
 will have an idea of the isi-pohio or palace. 
 This, which is approjiriated to the kin;;' and the 
 women of his family^ is furnished with several 
 huts — the larfT^st being' constructed in a peculiar 
 manner. (Behind the lar<_»'e kraal is a smaller 
 onOj called ama-pota, for the women). The re- 
 maining space between the two fences is occupied 
 by about one thousand huts, for the use of the 
 soldiers. The cattle-pens are formed at the sides 
 of the central enclosure, by which means a larg'e 
 vacant space is left for the assembling' of the 
 warriors. This will li'ive the reader a sufficient 
 thouo-h not an exact notion of the kinii''s kraal ; 
 but it must not be sujiposed that th«'re is only 
 one of the sort. There are from twelve to 
 fifteen such establishments, each appro])riated to 
 a particular reg-iment. 
 
 The king''s wives, of whose number 1 never 
 obtained any other estinuite than "plenty, plenty," 
 are distributed among* the various kraals, ;ind with 
 them are associated numerous concubines. J lis 
 mothers live in the palace, and have under their 
 care a larg*e class of girls, who do the work of 
 servants both in the isi-rjohlo and the g'arden, and 
 whom he sometimes marries to his n-j-cat men. 
 
THE king's attendants. 117 
 
 Of male attendants he has (1) a sort of valets y 
 who appear to wear his cast-oft" clothes. When 
 he is sick they are oblig*ed to allow themselves 
 to be wounded^ that a portion of their blood 
 may be introduced into the king''s circulation, 
 and a portion of his into theirs. They are 
 usually killed at their master's death, unless 
 they take time by the forelock and escape. One 
 who foolishly presented himself before the ama- 
 pakati while they were lamenting- the chief's 
 demise, was immediately slain. When they 
 escape it must be to a tribe among* whom they 
 are unknown, for no chief would willing'ly receive 
 the um-siya of another. ^'^ (2) Praisers, who repeat 
 his titles and praise him. (3) Sentinels, who were 
 introduced by Tshaka at the sug-g'estion of a 
 Frontier Kafir. (4) Izim-qeko, who cook and do 
 whatever they may be ordered to do. (5) Milkers. 
 (6) Porters, who close the g^ates at nig-ht and open 
 them in the mornino-. 
 
 As a g'eneral rule no man is allowed to enter 
 the place or the ama-poia, unless his occupation 
 render it necessary. The sentinels alone enter 
 that part appropriated to the king-'s wives and 
 concubines, to open and close the entrances. 
 These officials are sometimes very ill-favoured. 
 
 "The man at the Umvoti," said my servant, 
 "with a foot turned under his leg* would make 
 a sentinel; the man with bad eyes, who never 
 could g-et a wife, would do; Eambula's brother" 
 — he hnd a very protuberant chest — "would be 
 a ^ ery g-ood one ; anybody whom the g'irls 
 won't like would do." 
 
118 THE KA.FIHS OF NATAL. 
 
 '' You would do." 
 
 " No ! thev all liked me." 
 
 " You lived in the sentinel's hut." 
 
 "That was only while I was very young-. 
 Pande told me to live there. I was a milker. 
 When he g'.ave me a shield^ he sent me to live 
 with the cooks." 
 
 " How do you know that the o-irls liked vou ?" 
 
 "They told me so^ and complained that I 
 would never listen to them. When I took the 
 milk into the white palace^ the}^ used to ask 
 me for some. I told them I should not g-ive them 
 any and that the}' ought to ask a queen for it." 
 
 "Was it for refusing* to give his g'irls milk, 
 that you had to run away from Pande /" 
 
 " No. A man said that Pande was S'oino- to 
 kill me^ because he had heard that I had been 
 talking with his girls. I therefore ran as soon 
 as I could. But it was false, and I have been 
 told that Pande was very sorry, and said that 
 he did not wish to kill me." 
 
 "Were 3'ou ever in the palace when 30U had 
 no business there ?" 
 
 " Yes, in the white palace. One of the queens 
 asked me to come into her hut, and gave me 
 plenty of food. She belonged to my tribe. 
 Before lono- we lieard the kino- comino- and 
 were in a great fright. I don't know what he 
 wanted ; there is a gate from the black to the 
 white isi-goJdo. The women hid me behind them, 
 but when he came into the Init he saw me." 
 
 "What did he say?" 
 
AN EXAMPLE OF ZULU, INTRIGUE. 119 
 
 " Wau ! he was very ang-ry, and my heart 
 beat very fast, for I expected that he would 
 order me to be killed. But the queen told him 
 that she had invited me into her house, to hear 
 news about her family. The king- told me not 
 to do so to-morrow. Men sometimes climb over 
 the fence at nig-ht." 
 
 " When the girls g-o to work in the g-arden, do 
 they talk to the men ?" 
 
 " They try to do so. They begin by asking- for 
 snuff." ' 
 
 " AV^hat do you say to them ?" 
 
 " Speak to them rougiily, and say 3^ou have none. 
 Pande likes to hear that you have treated them so. 
 If you were to give them snuff, or only to say 
 g-ently ^No, ^mfakababa, I have none/ you are dead; 
 the sentinels who are squatting* in the g-rass, would 
 pounce upon 3^ou at once, and take you to the king-." 
 
 " Are the sentinels always with them ?" 
 
 " They follow at a distance to watch them."^^ 
 
 III. — The following' story will give the reader 
 some idea of the character of Zulu intrig'ue. 
 
 The servant of a rich man wished to leave his 
 master's kraal and build one for himself. He had 
 been orioinally unwillino- to take ui) his abode 
 there ; but his necessities at that time were urg'ent, 
 and he could not afford to resist. Now however he 
 was in better circumstances, and desired to occupy 
 a less degraded position. But the master would 
 not consent to his removal, the dependant having* a 
 larg-e family, whose departure would have made his 
 
I'JO THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 kraal apjienr too empty. Some aiigrv dis})utation 
 ensued ; when the master at leng-th affected to 
 yield, hut said tliat he was g'oing- to the king-'s, 
 and directed that nothino- should he done until his 
 return. The direction seemed reasonable, but it 
 was o-iven craftil}'; for he was g'oing-, not only to 
 complain of his servant's disobedience, but to accuse 
 him of being- an "evildoer." (He had some colour 
 for this latter charg-e, several of his cattle having- 
 died, thoug-h not from poison administered at his 
 own kraal.) Pande did not pay much attention to 
 his complaint^ and dismissed him with the sensible 
 advice to try the effect of g-ood words and endeavour 
 to persuade his dependant to comply with his 
 wishes. 
 
 Lumbo was not to be so easily disappointed ; his 
 servant had both cattle and g'irls, and he had made 
 up his mind to possess them. He therefore repaired 
 to his brother, an in-duna, or councillor, of hig-h 
 rank, Avho set off to employ his influence in sup- 
 porting- the accusation. He did not think it politic 
 to appear too forward in the matter j and, finding- 
 the accused's own chief at NodAveng-e (the master 
 and servant belong-ed to different tribes) asked him 
 to make the charg-e. This personag-e — being-, for a 
 Kafir, well disposed and humane — refused to have 
 anything' to do with the matter ; but he was young- 
 and not very firm, and at last yielded to the repre- 
 sentations of the crafty in-duna. He therefore 
 soug-ht an audience of the king-, and accused the 
 innocent man of poisoning- his master's cattle. The 
 king- asked how many had died, when the chief 
 
A BUNGLING CONSPIRATOR. l^l 
 
 said twenty ; but^ like a bad conspirator, added that 
 he did so on the in-duna^s authority. " Don't you 
 know them ?" was the very natural reply ; to which 
 he could only answer in the neo-ative. The kino- 
 also enquired respecting- the accused's property — a 
 point on which it was most important to the master 
 and the in-duna that he should be uninformed. ^^ 
 The chief had been instructed to deny that the in- 
 tended victim possessed either cattle or girls • but 
 he replied in a bung-ling- manner^ and the king- soon 
 discovered, b}' his OAvn confession, that the accused 
 had both. The king- now sent him to call the in- 
 duna, who was anxious to know exactly what he 
 had said ; the chief, however, annoyed at the treat- 
 ment he had just received, was in no humour to 
 g-ratify him. He therefore went into the presence, 
 unaware that Pande knew the dependant to be 
 comparatively rich; and, in answer to the king-'s 
 question, said that the accused possessed no pro- 
 perty. Pande denied the assertion, saying- that he 
 should some day learn the truth; but, instead of 
 dismissing- the charg*e and disg-racing- the in-duna, 
 he told him to have the accused slain — ordering* 
 however that some g-reat person should be entrusted 
 with the execution ; for the " evildoer " was the son 
 of a rich man and not poor himself. 
 
 Having- thus far prospered, the in-duna wished to 
 make further use of the young- chief, and asked him 
 to undertake the murder. The latter refused, and 
 this time was firm, he would not kill one of his 
 father's men. The in-duna, being* chag-rined, went 
 ag-ain to the king- ; and, misrepresenting- the chief's 
 
120 TITT: KAIUiS Ul- nmal. 
 
 words, accused him of sMviiip- tliDt lie would not 
 kill one of his ou-u ])coplc (as if he ]i;id denied the 
 kinof's sii])rpniac\). This had the anticipated eflect 
 of excitinji* the despot's rnji^e, and tlie younj:: chief 
 was sent for. A storm of abuse awaited jiini ; l)ut, 
 when lie had explained, Pande's wrath was directed 
 towards the deceitfnl in-dinia. whom he swore by 
 Tshaka to ii'ivc to the vultures. The kini>-'s rag-e 
 however j^'raduallv cooled, and the in-dunn obtained 
 liis wish, the chief bein<>* ordered to take a i)artv of 
 soldiers and kill the "evildoer." l\ande jjiTaciousl}' 
 added tliat he did not wish him to see blood — he 
 was a vounii* chief, and need not witness the actual 
 execution. 
 
 Next morn in o- the chief set off with the soldiers 
 a])pointed to accomjiany him ; and, leaving- them at 
 his own residence^ proceeded to the kraal of the 
 accused's master. Lumbo was rejoiceded to see him, 
 for lie did not doul)t that his brother had mana^Td 
 the atiair ])roperly, and satisfied Pande that his 
 servant had no pro])erty ; but his countenance fell 
 when the vouno- chief informed Iiim that the "evil- 
 doer's" dauu-hters and other girls were to be taken to 
 the king". Not having- expected this, Luml)0 delayed 
 the execution until he had comnmnicated with his 
 brother, and paid another visit to court in the hope 
 of convincing- Pande that his servant Avas without 
 property. lie did not however succeed in his 
 object, foi' the king' ajiplicfl In liini a \ erv uncom- 
 ])limentarv ej)ithet, and told him to ii-turn with the 
 chiel" when the "evildor-r" had lieeii killed. 
 
 Having' reached home, lie made |trej)aration l"oi' 
 
AN EXECUTION. 12.'j 
 
 perpetrating* that most iniquitous deed. The victim 
 was ig'norant of his fate ; and it was to prevent 
 any suspicion arising* in his mind, that the soldiers 
 had not been broug-ht to the kraal. Still further to 
 deceive him, it was pretended that the cattle re- 
 quired medicine, and a doctor was according'ly sent 
 for; while, to account for the presence of the 
 soldiers, it was said that the king* had sent them to 
 assist in holding* the animals. When the cattle 
 had been assembled in the isi-haya and the doctor 
 had prepared his physic, the unsuspecting* dependant 
 proceeded to take his part in the ceremony, and 
 havino- cauofht a cow endeavoured to brino- it to 
 the practitioner. While thus eng*ag*ed, and con- 
 sequently unable to resist, he was seized by the 
 soldiers and overpowered. His brother rushed im- 
 mediately to one of the huts, in search of an 
 assag*ai; but all dang*erous instruments had been 
 secreted, and when he at leng-th succeeded in 
 obtaining* a weapon, it was too late to render the 
 victim help. The deed being* done, the young- 
 chief (who had been sitting* outside the kraal) en- 
 tered the fold, and pointed out the victim's cattle. 
 The master persisted in denying* that his dependant 
 had possessed an3^thing'; but the chief g*ave no 
 heed to his protestations and selected a beast for 
 himself. He g*ave the soldiers permission to take 
 another for their customary feast; but the master's 
 threats deterred them, and the chief, whose food 
 they had been previously consuming*, was now 
 obliged to furnish them with beef. 
 
 Having* returned to court, the chief reported 
 
124: THE KAFllitJ OF NATAL. 
 
 what Luinbo had said about his servant having* no 
 ju'operty. That wortliy was then sent for by his 
 brother^ that they both mig'ht appear before the 
 king- and confirm that statement on oath. They 
 did so, and Pande was satisfied. But not so the 
 conspirators, who asked for the restoration of the 
 cow which the chief had taken ; and, as a sure way 
 of exciting" the royal ang-er said that he had spoken 
 disrespectfully of the king- and complained that one 
 of his people should be killed. The chief having* 
 been summoned, Pande charg-ed him with dis- 
 loyalty, and abused him in a very undig-nified man- 
 ner. He attempted a rejoinder, but Pande would 
 listen to nothing* — the in-duna had sworn, and he 
 evidently believed him. 
 
 A month after the murder, two of the victim's 
 brothers, who had been meditating* reveng'e, went 
 to Nodweng-e. The in-duna was there and cou- 
 descended to salute them ; but they beheld him with 
 scorn, and received his compliments in silence. He 
 then asked their business, but they only told him 
 that it was with the king*. He had no difficulty 
 in g-uessing* what they wanted, and advised them 
 to g'o home again — the king- (he said) would not 
 attend to boys' matters. They did not choose to 
 follow his advice, and he again asked what they 
 wanted. They were now more explicit, and told 
 him that they had come to inform the king* that 
 their brother's g'irls had not been taken to him. 
 This made the in-duna very anxious to g*et them 
 away j and addressing- the elder in a tone of 
 
A BAFFLED IN-DUNA. 125 
 
 great apparent solicitude^ he urg-ed him not to think 
 of going- into the royal presence — the king- would 
 certainly kill them. They replied that they did not 
 care — their brother had been slain. The in-duna 
 then tried other arg-uments ; but finding: it impossi- 
 ble to turn them from their purpose, he endeavoured 
 to discover what they intended to say, intimating- 
 at the same time that it would be dang-erous to 
 deceive the king-. They told him that they were 
 aware of the circumstance, and said something- not 
 very flattering- as to the statements which he had 
 made to that aug-ust personag*e. This was unpardon- 
 able, for was he not a rich man and a g-reat officer, 
 and entitled to the respect of all miserable paupers ? 
 How dared they — poor fellows with perhaps two or 
 three cattle — talk to him who had hundreds, and call 
 him a liar too? It was not to be endured ; he would 
 immediately inform the king- of their insolence. 
 They told him to g'o and be quick about it ; when 
 he crept out of his hut in terrible wrath, promising* 
 to return with no pleasant message. Nor was it 
 long before he came back, saying that Pande was 
 exceedingly angry, and had ordered him to inform 
 the councillors that their story was altogether 
 false, and that they might go home. They had 
 watched his movements, and, knowing that he had 
 not been near the king but was only trying to 
 frighten them, received his statement with laughter. 
 This device having failed, he went to the other prin- 
 cipal councillors, and prevailed on them to direct 
 the boys not to present themselves before the king 
 until they had previously investigated the case. 
 
ICC) THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 Next moriiino- tlie roinicillors assembled, and 
 dii'ected tlie elder of the two brothers to state his 
 complaint. lie repeated the history of the false 
 accusation, and asserted that the deceased did not 
 injure his master's cattle. The in-duna, who had 
 ])rocured his death, said in reply that he had con- 
 sulted three pro])hets on the subject, while his 
 brother had consulted another 5 and that the four 
 had ao'reed in describino- the deceased as an ^^evil- 
 doer." If this had been true, the execution would 
 have been leg*al ; but the in-duna did not possess 
 a very g-ood reputation, and his statement was 
 doubted. It was considered especially remarkable 
 that he did not know the names of any of his pro- 
 phets — a circumstance pronounced by one of the 
 council to be unexampled and utterl}' incredible. 
 The elder complainant, who had been a fellow- 
 dependant of the deceased and Lumbo's head ser- 
 vant, was asked whether he knew that application 
 had been made to any prophet before his brother's 
 death. He replied in the neg*ative, when the 
 criminous in-duna made some remark abont an 
 Amaswazi prophet, and tried to confound this with 
 some previous case, in which a seer of that nation 
 had been visited. Another of the prophets, whom 
 he professed to have consulted, resided with a. per- 
 son then present, but avIio, on being* questioned, 
 stated that his dependant had not been visited by 
 the in-duna or any of his people. 
 
 Fhiding* himself defeated, the unjust councillor 
 became exceeding'ly violent; and, declaring- that 
 they were all leagfued ag-ainst him, left the circle. 
 
A BAFFLED IN-DUNA. 127 
 
 and sat down at some distance alone. He was 
 soon accosted by a very bold " boy/' who held some 
 small office at a neig-hbourmg- military kraal, and 
 had come to Nodweng-e to see the issue of the in- 
 vestig-ation. Observing* the in-duna sitting- apart, 
 he approached him in a rude manner, and spoke to 
 him somewhat in this style : " You are a liar — 
 you deceive the king* — you deceive the izin-duna. 
 You are a g-reat man, and think you may do as 
 you please. People are afraid of you, but I am 
 not. Go and tell the king- what I say. He knows 
 you." The in-duna was astonished, and asked the 
 " boy " why he did not pay him tlie same respect as 
 others did. The " boy " requested to know why he 
 should respect him : ^^ Who are you ? A depend- 
 ant — you are the king-'s dependant. We are equal. 
 What does it matter that you are the king-'s rela- 
 tion? You are not kino- — you are only a man." 
 The councillor rose and withdrew, intimating- to the 
 " boy " that he had better take care. 
 
 When the in-duna had left the council, it was 
 determined that the complainants should fetch two 
 of their brother's daug-hters, and thus convince the 
 kino- that he had been deceived. It being- not un- 
 likely that they would meet with opposition, a mes- 
 seng-er was directed to accompany them. Having- 
 reached the kraal where their brother had been 
 murdered, the elder complainant went straight to 
 Lumbo, who was sitting- in a hut, and asked his 
 dependant whether he had returned to stay with 
 him. " No," was the vehement reply, coupled 
 with the remark that he was very unlikely to re- 
 
1G8 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 main witli tlie man wlio had killed his brother. 
 When Liim])o learned his errand, he became very 
 desperate, rushed franticall}' out of the house, 
 called his ])eople into the cattle-fold, and said with 
 tears that he should now be slain. Taking* up two 
 of his young' children, he kissed them ; and then 
 declared that he must §"0 and consult his mother, 
 who lived in another kraal. The sun behig* set, his 
 wives persuaded him to defer the visit till morn- 
 ing-. The people chaunted a sort of dirg-e, which 
 he interrupted with such observations as these : " I 
 shall die now — the soldiers will be here to-morrow, 
 and we shall all be killed. The son of Bano-u has 
 been making' false statements to the king*. My 
 brother was very stupid not to prevent it." The 
 elder complainant was told that he mig-ht continue 
 at the kraal for the nig-ht, but the ^^oung-er that he 
 must sleep elsewhere. The youth, who heard this 
 announcement in silence, manifested no intention 
 to remove ; whereupon Lumbo exhibited gTeat ^io- 
 lence and threatened to kill him. His people, how- 
 ever, interfered, and the bo}' was allowed to re- 
 main. The man who had accompanied them was 
 bountifull}' entertained, but the complainants went 
 supperless to bed. Lumbo had given a loud order 
 to prepare food for them, but it was never produced, 
 and in all i)robability the direction was designed to 
 add disappointment to their hung-er. 
 
 Next day a council was held in the bush. Lum- 
 bo's mother wept over her son's misfortunes, and 
 railed immoderately at the wicked " boj'S " who had 
 deceived the king-. Suddenly she chano*ed her 
 
A COUNCIL. 129 
 
 tone, and railed at Lumbo, upbraiding* him with 
 stupidity in not having" long* ag*o killed the elder 
 one. He told her to be silent^ that the council 
 mig'ht proceed. The advice varied, but the issue 
 was that Lumbo expressed his determination not to 
 surrender the g'irls. The complainants, who were 
 present, mig'ht not have found their position safe, if 
 the young" chief, attended by some followers, had 
 not been there. The council being" ended, they 
 accompanied him to his kraal, and afterwards con- 
 trived to obtain possession of one of the g'irls, whom 
 they left in the care of a relative. They then re- 
 turned to Nodwenge, and told the king" what they 
 had done. He knew it already ; and, g-iving- them 
 permission to appropriate all their brother's propert}'-, 
 directed a g-reat man to accompany them that they 
 mig"ht be allowed to take it. When they arrived 
 at Lumbo's, he wept ag"ain, and ag-ain refused to 
 yield anything". They therefore retired to the kraal 
 where they had left the g'irl. 
 
 When the complainants had left Nodweng"e, the 
 in-duna succeeded, by various misrepresentations, 
 in incensing" Pande ag'ainst the young* chief, and 
 obtained an order for his destruction. Having* 
 been himself directed to execute the sentence, he 
 took several soldiers and made a hasty journey to 
 his own kraals, which were near those of the in- 
 tended victim. The complainants, who had not 
 left their relative's, soon heard of his unexpected 
 arrival, and were not long" in divining* its purpose. 
 The elder, believing* that if the chief were killed 
 they would not be allowed to escape, immediately 
 K 
 
130 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 fled to Natal ; the jouiig-er thouo-ht it best to* 
 return to the kins' — a circumstance with which 
 his Majesty was porticuhirly ])leased. 
 
 The in-chna (who endeavoured to conceal his 
 desig'n) left the kraal in which he had placed the 
 soldiers^ and took up his abode at another. Here 
 he made preparation for a g'reat feast; oxen w^ere 
 slaug'htered, and invitations sent to all the principal 
 men of the neig'hbourhood^ including- the young* 
 chief. The latter had no doubt that his death had 
 been decreed, and that the feast was only a treach- 
 erous scheme intended to entrap him. His friends, 
 being- of the same opinion, strong-l}' advised him 
 not to g'o y but he resolved, in spite of their re- 
 monstrances, to be present; and, having* ordered 
 his attendants, about twenty in number, to carry 
 not less than two assagais each, he set forth. As 
 he approached the in-dima's kraal, he observed that 
 it w^as already throng-ed, and his follow ers wished 
 him to remain outside : he scorned^ however, to 
 appear timid ; and, directing- them to accompany 
 him, proceeded to the principal hut and saluted the 
 owner. The latter beg'g-ed his g-uest to enter; but 
 the chief ])rudently declined, and withdra^^'ing' to 
 the central enclosure sat down wdth his followers. 
 The in-duna tried to separate him from them, by 
 making* various dispositions of the assembled people, 
 but without success. He endeavoured to accomplish 
 the same purpose by ag-ain inviting- him into his 
 hut — it was unfit, he said, for a g'uest of his rank 
 to sit outside in the heat of the sun. The chief ex- 
 cused himself, but said that he would come presently. 
 
A PLOT DEFEATED. 131 
 
 He then called one of his dependants^ and bade 
 him arrang-e his head-ring-. This proceeding- was 
 purposely prolong-ed; and^ when a servant an- 
 nounced that beef had been taken into the hut, still 
 served as an excuse for his absence — he could not 
 g-o until the operation had been completed. The 
 in-duna subsequently renewed the attempt, but the 
 chief was not to be entrapped — he was no chief, he 
 said, to-day — he was not fat enough for the sun to 
 hurt him — he preferred to remain where he was. 
 
 After a while beef was broug-ht into the enclosure, 
 and the chief, as the most important person present, 
 requested to carve it. If he had undertaken the 
 task and performed it in the usual way, he mig-ht 
 have been easily seized ; he therefore declined 
 the honour, but went to cut a portion for his 
 own followers. He was careful, in doing- so, not 
 to squat, and kept his eyes about him — a precaution 
 which probably saved his life. The beef had been 
 placed within a semicircle of men, the in-duna's peo- 
 ple being- at the extremities. Some of these, while 
 the chief was cutting- the meat, rose up and came 
 near him. Turning- hastily towards them, he 
 demanded what they wanted. His deportment, 
 and the assagai which served him for a knife, 
 intimidated them, and they endeavoured to excuse 
 themselves by saying- that they had come for 
 beef. It was not customary, he said, to do so; 
 and they slunk back to their places. The chief 
 very speedily cut a moderate supply for his 
 attendants, and retired to his former position. 
 When the in-duna learned that this scheme had 
 K S 
 
132 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 failed^ he atti-ibuted it to the folly of his "boys" 
 who had acted with too much haste; he had 
 instructed them to proceed stealthily and enclose 
 the chief before he could be aware. 
 
 A present of beef being- noAV sent expressly 
 for the chief, etiquette requii'ed that he should 
 g-o to the host, who was then in the house, 
 and thank him; he thoug-ht it safer, however, 
 to depute two of his attendants to perform that 
 ceremony. A servant afterwards came to say 
 that his master had some intellierence to com- 
 municate from the king*; when the chief, taking- 
 his followers with him, went to the hut. He 
 refused to enter — the sun was nearly set and 
 he must return home. The in-duna, having- re- 
 peated what the servant had said, namely, that 
 he had a messag-e from the king-, the chief 
 told him to deliver it; but was asked whether 
 he usually received royal communications in the 
 presence of his people. He replied that his fol- 
 lowers might be trusted; and, soon after, finding- 
 that the messag-e was only another pretext to 
 separate him from his ^ard, took leave of his 
 host. The baffled in-duna now came out of his 
 hut, expressed g-reat surprise at the chief's conduct, 
 and reg-retted that he should entertain unfriendly 
 feeling-s. The chief replied that it was he who 
 entertained such feeUng-s, and left the kraal. 
 
 Thoug-h the chief's })rudence had thus protected 
 him from immediate dang-er, he knew that it was 
 unsafe to remain under Pande's dominion. He 
 had previously fled from the tyranny of Dingane 
 
AN ESCAPE. 133 
 
 and soug-ht refiig-e beyond the river Maputa ; but 
 his experience on that occasion rendered him un- 
 wiKing- to trust ag-ain to the hospitality of a native 
 chieftain. He therefore determined to avail him- 
 self of the asylum presented by the white man^s 
 country and turn his face towards Natal. Having* 
 assembled his followers^ he pointed out their peril^ 
 and advised them to accompany him. They agTeed 
 to do so, and sacrifices were immediately offered to 
 the spirits, that they mi^ht bless the enterprise. 
 This done, they set forth while it was yet dark, 
 abandoning- the women and children to their fate — 
 these would only have hindered their flig'ht, and, 
 like the cattle left behind, could be replaced in 
 Natal. To elude pursuit the fugitives took a cir- 
 cuitous course, travelling- only at nig-ht, and, when 
 it was possible, in the bush. This made their 
 journey much long-er than it need otherwise have 
 been, and extended their wandering-s to several 
 daj^s. Having- had no time to furnish themselves 
 with provisions, they would have been almost des- 
 titute of food, if they had not contrived to scare a 
 lion from the carcase of a buifalo. The hung-ry 
 beast was unwilling- to leave his prey; but the 
 fug-itives were famishing- and therefore bold. On 
 one occasion, when near some huts, they wished to 
 reveng-e themselves for Pande's unjust treatment, 
 by destroying- the helpless occupants ; the chiefl, 
 however, forbade them to molest the unoffending- 
 people — they were not his enemies, and he would 
 not permit them to be injured. This moderation was 
 subsequently reported to the king-, and no doubt 
 
I'M 
 
 THE KAFIKS OF ^'ATAL. 
 
 excited his surprise, tlioiig-li it would hardly awaken 
 his admirntiou. 
 
 The fug-itives ultimately reached Natal^ where 
 the elder of the two "boys" mentioned in the 
 former part of this story had arrived before them. 
 The young-er subsequently joined his relatives. 
 
 M^^mi 
 
CHAPTER v.— CRIMES AGAINST LIFE AND 
 
 PROPERTY. 
 
 I.— MURDER. II.— POISONING. III.— ROBBERY. 
 
 I. — The reader has doubtless concluded^ from facts 
 previously mentioned^ that these Kafirs set little 
 value on human life. Several of the facts alluded 
 to, having- reference to normal customs, prove that 
 this has been their manner for a long- time ; yet it 
 cannot be doubted that they have become more 
 savag-e since their subjection to the sanguinary rule 
 of Tshaka and his successors. When the Zulus 
 appeared among- the Bechuanas, those people were 
 struck with their extreme barbarity. " On seeing- 
 these men/' said a Basuto, "so strong- and well-made, 
 entirely naked, of a cruel and ferocious counten- 
 ance, armed with short handled but larg-e headed 
 assng-ais, and with a shield of buffalo or bullock 
 hide twice as larg-e as ours, we were all seized with 
 fear, and called them 3Iateheles" those 7vho dis- 
 appear, or are scarcely to be seen behind their im- 
 mense bucklers, " but amongst themselves they are 
 called Amazulu." The author from whom this is 
 quoted observes that " the neig-hbouring* tribes say 
 of them proverbially that theTj are not men hut 
 eaters of men, so formidable have they become." 
 The Zulu soldiers are not all equally destitute of 
 
lyO TUE KAFIliS OF NATAL. 
 
 humanity^ as the folloAving* anecdote will show. A 
 detachment^ on a maraading- excursion, reached a 
 kraal, from which the inhabitants had fled, leaving- 
 behind them an old woman hardly able to move. 
 Being* now at the mercy of the savag*es, she 
 probably expected nothing* but death; and this 
 would certainly have been her fate, if one of the 
 party had not interfered and protected her from the 
 weapons of his ruthless associates. This man was 
 a tender-hearted barbarian; yet he Avas less humane 
 than may be thoug'ht, for he told the story as a 
 joke, and seemed infinitely amused to describe 
 and mimic the despairing* g*estures of the helpless 
 creature. 
 
 The following' description of the Kafirs in Natal 
 was written in 1847: "Their universal character, 
 as formed by their education, habits, and associa- 
 tions, is at once superstitious and warlike ; their 
 estimate of the value of human life is very low ; 
 war and bloodshed are eng-ag-ements with which 
 their circumstances have rendered them familiar 
 from their childhood, and from which they can be 
 restrained only by the strong* arm of power ; their 
 passions are easily inflamed, while at the same time 
 they have g-rown up in habits of such servile com- 
 pliance to the wills of their despotic rulers, that 
 they still show ready obedience to constituted 
 authority."^ 
 
 Such being' the character of the people, the 
 reader will perhaps expect to hear that murder (by 
 Avliich we mean violent homicide committed with- 
 out the chief's command) is of frequent occurrence. 
 
MURDER NOT COMMON. 137 
 
 This however is not the case — a circumstance ex- 
 plained partly by the fact that they are not of an 
 extremely reveng'eful character^ and partly perhaps 
 by their natural cowardice/"^ When excited^ they 
 are very reckless ', but they do not like to expose 
 themselves in cold blood. A proof of this is 
 furnished by the precautions which are taken in 
 executing- the sang-uinary decrees of the Zulu king*. 
 
 Violent homicide is usually committed under the 
 influence of passion. The following- are examples. 
 A number of unmarried soldiers had been sent to 
 procure wood, for repairing- one of the Zulu 
 monarch's large kraals. As they returned in sing-le 
 file, along- the narrow path, they were met by a 
 ^^man/' who ought to have paid respect to the 
 king's property, by giving way to the bearers of it. 
 As he neglected this duty, the leader of the file 
 ran against him with the bundle of sticks he was 
 carrying- on his shoulder. A quarrel resulted, but 
 it was not very serious ; the " man " contrived to 
 push the "bo^^s" aside, and threatened to beat 
 them " to-morrow." Before this, the last member 
 of the procession had been left behind, eng-aged in a 
 similar dispute with a disloyal " boy." When he 
 joined his companions, and was asked what had 
 detained him so long*, he replied that he had 
 stopped to extract a thorn fi-om his foot. They 
 affected to believe that the " boy " had been beating* 
 him ; but he indignantly denied the insinuation — 
 he had beaten the '' boy." The procession, having* 
 gone on, was overtaken by two persons, who stated 
 
138 in I. NAKIIfS dl'^ NATAL. 
 
 that tlu'v li:i(l jmssfd :i '* 111:111" lyin{^" dead lunu* the 
 j)ath^ and observed a *' 1ki\ " carrviiig' wood, who, 
 as thev apjiroachcd him, quick»'ned his j)ace. Sus- 
 j)i('ion iimncdiatt'lv idl uj)on th«; loiterer. When 
 the soldiers reached the kinj^-'s kraal he expressed 
 himself })leased with their day'a work, and ordered 
 beef to be «,nven th«Mn for suj)|)(M'. .Meanwhile the 
 two persons already njentioned communicated what 
 they had seen to a g-reat otticer, and a council was i 
 
 held. The "boys" were summoned to g^ive evi- 
 dence; and, when the matter had been investigatedj I 
 a re])ort was made to Pande, who deferred the con- 
 sideration of it till next morning*. The "boys," 
 instead of the promised beef, received a very small 
 allowance of corn. On the following- day, the 
 principal councillor sent for the suspected youth, 
 and told him that, thoug'h the king- was very angary, 
 he would nevertheless forg"ive him, on his confess- 
 infi" and savin<»: how the murder had been done. The 
 " boy " then stated that the deceased had refused 
 to g-ive way to the bearer of the king-'s wood — that 
 he made use of an o})probrious epithet — and that he 
 (the " boy ") had consequently struck him ^ith an 
 assagfai. The councillor Idamed him for ha\ing' 
 used that weapon instead of a stick, repeated his 
 assurance of the iovmI clemency, and directed him 
 to leave ibr a neigh Ijouring- kraal. He went — but 
 his executioner followed, and (lesj)atched him out- 
 side the <rate. The iii-dunn had deceived him. 
 
 A young- man, w hose line tall person j*endered 
 him a g-reat favourite with the king-, was returning- 
 from Nodweng'e to the kraal where liis rciriment 
 
AN ARROGANT FAVOURITE. 139 
 
 assembled. Pande had just given him a pre- 
 sent of beads^ and he walked towards Isang'u 
 with an immense idea of his own importance. 
 While approaching- a small stream he was met by 
 a married man, to whom he ought to have given the 
 path ; but his arrogance would not suffer him to do 
 it^ and they came into collision. A quarrel ensued; 
 in which the young- man stabbed his opponent. He 
 then wiped the blood from his assagai and walked 
 on. Meeting some men, he remarked that he had 
 seen a dead person in the grass but did not know 
 who he was or what had killed him. When these 
 reached the body, which was lying on its face, they 
 turned it over, notwithstanding their superstitious 
 dread of a corpse, and discovered a wound ; then, 
 proceeding to Nodwenge, they reported the circum- 
 stance. They were not the only witnesses in the 
 matter; a boy who was washing himself in the 
 stream, had heard the quarrel and seen the murder. 
 He could not identify the murderer, but gave a de- 
 scription of his appearance, which convinced the 
 king (when the matter was brought before him) that 
 the criminal was no other than his favourite. He 
 was unwilling to have the homicide slain ; and, in 
 the hope of being able to screen him, wished a pro- 
 phet to be consulted. But the principal councillors 
 were resolved that the murderer should die ; and to 
 ensure their purpose accused him of an additional 
 crime, telling the king that he had spoken treason- 
 ably, and said that his chief was in Natal. This 
 sufficed to procure an order to kill the favourite 
 and all his kraal. 
 
 .y 
 
 ,y 
 
140 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 In the followiiio- instance there was ^^ malice pre- 
 pense." A married man^ Avho paid attention to a 
 g'irl^ was at first favourably reg'arded by her ; but 
 she eventuall}^ told him that she had chang-ed her 
 mind and preferred the addresses of another. Both 
 men lived in one kraal; and^ as the rejected suitor 
 believed that his rival had been slandering* him to 
 the lady, a quarrel took place between them. Some- 
 time afterwards the g-irl paid a visit to the house of 
 her favourite, who, as she was leaving, gave her a 
 small calabash of grease. Delighted with the pre- 
 sent, and anticipating- the polish it would give to 
 her charms, she walked trippingly away ; but had 
 not passed the g*ate when the discarded lover, who 
 had watched her departure, and was overflowing- 
 with jealousy and rage, attempted to beat her. 
 His stick was uplifted for the purpose, but she 
 nimbly avoided the blow, while a piercing- 
 shriek brought the accepted suitor to her rescue. 
 A fight ensued, in which the rivals plied their 
 sticks with desperate energy, until the people of the 
 kraal forcibly separated them. Some time after- 
 wards, the favoured man had an assignation with 
 the girl, and publicly boosted of the fact. This 
 circumstance added fresh fuel to the fire, and the 
 rejected wooer determined to be revenged upon his 
 rival. Observhig the latter going- to the river, to 
 perform his ablutions, he took an assagai and fol- 
 lowed him. Having reached the stream, he said 
 that he had come to wash, and made some prepara- 
 tions as if he were about to do so ; but in the mean- 
 time he renewed the quarrel, and soon stabbed his 
 
POISONING. 141 
 
 victim in the back. A woman who was g"oing* for 
 water witnessed the murder, and screamed so loudly 
 that the people of the kraal imag-ined her in the 
 jaws of a crocodile. 
 
 The criminal escaped to the bush ; but afterwards 
 voluntarily went to the king-, and related all the 
 circumstances of the case. That personag'e seems 
 to have thoug-ht that the provocation justified the 
 deed j but cautioned the murderer not to repeat the 
 act, unless he wished to die. 
 
 II. — The term " witchcraft " has been applied by 
 Europeans to a class of native crimes, partly real 
 and partly imag-inary. Um-takati, the word usually 
 translated witch or wizard, sig-nifies an evildoer, 
 thoug-h it is perhaps limited in use to malefactors 
 of the g-reatest criminalit3^ It expresses, for in- 
 stance, a murderer, an adulterer, and (as we have 
 seen) one who violates the rules of consang-uinity. 
 It is also used to desio'nate an individual who is 
 doing-, or supposed to be doing-, secret injury to 
 another. In effecting* this hidden mischief, the 
 " evildoer " is supposed to employ medicine, human 
 remains, the liver of a crocodile, hyena's hair, 
 and other means. The results attributed to 
 these instruments are various — it being" believed 
 that an "evildoer" can, for example, injure the 
 health, destroy life, cause cows to become dry, pre- 
 vent rain, occasion lig-htning*. It thus appears that 
 there is a larg-e amount of superstition and ignor- 
 ance associated with this subject j but we are not 
 therefore to conclude that the secret injuries attri- 
 
140 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 buted to an "evildoer" are never real. There is 
 no doubt that poison is included among* the several 
 means which an um-takati is supposed to use. " In 
 acquiring- a knowledge of plants possessing* healing* 
 properties," sa^^s Mr. Fynn, "it is evident that the 
 natives would also become acquainted with others 
 of a poisonous nature. With several of the latter 
 description I have an acquaintance ; and I am of 
 opinion that Europeans g*enerally do not g*ive suffi- 
 cient credence to the fact that there are many na- 
 tions who possess a knowledg-e of poisons of a most 
 destructive character^ perfectly unknown to them- 
 selves." There is reason for thinkino* that the 
 potent and subtle qualities of strychnine are not 
 unknown to these Kafirs.^ 
 
 It is the opinion of some that poisoning* prevails 
 to a very larg-e extent. "The fatal practice of 
 using poisonous roots/' Mr. Isaacs writes, " was so 
 prevalent among* the natives that, from long* expe- 
 rience, we found nothing* but g*reat vigour would 
 put an end to such a fatal custom. It became a 
 law therefore among*st our tribes that any persons 
 found with poisonous roots in their possession (ex- 
 cept the Botwas, on their hunting* excursions, who 
 used them for killing- elephants) should suffer death." 
 Mr. Dohne states his belief " that there is hardly 
 one kraal, where there is not found either a woman 
 which endeavours to poison her fellow-woman, in 
 order to become the only one to her husband ; or 
 even him, in order to connect herself with another ; 
 or a husband which does not the same thins", in 
 order to g*et rid of one or more of his wives, for 
 
FEMALE POISONERS. 148 
 
 the reason of reclaiming the cattle paid for them^ 
 and so marry others ) or to do so to his own sex, 
 in order to g-et their cattle or their wives for his 
 own." The author of an anonymous pamphlet, 
 published in Natal, makes the following statement : 
 " Nearly every Kafir kraal has its poison maker, 
 whose business it is to try experiments upon herbs, 
 roots, and other thing-s, as also to extract poison 
 from serpents, in order to produce the most effectual 
 poison b}^ their combination, and devise the best 
 mode of administration with the least probability 
 of detection. And it is with them in poison 
 as it is with us in medicine; the man who can 
 produce the best becomes the most celebrated, and 
 carries on the largest trade in this deadly art. A 
 short time ao-o the most celebrated in Peter-Maritz- 
 buro: was a vouns* man in the service of a white 
 man ; and no one can be certain that his servant is 
 not employed in this traffic. I do not think that 
 they are in the habit of injuring the white man by 
 the use of these poisons, so that the statement of 
 this fact need not create fear or suspicion in any 
 breast. But amongst the Kafirs the knowledge of 
 this fact produces constant suspicion and dread."* 
 
 In a case related by Mr. Isaacs, the youngest 
 wife of a native belouging to the Europeans' settle- 
 ment, lost her hair and became otherwise disfigured. 
 It was suspected that some ^'^ pernicious prepara- 
 tion" had been administered to her by the elder 
 wife, who wished to secure the enjoyment of 
 her husband's undivided affection. The supposed 
 
 \ 
 
144 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 criminal was therefore arraig*ned before the sena- 
 tors; and; after an investig-ation of five hours' 
 dui-ation, was proved to have had in her possession 
 certain poisonous roots, produced at the trial, " and 
 which, after some questions put to her, she confessed 
 having- used to make the ornamental patch of hair 
 fall off and disiig'ure Noie, the young* wife of 
 Nong-ue, so that she mig'ht enjoy more of his com- 
 pany and Noie less. Other similar offences were 
 proved ag-ainst her, which left no doubt of her 
 g-uilt, and that her aim was avowedly to poison her 
 rival." When sentence of death was pronounced 
 upon her, she smiled, and said, " What a pity it is 
 to be friendless;" then, accompan3^ing' her execu- 
 tioners, she walked away with an air of the greatest 
 unconcern, and bade adieu to the spectators as she 
 passed them. Mr. Fynn applied blisters to the head 
 of the unfortunate Noie, and succeeded in recover- 
 ing" her from her dano^erous condition. 
 
 The two following" stories are related on native 
 testimony. A man, having' three wives, took a 
 fourth, whose mother broug'ht her, according- to cus- 
 tom, some sour milk. The old woman sat with her 
 daug-hter until the mess was nearly consumed : and 
 then, leading" the hut, bade her be quick, saying* that 
 she was in haste to return home. There were three 
 children in the house, to whom the bride offered the 
 remainder of the food: two refused it; but the 
 third partook, and in a short time was seized with 
 convulsions. The 3'oung" woman hastily wiped 
 away all traces of milk from the child's person ; 
 and, when some people entered, denied that she had 
 
FEMALE POISONERS. 145 
 
 given her anything*. The truth was afterwards re- 
 vealed by the two other children^ who had seen 
 their sister take the milk. Subsequently the chief 
 wife died^ then a child^ then another wife. Before 
 this^ a prophet had pronounced the bride an "• evil- 
 doer :" but her husband would not believe the 
 accusation ; his suspicion rested on her parents, 
 whom he caused to be put to death. The mortalit}'^, 
 however, continuing- in his family, she was even- 
 tually slain. It is believed that she intended to 
 make herself mistress of the kraal, and that the 
 poison had been supplied by her mother. 
 
 A man, who was suspected to be an ^^ evildoer," 
 fled to Natal, leaving* his second wife and two sons 
 of his first wife. The second wife claimed the 
 cattle, but was told that they belong-ed to the eldest 
 son of the first. Next dav the neis'libours were 
 surprised to observe that the herd had not been 
 turned out to pasture ; and a rich man, to ascertain 
 the cause of so remarkable an occurrence, sent a 
 dependant to the kraal. The entrance being* closed, 
 the messeng-er called on the people by name, but 
 received no answer. He then endeavoured to 
 arouse them, by casting* stones upon the hutsj and, 
 finding* this unsuccessful, examined the outer fence. 
 Discovering* a hole of recent orig-in, he concluded 
 that a hyena had entered during* the nig*ht, and 
 destroyed the inmates. Afraid to carry the inves- 
 tig-ation farther, he returned ) when the master 
 assembled his people, and having* g*one to the kraal 
 ordered the g-ate to be opened. He then proceeded 
 to examine the huts, in one of which were found 
 
140 THE KAiIK3 OF NATAL. 
 
 tlie two sons of the first wife l3'ing' dead^ with a 
 vessel containiiio- sour milk between them. The 
 second Avife who had claimed the cattle could not 
 be found; but it was afterwards discovered that she 
 had ^one to her husband's brother^ and had made 
 her way throug-h the fence, apparently to lull sus- 
 picion. 
 
 A native doctor remarked to me that the pro- 
 phets, who profess to detect " evildoers/' are them- 
 selves frequently poisoners. Mr. Isaacs relates a 
 case confirmatory of this statement. Some children 
 having- died at the Europeans' settlement, suspicion 
 fell upon a seer, who increased it by disappearing*. 
 Isaacs '^ went to investig'ate the affair and found 
 incontestible evidence of the infamous man having' 
 administered to each of the children " two poison- 
 ous seeds sufficientl}" pow^erful, he says, to kill any 
 g-roAvn person. "The villain had g'one to Og-le's 
 people ', and, as one of our senators was absent, we 
 sent to inform those who had the criminal that 
 they must attend the trial, which would take place 
 next day." The people came, but the prophet re- 
 fused to appear. He was "at last taken at the 
 kraal of Mataban by the people of that chief. 
 Havinof received intimation of his offences, when he 
 appeared among- them, they secured him, and in a 
 short time he confessed having- poisoned the chil- 
 dren. The chief and his natives, rather than risk 
 bringing- the culprit to us for trial by the senators, 
 anticipated his sentence, and thus ended his in- 
 iquitous career." It was discovered that he had 
 
A servant's revenge. 147 
 
 been g"uilty of similar crimes among" the Zulus, 
 from whom he had escaped to take refugee among- 
 the people at Port Natal. 
 
 The crops in a dependant's g-arden flourished, 
 while those belong-ing- to his master withered. This 
 appeared sing-ular, for the gardens were almost 
 contiguous and the soil was similar • it was there- 
 fore suspected that the servant had burned medicine 
 among" his corn and g"iven none to his master. 
 When the latter accused him of so doing", he pro- 
 tested that he had burnt nothing" except common 
 sticks ; but a prophet denounced him as an ^^ evil- 
 doer," and he was slain by the king"'s order. His 
 wife and son were spared. 
 
 In process of time the master died, leaving" the 
 widow and her son dependent on his heir. The 
 boy was appointed to tend the cattle; but he 
 frequently neglected his duty, and received many 
 severe beating"3. One of the cattle eventually died, 
 with symptoms which induced the master to send a 
 young child to watch the herd-boy. The same 
 day another beast died in the bush, with similar 
 symptoms and a small wound near the shoulder. 
 The child, when questioned by his father, denied 
 that he had seen any one near the cow, and 
 was punished with sundry blows. The prophet, 
 being consulted, asserted that a wife had employed 
 her son to administer poison to the cattle — a state- 
 ment which was afterwards confirmed by the child's 
 mother. She said that her son had observed the boy 
 strike the cow with a stick, which he kept con- 
 l2 
 
148 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 cealed in the bush, and that when the cow died, he 
 was threatened with a severe beating* if he men- 
 tioned the circumstance ; that he had nevertheless 
 told it to her; and that she had directed him not to 
 divulg-e it to his father. She did not wish the boy 
 to be killed on her son's evidence ', but, now that 
 the prophet had accused him, there was no reason 
 why she should keep silence. The unfortunate 
 child was ao-ain chastised for havinof told his 
 mother ; but the master took no steps to punish 
 the ^^ evildoer." 
 
 Other cattle died, and at length a child became 
 sick. The master now asked the herd-boy's mother 
 to g'ive his son medicine ; her husband, he said, 
 had been a doctor, and she doubtless knew how to 
 recover the child.^ The request excited her wrath — 
 her husband was not killed for being" a doctor but an 
 " evildoer." The master reminded her that he had 
 not been concerned in her husband's death ; but it 
 was in vain — she was a "wife," and not a doctor. 
 He then went to her son, and tried to g'et the anti- 
 dote from him ', but the youth said that his mother 
 had not made him acquainted with his father's 
 medicines. The master promised him a cow if he 
 would obtain the antidote ; and advised him to tell 
 his mother that some other person required it. The 
 3^outh did so and succeeded; the means were ap- 
 plied, and the child recovered. Having* learned 
 the deception practised on her, the woman became 
 very furious 5 she upbraided her son for confirming* 
 the suspicion which attached to them, and espe- 
 cially for having" healed the child of a man, who 
 
A servant's revenge. 149 
 
 had beaten him so frequently^ and whose father 
 had caused his to be killed ; she assured him that 
 his deceased parent would punish him for so doing-. 
 The master's mother now died^ with symptoms 
 resembling' those of the cattle. Application being- 
 made to a prophet in Sadug'a's country, he g*ave 
 a similar account to that which had been given 
 by the prophet previously consulted ; and added 
 that the wife's husband had obtained the poison in 
 Makazana's country. In consequence of this, the 
 master resolved that the boy's mother should die. 
 When asked how the poison had been obtained, 
 she oave substantially the same account as the 
 prophet, and added that her son was ig-norant of it. 
 She derided a request to reveal the antidote — it 
 was not likely tbat she would communicate so 
 valuable a secret to those who had slain her 
 husband and beaten her son — if she had been 
 afraid to die she could have gone away — she was 
 not afi'aid to die — she had been revenged, and 
 wanted to die — only she wished her son to be 
 killed at the same time. This request was not 
 complied with, the master believing- him to be 
 unacquainted with her medicines. The absence 
 of mortality, for several months, confirmed his 
 impression ; and the people cong'ratulated them- 
 selves that the knowledg"e of the poison had 
 perished with the ^^ evildoer." Suddenly, however, 
 a boy died to dissipate the delusion. The sus- 
 pected 3'outh endeavoured to escape ; but he was 
 seized and taken to the king*, who wondered 
 that his master had suffered him to live so lono-. 
 He was put to death. 
 
150 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 A man living- at the Europeans' settlement was 
 tried on a charg-e of ])oisoning-. It was stated by 
 a woman^ who resided in his kraal^ that^ while 
 seeking- fire-wood, she saw him in the bush feeding" 
 a wild cat called im-paka. It being- believed that 
 this animal is specially connected with " evildoers," 
 the sig-ht so terrified her that for some time she 
 was afraid to move. Kecovering- herself, she walked 
 cautiously backwards, but kept her eyes fixed on 
 the man. When the latter perceived that he was 
 observed, he pushed the beast aside j and, approach- 
 ing- the woman in a confused manner, said : " What 
 have you to say 1 You have been lately picked up 
 by me j and, when you were sick, I went to Tam- 
 buza," meaning" Isaacs, ^^and g-ot you medicine." 
 He then went to the g-arden ; and, having- returned 
 with a present of sweet reeds, told her not to men- 
 tion anything- which had occurred, as she was a 
 strang-er and did not j^et know the customs of 
 the place. When she reached home, her husband 
 noticed a peculiarity in her countenance, and asked 
 what had caused it. Suffering- her bundle of wood 
 to fall, she said, " I shall never forg-et this day." 
 He thouo-ht that she referred to the fatig-ue she 
 had just endured, and made no further enquiry. 
 She then communicated what she had seen to the 
 queen or mistress of the kraal, by whom it was 
 made known to the chief captain. (Both persons 
 kept the matter secret from others, under the idea 
 that the seer, when applied to, would " smell " the 
 " evildoer.") The woman further attested that ever 
 after, when she met the suspected man in the g-ar- 
 
y i 
 
111. 
 
A POISONER ABETTED BY HIS WIFE. 151 
 
 dens^ he gave her either corn or sweet reeds. She 
 had also heard it stated that he had put poison into 
 the calabashes of two men, whose wives had been 
 long' sick ; and said that^ when he had beaten his 
 eldest wife^ a few days before, the latter said to 
 him, " You are an ^ evildoer/ and it is known that 
 you put roots into the calabashes." He replied, 
 " If I am killed for being* one, you will meet the 
 same fate for assisting* me." 
 
 His young* wife, having* been sent for, was in- 
 terrog*ated by the senators, but displayed a g*reat 
 disinclination to criminate her husband. She spoke 
 of a conversation which she had heard between 
 him and his elder wife, in which he said, " I do not 
 think they have found us out — they only want our 
 corn." She also mentioned other conversations, and 
 g*ave evidence "quite enoug'h to satisfy any un- 
 biassed mind that he was guilty of putting* poison 
 into the calabashes of the people." Messengers 
 were now despatched to bring the elder wife to be 
 examined. They told her that he had been ex- 
 ecuted, when she said, smiling : " ! there are 
 plenty of men left for me." Having* entered the 
 kraal, she sat down, and was examined "respecting* 
 the statements of other persons, which were ex- 
 plained to her." She replied, with great levity, 
 that she knew nothing, when the senators referred 
 to the dispute which had occurred between herself 
 and her husband. 
 
 " Do you recollect quarrelling a few days ago 
 with your husband ?" 
 
 " I do not remembei" any instance of quarrelling 
 
152 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 with my husband." 
 
 " AA'hat did you say to your husband when he 
 came in the nig-ht and asked for food for tlie child V 
 
 " I don't know." 
 
 "What did he beat you for?" 
 
 " He never beat me." 
 
 She was urg-ed to speak the truth, " and after- 
 wards threatened with death; if she did not comply ; 
 but nothing- made any impression. The young- 
 wife was then confronted with her. Her testimony 
 was incontrovertible, and perfectly satisfactoiy to 
 the judg'es/' wlio condemned the man to death. 
 The execution of the sentence was witnessed by his 
 two wives. The young-er could not repress her 
 g-rief; but the elder seemed entirely unaffected. 
 The senate now beg*an to question her^ when she 
 requested that they would kill her. Some were 
 willing' to comply with her wish; othei*s desired 
 that she mig'ht be tortured, to extort a confession. 
 After a short debate, they decided that she should 
 die. When the executioners were lifting- up their 
 hands to strike her, she said, "Cajola, you can g-et 
 my beads from Pambo's wife, and Tambuza can 
 take my corn." 
 
 III. — It appears that, before Tshaka's time, 
 cattle-steaHng- was very prevalent among* these 
 people. The following- account of a notorious 
 thief of the olden time, derived from one of his 
 descendants, will illustrate the manner in which 
 Kafir raids were then practised. 
 
 Dutulu, who was of the Xnumnyo tribe, stole 
 
A NOTORIOUS CATTLE-STEALER. 153 
 
 principally from the Dwandwes. Before starting 
 on his pillaging" journeys, he did not neglect to 
 offer sacrifice to the spirits and entreat them 
 to prosper his undertaking. He was careful 
 also to be duly prepared by a mediciner, that 
 the doofs mio-ht be dumb and the robber invisible. 
 Thus fortified, Dutulu would go forth, and, while 
 the inmates were asleep, approach some previously- 
 selected kraal. An attendant removed the cattle 
 from the foldj and, if pursuit were apprehended, 
 drove them at first in some other direction than 
 that of the plunderer's home. They were also 
 made to turn frequently and cross their course, 
 so as to confuse the track. In the event of an 
 actual chase, a beast was sometimes slain, as a 
 sacrifice to the spirits and perhaps as a temptation 
 to the pursuers. Medicine was occasionally left 
 on the road, in the belief that it would charm 
 the latter and prevent their seeing the foot-prints. 
 While the cattle were being driven from the isi" 
 baya, Dutulu and other attendants proceeded to the 
 huts ; and, having made a noise to alarm the peo- 
 ple, assagai'd them as they crept out. The men 
 
164 THE KAFIIJS OF NATAL. 
 
 were killed to prevent resistance ; the women, as I 
 was told, that they mig-ht not g*ive an alarm. 
 (Once, Avhen his own kraal was invaded, and an 
 attempt made to draw him from his hut, Dutulu 
 profited b}' his experience j and, folding- his leather 
 kaross, thrust it throug-h the low door-way. In the 
 dim lig'ht, it was mistaken for a man j and, while 
 the thief was striking* it with his weapon, the 
 owner rushed out, duly armed, and bounded to 
 the g-ate to defend his cattle.) If Dutulu had 
 reason to apprehend that the stolen herd Avould be 
 chased, he remained in the neig*hbourhood ; and 
 endeavoured, by various feints, to mislead the pur- 
 suers. 
 
 In his old ag-e, Dutulu determined to carry oif a 
 herd by day-lig'ht. He could not prevail on any 
 one to join him in so hazardous an enterprise ; but 
 that circumstance fiiiled to deter him, and he made 
 the attempt without help. The cattle were g-razing- 
 near a bush, and he succeeded in driving* them 
 away 5 but, before he had g*one far, an alarm was 
 raised. Several men set oif in pursuit, and sur- 
 rounded the thief ere he was aware. His courag*e 
 and activity enabled him to find refug-e in the bush j 
 but only after a hard strug-g-le and with many 
 wounds. Loss of blood so reduced his streno-th 
 that he did not reach home until after his fiimily 
 liad g-iven him up for dead. AVhen he recovered, 
 his chief advised him to abandon a business for 
 which he was becoming* too feeble — he had cattle 
 enough — it was not necessary to hazard his life in 
 obtaining- more. The old robber protested that he 
 
A NOTORIOUS CATTLE-STEALER. 155 
 
 was yet a boy^ and had still a very great desire to 
 increase his herd — he did not fear — people mig-ht 
 wound him as they pleased — if they wished to kill 
 him^ they must cut off his arms, his leg's, his 
 head — he did not care for wounds. The chief 
 ceased to reason; and the robber went forth on 
 what proved to be his last adventure. 
 
 His attendants having*, as usual, driven the cat- 
 tle out of the fold, Dutulu, who knew that they 
 would be followed by a strong" party, went to the 
 principal hut; and, having* killed the owner, rushed 
 away to conceal himself. When the pursuers set 
 forth, he left his hiding'-place, and decoyed them in 
 a direction opposite to that taken by the cattle. As 
 there was no bush to which he could fly, Dutulu 
 dashed into a bog", where he stood with only his 
 head above the water. The bottom being* deep 
 clay, his pursuers contented themselves with sur- 
 rounding* the morass and hurling* their assag-ais 
 from the bank. His shield protected him ag-ainst 
 the missiles; but the continued immersion gradu- 
 ally weakened him ; and, finding* his strength almost 
 gone, he left his position and attempted to force the 
 enemy^s line. In this desperate feat, he slew more 
 than one of his foes ; but, being too feeble to run 
 far, was quickly overtaken and killed. 
 
 Tshaka forbade cattle-stealing, among the tribes 
 subject to his dominion, and punished it with 
 death. The ancient practice was therefore general- 
 ly abandoned ; and, I have been told, the children 
 were taught by their parents to be, in this respect, 
 
150 THE KAFIKS OF NATAL. 
 
 honest. One of PmikIc's councillors disrcfrarded 
 tlir iiiii(»v:iti(iii. His master, havin<^ missed two 
 consjiicuous oxen, ordered the herd to be counted ; 
 wlien not less than forty were found wantiiiic. A 
 careful search was made throu<:-hout the entire 
 neijihhourhood — hills were scoured, valleys ex- 
 j)lored, every jnece of bush was penetrated ; hut 
 without success. No trace of the animals could 
 be discovered ; nor, when the heavens were 
 scanned, could a sing-le vulture be descried, to 
 indicate the position of a dead ox. Pande did not 
 doubt that the cattle had been stolen, but remarked, 
 siirnificantlv, that there were no Dutchmen who 
 could have taken them. Very soon after this, an 
 in-(luna, who was also a subject chief, asked ])er- 
 mission to visit his kraal, allen-ing- that one of his 
 wives had died. Pande refused, and told him to 
 ])erform the customary ceremonies where lie was ; 
 but he ventured to disobe}^ the royal conunand, 
 and went home without leave. A dependant of 
 MasijHila, I'ande's General-in-Chief, then reported 
 that he had seen one of the in-duna's servants 
 dri\inpf several oxen, of which he refused to g'ive 
 any account. 'I'lie in-dunti was inunediately sum- 
 moned to court, hut sent an excuse; when he 
 received a serond messagfe, he promisinl to ronie 
 shortly. A day oi- two after, he visited tlir (inat 
 ]M;ice. attended li\ :i number of followers, whom 
 he took arniefl into l*:iiide's presi-iice. Tlie kinj';' 
 was astonished (it bein*^' a ca|)ital crime to ;i]tpe:ir 
 b«'fore him with \\eii])ons) and immediately retired 
 fx'liind tlie leiice which enclosed liis palace. He 
 
A DISHONEST COUNCILLOR. 157 
 
 then summoned one of his principal councillors, 
 whom he sent with a g'racious and friendly message 
 to the intruders — he was not ang-ry with them — he 
 should overlook their breach of etiquette — he was 
 particularly pleased with the appearance of their 
 assag'ais^ which he desired to examine more closely. 
 The device was successful^ and the councillor carried 
 the weapons to his Majesty. The day passed, and 
 at nig'ht the offenders slept in the huts, not know- 
 ing* probably that a g'uard was set over them. The 
 in-duna hoped to escape, and ordered a follower to 
 spread his blanket over the fence, that he mig-ht 
 scale the barrier with less inconvenience. The 
 servant proceeded very stealthily 5 but he was 
 observed by the g'uard and sent back to his master. 
 Next mornino- the in-duna was broug-ht to trial, 
 and accused of stealino* the kino-'s cattle. He 
 denied the charg-e ; but eventually admitted that 
 he had directed them to be driven to his own kraal. 
 Pande now referred to the fact that he had 
 come armed into his presence ; and expatiated, in 
 no very dig-nified st^'le, on the absurdity of his 
 attempting- to make war ag-ainst one who had sup- 
 planted Ding-ane, the destroyer of the boers. The 
 in-duna, who, with his attendants, was squatting- in 
 front of the king-^ listened in silence and dug* the 
 g'round with a piece of stick, apparently indifferent 
 to the trag-ical end which, he knew, awaited him. 
 Pande turned to the culprit's brother ; and, sa3'ing" 
 that he was now head of the tribe, g-ave him per- 
 mission to remove as many of the in-duna^ s fol-" 
 lowers as he pleased. Knowing- that those not 
 
158 THE KAFIHS OF NATA.L. , 
 
 removed would be slain, the new chief left about 
 ten, among- whom were some of his brothers and 
 the offender's principal officers. Pande waved his 
 hand and retired — a sig-nal understood by the 
 warriors present, who immediately seized the at- 
 tendants, and, having* dislocated their necks, carried 
 them from the kraal. The callous in-duna, who 
 had continued to dig- the g-round, heedless alike of 
 his followers' cries and his own fate, was then slain 
 in the same manner. 
 
CHAPTER VI.-SUPERSTITIONS. 
 
 I.— RELIGION. II.— PROPHETS OR SEERS. III.— RAIN-MAKERS. 
 IV.— MISCELLANEOUS SUPERSTITIONS. 
 
 1. — The Kafirs of Natal and the Zulu-countiy 
 have preserved the tradition of a Being- whom 
 they call the Great-Great and the First Appearer 
 or Exister. He is represented as having- made 
 all thing-s — men, cattle, water, fire, the mountains, 
 and whatever else is seen. He is also said to 
 have appointed their names. Creation was 
 effected by splitting- a reed, when the first man 
 and other thing-s issued from the cleft. The 
 antiquity of this part of the tradition is attested 
 by the fact that u-hlanga sig-nifies orig-in as 
 well as a reed, and dahula, to create as well as 
 to split. Some few Kafirs may be found who 
 state their belief that the Great-Great shook the 
 reeds with a strong- wind, and there came there- 
 out the first man and woman.^ When mankind 
 had been formed, a chameleon and a lizard called 
 in-tulu were sent to them — the former being- 
 commissioned to direct men to live, while the 
 latter was to command them to die. The slow- 
 paced chameleon having- tarried to eat some 
 berries by the way, the quicker in-tnlu arrived 
 first, and delivered his messag-e of death. Thus 
 mankind became mortal.'^ 
 
100 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 This tradition of the Great-Great is not uni- 
 versally known among- the people. War, chang-e, 
 and the worship of false deities have g-radually 
 darkened their niinds^ and obscured their re- 
 menil)rance of the true God. Captain Gardiner 
 states that the g-enerality of the people were 
 ig^norant of it, in his time. When Zikali, the 
 present chief of the Amang-wane, was asked 
 whether he knew anything* of the Great-Great, 
 he replied in the neg-ative ; but thoug'ht that some 
 of his old men mio-ht have heard of him. One 
 of these said that when a child he had been told 
 by women stoo})ing' with ag*e, that there was a 
 great being- above, who was called by the two 
 names previousl}^ mentioned. This was all he 
 knew on the subject. 
 
 There is a tribe in Natal which still worships 
 the Great-Great, though its recollection of him 
 is very dim. "When they kill the ox they say 
 ^Hear Unkulunkulu, may it always be so.' So 
 when a person is sick, they say, ^ Hear Unkulun- 
 kulu, may he recover.' But they never make these 
 petitions when the shields and soldiers are pre- 
 sent; therefore not at the feast of First Fruits; 
 but when a person is g'oing- to eat comfortably, 
 or is sick, or is prosperous, then when the}^ kill 
 the ox, they say ^ Unkulunkulu, look down upon 
 us; Baba [my Father] may I never stumble.'" 
 Zulus have been heard to say " that in their own 
 country, when they are g'oing* to sit down to a 
 meal, they will send their children out and tell 
 them to pray to Unkulunkulu, to g'ive them all 
 
WORSHIP OF ANCESTORS. 101 
 
 sorts of g'ood thing's; and they g-o out and say, 
 ^ Unkulunkulu, g-ive us cows, give us corn.'"^ 
 
 The Kafirs believe that, when a person dies, 
 his i-hloze or isi-tute survives. These words are 
 translated "spirit," and there seems no objection 
 to the rendering*. They refer to something- 
 manifestly disting'uished fi*om the body, and the 
 nature of which the prophets endeavour to ex- 
 plain by saying" that it is identical with the 
 shadow. The residence of the ama-hloze, or 
 spirits, seems to be beneath ; the practice of 
 breaking' a man's assag-ais, before they are buried 
 with him, shows that he is believed to return to 
 earth throug-h the g-rave ; while it appears to be 
 g-enerally thoug-ht that, if the earth were removed 
 from the g-rave, the g-host would return and 
 frig'hten his descendants. When spirits have 
 entered the future state, they are believed to 
 possess g-reat power; prosperity is ascribed to 
 their favour, and misfortune to their ang-er; 
 they are elevated in fact to the rank of deities, 
 and (except where the Great-Great is worshipped 
 concurrently with them) they are the only objects 
 of a Kafir's adoration. Their attention (or provi- 
 dence) is limited to their own relatives — a father 
 caring* for the family, and a chief for the tribe, 
 which they respectively left behind them. They 
 are believed to occupy the same relative position 
 as they did in the body, the departed spirit of 
 a chief being* sometimes invoked to compel a 
 man's ancestors to bless him. 
 M 
 
10:2 Tiij': KAFiiis of natal. 
 
 Departed spirits are believed to I'evisit the 
 earth and appear to their descendants in the 
 form of certain serpents. When one of these 
 animals appears at a kraal, it is carefully watched. 
 If it hiss or move away, on being- approached or 
 g-ently touched with a stick, it is reg'arded as a 
 mere snake and treated according-ly. If however 
 it should not g'ive these evidences of being- an 
 ordinary serpent — if it do not seem ang-ry nor 
 afraid of the inhabitants, but manifest an ap- 
 parent purpose to remain — it is considered to 
 be the incarnation of some departed ancestor. 
 This advent of the spirit is supposed to be a 
 warning* that some member of the family has 
 been g'uilty of an offence, and that, unless a 
 sacrifice be offered, a severe punishment, such as 
 sickness or death, will follow.'* 
 
 The spirits are believed to send omens to the 
 living'. Thus, speaking- g-enerally, if a wild 
 animal enter a kraal, which it is supposed it 
 would not do of its own accord, it would be 
 reg'arded as a messeng*er from the spirits to 
 remind the people that they had done something- 
 wrong-. (Ravenous beasts, which mig'ht have 
 come for prey, Avould not be ^ie\\'ed in the lig-ht 
 of omens; nor would antelopes and other small 
 animals AA'hich had run into the kraal while 
 being- hunted.) Certahi lizards visiting* a kraal 
 would be reg-arded as omens ; but it is remarkable 
 that many of the people put these reptiles in the 
 same class with serpents and look upon them, 
 not as mere messeng-ers, but as incarnations of 
 
OMENS. 10:) 
 
 the spirits. Domestic animals, doing* anything- 
 remarkably contrary to their usual habits, would 
 be deemed omens. If a calf were several times 
 to lie down and sleep, while its mother was being- 
 milked; if a cow were repeatedly to produce two 
 calves, or several cows were to produce dead ones , 
 these would be ominous facts. If a dog- or a sheep 
 were to leap on a hut, it would be an omen. If 
 a cow were to knock oiF the cover of a vessel 
 containing' heads of millet and eat them, she 
 would be an omen; but not if she were to eat 
 corn lying- on the g-round. If a calf were to 
 enter a hut, it would not be regarded ; but 
 if a cow should attempt to do so, it would be 
 ominous. If a sheep were to bleat while being- 
 slaug'htered, it would be an omen and the flesh 
 be thro^vn away. This omen appears to be 
 deemed very dreadful. AVhen it occurred at the 
 kraal of one of Pande's chief councillors, the 
 man was terribly frig-htenedj and, on consulting- 
 the prophet, was told that it foreboded his death. 
 Sacrifices were offered to avert the evil, Pande 
 himself fiirnishing- one; he appears however to 
 have thoug-ht that the man was not fit to live, 
 for he soon despatched a party of soldiers to 
 kill him. The in-duna was fortunate enoug"h to 
 escape to Natal. Human being-s may be omens 
 — as a child born dead; a woman two days in 
 parturition; a man burnt while sitting* by the 
 fire, unless he were asleep or drunk. 
 
 Sacrifices are offered to the spirits, (1) to avert 
 M 2 
 
104 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 an evil, as in case of sickness^ barrenness of women, 
 serious accidents j when a serpent has visited a 
 kraal, under the circumstances previously men- 
 tioned ; when an omen has appeared. (In cases 
 of sickness and barrenness, the seer or prophet 
 is resoi'ted to, and the sacrifice offered when he 
 attributes the misfortune to the spirits. He is 
 applied to when a serpent or omen has been seen). 
 A soldier wounded in battle would only pra}^, if 
 his hurt were slig'ht; but if it were serious, he 
 would vow a sacrifice on his return, naming* 
 perhaps the particular beast. If he were too 
 weak, a comrade would invoke the spirits for 
 him. If he were a "boy" and without cattle of 
 his own, the beast would not be withheld on his 
 return ; and sometimes a father will chide a 
 surviving" son, if he have not vowed a sacrifice be- 
 fore his brother's death. On the other hand, if a 
 '^ boy " were to vow an ox or a cow, not being- in 
 g'reat dang-er, his father would not be pleased, though 
 he would probabh' sacrifice a g'oat. (2.) Sacrifices 
 to iirocnre a blessing are offered after the building* 
 of a new kraal ; when the army is setting- out j by 
 the seer or prophet to procure inspiration; after 
 a burial, to secure the favour of the deceased. 
 Mothers, when their sons are on an expedition, 
 frequently vow a sacrifice, in the event of their re- 
 turning* safe; I suspect however that these vows 
 are not always performed, for the pro})het some- 
 times attributes sickness to their non-fulfilment, 
 when the husband becomes ang-ry at his wife's pre- 
 sumption. The natives employed by white men to 
 
SACKIFICES. 165 
 
 hunt the elephant sometimes vow a sacrifice, when 
 they are not successful. When Tshaka sent a 
 mission to the Cape, he g-ave Lieut. King- an ox to 
 sacrifice. Pande has sacrificed to procure rain. 
 (3.) Thank-offerings are made when a person has 
 enjoyed a long- prosperity; as for instance, if he 
 have many children and no sickness in his kraal for 
 some time. When Tshaka's mission returned from 
 the Cape he sent an ox, to thank the spirit for 
 Lieut. Kino-'s safe arrival. Sacrifices are offered 
 when the Zulu army comes home from a successful 
 expedition. Eefug-ees from the Zulu-country some- 
 times testify then- g-ratitude, for having- been per- 
 mitted to escape, by sacrificing- the first beast they 
 earn in Natal. 
 
 The animals offered are exclusively cattle and 
 g'oats. The larg-est ox in a herd is specially re- 
 served for sacrifice on important occasions; it is 
 called the Ox of the Spirits, and is never sold ex- 
 cept in case of extreme necessity.^ The orig-inal 
 idea of a sacrifice appears to have degenerated 
 into that of a present of food ; the only word to 
 express it is um-nikelo, a gift (from nikela to give 
 to) ; when the prophet prescribes a sacrifice, he 
 directs the people to give the spirits flesh; when 
 the spirits are addressed, they are invited to eat ; 
 beer and snuff are usually added; and, when a 
 person has no animal to present, he offers these 
 alone. 
 
 AVhen an animal is to be sacrificed, it is brougiit 
 into the cattle-fold, and there slain, by havhig* an 
 assag-ai plung-ed into its side. Just before or after 
 
ICO THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 its death the master of the kraal addresses the 
 spirits. If the sacrifice be offered to avert an evil^ 
 he mig'ht speak to the following- effect : 
 
 " Eat ye ; here is your ox ; I give it you. Eat, my father, 
 my grandfather ; all ye spirits of my ancestors, eat. Take care 
 of me ; take care of my children, take care of my wives ; take 
 care of all my people. Remove the sickness, and let my child 
 recover. Give me plenty of children — many boys and a few 
 girls. Give me abundance of food and cattle. Make right all 
 my people." 
 
 If the sacrifice were a thank-offering* for prosperity, 
 he Avould, perhaps, after having- called on the 
 spirits, proceed thns : 
 
 " This kraal of yours is good ; you have made it great. I see 
 around me many children ; you have given me them. You have 
 given me many cattle. You have blessed me greatly. Every 
 year I wish to be thus blessed. Make right everything at the 
 kraal. I do not Avish any omens to come. Grant that no one 
 may be sick all the year." 
 
 When the animal has been skinned, it is cut into 
 several portions, and the whole (including- the skin, 
 head, and blood collected in a vessel) placed in a 
 hut, ^^■ith beer and snuff. I have been told that a 
 small fire is made, in the ordinary fire-place of the 
 house, and a piece of fat (or fiesh) burnt on it.^ 
 The contents of the paunch, or of some other in- 
 ternal part of the animal, are dashed ag-ainst the 
 inside of the roof of the hut, and scattered about 
 the kraal. At nig-ht, young- ])eople alone sleep in 
 the hut, without fire, the duty primarily foiling- 
 upon the boys. Next day the beef is cooked in 
 the usual wnv and eaten. 
 
SEERS OR PROPHETS. 167 
 
 II. — The class of men to whom we have applied 
 the name of Seers or Prophets are by Euro- 
 peans usually but improperly termed witch-doctors. 
 They profess to enjoy the peculiar favour of the 
 spirits^ and to have received from them the g-ift 
 of inspiration. If a person is sick^ it is believed 
 that the seer can tell whether the malady is owing- 
 to the ang'er of the spirits^ and what must be done 
 to propitiate them. If a serpent has come to a 
 kraal^ it is believed that he knows which of the 
 owner's ancestors it is^ and what offence has caused 
 the visitation. It is supposed that he can tell why 
 an omen has occurred. If an ^^ evildoer" is secretly 
 injuring* another, it is not doubted that the prophet 
 can point out the g'uilty individual. The know- 
 ledg'e which these men apparently possess is very 
 great ', and some persons have thoug-ht " that they 
 are broug-ht into contact with the devil, who by 
 lying- wonders and by superhuman manifestations 
 helf)s them in their infernal work." It is not 
 needful to resort to this explanation, as will appear 
 when the manner in which they make their pre- 
 tended revelations has been described. 
 
 When people consult a ^^rophet, they do not 
 tell him on what subject they wish to be enlig-ht- 
 ened. He is supposed to be acquainted with their 
 thoughts, and they merely intimate that they wish 
 to have the benefit of his knowledg-e. Probably 
 he will " take time to consider," and not give his 
 responses at once. Two young- men, visiting- him in 
 consequence of their brother's illness, found the 
 ]>rophet squatting by his hut, and saluted him. He 
 
108 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 then invited them to sit down ; and, retiring* outside 
 the kraal, squatted near the g-ate, to take snuff 
 and meditate. This done to his satisfaction, he 
 sends a boy to call the visitoi*s into his presence, 
 when they immediately join him and squat. The 
 prophet asks for his "assagai" — a fig-urative expres- 
 sion for his fee, when the applicants reply that 
 they have nothing- to g-ive at present— after awhile 
 they Avill seek something- to pay him with. " No," 
 answers the prophet, not disposed to g-ive credit^ 
 " you want to cheat me — everybody tries to do so 
 now — why don't you g-ive me two sliillino-s ?" They 
 offer him a small assag-ai; but he is not satisfied 
 with the weapon, and pointing- to a larger one, 
 says, " that is mine." The man who had broug-ht 
 this, excuses himself by saying- that it does not 
 belong- to him ; but the prophet persists and it is 
 given. Having no hope of extorting a larger fee, 
 the prophet says, "Beat and hear, my people." 
 Each of the applicants snaps his fingers, and re- 
 plies, "I hear." (The beating is sometimes, and 
 perhaps more regularly, performed by beating the 
 gTound with sticks.) The prophet now pretends 
 to have a vision, indistinct at tirst, but becomino- 
 eventually clearer, until he sees the actual thino- 
 which has occurred. This vision he professes to 
 describe, as it appears to him. We may imao-ine 
 him saying, for instance, "A cow is sick — no, I see 
 a man — a man has been hurt." While he runs on 
 in this way, the applicants re})ly to every assertion 
 by beating, as at fii-st, and saying, " I hear." They 
 carefully abstain from saying whether he is rioht 
 
prophet's manner of revealing. 1()U 
 
 or wroii^-, but when he ap|)roaches the truth^ the 
 simple creatures testify their joy by beating- and 
 replying* with increased vig'our. 
 
 The prophet's simulated vision is not a series of 
 g-uesses, in which he may possibly hit upon the 
 truth ; but a systematic enumeration of particulars 
 in which he can scarcely miss it. Thus^ he may 
 beg-in by saying* that the thing*^ which the appli- 
 cants wish to know, relates to some animal with 
 hair; and, g'O^^g" through each division of that 
 class, sug*g*ests whatever may be likely to occur to a 
 cow, a calf, a dog*. If he find no indication that 
 the matter relates to one of this class, he takes 
 another, as human being's, and proceeds through it 
 in the same manner. It is obvious that a tolerably 
 clever practitioner may in this way discover from 
 the applicants whatever may have happened to them, 
 and send them away with a deep impression of 
 his prophetic abilities, especially if he have any pre- 
 vious knowledo-e of their circumstances. The fol- 
 lowing* sketch will give the reader a general idea of 
 the prophet's manner of proceeding. A few par- 
 ticulars only, as being sufficient for illustration, are 
 given. 
 
 " Beat and hear, my people — [they snap their fingers and say 
 I hear~\ — attend, my people — [they beat and say / /iear] — I 
 don't know what you want — you Avant to know something about 
 an animal with hair — a cow is sick — what's the matter with 
 her ? — I see a wound on her side — no, I'm wrong — a cow is 
 lost — I see a cow in the bush. Nay, don't beat, my people — 
 I'm wrong — it's a dog — a dog has ascended a hut. Nay, 
 that's not it — I see now — beat vigorously — the thing relates to 
 people — somebody is ill — a man is ill — he is an old man. No — 
 
 / 
 
170 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 I see a woman — she has been married a year — where is she r 
 I'm wrong — I don't see yet. [Perhaps he takes snufF and 
 rests awhile.] Beat and hear, my people — I see now — it's a 
 boy — beat vigorously — lie is sick — where is he sick ? — let me 
 see — there [placing his hand upon some part of his own per- 
 son] — no — beat and attend, my people — I see now — there, 
 [indicating the actual place.] Where is he ? — not at his kraal 
 — he is working with a white man. How has he been hurt ? 
 I see him going to the bush — he has gone to fetch wood — a 
 piece of wood falls upon him — he is hurt- — he cannot walk. I 
 see water — what's the water for? — they are pouring it over 
 him — he is fainting — he is very ill. The spirits are angry with 
 him — his father is angry — he wants beef. The boy received a 
 cow for his wages — it was a black cow — no, I see white — 
 where is she white ? — a little on the side. The spirit wants that 
 cow — kill it — and the boy will recover." 
 
 In confirmation of the assertion tliat the people 
 beat more vig-oroiisly as the prophet approaches 
 the truth^ an anecdote may be quoted from Mr. 
 Isaacs. A man^ who had joined the Europeans' 
 settlement, alleg-ed that he was suffering- from the 
 secret operations of an " evildoer j" and requested 
 that they would send one of their own people to the 
 prophet to be a witness of his accusation. Messrs. 
 Fynn and Isaacs accompanied him to '^'^ watch 
 the manoeuvres and arts of these diviners." 
 Tliey met two, when beads were given them with 
 the salutation, " We ^Aant your news." The pro- 
 phets took the beads ; and, after mnking- a few in- 
 describable g-estures, disappeared for a short time, 
 and then "returned witli painted faces, not un- 
 like that of a clown in a ])nntomime. The}^ Avere, on 
 their reappearance, accompanied by an ag-ed female, 
 \\lio joined them in their chnnt or song' to the 
 
prophet's manner of revealing. 171 
 
 spirit j and people were selected^ to whom were 
 given short sticks^ with which they were to beat 
 the ground in token of praise of everything- these 
 impostors uttered." One of them expatiated on 
 the cause of the visitation ; " but; finding" that the 
 people did not beat with their usual fervour^ nor 
 manifest any emotion or surprise^ he retired. The 
 other now made his debut^ to perform his part, 
 chang-ing" the subject. He mentioned what was 
 current respecting- the kraal of the monster Um- 
 seg-a. The idea of finding- out the um-takati, or 
 witch, so pleased the poor deluded natives, that they 
 beat the g-round with their sticks, and evinced their 
 joy in the most extraordinary way ; so much so 
 that Umsega could not abstain from making- some 
 remark, which led the prophet to conclude they had 
 touched the proper chord ; and that the savag-e 
 apprehended they would advert to matters not pal- 
 atable, namely, that his wives had been cohabiting- 
 with his brother, and that this was the only sick- 
 ness in his kraal. After some hours of such pre- 
 posterous absurdities, these ^wise men from the 
 East,' with profound g-ravity dismissed us, saying- 
 that the spirit would not impart anything- on that 
 day." 
 
 The explanation here given of the prophet's 
 apparent knowledg-e has occurred to some of the 
 natives. A party of visitors having- come to a 
 seer's kraal, during- his absence, a young* man who 
 was present represented himself as the person for 
 whom they were enquiring'. They saluted him 
 reverently, gave him a fee, heard his revelation, 
 
172 THE KAFIKS OF NATAL. 
 
 and Avent away with the conviction that he was a 
 very g-ood prophet. Another young- man was bold 
 enongli to declare his belief that the prophets were 
 imposterSj who coveted people's g"oods^ and obtained 
 their knowledg'e by seeh'uuj it from those who con- 
 sulted them. This being' denied he took an oppor- 
 tunity of personating- a prophet^ and dismissed the 
 visitors with a hig-h opinion of his supernatural 
 wisdom. He did not fail to boast of the feat and 
 trium})h over the sceptics. When the matter 
 reached his chief's ears^ that personag'e was much 
 scandalized and reported it to the king-. Pande 
 did not take much notice of the subject — the young- 
 man, he said, was a g'reat rogue, and must not do 
 so " to-morrow." 
 
 It is not to be understood that the seer's know- 
 ledg-e is in all cases entirely obtained from the 
 people themselves. It has been said that these 
 pretended prophets are alwa^'S seeking- for in- 
 formation relative to others ; while, according- 
 to Mr. Fynn, every member of the fraternity 
 has an assistant under the title of servant, who 
 g-enerally receives a considerable share of his 
 master's fees, and is employed to collect in- 
 formation. It may thus happen that the prophet 
 has some acquaintance Mith the circumstances of 
 his visitors and will not find it difficult to guess 
 what has induced them to consult him. 
 
 In the illustration before given the prophet was 
 supposed to ascribe the misfortune to the spirits. 
 J^ he attribute it to an '' evildoer," lie uill liave 
 
PROPHET INDICATING AN "EVILDOER." 173 
 
 to consult his own safety and make the revelation 
 in a cautious manner. If the accused person were 
 absent^ he mig-ht, on hearing' of the charg-e, escape 
 and find an opportunity of reveng-ing* himself; if 
 he were present^ he mig'ht plung-e an assag-ai into 
 the heart of his squatting- and defenceless accuser. 
 The prophet^ therefore^ usually avoids any direct 
 indication of the individual; and endeavours to 
 make those who consult him the accusers, rather 
 
174 THE KAFIKS OF NATA.L. 
 
 than himself. When he does point out the "evil- 
 doer," it is sometimes done in the following- manner. 
 Sufficient people being- assembled, and the sus- 
 pected person amon^ the number, he disposes 
 them around him in a circle. To the shag-g-y 
 ornaments of a Kafir's ordinary full dress he has 
 probabl}^ added the skins of serpents; small in- 
 flated bladders are tied to his hair; in one hand 
 he carries a short stick with a g-nu's tail affixed 
 to it, and in the other a trusty assag-ai. Thus 
 equipped the prophet begins to dance, accom- 
 panying- his movements with a song- or chant ; 
 and, becoming- g-radually excited, he appears at 
 leng-th like a phrenzied being- ; " his eyes roll with 
 infernal g-lare," tears run down his face, loud cries 
 interrupt his chanting-, and he seems as if an 
 evil spirit really possessed him. The spectators, 
 who believe that he is receiving- insjm'ation, 
 behold him with dismay ; but their attention is 
 turned from the prophet to themselves, when he 
 proceeds to discover the culprit. Dancing- towards 
 several individuals in succession, he affects to 
 examine them by means of his olfactory sense; 
 and, when he has found the real or supposed 
 offender, he touches him with the g-nu's tail and 
 immediately leaps over his head. 
 
 Sometimes the pi-ophet pretends to discover poison 
 concealed by an "evildoer" in a kraal, where 
 its presence is supposed to be producing- pernicious 
 effects. The following- is taken from Mr. Isaacs. 
 Several persons being- sick at one of his kraals, 
 the people applied to a prophetess, who required a 
 
A PROPHETESS. 175 
 
 COW to sacrifice before she could discover the "evil- 
 doer." She also sent a messag^e to Isaacs, saying- 
 that she would convince him of the truth of all 
 she uttered, notwithstanding" his obstinacy, and 
 g"iving' him permission to be present when she 
 dug* from the huts the roots or medicine which 
 were destroying- his people. He g-ave the cow, 
 and desired to be informed when the ceremony 
 was about to commence. Two days afterwards, 
 messeng-ers arrived to say that the prophetess had 
 refused his cow and required a larg-er one to be 
 sent or the difference to be made up in calico. 
 He g-ave the messeng-ers about four yards of check, 
 and was informed that she would be at the kraal 
 next day, but wanted Maslamfo, one of his men. 
 Isaacs objected to this, suspecting- that she would 
 be "cunning- enoug-h to elicit from him many 
 thing's which mig-ht g-ain her credit with these 
 ig-norant and credulous people." AVhen the pro- 
 phetess reached the kraal, " she was surrounded b}'- 
 the people of the neig-hbourhood, who had come to 
 behold the deed of divination and to hear the 
 communications of the spirit. A sort of g-loom 
 hung- on the features of every one : they all looked 
 pensive, and were profoundly silent. Their coun- 
 tenances bore such evident marks of deep interest, 
 that I could not help smiling- at them, and at their 
 solicitude to know the result of her ^smelling*.' 
 Messeng-ers were passing- to and from the various 
 tribes, and a g-reat number of people approached 
 from the borders of the river Umlass, who were 
 announced to be the tribes of the Fynns, accom- 
 
170 Tin; KAFIRS of natal. 
 
 paiiied by the chiefs of the dilVerent kranls under 
 our coniniaud. Forerunners^ announcing' the ad- 
 vance of the prophetess^ were numerous, and soon 
 returned to report the eagerness of the people for 
 her arrival, until we beg-an to manifest some impa- 
 tience, and g-rew wearied from suspense and delay 
 of the ceremony. At length, however, the sun be- 
 ginning* to decline from his meridian splendour, and 
 the evening" creeping" imperceptibly upon us, I sent 
 to request that the pythoness would hasten her 
 steps, and not keep us any longer waiting*. She 
 sent to inform us, that the spirit would not permit 
 her to move on unless somethino" more was o'iveu to 
 her. Her demand was soon complied with by the 
 chiefs sending' her some beads which they procured 
 from the people belong'ing' to the kraal, who con- 
 tributed more or less accordino- to their means. 
 The prophetess now made her entry into the place 
 appointed for the ceremony, folloAved by forty native 
 men belonging- to Ogle and Cane. They were all 
 armed with shields and spears, and marched in 
 procession with great solemnity, until the}" arrived 
 at the lower end of the kraal, where they halted in 
 line, resting' on the ground their shields, which 
 nearly covered their bodies, and having their spears 
 in their ria'ht hands. This had such a hostile 
 apjiearance, that I was induced to stop the sibyl, 
 until I made some inquiry into the cause for such 
 an extraordinary movement j but I found it was 
 customary for her to be attended in this way, upon 
 all solemn occasions. Her person, also, did not 
 less attract my attention than the hostile attitudes 
 
A PROPHETESS. 177 
 
 and habiliments of her g-uards. Her head was 
 partly shaved^ as is the custom of the natives. 
 Her hair was thick^ and seemed besmeared with fat 
 and charcoal. One eyelid was painted red, the 
 other black ; and her nose was rendered more 
 ornamental than nature had desig-ned itj by being* 
 also blackened by the same preparation. She was 
 attended by the wife of my captain, (who is a 
 descendant of white people,) her husband, and my 
 man Maslamfu, which was directly in opposition to 
 my strict injunctions ; however, I did not inquire 
 the cause of his breach of my orders, not wishing- 
 to impede the cerenion3\ By this time the woman 
 had taken her stick or wand, with a black cow's tail 
 tied to the end, which she flourished about with 
 infinite solemnity, frequently approaching- within a 
 short distance of the faces of the spectators. 
 
 " Having- made several advances towards the g'ate, 
 she suddenly stopped, and demanded more beads 
 before she could commence. A dispute now arose 
 between my people and those of Og'le, when many 
 illiberal hints were thrown out by the latter, which 
 annoyed us much. Had it been at any other period, 
 I should most certainly have interfered : but the 
 prophetess, seeing- ever}^ one deeply interested in 
 the result of her occult art, wished to impose a 
 further demand on the people before she would 
 enter the kraal; I, therefore, took no notice of their 
 conduct. My captain now offered her his blanket, 
 which she refused. I g-ave her some beads, which 
 I borrowed from the mistress of the place, who 
 would have g-iven all she possessed rather than the 
 
 N 
 
178 THE KAFIRti OF NATAL. 
 
 prophetess should refuse to " smell " the " evildoer." 
 The pythoness soon renewed her g"estures, and dis- 
 played such agility as she entered the g'ate^ as 
 astounded every one ; she danced from one side of 
 the place to the other, and sang- in a lang-ua^e 
 which had no meaning-^ or was incomprehensible 
 to the natives ; and her party joined in chorus. 
 She would frequentty break off, and make some 
 attempts to smell, as if disturbed in her olfactory 
 senses by something' disagreeable. She then affected 
 to smell seA'eral huts, and other such absurd and 
 ridiculous tricks, occasionally drawing- back to make 
 the credulous and superstitious natives believe she 
 had discovered by her sense of smelling- something- 
 pernicious, which caused the sickness so prevalent 
 in the neig-hbourhood. After raising- the expecta- 
 tions of the people to a state almost bordering- on 
 phrenzy, she addressed me, and said, that it would 
 be offending* the spirit to attempt dig-ging' up the 
 pernicious roots which were destroying' the kraal, 
 unless I g-ave another cow. I remonstrated ag-ainst 
 such an imposition ; but, finding- all arg'uments 
 useless, I consented, on condition that she would 
 perform the ceremony to my satisfaction, without 
 any further demands. After several severe expos- 
 tulations ^\ith my people respecting' her enormous 
 charg'es, she addressed the eag-er and ig-norant as- 
 sembly, and said, ^ You see that I have come here 
 to serve the kraal and not you, as all belong-ing- 
 to the kraal, except the children, are ^ evildoers ;' 
 this day, before the sun sets, w ill decide vour fate.' 
 Then, turning- towards me, ' As for you, do you 
 
A PKOPHETESS. 179 
 
 doubt the charms that the spirit has g-iveii to me ? 
 You are cunuing-, and it is I that have made you 
 so; I have brought 3^ou forward, and caused you to 
 know all and everything* ; this day you will know 
 more^ as I intend to lay all doubts aside, and satisfy 
 you as to my abilities and power/ At this address, 
 delivered in an energ-etic tone, and without any 
 faltering- or hesitation, our natives were nearty 
 paralysed. They sat in silent amazement, without 
 apparently having- the power to move a muscle of 
 their bodies. An occasional g'lance at me involun- 
 tarily escaped from them, to see if I was affected 
 by such absurdities. The enchantress frequently 
 called for snuff, which she applied to her olfactory 
 org-an with more than usual eagerness, and which, 
 I observed, was invariably handed to her by my 
 man Maslamfu, who appeared a sort of secondary 
 performer in the spectacle. After using- it in quan- 
 tities far from moderate, for streams issued from 
 her eyes in consequence, she elevated her voice, as 
 if she had received additional eloquence from its 
 properties and power." 
 
 She now appointed a man to dig- up the medicine. 
 He was a hug-e muscular fellow, and approached 
 his mistress with a trembling- step. Desiring- him 
 not to be alarmed, and having- put an assag-ai and 
 broken pot into his hands, she " chewed a root, and 
 then very unceremoniously caug-ht him by the 
 head, and ejected the contents of her mouth into 
 his ear, and on the left side of his face and neck ; 
 turned his head, and bespattered the other side 
 of his face in a similar manner, as well as both 
 n2 
 
180 TUB KAFIIJS OF NATAL. 
 
 his nrms. By this bedaubing'* lie was made in- 
 vuhierable to the effects of the pernicious roots. 
 The man chang-ed countenance, and appeared 
 more firm ; M'lien she desired TImlambale to turn 
 his face from her, and was g'oing- to pull off her 
 petticoat to convince the people that she had 
 nothinfr al)out her in the shape of roots, as a 
 deception ; but the willino- and believing* natives 
 forbade her. Proceeding- to the outer kraal, she 
 pointed out three huts, Avhich, after smelling- 
 them a little, she ordered to be unroofed, and 
 cleared of every article within. This done, she 
 ordered the man to put some ashes in the pot, 
 and enter the hut for the ])urpose of dig-ging- 
 up the roots. I w^as going* into the hut that I 
 mig-ht be able to watch more minutely the manoeu- 
 vres of this wholesale impostor ; but, in a tone- 
 quite pathetic, she pressed me to remain outside, 
 saying- she w^as afraid to enter the hut, and related 
 several instances of people ha\ino' been struck 
 dead by the effects of roots buried b}^ the ^ evil- 
 doers.' All this was confirmed by innumerable 
 voices around me, which only added to my eag-er- 
 ness to enter the hut. However, my people 
 beg-g-ed that I w'ould not, and, as the pro])hetess 
 had refused to ' smell,' I was compelled to desist, 
 and submit to their entreaties to stand outside 
 with the Messrs. Fynn, and look throug-h the 
 parted sticks of the hut. The prophetess now 
 presented the fellow with a stone, standing- her- 
 self about three yards from the hut, and with 
 her wnnd jiointing- to the u])per part of it, where 
 
A PKOPHETESS. 181 
 
 the man^ as directed, beat the floor with the stone, 
 dug* up a little of the earth, and put a handful 
 into the pot. In the same manner, he took a little 
 earth also from above the fire-place. She next 
 proceeded to another hut, and operated as before; 
 and so on to the third. In the interim the natives 
 were consulting* each other, whether she had found 
 the roots or not ; most of them said that the roots 
 were put into the pot with the handfiils of earth, 
 but both Messrs. Fynn and myself Avere confident 
 no roots had been dug*. After the prophetess had 
 in vain searched the three huts, she suddenly 
 turned, and A\'alked quickly out of the kraal, 
 followed by her operative man, with the pot full 
 of earth, her husband and Maslamfu, who were 
 the whole time at her elbows, and proceeded to 
 Mattantany's g-arden, wdiere she threw a spear, 
 and desired the man to dig* on the spot on which 
 her weapon had fallen ; still no roots were found. 
 Being" now outdone, and closely followed by us, 
 and findino- all her efforts to elude our vig'ilance 
 vain, for we examined into all her tricks with the 
 most persevering* scrutiny, she suddenly turned 
 round, and in a quick pace proceeded to the 
 kraal, where she very sag*aciously called for her 
 snuff-box. Her husband ran to her and presented 
 one. This attracted my notice, as Maslamfu had 
 hitherto performed the office of snuff-box bearer, 
 and I conjectured that, instead of snuff in the 
 box, the husband had presented her with roots. 
 I did not fail in my prediction ; for, as she 
 proceeded to the upper part of the kraal she took 
 
182 THE KAFirtS OF NATAL. 
 
 the spear from the man appointed to dig*, and 
 dug* herself in front of the Init^ where the people 
 had been sick, took some earth and added to 
 that in the pot, then proceeded as quickly as 
 possible to the calf-kraal, where she dug* about 
 two inches deep, and applied two fing-ers of her 
 left hand to scrape a little earth out, at the 
 same time holding" the roots with the other two fin- 
 gers ; then^ in a second closed her hand, mixing- 
 the roots with the earth, and putting- them into 
 the pot; sa3'ing- to the man^ ^ There are the 
 thino-s you have been lookins" for.' This was 
 performed in so bung-ling- a manner, that I could 
 not g-ive this impostor an}^ credit for her skill 
 and adroitness. So little dexterity was dis- 
 played, that even ni}^ poor credulous and panic- 
 stricken natives at once discovered the imposition. 
 The principal senator, Soputa, became enrag-ed, 
 took the foTU' roots that had recently been sewed 
 in dirty leathei-^ and said, ^ These roots have not 
 been dug- from the g-round.' I desired him to be 
 silent, as I w^ished to see her ^ smell' the ^evildoer.' 
 Putting- the roots into my pockety I followed her 
 to the g-ate of the kraal, where she took the pot 
 of earth, turned it on the g-round, and with g-reat 
 precaution took a little stick, g'ently turning- the 
 earth over with a view of showinjr the roots, which, 
 alas ! she could not find ; I now took them from 
 my pocket. 
 
 " Soputa, excited beyond control, asked her how 
 she could think of practising- such impositions, and 
 thus deceiving* the natives and swindling- them out 
 
A PROPHETESS. 183 
 
 of their means. This was followed by a general 
 murmur of disapprobation^ and a confusion of 
 tong'ues, so that I could not obtain a hearing". 
 After silencing- them, however^ we missed the pro- 
 phetess and her attendants^ who had made their 
 escape during- the uproar which her impositions 
 had excited." 
 
 In pointing- out an evildoer, the prophet appears 
 to be g-uided, as in other matters, by the suspicions 
 of the people, and by the knowledge which he or 
 his assistant may have g-ained in their habitual 
 scrutiny of everything' falling- under their observa- 
 tion. The following* extract is from Mr. Fynn's 
 evidence : " Any native using- a poisonous prepara- 
 tion is naturally very cautious in doing- so ; his 
 cautious movements are noticed by his neighbours, 
 and create suspicion in their minds. This is much 
 streno'thened if he is observed to rove alone at 
 night . . . On sickness or death prevailing in any 
 locality, a person ^^■hose actions had previously 
 raised suspicions which had spread through the 
 neighbourhood, is now suspected of being the guilty 
 cause of such a calamity. The fearful rumours 
 produced by these suspicions are eagerly sought 
 for b}'' the assistant of the prophet ; thus the latter, 
 having obtained a knowledge of them, is often 
 prepared to give such proofs of his (supposed) 
 supernatural discernment, when the matter is re- 
 ferred to him, as to leave no doubt of his great 
 professional ability. Thus, it will be seen that it 
 does not necessarily follow, as Europeans generally 
 believe, that the prophet is in all cases wrong in 
 
184 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 pointing- out the criminal. As the result of many 
 year's close observation, I am inclined to estimate 
 the proportion of really g-uilty persons as about 
 one-third of the total number who are accused by 
 the prophets as aha-takati, or evildoers." 
 
 It seems to follow^ from what has been already 
 said^ that if a man wish to accuse an innocent per- 
 son and cause him to be put to death, as an " evil- 
 doer," he may succeed without eng'ag'ing- the pro- 
 phet in a direct conspiracy. Several cows produced 
 dead calves at the kraal of a wealthy individual ; 
 and about the same time a girl^ going* after night- 
 fall from one hut to another^ was startled to observe 
 a man not many steps from her. On learning- 
 this, the people made a g*eneral search of the kraal, 
 obtaining- a precarious light by blowing- on half-burnt 
 sticks broug'ht from the fire j but discovered nothing-, 
 except a hole through the outer fence. Next 
 morning', the owner traced, or professed to trace, 
 the footsteps of a man from this hole to another of 
 his kraals, where he immediately took up a tempo- 
 rary residence. The second night after his arrival, 
 a dog- barked loudly and rushed over the fence. 
 Hearing- it, the master called the people out of 
 their houses, and found a dependant, named San- 
 g-atu, absent from the muster. Enquiring- at the 
 hut of the latter, he was told b}- the man's Avife 
 that her husband was sick. The master expressed 
 surprise, observing- that he was well two days ag-o; 
 but the woman repeated her statement, and added 
 that he had eaten nothing- all day. If the master 
 
A FALSE ACCUSATION. 185 
 
 had chosen to enter, he mig'ht have ascertained 
 whether his servant was in the house ; but he with- 
 drew without doing- so. In a short time the dog- 
 returned and the people retired. 
 
 On the following- day, as the master was sitting- 
 b}^ a iire outside the g-ate, he observed Sang-atu 
 approaching-, and referred to what had taken place 
 the nig-ht before. The dependant replied that he 
 was returning- from the river, and that he was 
 indeed very sick. He was then ordered to fetch 
 another servant, and accompany him to a pro- 
 phet, who lived at the distance of three days' journey. 
 Sang-atu, however, pleaded his illness, and was 
 allowed to remain behind. AVhen the other ser- 
 vant reached his destination, he found the prophet 
 at home ; and, having- given him a fee, proceeded, 
 with his companions, to 'Mjeat and hear." Sud- 
 denly the seer stopped in his pretended revelation ; 
 and, returning- the " assag-ai," said that there was 
 an "evildoer" at the kraal, whose name he would 
 tell to none but the master. The latter refused to 
 g-o, but sent his principal dependant or iu-dunay 
 whom he now oblig'ed Sang-atu to accompany. The 
 prophet received them with tears ; and he wept 
 ag-ain on saying-: "There is an 'evildoer' at the 
 kraal— a g-irl sees him there at nig-ht — a dog- tries 
 to catch him — (I see one now present who does not 
 beat vig-orously) — when the people assemble near 
 the g-ate, one is wanting- — his wife says he is 
 sick — (why don't you beat vig-orously ?") The last 
 remark was addressed to Sang-atu, who, doubtless, 
 felt that he Avas doomed, and betrayed his sickness 
 
18C THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 of heart in the feeble use of his finders. He con- 
 fessed that his wife had said that her husband was 
 ill ; but ])rotested that the statement was true and 
 that he was no ^^ evildoer." The prophet dismissed 
 them. 
 
 As they left the seer's, Sang-atu declared that he 
 Avould o-o to another prophet ; but the chief servant 
 allayed his fears, by pretending* to believe him in- 
 nocent, and enlarg-ing' on the fact that the prophet 
 had not pronounced him g'uilty. Having- reached 
 home, he was still further deceived when he heard 
 his treacherous fellow-dependant say to his master 
 that the seer kneA\- nothhig* and had told them only 
 falsehoods. This was said before the people ; but 
 afterwards the chief servant g*ave to his master, in 
 private, an exact account of what had taken place. 
 Lumbo (for it was he) now communicated with his 
 brother, the king-'s in-dinia, and obtained throug'h 
 him an order for Sang-atu's death. A party of 
 soldiers arrived to execute the sentence; but Lumbo, 
 fearino- that their continued presence would excite 
 suspicion in the victim's mind, dismissed them to 
 the bush. He then invited the people of the kraal 
 to drink beer in his own hut 5 and, while they were 
 thus occupied, the warriors arrived from the bush. 
 Lumbo addressed them as strang-ers, and asked 
 what they wanted. They replied that they had 
 been sent to fetch some of his brother's cattle. The 
 master took them into his house, to join the 
 carousers. In a short time he A\itlidrew; and, 
 callino- one of the visitors after him, directed that 
 the deed should not be done inside. He then, 
 
A BRIBED PROrHET. 187 
 
 under the pretence of teaching* them one of his 
 brother's dances^ summoned the Avhole party into 
 the isi-ha>/a, where the unsuspecting Sang-atu was 
 immediately seized and slain. The deceased left 
 several g'irls, of whom Lumbo married four, killed 
 one because she refused to become his wife, and 
 sold another. Sang-atu's cattle were divided by the 
 master and his brother. 
 
 In some cases^ the prophet is bribed to accuse 
 an individual. Two rich men^ who had built their 
 kraals in proximity to each other, did not live in 
 harmony. Umpisi loved quietness ; but the other 
 was arrog'ant and cpiarrelsome, and cultivated a 
 desirable piece of land, to which custom g-ave his 
 neig'hbour a prior claim. Umpisi having- remon- 
 strated, insult was added to injury ; and, thoug'h 
 the more wealthy of the two, he was stig-matised as 
 a poor man. He soug-ht another spot for his g^ar- 
 den. The self-cater (to eat 07ie\s self is a native 
 idiom, sig-nifying' to be proud and overbearing-) 
 sacrificed to the spirits ; but did not invite Umpisi 
 to the feast. The latter took no notice of the slig'ht; 
 but invited him, as usual, to his next banquet; 
 nor was the self-eater too proud to accept the invi- 
 tation. Afterwards, the haughty man had another 
 feast, to which Umpisi was not asked; but this 
 made no difference in the conduct of the latter, who 
 ag-ain invited and ag-ain entertained his neig'hbour. 
 He would have sent him even another invitation, 
 but his son refused to carry it — he could not see 
 why his father should act like a poor man, and 
 
188 THE K.VriKS OF NATAL, 
 
 invite a person w ho never invited him. The self- 
 eater was chao-rined ; and, having- received a mes- 
 sno*e tliat his cattle had been trespassing- among- 
 Umpisi's crops, returned a very insolent answer, 
 connnnnding- the latter to leave his vichiity. Um- 
 pisi rejoined that the country belong-ed to the chief 
 and not to him, who had been but lately adopted 
 into the tribe. 
 
 The self-eater endeavoured to obtain reveng-e by 
 attempting- to influence the chief; but that per- 
 sonao-e would not listen to his suo-o-estions, and 
 dismissed him with the scornful assurance that the 
 fact of his son's beino- an officer of the kino;- was a 
 matter of small importance. The proud man now 
 visited a prophet, whom he addressed mysteriousty: 
 ^^A certain person is my enemy; by and bye he 
 will purchase poison ; he is a rich man, and dwells 
 near me." The prophet asked whether he wished 
 somebody to die. ^' Yes, if any one will cause him 
 to die, I will g-ive him a cow." The prophet was 
 indig-nant and said that his visitor's conversation 
 was very ug-ly — he was a prophet and not an 
 "evildoer." The self-eater deprecated his wrath — 
 he did not A\'ish him to administer poison to the 
 man — it would be enoug-h to accuse his neio-hbour 
 of being- an vm-fakati. The prophet replied that 
 it would be useless to do so — nobody would believe 
 it— besides, he was unable to utter a lie. Not dis- 
 courag-ed by so a irtuous a declaration, the self-eater 
 repeated his offer of a cow, and departed. 
 
 Five days afterwards, his son being- ill, the self- 
 eater took one of Umpisi's de])endants with him, 
 
A BRIBED PROPHET. 189 
 
 and paid a second visit to the seer. When the 
 latter asked for his fee^ the visitor replied, "If you 
 tell me the truth I shall g'ive you a cow ; not an 
 assag-ai." The prophet was content, and made a 
 satisfactory revelation : " Your son is ill — an '• evil- 
 doer' scattered poison during" the nig-ht near the 
 door — next morning- the boy went out of the hut 
 and inhaled the poison — I see the ^evildoer' — he 
 is a rich man — he lives near you — you drink the 
 same stream — [the dependant asks for the name] — 
 he is called Nukwa [a woman's word for impisif 
 — after a while he will kill you. Address the 
 spirits — give them meat and send me the cow." 
 This being- communicated to the chief, he would 
 not beheve the accusation ; and, directing- the 
 self-eater to accompany him, went to another 
 prophet. That individual ascribed the child's sick- 
 ness to the spirits, who were ang-r^^ because his 
 father had, on a previous occasion, sacrificed a 
 small beast instead of a larg-e ox. The malicious 
 man told the prophet that his statement could not 
 be true— the child, he arg-ued, was very ill, whereas 
 Ms ancestors never inflicted extreme sickness. The 
 chief, who did not doubt the prophet, told his 
 follower to sacrifice the ox 5 and as he threatened, 
 in case of refusal, to acquaint Umpisi with the 
 accusation, his wish was complied with. The 
 child recovered. 
 
 The self-eater made another attempt. Telling- 
 the chief that many omens had come to his kraal, 
 he wished him to believe that they had been caused 
 by an "evildoer." The chief attributed them to 
 
190 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 his ancestors ; but \\ as a\ illing- to consult a pro})het. 
 The self-eater conducted him to the bribed seer, 
 who said tliat the omens had been occasioned by 
 the evil arts of Umpisi ; but he was still sceptical 
 and told the com|)lainant to offer sacrifice. The 
 self-eater was not to be thus disappointed. His 
 son now informed one of Pande's councillors that 
 an ^'evildoer" was killing- his father, and that 
 the chief would not brino- the circumstance to 
 the kino-'s knowledo^e. When the matter was 
 reported to I*ande, he enquired how many cattle 
 the ^^ evildoer " possessed ; and, having* asked 
 whether a prophet had been consulted, told the 
 self-eater's son to take some of the TSodweng-e 
 reg'iment and kill the um-takati. The victim 
 having- been despatched, his herd was driven to 
 the Great Place. 
 
 After the order for this murder had been g-iven, 
 Pande sent for the chief, and asked whether he 
 thoug'ht the accused was really an "evildoer." The 
 chief denied that he was, and related the history 
 of the case. Pande expressed g-reat sorrow, and 
 declared his belief that the })rophet had been bribed 
 — many he said, were. To ascertain the truth, 
 he ordered the chief to visit the suspected seer, 
 and tell him that the conspiracy had been dis- 
 covered — that the king- was very angry — and 
 that his only chance of escaping- punishment was 
 to make a full confession. The expedient suc- 
 ceeded, and the projdiet confessed his crime. 
 He did not however escape punishment j being- 
 deprived of his cattle, and forlddden to practise 
 
prophet's novitiate. 191 
 
 ag-ain. The "self-eater" and his family, with 
 one exception, were put to death.^ 
 
 The seer's office, which may be filled by a female, 
 is hereditary. It is, however (to quote the words 
 of Mr. Fynn) " a principle understood throug-hout 
 every tribe of Kafir-land that none of the children 
 of a prophet can succeed their parent in that pro- 
 fession. It is believed that the requisite discern- 
 ment and power are denied to them, but may 
 frequently appear in their descendants of the second 
 g-eneration." Symptoms supposed to indicate an 
 individual's coming- inspiration are mental depres- 
 sion, a disposition to retire from his accustomed 
 society, severe fits of an epileptic nature,^ ex- 
 traordinary and numerous dreams.^" These last 
 relate to " all sorts of wonderful thing-s ; but espe- 
 cially to wild beasts, as lions, tig'ers, wolves, and 
 serpents." The neophyte talks about his marvel- 
 lous visions, and " commences running-, shrieking-, 
 plung-ing- into water, and performing- wonderful 
 feats, until his friends say he is mad; and he 
 speaks and acts like one under the influence of a 
 supernatural being-." He then catches live snakes 
 (probably harmless ones) and hangs them about his 
 neck. Thus arrayed, he g-oes to a prophet; and, 
 presenting- him with a g'oat, seeks to be instructed 
 in the mysteries of the profession. Having- re- 
 mained with him some time, he visits a seer of 
 greater reputation, by whom his preparation is 
 completed. 
 
 The following- narrative of a seer's preparation 
 
192 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 relates to the f^ither of one of my own servants. 
 Some of the particulars may be peculiar to his 
 tribe, and some due to the caprice of the indi- 
 vidual. A married man (whose mother w^as the 
 daug'hter of a prophet) had manifested the symp- 
 toms of inspiration when a ^'outh ; but his father, 
 not willins: to slauo-hter his cat^ as custom would 
 have required, employed a seer of reputation to 
 check the gTowing* charge}^ The dispossession was 
 not, however, permanent ; and, when the youth 
 became a man, the inspiration returned. He pro- 
 fessed to have constantly recurring- dreams about 
 lions, leopards, elephants, boa-constrictors, and all 
 manner of wild beasts; he dreamed about the 
 Zulu-country, and (strang-est thing- of all) that he 
 had a vehement desire to return t o it. After a while 
 he became very sick; his wives, thinking- he was 
 dying*, poured cold water over his prostrate person ; 
 and the chief, whose in-dvna he was, sent a mes- 
 seng-er to the prophet. The latter declared that 
 the man was becoming* inspired, and directed the 
 chief to supply an ox for sacrifice. This was dis- 
 ag-reeable, but that personag-e did not dare to 
 refuse, and the animal was sent : he contrived how- 
 ever to delay the sacrifice ; and prudently ordered 
 that, if the patient died in the meantime, the ox 
 should be returned. Havino* beo*un to recover his 
 streng'th, our g'rowing* ])rophet cried and raved like 
 a delirious being*, suffering' no one to enter his hut, 
 except two of his j-oung-er children — a g'irl and a 
 boy. Many of the tribe came to see him, but he 
 did not permit them to approach his person, and 
 impatiently motioned them away. 
 
prophet's novitiate. 198 
 
 In a few days he rushed out of his hut^ tore 
 away throug'h the fence, van like a maniac across 
 the grasSj and disappeared in the bush. The two 
 children went after him ; and the bo}'" (his sister 
 having' tired) eventually discovered him on the sea- 
 shore. Before the child could approach, the real 
 or affected madman disappeared ag'ain, and was 
 seen no more for two or three days. He then re- 
 turned home, a strang-e and frig'htful spectacle; 
 sickness and fasting* had reduced him almost to a 
 skeleton ; his eyes g'lared and stood out from his 
 shrunken face ; the ring* had been torn from his 
 head, which he had covered with long- shag-gy 
 g-rass; while, to complete the hideous picture, a 
 living- serpent was twisted round his neck. Having* 
 entered the kraal, where his wives were in tears 
 and all the inmates in sorrow, he saluted them with 
 a wild howl to this effect : ^^ People call me mad — 
 I know they say I am mad 5 that is nothing*; the 
 spirits are influencing- me— the spirits of Majolo 
 of Unhlovu, and of my father." 
 
 After this a sort of dance took place, in which 
 he suno- or chanted : " I thouo-ht I was dreamino- 
 while I was asleep ; but, to my surprise, I was not 
 asleep." The women (previously instructed) broke 
 forth into a shrill chorus, referring- to his departure 
 from home, his visit to the sea, and his wandering* 
 from river to river ; while the men did their part 
 by sing-ing- two or three unmeaning* syllables. The 
 dance and the accompanying- chants were several 
 times repeated, the chief actor conducting- himself 
 consistently with his previous behaviour. 
 o 
 
]U4 TH KAFIKS OF NATAL. 
 
 His (livnins confiiuH'd ; jiihI the penjjlc were told 
 that he liad soph a boa-oonstrictor in a vision, and 
 could point out tlu* spot whorp it was to be found. 
 They nrrompanipd him ; and, whrn he had indi- 
 cated the y)la('e, they dug- and dipcovered two of 
 the reptiles. He endeavoured to seize one, but the 
 ppo])le held him back, and liis son struck the animal 
 with suthcient force to disable but not to kill it. 
 He was then allowed to take the serpent, which he 
 placed round his neck, and the party returned home. 
 Subsequently havintr (as he alleo^ed) dreamed about 
 a leopard, the people accompanied him and found 
 it. The beast was slain, and carried in triumph 
 to the kraal. 
 
 When our oT0^^ ing- })ro])het returned home after 
 his absence at the sea, be bepran to slauo^hter his 
 cattle, accordinp^ to custom, and continued doing- so 
 at intervals until the whole were consumed. Some 
 of them were offered in sacrifice. As the o-onernl 
 rule, when there is beef at a kraal, the neig-hbours 
 assemble to eat it ; but, when an embryo-seer slays 
 his cattle, those who wisli to eat must previously 
 give him something-. If however the chief were to 
 g-ivr' him a cow, the people of the tribe would be 
 free to g-o. In this case the chief had not done so; 
 and the visitors were oblig-ed to buy their enter- 
 tainment — one man g-iving- a knife, another a shil- 
 ling-. An indi\ idual, who was unable or unwilling- 
 to y)ay, having: ventured fo present himself with 
 empty hands, our nrophvtr was exceeding'ly wroth: 
 and, seizins' a stick, }ra^ e the intruder a siirnilicant 
 hint, whicli the latt^M- was not slow to comprehend. 
 
THE riiOniET's INFLUENCE. 195 
 
 During- the oonsiimption of his cattle^ the neo- 
 phyte disappeared ag-ain for two days. When it 
 was finished he went to a prophet^ with whom he 
 resided two moons — his children takino- him food ; 
 and afterwards^ to receive further instruction, 
 visited another seer. He was then considered 
 qualified to practise. 
 
 A prophet of reputation possesses very g-reat 
 influence. The people reverence him not only be- 
 cause he is believed to enjoy the peculiar favour of 
 the spirits; but because he possesses the tremen- 
 dous power of charging- a person with so called 
 ^^ witchcraft." An individual of this order visited a 
 rich man belonging- to his tribe, and stated that the 
 spirit of a deceased chief had sent him to demand 
 an ox. The master of the kraal possessed a full 
 share of native cupidity ; and, as an inhabitant of 
 Natal, had no reason to fear the leg-al consequences 
 of the prophet's accusation : yet he complied with 
 the demand and g-ave the impostor one of his best 
 bullocks. '■^ There is abundant proof that throug-h- 
 out all the Kafir tribes, when living- in their purely 
 native condition, the prophets are reg-arded with 
 feeling's of fear and awe."'^' 
 
 Makanna, who led the attack on Graham's Town, 
 in 1818, seems to have been one of this class. 
 He was in the habit of visiting- the British head- 
 quarters at that place, and '^evinced an insatiable 
 curiosity and an acute intellect on such sul)jects as 
 fell under his observation. With the military officers 
 he talked of war, or of such of the mechanical arts 
 02 
 
100 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 as fell inifler his notice ; but his o'reat delii^ht was 
 to converse with the chaplain, to elicit information 
 in reg-ard to the doctrines of Christianit}^ j and to 
 puzzle liini with nieta])hysical subtleties or mystical 
 raAino's." Combining- the knowledg-e thus acquired 
 with native superstitions and his own wild fancies, 
 " he framed a sort of extravag-ant relig'ious medley, 
 and, like another Mohammed, boldly announced 
 himself as a prophet and teacher inspired from 
 Heaven. He endeavoured to throw around his 
 obscure origin a cloud of relig'ious mj^stery, and 
 called himself the brother of Christ. In his usual 
 demeanour, he assumed a reserved, solemn and 
 abstracted air, and kept himself aloof from observ- 
 ation j but in addressing' the people, who flocked 
 in multitudes to hear him, he appeared to pour 
 forth his soul in a flow of affecting' and impetuous 
 eloquence," He inculcated a stricter morality, 
 and upbraided the most powerful chiefs with their 
 vices. Speaking' of Scri})ture-history, he adduced 
 in proof of the universal delug-e, the existence of 
 sea-shells on the tops of the neighbouring* moun- 
 tains. " By deg'rees he g-ained a complete control 
 over all the principal chiefs, ^^ith the exception 
 of Gaikn, who feared and hated him. He was 
 consulted on every matter of consequence, received 
 numerous gifts, collected a larg'e body of retainers, 
 and was acknowledg-ed as a warrior-chief as well 
 as a prophet. His ulterior objects were never 
 fully developed ; but it seems not improbable that 
 he (*ontenq)lated I'aising' himself to the sovereig-nty 
 as well as to the ])riesthood of his nation; and ])ro- 
 
A SECOND MOHAMMED. 197 
 
 posed to himself the patriotic task (for, thoug-h a 
 religious impostor^ he certainly was not destitute 
 of noble aspirations) to elevate by degrees his 
 barbarous countrymen, both politically and intel- 
 lectually, nearer to a level with the Europeans." 
 
 The confederate chiefs, who in 1818 turned their 
 arms ao-ainst Gaika, thouo-h seekino- to reveno-e their 
 own wrong's, acted at the same time under the 
 prophet's direction— it being- one of Maknnna's 
 objects to humble, if not to crush, that chieftain, 
 who Avas the g-reat obstacle to his ao-o-randisement. 
 Gaika having- been defeated, the Colonial Govern- 
 ment thought it necessary to interfere in his be- 
 half/^ and sent a powerful military force into the 
 country. When the soldiers had returned, the 
 Kafirs beg-an to pour themselves into the colony, 
 eag-er for plunder and reveng-e ; but Makanna, not 
 satisfied with mere marauding- incursions, endea- 
 voured to " concentrate the energ-ies of his country- 
 men, and bring- them to attempt a decisive blow ; 
 and this he at length eflected. By his spirit- 
 rousing elocpience, his pretended revelations from 
 Heaven, and his confident predictions of complete 
 success, provided they implicitly followed his coun- 
 sels, he persuaded the great majority of the 
 Amakosa clans (including some of Hinza's captains) 
 to unite their forces for a simultaneous attack 
 on Graham's Town, the head -quarters of the 
 British troops. He told them that he was sent 
 by Uhlanga, the great Spirit, to aveng-e their 
 wrongs 5 that he had power to call up from the 
 grave the spirits of their ancestors to assist them 
 
198 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 ill battle ag-aiiist tlie Eng-lish, whom they should 
 drive before they stopped across the Zwartkops 
 river and into the ocean; ^and then/ said the 
 prophet^ ^ we m ill sit down and eat honey.'" 
 
 MAKANNA'S GATHERING. 
 
 Wake ! Amakosa, wake ! 
 
 And aim yourselves for war. 
 As coming winds the forest shake, 
 
 I hear a sound from far : 
 It is not thunder in the sky, 
 
 Nor lion's roar upon the hill, 
 But the voice of Him who sits on high. 
 
 And bids me speak his will ! 
 He bids me call you forth, 
 
 Bold sons of Kahabee, 
 To sweep the White Men from the earth, 
 
 And drive them to the sea : 
 The sea, which heaved them up at first, 
 
 For Amakosa' s curse and bane. 
 Howls for the progeny she nurst, 
 
 To swallow them again. 
 
 * * * 
 
 Then come, ye Chieftains bold, 
 
 With war- plumes waving higli ; 
 Come, every warrior young and old. 
 
 With club and assagai. 
 Remember how the spoiler's host 
 
 Did through our land like locusts range ! 
 Your herds, your wives, your comrades lost- 
 
 Remember — and revcncc ! 
 Fling your broad shields away — 
 
 Bootless against such foes ; 
 But hand to hand we'll fight to-day, 
 
 And with their bayonets close. 
 Grasp each man short his stabbing spear — 
 
 And, when to battle's edge we come, 
 Rush on their ranks in full career. 
 
 And to their heart* strike liomc ! 
 
A SECOND MOHAMMED. 199 
 
 Wake ! Amakosa, wake ! 
 
 And muster for the war ; 
 The wizard- wolves from Keisi's brake. 
 
 The vultures from afar. 
 Are gathering at Uhlanga's call, 
 
 And follow fast our westward way — ■ 
 For well they know, ere evening -fall, 
 
 They shall have glorious prey ! Prinyle. 
 
 Having- called out the warriors of the several 
 tribes, Makanna and Diishani the son of Islanibi 
 (the nominal commander) "mustered their army 
 in the forests of the Great Fish Eiver, and found 
 themselves at the head of between nine and ten 
 thousand men. They then sent (in conformity 
 Avith a custom held in repute among- Kafir heroes) 
 a messag-e of defiance to Colonel Willshire^ the 
 British Commandant, announcing- that they would 
 breakfast with him next morning. At the first 
 break of dawn the warriors were arrayed for 
 battle on the mountains near Graham's Town ; 
 and, before they were led on to the assault, were 
 addressed by Makanna in an animating- speech, 
 in which he is said to have assured them of su- 
 pernatural aid in the conflict with the Eng-lish, 
 which would turn the hailstorm of their fire-arms 
 into water. . . The English were completely as- 
 tonished when they appeared soon after sun rise 
 marching- rapidly over the heights which environ 
 Graham's Town; for Colonel Willshire had so 
 entirely disregarded the message sent him, con- 
 sidering- it a mere bravado, that he had taken 
 no precautions whatever, and was himself very 
 nearly captured by the enemy as he was taking- 
 a morning ride with some of his officers." 
 
200 THE KAFIHS OF >ATAL. 
 
 i 
 
 ^^AU was now bustle in the little g'arrison 
 (which consisted of only about three hundi*ed and 
 fifty European troops and a small corps of disci- 
 plined Hottentots); the place had no reg'ular 
 defence, and the few field-pieces which it possessed 
 were not quite in readiness. The Kafirs rushed 
 on to the assault with their wild war-cries. They 
 were o-allantly encountered by the troops, A\ho 
 poured u])on them, as they advanced in dense 
 disorderly masses, a destructive fire of nuisketry, 
 every shot of which was deadlv, while their showers 
 of assao-nis fell short or ineffective. Still however 
 they ad\anced courageously, the chiefs cheering- 
 them on, almost to the muzzles of the British 
 ii'uns : and many of the foremost warriors were 
 seen breaking* short their last assag'ai, to render it 
 a staljbing- weapon, in order to rush in upon the 
 troo])s, according" to Makanna's direction, and 
 decide the battle in close combat. This was very 
 different from their usual mode of bush-fig-hting', 
 but the sug-g-estion of it evinces Makanna's judg- 
 ment ; for, if promptly and boldly acted upon, it 
 could not have failed of success." 
 
 "At this critical moment, and while other 
 columns of the Kahr army were pushing on to 
 assail the ])lace in flank and rear, the old Hottentot 
 Captain ]Joezak, who lia])peiK^d that instant to ar- 
 rive at Graham's Town w ith a party of his men, 
 rushed intrepidly forward to meet the enemy. To 
 old Boezak most of the Kafir chiefs and captains 
 were personally known ; and he was also familiar 
 with their fierce appearance and fiu'ious shouts. 
 
THE PROPHET OF THE LAST WAR. 201 
 
 Sino-lino- out the boldest of those who. now m 
 advance, were encourag'ino- their men to the final 
 onset^ Boezak and his followers, buftalo-hunters 
 from Theopolis and among* the best marksmen in 
 the colony, levelled in a few seconds a number 
 'of the most distinofuished chiefs and warriors. 
 Their onset was for a moment checked. The 
 British troops cheered, and renewed with alacrity 
 their firing-. At the same time, the field-pieces, 
 now broug-ht to bear upon the thickest of the 
 enemy, opened a most destructive fire of gTape- 
 shot. Some of the warriors rushed madly forward 
 and hurled their spears at the artillerymen; but 
 it was in vain. The front ranks were mown 
 down like g'rass; those behind recoiled; a wild 
 panic and irretrievable rout ensued. Makanna, 
 after vainly attempting- to rally them, accompanied 
 their flig-ht. They were pursued but a short way ; 
 for the handful of cavalry durst not follow them 
 into the broken ravines where they precipitated 
 their flight. The slaug-hter was g-reat for so 
 brief a conflict. About one thousand four hundred 
 Kafir warriors strewed the field of battle; and 
 many more perished of their wounds before they 
 reached their own country." Makanna afterwards 
 surrendered to the British authorities and was im- 
 prisoned on Robben Island.'^ 
 
 Previous to the last Kafir war, Sandilli had 
 endeavoured to prevail on the chiefs, under British 
 rule, to rise ag-ainst the white man. Pato refused ; 
 while others, who approved the plan, thoug-ht the 
 
20li THE KAFIR8 OF NATAL. 
 
 time unfavourable for its execution. It was now 
 rej)orte{l — the son of Gaika probably knew whence 
 the rumour had g-one forth — that a child with two 
 heads had been born ; that it had spoken immedi- 
 ately after birtli^ and foretold the overthrow of the 
 Eng-lish. Public attention was also attracted by* 
 Umlanjeni^ a young* prophet of the Gaika tribe, 
 who rendered himself notorious by standing- uj) to 
 the chin in a pool of water, for several hours, with- 
 out food. (The fact that he subsequently refused 
 to receive anvthino- from his devotees, has been 
 thoug-ht to show that he was merely a tool in the 
 hands of Sandilli and his confederates.) Umlan- 
 jeni's influence quickly g-rew, and the principal 
 chiefs were prevailed on to consult the g-reat pro- 
 phet, and leave the question of peace or war to his 
 decision. They asked him what they were to do — 
 the Eno-lish had their land and were treating- them 
 like dog-s — the}' were dr3^ing' up the country a\ ith 
 the sun — if left alone they would starve them to 
 death. The seer pronounced that war was in the 
 land, and directed his visitors to divide themselves 
 into t^\o parties — those with g'uns, and those with 
 assag-ais. The latter were to lie flat on the g-round, 
 while the g-un-part}-, representing- the Eng-lish, 
 fired ; they were then to spring- up and rush quickly 
 on their foes before the latter could i-eload. In 
 this manner the Kafirs Mere to fig-ht the troops. 
 When asked what the warriors were to eat, he 
 produced the skins of two sheep and one g'oat, and 
 undertook to provide those animals during* the war. 
 }fp appointed Macomo and Umhala to the chief 
 
or 
 THE TROPHET OF THE LAST WAR. 201) 
 
 command 5 and directed that the sig'nal for com- 
 raencmg- hostihties should be an attempt which, he 
 predicted, the English would make to seize him. 
 Kreli, the paramount chief of the Amaxosa, and 
 Umtirara, a chief of the Tambukies, are said to 
 have visited him. 
 
 People were sent to recal the natives living- in 
 the colon}^ " A toil-worn messeng-er would arrive 
 at a location of native huts, during- the nig-ht; 
 and before dawn the indwellers had disappeared 
 with their moveable eifects 5 whilst the courier 
 passed on to warn others of his fellow-countrymen, 
 or g'ave over the word to a comrade, by which 
 means it w^as passed on from hut to hut and farm 
 to farm." Many, who possessed cattle, abandoned 
 them 5 " others had wages due, but they cared not 
 to stop for mone}' ', a great and powerful magnet 
 was drawino- them towards the country of their 
 chiefs." Some of these servants returned to advise 
 their employers to " flee as fast and as far as they 
 could." 
 
 At length, ^^in spite of the reluctance of the 
 authorities to believe in any hostile intentions on 
 the part of the enemy," the truth of the suspicions 
 entertained in the colon}' "became so apparent,, 
 that intellio'ence of the unsettled state of affiiirs 
 and an expected movement was despatched to Sir 
 Harry Smith at Cape Town. He suddenly ap- 
 peared on the spot and immediately commenced 
 personal enquiries." The Hlambies affected sub- 
 mission ; and the governor expressed himself satis- 
 fied with their loyalty. Sandilli feared to go to 
 
;l'04 THK KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 King- William's Town accordino- to command^ and 
 was displaced by proclamation ; but many of his 
 people assembled to hear the deposal explained, and 
 approved the g'overnor's act. The councillors ac- 
 know ledg'ed that Sandilli owed everything- to Smith, 
 and must bear the consequences of his disobedience ; 
 wliile a few days later his mother declared, at a 
 joint meeting" of Gaikas and Hlambies, that he was 
 no long-er fit to rule. About the same time Botman, 
 a Gaika chief, voluntarily surrendered some stolen 
 cattle ~a device which Sandilli himself had em- 
 ployed three or four months before. The g'overnor 
 was completely deceived, and left the frontier with 
 the conviction that there was nothing' to justify 
 alarm. The following- account of one of the meet- 
 ing's which he held, will show how artfully the 
 Kafirs dissembled : — 
 
 Vexa, a councillor, asked if he might speak ; when the 
 governor replied that he might say what he pleased, so that he 
 did not ask forgiveness for Sandilli. Vexa : " We will say 
 nothing on that subject. The governor knows best how to treat 
 Sandilli, who is but a child, and does not attend to his coun- 
 cillors." 
 
 TsHALA thanked the governor for the ground given him ; and 
 said that Sandilli was afraid to come, lest the governor should 
 take him, and treat him as he was treated before. The 
 GovEKNOB. remarked that he must have been doing something- 
 wrong. TsHALA : " Sandilli must bear his own disgrace. We 
 are all children of the government. We thank you much." 
 
 Jonas, Botman's son, thanked for his father. Botman was 
 only a sickly old woman ; he was i)aralyzed on one side. The 
 governor was next to God over them. lie was here to see they 
 had their rights. They would bring all their cases to him, who 
 never tired to hear them. lie thanked very much for Bot- 
 man, who only wished for peace. All old men lived on corn 
 
THE PROPHET OF THE LAST WAR. 205 
 
 and milk, and they had now the means of doing so quietly. He 
 thanked the governor for giving them BroAvnlee (the British 
 Commissioner) who always looked well to their interests. 
 
 GouiGAMA : " We thank our father for giving us peace, and 
 allowing us to sleep in quiet. You are our god." Goveenok : 
 " No ! there is but one God." Gotjigama : " You are our 
 helper and protector." 
 
 ViCA thanked. They were the governor's dogs, and would 
 do as he wished. They were afraid of him. 
 
 Vena asked if the governor would be angry if he spoke freely. 
 GovEENOR : " No, but you must not ask forgiveness for San- 
 dilli." Vena thanked the governor for having spared Sandilli's 
 life. 
 
 TsHALA thanked for the treatment of Sandilli. Anything 
 they had to say should come through Brownlee, who was a quiet 
 and good man. Governor : " If he were not, I would remove 
 him ; that is my principle ; that is the reason why I have 
 removed Sandilli." 
 
 Gentama : " You are the person we are to look to, to put 
 
 things right. 
 
 Jan Tzatzoe thanked the governor for his word ; and said 
 that, though there had been rumours of war, one man could not 
 rnake war ; however great he might be, he could not do it 
 without the assistance of his tribe. He thanked the governor 
 for having spared Sandilli's life. 
 
 It was not long- after the g-overnor's departure 
 that Umlanjeni directed the people to prepare 
 themselves for the strife b}^ ordering- them to slaij 
 and eat. " Feasting- became the order of the day ; 
 frantic dances formed the interlude • and a species 
 of intoxication was thus produced which ripened 
 the youth for mischief. Such a sudden engorg-e- 
 ment of animal food stimulates them very power- 
 fully, and they are ready for any desperate deed." 
 Houses were now '^broken open, chiefly for g'uns 
 
i?Oft TIIK KAFIU.-^ OF NATAL. 
 
 and amunition; bands of Kafirs were seen in the 
 Chumie ; assag-ais and veldt sclioens were bein^ 
 manufactured in every direction • and all Kafir- 
 land was in a state of ominous ferment." The 
 governor (in consequence of information forwarded 
 b}' a Commission he had appointed) ag'ain visited 
 the frontier^ within less than a month from the 
 time of his leaving* it. Having' marched his troops 
 to the Amatola Mountains, that he mig'ht overawe 
 the Gaikas without employing- force, he held a 
 meeting- of that tribe at Fort Cox. More than 
 three thousand people were present. Sir Harry 
 addressed them respecting* the conduct of Sandilli, 
 for whose apprehension a larg*e reward was offered ; 
 he expressed himself determined to preserve order; 
 and spoke of his ability to bring* ships full of 
 soldiers to the Buffalo mouth. Upon this, Umhala 
 asked very sig-nificantly whether he had any ships 
 that could, mil up the Amatola Mountain!^. At this 
 meeting*, Sandilli's mother was appointed reg-ent. 
 The "announcement was received with a shout; and 
 with the re-echo of that shout her authority 
 ceased." A few days after, a patrol of five hundred 
 and eig'hty strong*, were ordered to the Keiskamma 
 Hoek, " where Sandilli was supposed to be concealed, 
 in the expectntion that he would surrender or fly, as 
 the g-overnor was led to believe. They marched 
 from Fort Cox on the twenty-fourth of December, 
 with orders to molest no one ; and were treated 
 in the most friendly manner by the Kafirs until 
 they had reached a narrow rocky g'org*e of the 
 Keiskamma, where they could onlv proceed in 
 
A RUSSIAN INVASION PREDICTED. 207 
 
 sing-le file, when a fire was suddenly opened on the 
 column of infantry^ after the Kafir-Police and Cape 
 Mounted Rifles had been suffered to pass. The 
 fire was most resolutely maintained for some time, 
 and the g-round was so well chosen for the attack, 
 that the troops could not dislodg"e the Kafirs, until 
 they had suffered considerable loss, the mounted 
 police and Cape corps being* unavailable." Twelve 
 of the rBritish were killed, and nine wounded. 
 The Kafir-Police had doubtless led the military into 
 this ambuscade. Next day three hundred and 
 sixty-five of that body deserted, taking* their equip- 
 ments and amunition, as well as a knowledg'e of 
 our military manoeuvres acquired in a long- course of 
 training". The g"overnor now proclaimed martial 
 law. Umlanjeni survived the war^ and died shortly 
 
 afterwards in Kreli's countrv. Some said that he 
 was poisoned. ^^ 
 
 Since the termination of the war, efforts have 
 been made to produce a renewal of the strife. 
 Some of the prophets (with the apparent desig'n of 
 oblig-ing- the people to plunder the colonists) di- 
 rected them to kill their cattle and abstain from 
 ag-riculture ; they also predicted that the Russians 
 would invade the colony and sweep away the 
 Eng'lish. Hundreds obej^ed the command^ but, 
 when the time fixed for the Muscovite invasion had 
 expired, the prophets lost their credit. After this 
 arose Umhlakaza to foretel the coming- of a g-reat 
 change ; a resurrection of men and cattle was 
 about to take place — enemies and strangers were to 
 
208 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 be swept as by a wliirhvind from the earth, and the 
 countr}' now possessed by the white man was to re- 
 vert to its orig-inal occupants. This consummation 
 was contino-eiit on the previous destruction by the 
 peo])le of their cattle, g-oats, and corn. Kreli's 
 subjects listened with eag-erness to the prophet, and 
 killed their cattle in larg'e numbers ; many of the 
 Hlambies did the same ; Sandilli said to the British 
 Commissioner that, if he sinned in disobeying- 
 Umhlakaza, it would be a sin of ignorance, which 
 he hoped God would not severely punish. The 
 prophet's connexion with Kreli, the acknowledged 
 head of all the Amaxosa tribes, added much to his 
 influence. 
 
 About the beg-inning of 1857, a g-reat meeting- 
 was held at Butterworth, in Kreli's country. Six 
 thousand persons — many of them reduced to skin 
 and bone by privation — assembled on foot and 
 horseback, to hear the pro})het's instructions. 
 Kreli was present but "not in a ver^^ comfortable 
 mood. The wild extravagances of the prophet, 
 who had been stimulated and protected by him, had 
 become so gToss as well as mischievous that even 
 the most credulous of his dupes beg'an to have 
 misgiving's on the subject and to call in question his 
 claim to their further credence. This feelino- led to 
 a sharp cross examination of the chief by the 
 assembled Kafirs ; and he found it extremely' diffi- 
 cult to parry the many hits made at him." The 
 prophet, who did not condescend to appear, sent 
 "a word" to the assemblv, saying- that some of the 
 chiefs (one being" mentioned by name) had not 
 
A PEOPHET OF THE PRESENT DAY. 209 
 
 fulfilled his orders; but, when directed to kill their 
 cattle, had hesitated, and asked why they should do it. 
 This stubborn and rebellious conduct, he declared, 
 had g-rieved the risen spirits and induced them to 
 return to their g-raves. " He also said that if the 
 full moon rose blood-red, the Kafirs must meet 
 ag'ain at Butterworth, as it would be symbolical of 
 the spirits having* returned to their wonted g'ood 
 humour ; but should the full moon not appear thus, 
 they must re-assemble at the new moon." Kreli 
 attempted to commit suicide while returning* home, 
 and his followers were oblig"ed to disarm him. 
 
 The following' extract is from the King* William's 
 Town Gazette of February 7th. " Cattle-killing- is 
 still carried on by the natives in British Kaffraria, 
 thoug-h, calculating" from the number of hides re- 
 cently broug-ht into King- William's Town, not 
 to any g*reat extent. If the Kafirs desired to 
 slaug'hter zealously, we question whether they are 
 now in a position so to do, as, even within a short 
 distance of this town, there are to our certain 
 knowledg"e several kraals that have killed almost 
 every head of cattle they possessed. At locations 
 a short distance from the town, men may be seen 
 tig-htly g-irthed-in to still the pang-s of hung'er. 
 These, by doing" a little w^ork here and there, seem 
 to ^et only sufficient to keep body and soul to- 
 g-ether; and the inference therefore is that those 
 who live more inland, where they have not these 
 slig-ht advantag-es (inestimable thoug-h to men in 
 their condition) are in a still more deplorable state. 
 .... Thoug-h the suffering's of some must be 
 
210 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 most acute, they bear them with a stoicism worthy 
 of Cato himself. The prophet's influence, too, in 
 the midst of all this, continues unimpaired, nnd 
 leads them daily to the performance of innumerable 
 silly actions. The last decree issued by him is that 
 all the huts must be newly thatched; otherwise, 
 should a drop of rain penetrate into any one, the 
 inmates will at once become defunct. In obedience 
 to these instructions, many Kafirs are now re- 
 thatchino- their huts, and, in several instances that 
 have been broug'ht to our notice, the work has been 
 already completed, and the huts rendered perfectly 
 water-tig-ht." 
 
 Another g-reat meeting- was held at the proi)het's 
 residence about Feb. 8 (that day being full moon). 
 "Kreli, with about eig-hteen followers, consisting- 
 of his head men and representatives of the frontier 
 chiefs, and ahout four or five thousand warriors, 
 were present. The latter, not having- exactly ful- 
 filled the orders of the prophet, were afraid to g'O 
 very near to tli,e place, in case anything should 
 happen to them for not having killed all their 
 cattle \ they remained, therefore, about half a mile 
 distant, while Kreli and the great men drew near. 
 After a long consultation the chief returned, but 
 those who saw him observed a change in his counte- 
 nance — a change that betokened disapjwintment 
 and chagrin. He, however, told the assembled 
 throng that he had seen some wonderful things, 
 and heard men talk under the ground. He then 
 delivered the prophet's orders, which were that 
 they were to kill everything, with the exception 
 
A PROPHET OF THE PRESENT DAY. 211 
 
 of a COW and g"oat, and that eig-ht days were to be 
 given them to do this, to be counted from the day 
 after the g-reat chief got home 5 that the cattle and 
 people would rise, perhaps on the eighth day, but 
 certainly on the ninth ) that the sign would be that 
 the sun would not rise until half-past eig'ht, and 
 then it would turn red and g-o back, when dark- 
 ness would follow j or otherwise a very heavy 
 storm, with thunder and lig-htning-, and darkness, 
 would warn them that the prophecies were about to 
 be fulfilled. The assembled throng- dispersed, and 
 went to their homes to fulfil these orders, and 
 they did it in rig-ht earnest. Cattle in thousands 
 were killed, and g-oats without number. You have 
 heard that hitherto Kreli and his people held back 
 the larg'est portion of their cattle; but now, it is 
 said, no deception was practised, and they killed 
 with rig-ht g-ood will. At some of the trading- 
 stations of Butterworth hides came in so fast that 
 they could not be purchased; while thousands, 
 killed hig-her up in the country, were not broug'ht 
 to any market. The eig-hth day at leng-th arrived, 
 but alas ! no predictions were fulfiled ; and at last 
 the ninth and final day came. On this day no 
 Kafirs were moving- about until nearly ten o'clock. 
 They watched the sun from six o'clock until half- 
 past nine, but without result. Many of them then 
 visited Butterworth, but ^how are the mighty 
 fallen !' There is the expression of disappointment 
 upon their countenances, and they look down. 
 Thus is an end put to their hopes, and starvation 
 and misery are now staring- them in the face. 
 p2 
 
212 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 During" the eig-ht days they also threw away most 
 of their corn. ... A Kafir hns just told a person, 
 he kno^^'s of fully one hundred children who have 
 died from starvation, including- one of his own."' 
 
 M6 
 
 III. — Rain-makers work in secret and little is 
 known of their proceeding's. They are said to be 
 visited by a serpent, which lies on their medicine. 
 The profession is hereditary ; and it is not unlikely 
 that they possess some weather- wisdom, the result 
 of their ancestors' observation, by means of which 
 they are able to choose a promising* season for the 
 exercise of their vocation. A European asked a 
 rain-maker to give him a proof of his power : a 
 liberal fee was offered, but the artist declined ; the 
 fee was increased, and ag"ain increased, with the 
 same result — the doctor excused himself by saying- 
 that the process required time and could not be 
 beg-un there and then. " Not until the new moon," 
 sug-g-ested the European. 
 
 There had been no rain for five moons ; the pas- 
 turng'e was burned up, and the corn-plants were pale 
 with thirst. Pande offered abundance of sacrifices, 
 but he addressed his ancestors in vainj Tshaka and 
 Jama g-ave no heed to his prayers, and the hearts 
 of the people were sad. They Mere not older than 
 their fathers, and did not g-raw more than was 
 wanted for the year. The pits were nearly empt}'" ; 
 and the mothers wept when they thoug'ht the cows 
 were becoming- dry. Famine was placing- his eyes 
 on the nation. The lean ones expected death; 
 they who were fiit hoped that they niig-ht see " the 
 bow of the queen" in a more propitious season.'^ 
 
RAIN-MAKERS. 218 
 
 Pande now despatched two men to a rain-maker. 
 The hitter demanded their business^ and was told 
 that the king- desired him to " work the sky." He 
 replied that the king' had said, on a previous occa- 
 sion, that he did not know how to do so ; and won- 
 dered, therefore, that he should be ag-ain applied 
 to. He then enquired for his cattle; but the 
 messeng-ers had not broug-ht any, and could only 
 say that he must speak to the king* about his fee. 
 This was a step which he declined to take — the 
 king*, he observed, would kill him. Having* enter- 
 tained his visitors with beer, he directed them to 
 depart early in the morning', and cautioned them to 
 travel quickly, lest the rain, filling- the rivers, 
 should stop them. The}^ were also told not to sleep 
 in a hut on the road ; if they did, the rain would 
 cease at the spot, and not reach Nodweng'e. They 
 had not travelled many miles, when it beg'an to 
 thunder, and a copious shower confirmed their 
 belief in the doctor's ability ; the rain however did 
 not continue, and the evening* was fine. They 
 beg*g*ed a brand, and slept in the bush. There 
 was rain also next day; and, when they reached 
 the Great Place, they found the people in better 
 spirits. The king* would not, however, g-ive the 
 rain-maker any credit for what had taken place, 
 but attributed it to Tshaka and Ding-ana. 
 
 Still he was not without faith in the doctor, and 
 sent for him to Nodweng-e ; but, at the same time, 
 he summoned a female practitioner of g'reat re])ute. 
 The man was exceeding-ly indig-nant when he heard 
 that the king- had attributed the rain to his ances- 
 
214 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 torsj and, if lie had dared to do so^ would have 
 diso])eyed the suininoiis. The woman promised 
 rain at once, wliile the man said that tliere could 
 be none till next da}'^ she was therefore told to 
 '' work " immediatel}'. A black sheep having- been 
 produced, an incision was made near the shoulder, 
 and the g-all taken out. Part of this she rubbed 
 over her own person — part she drank — part was 
 mixed with medicine. A portion of the medicine 
 also was rubbed on her person — the remainder 
 being- placed on a stick, which was then fixed in 
 the fence of a calves' pen. She now harangued 
 the clouds. When the sheep was to be cooked, 
 the fire was kmdled by means of flame obtained 
 new from fire-sticks : ordinarily, a brand would 
 have been procured from one of the Imts. Some 
 additional ceremonies were performed by the woman 
 about midnio'ht. 
 
 No rain fell- a circumstance which she attributed 
 to an "evildoer/' though Pande thought that it 
 was due to her old age. (She had been famous in 
 Tsliaka's time.) However, the prophet was con- 
 sulted and some people were in consequence slain. 
 She received a fee often cows and went home. When 
 the man afterwards failed to produce rain, he 
 ascribed it to an vm-tahati ; but Pande would not 
 kill people for him, who had failed twice before ; 
 he was sent home as a deceiver, llain fell in a 
 few days. Pande has had rain-makers from Natal 
 and the Amaswazi-country. 
 
 IV. — The following practices, respecting animal 
 
ANIMALS ABSTAINED FROM. 215 
 
 food^ prevail in the Zulu-country. Fish, Croco- 
 diles^ Serpents, 3Ionkeys, Hyenas^ Zebras^ the 
 Rhinoceros, Gnu, Hartebeest, are not eaten. The 
 Eland also is abstained from by the Zulus. Several 
 birds — as the Duck, the Paauw, Domestic Fowls — 
 Birds' Eggs — and Porcupines are eaten by none 
 except young- persons and old. The Zulu-warriors 
 abstain from the flesh of Wild Pigs, Elephants, 
 and Hippopotami- thoug-h the Amatefula tribes 
 do not reject them. I was told, however, by an 
 old Tetwa man, that his people did not originally 
 eat those animals ', which, he said, came into g'eneral 
 use among" them, as food, when Tshaka had taken 
 away their cattle.^^ 
 
 It is said of the Amaxosa Kafirs that "if they 
 should appropriate the produce of land torn up by 
 the elephant, or if a young* elephant should be 
 taken alive or should stray into a field, they believe 
 that the elephant will come and destroy the person 
 or persons to whom it belong-s. Before they attack 
 an elephant, they shout to it and ask pardon for 
 the intended slaugiiter, professing- g-reat submission 
 to his person and stating- the necessity of their 
 having* his tusks to enable them to procure beads, 
 and supply their wants. When they kill one, they 
 deposit a few of the articles they have obtained for 
 the ivory, with the end of his trunk in the ground," 
 thus expecting* to avert some dang-er that would 
 otherwise befal them.^^ 
 
 The practice of drinking* g*all was mentioned in 
 connexion with the Feast of First Fruits. The 
 Amaxosa also "drhik the g*all of the ox, stating* 
 
216 
 
 J'lll': KATIUS OF NATAL. 
 
 that it makes tlieni fierce." The notorious Matuaiia 
 drank tlie g-ali of thirty chiefs^ whose people he 
 had destroyed^ in the belief that it would render 
 him strong-. It is customary^ among- the Amam- 
 pondo^ for the chief^, on his accession^ "to be 
 washed in the blood of a near relative^ g-enerall}^ a 
 brother^ who is put to death on the occasion, and 
 his skull used as a receptacle for his blood." AVhen 
 Faku, the present chief;, succeeded to power^ his 
 brother Gwing-i^ who would have been the sacrifice, 
 escaped to a neig'hbouring- tribe. Dilig-ent search 
 was made for the fug-itivC; who endured many 
 hardships in avoiding- his merciless pursuers. Mr. 
 Tainton^ reasoning- \\ith the chief on his barbarous 
 desig-n, enquired how his father^ his g-randfather, 
 and his g-reat-g-randflither had died. The chief 
 confessed that they had been slain. The missionary 
 reminded Faku that they had been washed in blood 
 to protect them ag*ainst wounds j and prevailed on 
 him to foreg'o his barbarous purpose^ and peruiit 
 Gwing'i to return in peace. In the Zulu-country, 
 when a lion has been killed, a portion of the animal 
 is mixed with medicine to be taken by the khig-.-" 
 
 To drive away thunder and lia-htnino- medicine 
 is burned, and sometimes put on the hut. A hoe 
 is placed outside the door, a\ hile assag-ais are thrust 
 through the roof If a person is struck by 
 lig-htning', the whole kraal fast and do not even 
 drink water until the mediciner has performed his 
 office. He does this by administerhig* medicine 
 to them — by placing* it on the huts and near tlie 
 g-ate — and by carrying- it to the neighbouring- hills. 
 
HEAPS OF STONES. 217 
 
 111 one case the fast continued four days^ 
 thoug-h, when the doctor came^ he said that the 
 people mig-ht have been allowed to drink water. 
 If an ox or cow were killed^ the flesh would not 
 be eaten. It is beheved that lig-htning* may be 
 caused by an " evildoer." Dingana^ thinking- 
 that the crowing- of the cocks occasioned it, ordered 
 them all to be destroyed. The Amaxosa '^ conceive 
 thunder to proceed from the Deity ; and, if a 
 person is killed by lightning-, they say that 
 Uhlano-a has been amono- them. On such occa- 
 sions they sometimes remove from the spot, and 
 offer a heifer or an ox in sacrifice." 
 
 Heaps of stones occur in the Kafir-countr}^, 
 from the Frontier tribes to the Zulus. " I lived 
 in a place near the Keiskamma, where I observed 
 a g-reat heap of stones, and that every one who 
 passed by threw a stone or a handful of g*rass to 
 it. The Kafir captain who lived in the same place, 
 declared that he himself was ig-norant of the 
 reason of this custom. The Hottentots throAv 
 stones upon the g-raves of their people j but this 
 was not a g-rave."'^ The Bishop of Cape Town 
 passed a heap of stones on the top of a mountain 
 in the Amampondo-country, and was told by Mr. 
 Fynn that it was " customary for every traveller 
 to add one to the heap, that it mig-ht have a 
 favourable influence on his journey, and enable 
 him to arrive at some kraal while the pot is yet 
 boiling-." I have heard substantially the same 
 account g-iven of the heaps in the Zulu-country. 
 
 Among the Frontier ti-ibes, wlien a man is g-oing- 
 
218 
 
 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 on a doubtful journe}'', he knots a few blades of 
 grass tog"etlier, that it may be propitious.^^ In 
 Natal and the Zulu-country, the natives, when 
 crossing- a river inhabited by crocodiles, chew some 
 of the excrements of the animals and spatter it 
 over their person, in the belief that it will prote ct 
 them from reptiles. 
 
 ^^sifSiiliB 
 
CHAPTER VII.— SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS. 
 
 I.— PROPER NAMES AND TITLES OF HONOUR. II.— SNUFF-TAKING. 
 III.— HOSPITALITY. IV.— AMUSEMENTS. V.— TRE.\TMENT OF THE 
 SICK AND FUNERAL CEREMONIES. 
 
 I. — Proper names among- the Kafirs^ are two- 
 fold. The one, called i-gama, is given to a child 
 soon after birth^ and usually refers to some cir- 
 cumstance connected with that event or happen- 
 ing* about the same time. If^ for example^ the 
 mother were very sick^ or the father had gone 
 to the g-reat Festival of First Fruits^ the child 
 mig-ht be named from that fact. The i-gama is 
 formed from any description of word, by prefixing- 
 w, or^ when the word beg-ins with a vowel, by 
 changing- that vowel into u. If a hyena (impisi) 
 were heard near the kraal about the time of birth, 
 the child would perhaps be called u-Mpisi, unless 
 u-Huhl were preferred — the root of the latter name 
 being- an imitation of the animal's cry. In one 
 or two instances, when a child has been born 
 on Sunday, it has received the name of u-Sondo. 
 Sometimes the i-gama is formed by prefixing- uso, 
 abbreviated from ugisey his or her father, or w/i(?, 
 abbreviated fi-om urii?ia, his or her mother. The 
 former is emplo3'ed for boys' names; the latter 
 for those of girls. Thus Uso-mahashe, "the 
 father of horses," is the name of a chief hi Natal ; 
 while T/jio-ntmnbi, "the mother of iron" (from 
 
-*-*'> iin: K Mii{s f)F N \T\r,. 
 
 ints'uithi, iron) niinht be oiveii to a f,nrl who 
 ha])j)en(Ml to be boru when hor iiiofhtM- had just 
 received a new g-arden lioe.' 
 
 The other nnnic is called i.si-bonga — a noun 
 formed from yini-bonqa to praise. This is an 
 honorary name, borne in addition to the i-rffunn, 
 and independently of it. A name of this descrip- 
 tion is usually ^iven to a bov while vounjr, and 
 is employed wh«'never his parents have occasion 
 to conunend his juvenile merit. A second isi-hoiuja 
 will sio-nalize his first a})pearance at the Great 
 Place; and, if he afterwards distino-uish himself 
 in war, his companions will acknowled^i'e his 
 bravery and reward his prowess by saluting- him 
 with a new isi-bonga. AVhen Isaacs had been 
 wounded in an expedition which Tshaka obli<^'-ed 
 him to join, and was being- carried back to the 
 Great Place, '^ the w arriors/' says he, ^^ bonga'd 
 or otiered thanks to me, every one being- surprised 
 at the bravery of the white men ; and J w as 
 lionoured with the desig-nation of Tambuza, or the 
 brave warrior who was wounded at Ina'oma." 
 When he reached the king-'s residence, Tshaka 
 saluted him b}^ the same name, saying- "I see you, 
 Tambuza;" and by this title lie was ever after- 
 wards accosted. 
 
 Among- the Amatefula tribes, a man is sometimes 
 railed by the name of his son, vso (for vji'ise, his 
 iather) bein^- j)refi.\ed to it. A person having- a 
 son named J{and)ula, mi<:ht therefore be desijrnated 
 f/j(o-/i(imbu/a, the father of ]{anibiila. This usa<'-e. 
 whieh i^ s;iid to piT\;ii! MiimnM- ilic Anialala inid 
 
CURIOUS USAGE. 221 
 
 Amaswazi, is also a Bechuana custom. Eelated to 
 it is the practice of calling- a man by the name of 
 his father^ no prefix or addition being- made to it ; 
 and also b}' the name of a more remote ancestor. 
 
 It has been already stated that individuals 
 affected by the custom of nku-hlonipa, may not 
 pronounce each other's i-gama. They may use the 
 isi-honga, but the other name is sacred and must 
 be avoided. A breach of this rule would g-ive 
 serious offence, and require to be atoned b}^ a 
 peace-offering-. The restriction is not however 
 confined to the custom of uku-hlonipa. A wife 
 may not publicly pronounce the i-gama of her hus- 
 band or any of his brothers ; nor may she use the 
 interdicted word in its ordinary sense. If her 
 husband, for example, be called u-Mjjaka, from 
 impaha, a small feline animal, she must speak of 
 that beast under some other appellation. Ag-ain, 
 the chief^s i-gama is withdrawn from the lang-uag-e 
 of his people, and may not be used as an ordinary 
 word. Thus, the present ruler of the Zulu-country 
 being- called u-Mpande, from impande, a root, his 
 subjects avoid that term in their conversation and 
 substitute itigxaho. (This usag-e is more strictly 
 observed by the women than the other sex.) The 
 same rule applies to the names of deceased chiefs : 
 the Zulus still abstain from using* the verb enza to 
 make, u-Menzi having- been the i-garna of Tshaka's 
 father. The Dwandwes do not say i-hmga, 
 the sun, out of respect to it-Lnnga ; while the 
 Xnumayo, who had a chief called u-3[aytisi, sub- 
 
222 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 stitute kagesa for alusa (or ayiisa) to herd cattle. 
 It seems also that the word which forms the 
 root of a tribal name is, or was, treated with the 
 same respect — a circumstance to be explained by 
 the fact that the tribe is named after its founder or 
 some subsequent chief. 
 
 It is easy to perceive that this usag-e respecting- 
 the i-gaina, has g-reat influence on the lang-uag'e of 
 the peoj)le ] every tribe must have words peculiar 
 to itself], and the women a considerable vocabulary 
 of their own. Members, too, of one family may 
 not be able to use words employed by those of 
 another ; the women of this kraal may call a hyena 
 by its ordinary name ; those of the next ma}'- use 
 the common substitute j while, in a third, this may 
 be unlawful, and some other invented to supply its 
 place. 
 
 In one sense, the isi-honga may be considered 
 as a title of honour ; but, inasmuch as it is peculiar 
 to individuals and in reality a proper name, it does 
 not strictly answer to our notion of an honorary 
 title. The chief's titles have been already alluded 
 to. His principal oflicers are addressed by the title 
 um-gana ; which, like Esquire among* ourselves, is 
 applied to many not strictly entitled to it. In 
 Pande's presence, it would be limited to its proper 
 use. It is the title ordinarily g-iven to the Eng-lish ; 
 but sometimes a Kafir addresses 3'ou with the nearest 
 a])proach he can make to Sir. 11 being- AvhoUy 
 beyond his power to pronounce, he alters the word, 
 and calls you Sa or Swi. This, like the native 
 
TITLES OF HONOUR. 223 
 
 title^ is applied to both sexes j and ladies^ no less 
 than their knights^ are honoured with the salutation 
 of Stvi. 
 
 A Kafir does not apply titles of honour merely 
 according' to our own usag*e, and say only " Yes, 
 'm(/ana" or "No, Swi.^^ Etiquette requires him, 
 on some occasions, to pronounce them in a formal 
 manner. When, for instance, a person visits the 
 kraal of an important man, he proceeds to his hut, 
 but without entering*; and repeats the master's 
 titles, or as many as he may think necessary. In 
 the same way thanks are expressed — more or less 
 abundantly, according- to the value of the favour. 
 For a present of snufF, a man mig'ht have the 
 pleasure of hearing- his isi-honga — unless he hap- 
 pened to be rich, when he would most likely be 
 addressed as 'Baha, (my father,) or ^mgana. A gift 
 of beef would excite more enthusiasm, and elevate 
 you at once to the rank of in-kosi or chief. In the 
 Zulu-country it is usual, when thanking* the king*, 
 to hold up the fore-fing-er of the rig-ht hand. 
 
 II. — Snuff-taking is eminently a social usag*e. 
 Almost every individual, male and female, practises 
 it; and Kafirs seldom meet without indulg-iiig- in a 
 concert of snuffing*. The most important person is 
 expected to supply the material, but he must be 
 asked to do so ; for, " should you offer snuff before 
 it is asked for, or even give it readily when asked 
 for (the custom is to refuse it at first and then pre- 
 S3it it) they would look upon ^^ou suspiciously; 
 and, if they should be taken ill, think 3'ou have 
 
Q'2i THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 poisoned them. Many have been thus suspected 
 and killed."" The mode of asking* differs, according* 
 to the quality of the person addressed. If he were 
 poor, he would be solicited in plain literal lang-uag-e 
 and requested to g-ive snuff; but, if a rich man, he 
 would have his g-enerous instincts excited by a 
 respectful innuendo, and it would be said to him : 
 " What do you eat. Sir ?" A rude man, who did 
 not intend to g"ive his snuff, answered that he eat 
 food ; but a polite man, who wished to reply in the 
 neg-ative, would say that he did not eat anything- 
 at present. When a mnn furnishes snuff for a 
 party, he usually pours a larg-e quantity into his 
 left hand, and holds it for the others to take 
 pinches as they may require, but without looking* 
 at them. If however he be rich and liberal, he 
 first helps himself, and then tosses the box to his 
 companions, that they may do the same. When a 
 chief entertains his ama-j)ahatij the box is broug-ht 
 to him in a basket; he then shakes out a larg-e 
 quantity into the united hands of a servant, by 
 whom it is carried round to the o-uests. 
 
 When a person takes snuff — especially if, being* 
 the entertainer, he is also stretching- out his hand — 
 he is comparatively defenceless. It may be owing* 
 to this circumstance that a man would be con- 
 sidered rude and ill-mannered, if he were to stand 
 up while taking" snuff with another: he would 
 possess a decided advantag-e over him ; and, if 
 treacherously disposed, mig'ht easily overpower 
 him. The coAvardly ag*ents of the Zulu despot 
 have frequently made snull-taking' an auxiliary 
 
TREACHERY. 225 
 
 in the destruction of their victims. Pande havino- 
 resolved to kill one of his officers, despatched a 
 messeng-er to summon him to the Great Place^ 
 under the pretence that he was required to assist 
 in some war-ceremonies. The officer, who had 
 but lately returned fi*om court, was not deceived ; 
 he felt sure that the king* wanted him for another 
 purpose, and that if he went to Nodweng-e he 
 should never come home ag'ain. Having* dis- 
 missed the messeng-er, with an assurance that he 
 would immediately follow, he called together his 
 wives and dependants, and held a family consul- 
 tation as to what it would be advisable to do. 
 He expressed his conviction that he was a doomed 
 man, and the council could hardly doubt it ; yet 
 they advised him to obey the king*^s summons — if 
 he did not he would certainly be slain, whereas 
 it was possible that Pande really wanted him for 
 the purpose alleg"ed. He yielded and set forth, 
 having' been particularly cautioned not to part 
 from his weapons by the way. Before he had 
 g*one far, he was descried by a party of men, 
 whom Pande, rendered suspicious by delay, had 
 sent to kill him. When these monsters saw the 
 in-dufia approaching', two of the party walked 
 forward along" the path ; while the rest, to pre- 
 vent alarm, concealed themselves in the g'rass. 
 When the former came up to him, he was squat- 
 ting- on the gTound, and helping' his melancholy 
 cog'itations with copious inhalations of snuff. One 
 of the messeng'ers immediately beg*an a conversa- 
 tion, and asked permission to ]iartake. The in- 
 
:220 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 duna rejilied that lie had no snufF; and^ on being- 
 reminded that there was some in his hand^ said 
 it was a very small quantity and not worth 
 acceptance. The request being' repeated, he im- 
 prudently held his hand towards the strang-er, 
 who took up the snuff very slowly. Meanwhile 
 his com])anion came forward, saying- that he also 
 wished to partake; but instead of doing- so he 
 snatched the councillor's weapons, which were 
 lying- near him, and in a few minutes the unfor- 
 tunate man was dead. 
 
 III. — It has been previously mentioned that an 
 ox is slaug'htered at every wedding*, and consumed 
 by the compan}^ : invited g^uests alone join in the 
 dances, but any one may help to consume the meat. 
 Marriag-e-feasts are those which most frequentl}^ 
 occur ; but, g-enerally speaking-, a feast takes place 
 wherever there is beef to eat. If, for instance, a 
 man have sacrificed an ox to propitiate or thank 
 the spirits, his neig-hbours assemble to devour it; 
 if he have killed a beast to celebrate his daug-hter's 
 espousal, it \\\\\ be consumed in the same way. 
 This custom has no doubt arisen fi*om a want of 
 acquaintance with the art of preserving- meat. 
 
 Rich men usually require an invitation to a 
 feast ; but dependants and unmarried men g'o un- 
 asked. A party of " boys," having- g-one to a 
 kraal where it was known that an ox had been 
 slain, saluted the master respectfully. He ad- 
 dressed them in a surly tone, and said that he had 
 no beef for ^^boys" — he did not choose to have 
 
A CHURL. 227 
 
 "boys" commo- to his kraal. The ^Mjoys" replied 
 that the}' would like to know where the ^'innn " 
 was to whom he would g'ive meat — they found him 
 at every feast — his beef was nothing- — he was a 
 shnbb}' fellow^ and they A^ ould not touch it. Say- 
 ing- this, they left the kraal. Some time afterwards 
 there was beef to eat at the " boys' " kraal, where 
 the churl did not fail to appear. The ^^ boys " had 
 been watchino- for him, and immediately informed 
 their father, who received his uninvited g'uest A\'ith 
 an expression of surprise and referred to the treat- 
 ment which his sons had received. The mean man 
 denied that beef had been refused — the '^boys," 
 he said, came to see his daug-hters, and went away 
 because he disapproved of their visit. Hearing- 
 this, the " boys " reminded him that, when they 
 entered his kraal, they went direct to himself 5 and 
 repeated his positive refusal to give them meat. 
 Unable to support his falsehood, the shabby man 
 now treated the matter as a joke, and said pleasantly 
 that they oug-ht not to have told their father ; but 
 the " boys " were not disposed to let him escape so 
 easily, and read him a lecture on the impropriety 
 of telling" lies. Another churl was chag'rined to 
 see his kraal invaded by a number of married men. 
 He had not the courage to ask what the}" wanted ; 
 yet, being" determined that they should not eat his 
 beef, he addressed their dog"s as hung-ry thieves 
 come to steal his beef; and, attacking" the animals 
 with a stick, maimed one and killed another. The 
 owner of tlie latter having* expressed displeasure, 
 the man replied that he had not invited dogs to 
 Q'2 
 
228 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 eat. The hint was iiitellig-ible, and his visitors 
 answered that his beef was nothing" — they would 
 not eat it — they would g*o. That, he intimated, 
 would be nothing-. 
 
 When a Kafir is travelling-, he g-enerally finds 
 entertninment among his own tribe. If he go be- 
 yond it and seek the hospitality of strang*ers, he 
 will hardly succeed, unless his chief be known to 
 them and enjoy a g'ood reputation. They would 
 g-ive him permission to sleep in the young- men's 
 hut for the night, but would scarceh^ let him taste 
 their food.^ 
 
 Two ^' boys " were g'oing- to Nodwenge \ and, 
 about sunset, reached a kraal where they purposed 
 remaining for the nig-ht. Being acquainted with a 
 bachelor-relation of the owner's, they went to his 
 hut, and asked for food. He called a girl, and told 
 her to bring' some curds for the travellers. The 
 repast was set before them ; but they had hardly 
 beg'un to eat when the owner of the kraal, dis- 
 covering- what had been done, ordered her to fetch 
 it away. With tears in her ej-es (for her father 
 had beaten her) she entered the hut, and snatched 
 away the vessel j as the young man was following- 
 her in great wrath, the owner appeared, and, en- 
 tering the hut, stormed furiously at his offending- 
 relative : " You rascal — this is not your kraal — 
 it is mine — g'o and build a kraal for \^ourself, and 
 then g'ive people food." The young man, who was 
 chastised as well as scolded, said that he would 
 not endure such treatment — he was not a vouno- 
 
AN INHOSPITABLE MAN. 229 
 
 boy to be beaten — he would become the dependant 
 of some other person — he was beaten for giving- 
 food to the kmg-'s people. The infuriated man 
 rephed that he did not care whose people they 
 were— they had not come to salute him as owner, 
 and should not eat his food. Then, turning* to the 
 visitors, he told them to g"o, and began to beat 
 the g-round with his stick. They were not disposed 
 to be silent — the country, they said, was not his — 
 it belong-ed to the king'. He did not care — they 
 mig-ht go to the king- — they should not stay in 
 his kraal. The beating* on the floor continued ; 
 the blows came nearer and nearer their feet ; and 
 they thought that it would be necessar}^ to leave. 
 Their friend, not liking to see his floor destroyed, 
 entreated them to do so ; and they now told 
 the man that, but for his outrageous conduct, 
 they would have gone before. Taking the hint, 
 he left the hut and called them to follow. They 
 crept after him, but the darkness of the night 
 appalled them, and they refused to leave the 
 kraal — they did not wish to be killed by the wild 
 beasts. The man said that he should not be 
 sorry to hear of such a consummation, and drove 
 them out. 
 
 They were unable to find the path, and wandered 
 among* the grass. Hearing the howl of a hyena, 
 they stooped down, and, looking along the surface 
 of the ground, discovered two of the grizzled beasts 
 within a few yards of them. This animal being 
 fortunately a great coward, a little vigorous 
 shouting, seconded by a missile or two, put the 
 
230 THK KAFIHS OV NATAL. 
 
 enemy to flig-ht; and our travellers ])roceedeci. 
 Walking- very fast and stumbling- very often, 
 they came, at leng-th^ to a fence. They were 
 some minutes in doubt whether it belong-ed to a 
 kraal or a jr^rden ; but a well known sound 
 revealed the presence of cattle disturbed by the 
 noise they made, and assured them that they had 
 reached a human habitation. Shouting- loudly, 
 they aroused the owner, who left his hut, armed 
 with an assag-ai ; and instead of replying- to their 
 question, "Where is the g'ate?" crept stealthily 
 about the kraal to reconnoitre. Not doubtino- 
 that they had been heard, the wanderers up- 
 braided the people of the kraal with their want 
 of hospitality, and said that it was veryv wrong- 
 not to open the g'ate. The man replied that it 
 was very wrong- to disturb honest people at 
 nig'ht; and asked where they came from. "From 
 the kraal of an ' evildoer/ who has turned us out 
 in the dark." When told who the um-talwti was^ 
 he said: "Do you call him a tahati? He acted 
 very improperly ; but you must not cidl him a 
 tahati. I shall tell him what you say." They 
 had no objection, the}^ said, to his doing- so. 
 The o^mer now admitted them, and indicated the 
 hut in which they were to sleep. When they 
 asked for food, he wished to know where they 
 thoug'ht it likely he could obtain it, all the women 
 being* asleep ; but they fared no better in. the 
 morning*, and departed ^ ery hung-ry. 
 
 Their host did not forget to \oW his neig-hbour 
 that they had denouTiccd him as nu " evildoer," 
 
AN INHOSPITABLE MAN. 231 
 
 The inhospitable man was wroth^ and threatened 
 the elder offender with a merciless beating. The 
 latter^ having- heard of the menace through his 
 bachelor-friend, took care not to show himself in 
 the neighbom-hood for a long* time. 
 
 More than twelve months afterwards, he was 
 sent from the Great Place with a messag-e to a 
 subject chief. The path leading- him near the 
 inhospitable kraal, he determined to revisit it. 
 Presuming- on his security as a royal messen- 
 g-er, he went to the principal hut and stooped 
 down to enter. At that moment the owner was 
 creeping" outj and, as they came into contact, his 
 head was shg-htly injured. He was more frig-ht- 
 ened however than hurtj for, seeing- the uncere- 
 monious strang-er, he imag-ined that a party of 
 soldiers had been sent to kill him. Spring-ing-, 
 with surprising- agility, to his feet, he bounded to- 
 wards the g-ate and was ready to run to the bush ; 
 but, not discovering- the armed men his imagi- 
 nation had painted, he returned to question his 
 unwelcome visitor. 
 
 " Where do you come from ?" 
 
 "From Isangu." 
 
 " Where is the King V 
 
 " At Isangu." 
 
 " Where are you going- to ?" 
 ' "To Mapite's." 
 
 " What are you taking to him ?" 
 
 " Nothing. I am going to talk." 
 
 " What are you going to say ?" 
 
 " I shall not tell you. It is the king's business." 
 
232 
 
 THE KAFIttS OF NATAL. 
 
 " I should not divulo-e it." 
 
 " I am not silly. I shall not tell you." 
 
 " Has the king- ordered you to tell Mapite to kill 
 any one ?" 
 
 " No." 
 
 The strang'er was now recog*nized ; but, instead 
 of the beating' thnt had been promised, he was 
 reg-aled Avith the best food the kraal afforded. 
 
 IV. — Generally speaking-, the Kafirs are a g*ood 
 humoured people, with a keen relish for amuse- 
 ments. Of these, g'ossip may claim to be con- 
 sidered one. The men, especially, having* no 
 serious occupation, spend much of their time in 
 telling' or hearing' some new thing*. Information 
 thus travels very quickly. A European had shot 
 a crocodile near his house ; and, wishing- to procure 
 some of its fat, determined to boil a portion of the 
 animal. No other vessel being- at hand, he made 
 use of the iron pot in which his native servants 
 were accustomed to cook their food. He could 
 not have done anything- more calculated to shock 
 their prejudices, crocodile's flesh being- held in ex- 
 treme abhorrence. Not one of them would have 
 Avillingly touched the abominable thing-; to find 
 that their cooking--vessel had been polluted by it 
 — this was "horrible, most horrible," and they 
 immediately deserted the white um-takati. Being- 
 left without servants, he went to several kraals 
 in search of others ; but the story of the crocodile 
 was known wherever he came, and he could find 
 no one willing- to engag-e with him. He deter- 
 
AMUSEMENTS. 233 
 
 mined therefore to make his enquiries at a g-reater 
 distance, and reached a kraal where the people 
 were willing* to listen to him. He now ventm'ed 
 to hope that he had outstripped rumour itself, and 
 that the fame of his unfortunate mistake would no 
 lono-er interfere with his success. The owner 
 seemed peculiarly friendly, promised to send \mn 
 a boy, g*ave an unsolicited permission to beat the 
 youth if he were disobedient, but requested that 
 he mig'ht not be fed on — crocodile. 
 
 Jesting- seldom displeases a Kafir, provided it be 
 apparent that you are really in jest. Nor are 
 practical jokes unknown. Some women, carrying" 
 maize for sale, went to a European's. Near the 
 house was a newly-dug' trench, which they were 
 preparing" to cross, when a native bo}^, a servant 
 at the place, told them that his master required 
 all Kafirs before they passed the trench, to kneel 
 down and kiss the o-round. This was said with 
 a perfectly g'rave countenance, and the women 
 would have obeyed the alleged injunction, if some- 
 thing* had not occurred to reveal the jest. A 
 more mischievous ])rank was played at the same 
 farm and perhaps by the same urchin. Seeing^ 
 an old woman carr^dng* a pumpkin, a boy went 
 towards her and shouted hastily that there was 
 somethino- on her head. The burden was too 
 usual a thing" to occur to her mind ; she shrieked 
 at the thoug-ht of some hideous object; and, 
 with a start which dislodg-ed the pumpkin, ran 
 frantically forward, unconscious of the hearty 
 laug-hter of her tormentor, who picked up the 
 prize and cooked it. 
 
234 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 The principal niul most conspicuous amusements 
 are dances and song's^ the latter being" chiefly ac- 
 com})animents of the former. A Kaflr-dance bears 
 little resemblance to the Engiish amusement of 
 that name. The motion of the feet is altog"ether 
 different : in some cases, they are alternately lifted, 
 to descend with a stamp ; sometimes the performers 
 jump or leap up and down on each foot alternatel}^ ; 
 " sometimes a leaping- stride is taken to each side ;" 
 on some occasions they "use a more violent g-esture. 
 Forming- four deep, in open order, they make short 
 runs to and fro, leaping-, prancing-, and crossing- 
 each other's paths, brandishing- their sticks, and 
 raising- such a cloud of dust by the vehemency and 
 rapidity of the exercise, that to a bystander it has 
 all the effect of the wildest battle-scene of savag-e 
 life, which it is doubtless intended to imitate." In 
 some dances the performer carries only a stick in 
 his rig'ht hand j in others he has a shield in his left 
 hand, and a stick or an assag-ai in his rig-ht ', but 
 whatever he carries is kept in constant motion, 
 while his lung-s are occupied Avith the chant or 
 song-. The exertion required is ver}' g-reat, and 
 the amusement a real labour. This description 
 applies to the men; the women employ other 
 g-estures. 
 
 In A\edding--dances (these being- the most fre- 
 quent) the performers are arrang-ed in a semicircle 
 (sometimes there are two such lines, one behind the 
 other) — the people, men and women, facing- in- 
 wards. The men bear a small shield in their left 
 hand, and in their right a stick (by wliich nnist 
 
DAINCES AND MUSIC. 235 
 
 be understood not only a stick in the ordinary 
 sense^ but a long- wooden spear sometimes sub- 
 stituted for it). Assag-ais are very properly inter- 
 dicted by custom on these occasions^ when the 
 wi-ang-ling- disputes which frequently occur mig-ht 
 render them very dang-erous. I once saw the rule 
 infring-ed by a g'ig-antic coxcomb, who brought a 
 barbed assag'ai to a wedding*. He belong-ed to 
 the bride's party, who were eng-ag-ed in dancing-, 
 when the brideg-room entered the isi-haya and 
 careered before them in truly savag-e style. This 
 was thoug-ht disrespectful to the dancers, and the 
 g-iant stepped forward as their champion. He 
 was very violent, flourished his assag-ai, and created 
 no small disturbance. The brideg-roon was equally 
 excited j and blood mig'ht have been shed, but for 
 the interference of Aviser and more pacific persons. 
 During- or at the conclusion of the dance, the 
 leader makes a speech. If he mentions one of his 
 followers, the latter leaves the line and exhibits 
 himself in front. If a powerful man, he runs 
 forward, stamping- the ground vig-orously ; but, 
 if not able to make an imposing- display of streng-th, 
 he shows his ag-ility by leaping- up in the air and 
 kicking- his shield.^ 
 
 The accompanying- tunes will g-ive .the reader 
 some idea of native music. He must imag-ine 
 them sung- in concert by a party of dancers. 
 The sound of a war-song- at the Zulu-court, where 
 hundreds of voices are combined, has been 
 described as overpowering-. A song- in ))raise of 
 
2iiQ THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 Tshaka will be g-iven in the next chapter. The 
 following- is the substance of a marriag-e-song*. 
 
 " We tell you to dig well. 
 Come, girl of ours, 
 Bring food and eat it ; 
 Fetch fire-wood, 
 And don't be lazy." 
 
 The subjoined lines are the translation of a hymn 
 composed by one of the first fruits of Missionary 
 labour among- the Frontier Kafirs. 
 
 " Thou art the great God — He who is in heaven. 
 It is Thou, Thou shield of Truth. 
 It is Thou, Thou Tower of Truth. 
 It is Thou, Thou Bush of Truth. 
 It is Thou, Thou who sittest in the highest. 
 Thou art the Creator of life. Thou madest the regions above. 
 The Creator who madest the heavens also. 
 The Maker of the Stars and the Pleiades. 
 The shooting stars declare it unto us. 
 The Maker of the blind, of thine own will didst thou make 
 The Trumpet speaks — for us it calls. [them. 
 
 Thou art the Hunter who himts for souls. 
 Thou art the Leader who goes before us. 
 Thou art the great Mantle which covers us. 
 Thou art He whose hands are with wounds. 
 Thou art He whose feet are with wounds. 
 Thou art He whose blood is a trickling stream — and why ? 
 Thou art He whose blood was spilled for us. 
 For this great price we call. 
 For thine own place we call. "4 
 
 The Kafirs have three musical instruments. One 
 is a bow^ with a small hollow calabash attached 
 and a sing-le string-. The instrument is held as 
 in the illustration, the string- being' struck with a 
 small stick. 
 
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2l]S 
 
 THE KAFinS OF NATAL. 
 
 Aiiotlicr is Ji coniinon reed^ also sliowii in tlie 
 illustrntion. The tliird is the leg* bone of a sheep, 
 g'oat, or antelope^ from which sound is prodiuvMl 
 as c'liihlren o])t;iin it from a key. 
 
 V. — The Frontier Kafirs look with o-vent horror 
 on persons subject to fits. A poor creature of this 
 description having- come to a missionary station, 
 to escape the persecution of his friends, the native 
 servants refused to eat out of the vessels he had 
 used, and it was necessary to give him a separate 
 house to sleep in. In the neighbourhood of 
 Clarkbury, epileptics are cast over a j)recipice, or 
 tied to a tree to be devoured by hyenas.'' In the 
 Zulu-country a <;-irl of weak intellect was treated 
 with o'reat barbarity. Havino* been cruelly beaten, 
 
TREATMENT OF THE SICK. 239 
 
 she left the kraal with a bleeding- hend ; the neio-h- 
 hours were as hnrd-hearted as her relatives — no 
 one would even give her a morsel of food. At 
 leng-th she reached a trader's wag-on, where she 
 was received with kindness nnd soon satisfied her 
 hunofer. When the men of the kraal saw the 
 white man they declared that they would kill her 
 — a threat which, he told me, they eventually 
 fulfilled. 
 
 Sick persons are sometimes exposed, both among' 
 the Frontier Kafirs and those of Natnl and the 
 Zulu-country. " Instances are not rare," says 
 Mr. Isaacs, '^ in which the dying* are carried to 
 the bush and left to perish, rather than the living- 
 should have to carry them away when dend." 
 Captain Gardiner mentions the case of a woman 
 who, as her end approached, was carried out into 
 the woods. I have heard of an instance in which 
 a dependant was thrown into a river before he 
 was quite dead. I'his barbarous custom arises 
 partly from the dread A^hich the people have of 
 touching- a corpse (when a man has done so, he 
 washes himself) and partly, I imag-ine, from the 
 circumstance that a sacrifice is deemed necessary to 
 cleanse from pollution a person who has "buried" 
 another.'' 
 
 When a person is allowed to die at home, the 
 mourning--ceremonies beg-in as soon as he is deemed 
 past recovery.''' If it be the master of a kraal 
 who is sick unto death, the people permit their 
 hair to g-row, abstain from g-reasing- and washing-, 
 
240 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 lay aside their ornaments, and wear the worst 
 dress they have. Death havino* taken place, they 
 add another sig-n of grief, and fast. Sometimes 
 the women do not acquaint the children with their 
 father's decease, until they have supplied them with 
 a g-ood meal. 
 
 It is said by Mr. Isaacs that " when a man dies, 
 his body is drag-g-ed on the g-round, by his wife or 
 mother or nearest female relative, to the thicket or 
 jung-les; where, the first nig'ht after it is so de- 
 posited, it becomes a repast for wolves and other 
 wild animals." I have been assured that this is not 
 true of the Zulu-country, where only dependants 
 and those executed by the king''s orders are thus 
 treated. 
 
 The owner of a kraal is buried within it, the 
 g'rave being* dug* by his brother and one or two 
 of his elder wives. They then carry or drag" the 
 body to the place, and deposit it in the hole in a 
 sitting' posture. The deceased's personal articles 
 are buried with him — the assagais being- broken or 
 bent lest the ghost, during- some midnig-ht return 
 to air, should do injury with them. The g-rave 
 being- filled, the eldest son stands upon it. The 
 people now g-o to the stream and wash — the brother 
 returning' to sit outside the g'ate, and the wives 
 retiring* to the bush. The doctor having- g'iven 
 medicine to the family (exce})ting* sons' wives) and 
 to the brother, the people are relieved from their 
 fast, milk the cows, and cut their hair. The 
 sextons, however, may not eat ama-si nor cut 
 tlieir hair, until they have taken medicine a 
 
FUNERAL CEREMONIES. 241 
 
 second time. The eldest son furnishes a beast, 
 which is slain to "wash" or cleanse them from 
 their uncleanness. The brother receives another 
 for his fee, and g*oes home. After some time, 
 the wives leave the bush and cut their hair. 
 The eldest son remains at home a considerable 
 time ; and afterwards offers a sacrifice to the 
 deceased.^ 
 
 I have not interrupted the description of these 
 ceremonies to mention that friends and neig'hbours 
 come to condole with the family. They assemble 
 near the principal hut, and bewail the loss which 
 the kraal has sustained. They express sympathy 
 for the wives, who now have no one to direct them 
 — old men know how to do so — young- ones are 
 ignorant and hasty. The son is lectured on the 
 duties of his new position ; he is exhorted not to 
 beat any of his mothers, to be kind to the children 
 of his father, and treat the dependants well. Tears 
 are usually very much at the command of these 
 people, but an abundant use of snuff aug-ments 
 the decent exhibition of sorrow. 
 
 The mourning- for a chief does not materially 
 differ from that above described. Formerly he 
 was buried with his head above g-round ', but that 
 practice is said to have been abandoned in the 
 Zulu-country ; oxen are slain and placed near his 
 grave. When a chief has breathed his last, the 
 ama'paliati are informed that he is sick and desires 
 them to dance. They are then directed to remain 
 all night, and it is not till next day that an iw- 
 duna announces his demise.'' 
 R 
 
242 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 Mourning'-ceremonieSj at the Zulu court, have 
 been the occasion of o-reat sLaug-hter. That which 
 took place on the death of Tshaka's mother is still 
 spoken of with horror. The Zulu king- was hunting- 
 el(^])liants, si.xty miles from his residence^ when 
 messeno-ers came to say that she was seriously ill. 
 The evening- had arrived, but he ordered his men 
 to march at once, and reached home about noon 
 next day. Mr. F^^nn, who had returned \\\\\\ 
 him, was now requested to visit his mother. " I 
 went," says he, "attended by an old chief, and 
 found the hut filled with mourning- women, and 
 such clouds of smoke that I was oblio-ed to bid 
 them retire, to enable me to breathe within it. 
 Her comphiint was dysentery ; and I reported at 
 once to Tshaka that her case was hopeless, and 
 that I did not expect she would live through the 
 day. The reg-iments, which were then sitting* 
 in a semicircle around him, were ordered to their 
 barracks ; while Tshaka himself sat for about two 
 hours in a contemplative mood, without a word 
 escaping- his lips, several of the elder chiefs sitting- 
 also before him. When the tidino*s A\-ere brouo-ht 
 that she had expired, Tshaka immediately arose 
 and entered his dwelhng-; and, having- ordered 
 tlie principal chiefs to put on their war-dresses, 
 he in a few minutes appeared in his. As soon 
 as the death was publicly announced, the women 
 and all the men who were present, tore instantly 
 from their persons every description of ornament. 
 'J'shaka now appeared before the hut in which tlie 
 l)ody lay, surrounded by his principal chiefs in 
 
MOURNING FOR TSHAKA S MOTHER. 248 
 
 their war-attire. For about twenty minutes he 
 stood in a silent mournful attitude, with his head 
 bowed upon his shield^ on which I saw a few larg-e 
 tears fall. After two or three deep sig'hs, his feeling-s 
 becoming- ung-overnable, he broke out into frantic 
 yells, which fearfully contrasted with the silence 
 that had hitherto prevailed. This sig-nal was 
 enoug'h. The chiefs and people, to the number 
 of about fifteen thousand, commenced the most 
 dismal and horrid lamentations. . . The people 
 from the neig'hbouring* kraals, male and female, 
 came pouring" in, each body as they came in sig'ht, 
 at the distance of half-a-mile, joining- to swell the 
 terrible cry. Throug-h the whole nig-ht it con- 
 tinued, none daring- to take rest or refresh them- 
 selves with water j while, at short intervals, fresh 
 bursts were heard as more distant regiments 
 approached. The morning- dawned, without any 
 relaxation ; and before noon the number had 
 increased to about sixty thousand. The cries 
 became now indescribably horrid. Hundreds were 
 lying- faint, from excessive fatig-ue and want of 
 nourishment 3 while the carcases of forty oxen 
 lay in a heap, which had been slaug-htered as an 
 offering- to the g-uardian spirits of the tribe. At 
 noon the whole force formed a circle, with Tshaka 
 in their centre, and sang- a war-song-, which 
 afforded them some relaxation during* its con- 
 tinuance. At the close of it, Tshaka ordered 
 several men to be executed on the spot; and the 
 cries became, if possible, more violent than ever. 
 No further orders were needed ; but, as if bent 
 R 2 
 
244 THE KAFIRS OF NATA.L. 
 
 on conviiiciniv their chief of their extreme 2'rief. 
 the multitude commenced a g-eneral massacre. 
 Many of them received the blow of dentli while 
 inflictino- it on others^ each taking- the opportunity 
 of re^•ellg•ing• his injuries^ real or imag-inary. Those 
 who could no more force tears from their e^'es — 
 those who were found near the river panting- for 
 water — were beaten to death by others who were 
 mad with excitement. Toward the afternoon I 
 calculated that not fewer than seven thousand 
 people had fallen in this frightful indiscriminate 
 massacre. The adjacent stream^ to which many 
 had fled exhausted to wet their parched tong-ues, 
 became impassable from the number of dead 
 corpses which lay on each side of it* while the 
 kraal^ in which the scene took place^ was flowing* 
 with blood." Mr. Fynn stood unharmed con- 
 templating- the horrors around liim^ and thankful 
 that he '^had so far g-ained the respect of this 
 tyrant as to hope for escape even from this horrible 
 place of blood. While standhig* thus motionless, 
 however, a reg-iment of young- Zulus passed b}^ me, 
 when two of them with their uplifted knob-kiri-ies 
 rushed towards me, the leader demanding* fiercely 
 why I stood there without a tear. I made no 
 reply, but g-azed upon them sternly and steadily. 
 They moved on, shoutino- veno-eance." At sunset, 
 Tshaka stopped the m.assacre, but the cries con- 
 tinued till ten A. ^I. on the following- day, when 
 the people were permitted to take some refreshment. 
 The ceremonies of Mnande's burial " were the 
 subject of much deliberation between Tshaka and 
 
MOURNING FOR TSHAKA's MOTHER. 245 
 
 liis favourite councillors. On the second day after 
 her death^ the bod}^ was placed in a g*rave, in a 
 sitting- posture^ near the spot where she died." 
 Mr. Fynn^ who was not permitted to see the 
 interment^ was informed that ten of the best- 
 looking- g'irls of the kraal were buried alive with 
 the deceased. "^All who were present at this 
 dreadful scene, to the number of twelve thousand^ 
 drafted from the whole army, were formed into a 
 reg-iment, to g-uard the g-rave for the next twelve 
 months. About fifteen thousand head of cattle 
 yseve set apart for their use, which were con- 
 tributed by all the cattle-holders of the country, 
 as olFering-s to the spirits of the departed queen 
 and her ill-fated nttendants." 
 
 The chiefs proposed that further sacrifices should 
 be made. Gomana, whose name will be ag'ain met 
 with in Tshaka's history, recommended that "as 
 the g-reat Female Elephant with Small Breasts — 
 the over-ruling' ^])U'it of Veg'etation — had died, and 
 as it was probable that the heavens and the earth 
 would unite in bewailing- her death, the sacrifice 
 should be a g-reat one : no cultivation should be 
 allowed during- the following* year ; no milk should 
 be used, but as drawn from the cow it should be 
 all poured upon the earth ; and all women who 
 should be found with child during- the year, should 
 with their husbands, be put to death." At the 
 close of Gomana's speech, "which was received 
 with acclamation, reg-iments of soldiers were dis- 
 persed throug-hout the country, who massacred 
 every one they could find that had not been present 
 
240 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 at the g-eneral wailing*." This slaughter is said 
 by Mr. Isaacs to have continued for a fortnig-ht. 
 For three months Goniana's first two proposals 
 were strictly carried out j but at the end of that 
 time "these orders were redeemed by larg-e offer- 
 ma's of oxen beino- made to Tshaka from all the 
 chiefs." The third proposal, however, " was strictly 
 enforced throug'hout the J^ear, during* which also 
 lamentations on a smaller scale took place from 
 time to time at Tshaka's residence." 
 
 At the end of the year Tshaka removed from 
 the Folosi, where his mother had died, to Tug*uza, 
 a new residence he had constructed on the Umvoti. 
 Mr. Fynn met him near the Tug-ela j and, learning 
 that another lamentation was to take place at Tu- 
 g'uza, entreated that he would not allow any of 
 his people to be put to death. He was amused 
 to hear the white man pleading* "for the life of 
 dogs," but he granted the request. " He now 
 advanced, ^\'ith his chiefs, in their fiill war-dress. 
 Presently Tuguza, lying, as it were, in a basin, 
 came full in sight; and the outrunners, shouting- 
 out the ])raises of Tshaka, announced his approach. 
 Upon this he began to sigh and sob loudty, pre- 
 tending to falter and stumble in his steps, and 
 then commenced cryhig aloud. The whole of the 
 able-bodied population of the country, each regi- 
 ment by itself, came in sight, as it were in a 
 moment, standing upon the edge of the hills which 
 surrounded Tuguza. They took up, as before, 
 the frantic cry of their chief; but now with the 
 general 3'elling* was mingled the bellowing of about 
 
MOURNING FOR TSHAKA S MOTHER. 247 
 
 a hundred thousand oxen^ broug-ht from the remotest 
 parts of the country^ expressly for this occasion. 
 I stood at the distance of half-a-mile, near enoug-h 
 to see that no hves were sacrificed ; and g-lad Avas 
 I to find that at sunset the lamentations^ which 
 beg-an late in the afternoon^ were brought to an 
 end, the regiments being ordered to rest^ and to 
 slaughter cattle for the evening meal. I retired 
 to my hut 5 but to sleep was out of the question, 
 from the bellowing of the oxen and the dinning 
 sound of the multitude." 
 
 Next morning Tshaka was purified from his un- 
 cleanness. " Every cattle-owner had brought calves 
 for this purpose, each of which was ripped open on 
 its rig'ht side, the owner taking out the gall of the 
 living animal, which then was left to die in its 
 agonies, and not allowed to be eaten. Each regi- 
 ment in succession then presented itself before 
 Tshaka; and, as it passed in a circle round him, 
 each individual, holding the gall-bladder in his 
 hand, sprinkled the gall over him." 
 
 Gomana now made another speech. ^^The tribe 
 had now lamented for a year the death of her, who 
 had become a spirit and would continue to watch 
 over Tshaka's welfare. But there were nations of 
 men, inhabiting distant countries, who, because 
 they had not yet been conquered, supposed that 
 they never should be. This was plain from the 
 fact of their not having- come forward to lament 
 the death of the Great Mother of Earth and Corn. 
 And, as tears could not be forced from these distant 
 nations, war should be made against them, and the 
 
248 
 
 THE KAFIKS OF NATAL. 
 
 cattle taken sliould be the tears shed upon her 
 g-rave." The " war-dance was now performed ; 
 several droves of oxen were slaug-htered ; and 
 Tshaka was finally washed with certain decoctions 
 prepared by the native doctors. And thus this 
 memorable lamentation ended ; in which however 
 I cannot help suspecting- that reasons of state- 
 policy had as much to do^ as an}^ feeling- of reg'ret 
 for his dead mother ; and that he wished his people 
 to infer, if such a sacrifice was necessary upon the 
 occasion of her departure, how frig'htfully terrific 
 would be that required at his own I"^" 
 
 T.GILKS.S* 
 
CHAPTER VIII.— HISTORY OF TSHAKA. 
 
 I.— EARLY LIFE. II.— CONQUESTS. III.— POLICY. IV.— INTERCOURSE 
 WITH EUROPEANS. V.— REVERSES OF HIS ARMS. VI.— DEATH. 
 
 I. — TsHAKA — the Napoleon of South Africa and 
 founder of the Zulu-dynasty — was born towards 
 the end of the last century. His father^ Sen- . 
 zang-akona, was chief of the Zulus — a comparatively 
 inconsiderable tribe living- on the White Umfolosi. 
 His mother^ a daughter of Makedama, chief of 
 the Amalang-a^ bore the prepossessing* name of 
 Mnande (Pleasant) — a name to which her charac- 
 ter did not entitle her. She was wilful^ obstinate^ 
 and uncontrollable ; and in the end either absconded 
 from her husband or w^as repudiated by him. Nor 
 was the son more amiable than the mother. Those 
 who are old enoug-h to remember his early days^ 
 describe Tshaka as having- been exceeding-ly mis- 
 chievous and cruel; chastisement^ of which he had 
 no lack^ failed to improve him ; and he g-rew up a 
 most perverse and incorrig-ible youth. 
 
 " Tetchy and wayward was his infancy ; 
 His school-days, frightful, desperate, wild and furious." 
 
 How lono' Tshaka remained with his father, I 
 am unable to say ; but^ sooner or later, he found it 
 necessary to withdraw from the tribe and seek re- 
 fuse witli Dino-iswayo, chief of the Tetwas. Isaacs 
 says, that his father had " resol\ed that he shoidd 
 
-*00 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 die, and beg-an to ])lot liis death . . . Tliis he 
 desh-ed to effect tlie more from anotlier motive; 
 he well knew, from the fate of his prog-enitors, that 
 the children, when they came of ag-e, were allowed 
 by the Zulus to dethrone their oTe3_headed fathers, 
 because they conceive that a 3'oung* king- is more 
 capable of commanding* a nation than an old 
 one . . . Tshaka's precocity, shrewdness and 
 cunning-, soon enabled him to learn the intention of 
 his fiitherj" and he fled to the Tetwas. I have 
 been told that he went, in the first instance, to his 
 g-randfather, Makedama ; and that it was not until 
 his father had demanded him of that chief, that he 
 fled to Ding-iswa}^©. 
 
 Ding-iswa^^o is " reported to have been a man of 
 g-reat sag-acity and to have orig-inated some parts 
 of the military system which Tshaka afterwards 
 broug-ht to such perfection."^ His conquests appear 
 to have been considerable ; an old Umtetwa pro- 
 phet mentioned no less than thirty chiefs who 
 acknowledg-ed Ding-iswayo's supremacy. The suc- 
 cess of his arms has been partly attributed to the 
 presence of a white man, who appeared on horse- 
 back about 1810, among- the astonished people. 
 " He came," say the natives (who treasure up the 
 memory of this apparition), ^^ from the westward, 
 having- passed throug'h numerous tribes, inspirino- 
 much terror from his extraordinary fig-ure. His 
 hat was conceived to be a part of his head, which 
 he had the fiiculty of removing- at ])leasure. From 
 his shoes covering- his toes, and his footstep leavino- 
 no im})ression of them, it was imag-ined he was 
 
TSHAKAS EAIILY LIFE. 251 
 
 devoid of those appendag'es. The smg'ular weapon 
 with which lie was armed (a gun) vomiting- out 
 fire^ smoke, and thunder, and the creature on which 
 he was mounted (a horse) — an animal never before 
 seen — caused additional dread j and he was g'en- 
 erally shunned by the natives, as a being* not of 
 earth. Some ki*aals killed cattle on his approach as 
 a peace-oifering' j and on returning* to them they 
 state the}^ found, deposited upon the slaug-htered 
 beasts, beads and other trinkets. Others honoured 
 him as a wizard, or a creature armed with celestial 
 powers." Ding'iswayo " took the traveller for some 
 distance in his train," and (as before intimated) 
 was assisted in his conquests" by the alarm of 
 this awe-inspiring- auxiliary." At the Tug-ela, 
 "having* attended Ding-iswayo thus far, the strang-er 
 proceeded towards the seaj when entering- the 
 Quabi tribe, he was murdered by order of its chief 
 Pag-atwayo, who conceived him to be some un- 
 natural animal. The tradition of the visit of this 
 individual (of whom little more of a determinate 
 nature beyond what has been related could be col- 
 lected) is constantly referred to by the Natalesej 
 and the following- song*, made by the Quabies upon 
 Dingiswayo, is still sung* upon festivals : — 
 
 " Clatter, clatter, he is going. 
 He goes with them. 
 He is going, 
 He goes with (a horse or) speed."^ 
 
 It is said that, when Senzang*akona discovered 
 his son's retreat, he asked Ding'iswayo to g*ive him 
 up. That chief was disposed to yield ; but Goniana, 
 
252 THE KAFIUb OF NATAL. 
 
 his principal councillor^, befriended the fug'itive, and 
 the niesseng-ers returned unsuccessful. Tshaka 
 was committed to Gomana's especial guardianship. 
 Isaacs says that he distino-uished himself amons* 
 the -warriors^ and was held b}- them in g-reat esteem 
 as a sono-ster and a punster. He failed^ ho^\'ever, 
 to obtain the g-ood will of the people g-enerally — 
 a circumstance which he did not foro-et. 
 
 AMiile Tshaka was with the Tetwas^ his father 
 died (by poison, it is supposed) and was succeeded 
 b}^ his son Sikutshane. This displeased Ding-is- 
 wayo, who is said to have previously requested 
 Senzang-akona to appoint Tshaka his heir. The 
 old man naturally refused ; but the other replied as 
 a g-reat chief mig-ht to a small one and declared 
 that his proteg"e should g-overn the Zulus. When 
 he heard of Senzang-akona's demise, he sent Go- 
 mana, Avith a sufficient force, to remove Sikutshane 
 and put Tshaka in his place. Having- by this 
 means acquired power, Tshaka destro^'ed his 
 brother's principal men, and all who Avere supposed 
 to disapprove of his accession.^ 
 
 It is not likely that Ding-is wa3'o would permit 
 Tshaka to act independently j and we may reg-ard 
 the Zulus as being- now subject to the Tetwas. It is 
 said that a neig-hbouring- chief, who had fi-equently 
 foug-ht with Senzang-akona, treated Tshaka with 
 g-reat scorn, and insolently required Ding-iswayo's 
 ^^poor man" to become his tributary. A battle 
 being- the result, the scoffer was killed and his people 
 submitted to Tshaka; but the surrendered cattle 
 were claimed by Ding-iswayo, thoug-h he allowed 
 his fjnourite to retain a larg-e portion. 
 
tsiiaka's early life. 253 
 
 Dino-iswa3'o's death^ which released Tshaka from 
 his subjection, happened in the following* manner. 
 Switi, chief of the Dwandwes, attacked the chief 
 of the Xnumayos and killed him. The deceased 
 having* married a daug-hter of Dino-is\A\a3"0, the 
 latter set out to aveng-e his death. On the march 
 he captured some of the enemy's cattle 5 but, AAhen 
 he came to an eng-ag-ement ^ith Switi's soldiers, 
 his followers were defeated. Ding-iswayo was not 
 in the battle, but at some distance with a few atten- 
 dants. AVhen one of these pointed out his flying- 
 men, he would not believe that his warriors could 
 be defeated by those of Switi — the fug-itives, he 
 asserted, were not Tetwas — they were Dwandwes. 
 Nor was he undeceived until he saw a party of the 
 latter coming- upon him from another direction. 
 He was too fat or too dig-nified to run, and awaited 
 the foe's advance. One of his attendants fled ; but 
 the others remained. The Dwandwes, having- ap- 
 proached, danced around the captive in savag-e 
 triumph, and required him to accompany them to 
 Switi. He refused — he was a g-reat chief— his 
 army was very valiant — they covdd not take him. 
 He now demanded his oxen, and a messeng-er went 
 to Switi, who immediatel}' sent ten as a nominal 
 present to the prisoner. The latter ordered one 
 to be slaug-htered, but none of his followers were bold 
 enough to obey the command; whereupon he 
 redoubled his boastino-s, declarino- that Switi would 
 tremble to see him and order a dance in his honour. 
 The captives were conducted to Switi's kraal ; but, 
 before they entered, a doctor sprinkled medicine 
 
2o4 THE KAFIKS OF NATAL. 
 
 about the central enclosure and on the huts, g'ivmg- 
 some also to the conqueror, who rubbed it on his 
 face. Switi then entered the enclosure from the 
 upper part, his soldiers beinj^ already assembled, 
 and Ding-iswayo standing* near the g'ate. Medicine 
 having' been ng'ain used, the captive was ordered 
 to approach his conqueror and sit down. After 
 a dance by the exulting- warriors, S"\\dti^s cattle 
 Avere driven into the kraal and paraded before the 
 fallen chieftain. The victor ordered food to be 
 o'iven to Ding-iswayo, but the latter refused to 
 accept it — he Avas a gTeat chief — he Avould not 
 eat the food of a dependant — let it be given to 
 his wives and followers. Another dance having* 
 taken place, Switi danced round his prisoner, and 
 leaped several times over his head, exclaiming-: 
 " See the gTeat chief, how valiant he is ! The 
 dependant jumps over the great chief" Next 
 morning" the captives were ag'ain oblig'ed to witness 
 a dance, after which Switi addressed them — he 
 intended to o'ive them cattle and send them home 
 — the attendants mio-ht o-o at once — the chief 
 should folloAv. They replied that the}' did not wish 
 to g*o without him, but Switi ordei-ed them to leave 
 immediately; and, cattle having- been g-iven them, 
 they proceeded — to be killed outside the kranl. 
 The conqueror struck Ding-iswayo with a knob- 
 kirrie on the temples. The blows were slig-ht, but 
 the club was poisoned (so my informant said) and 
 the victim soon expired. Medicine, into which a 
 portion of the deceased's head-ring- had been put, 
 Avns administered to the victor, who dipped his 
 
tsiiaka's conquests. 25o 
 
 assag-ai into another boiling- decoction, spat on tlie 
 weapon, and held it towards the sun. This cere- 
 mony was repeated for several days afterwards. 
 Dinoiswa3"0 was buried by a doctor, and several 
 oxen slain. Of these, one was interred near the 
 g-rave — the rest being- placed in the bush. Din- 
 giswayo's defeat has been abscribed to the fact that 
 he was too impatient to wait for the assembling- 
 of his army (perhaps he despised his enemy) and 
 marched with an insufficient force. Tshaka, who is 
 said to have been summoned to join him, was 
 unable to do so, owing- to the hasty movements 
 of the impetuous chieftain.^ 
 
 II. — Tshaka could now act independently, and 
 make war on his own account. After Ding-iswayo's 
 death, he attacked Pag-atwayo, already mentioned 
 as chief of the Quabies. The occasion of the attack 
 was some contemptuous expression applied to him 
 by the latter, and reported by a traitorous in-duna. 
 Tshaka resolved to punish the insult; but wished 
 first to streng-then himself by the use of supersti- 
 tion. It is believed that if a chief obtain anything- 
 connected with the person of another, it will give 
 him power over the latter. The councillor was 
 therefore sent back, and directed to obtain some- 
 thing- belong'ing- to his master. He had little 
 difficulty in executing* the commission ) and sent 
 to the Zulu chief a piece of Pag-atwayo's dress, 
 scraping-s from his wooden pillow, and clay from 
 his hut floor. With these materials and some roots, 
 a g-reat mediciner prepared a powerful potation ; 
 
250 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 which, when taken by Tshaka, rendered him 
 strong-er than tlie chief of the Quabies. Having* 
 expressed a doubt as to the efficacy of the medicine, 
 I was answered, " Did not Tshaka conquer Pag*at- 
 wayo ?" Not being- satisfied to strengthen himself, 
 Tshaka resolved to weaken his enemy b}' having- 
 medicine scattered in the kraal of the latter. The 
 servant, to whose lot it fell to perform this perilous 
 task, was duly prepared by the doctor, that he 
 might retain his presence of mind, if questioned, 
 and not sa}' that he had come from Tshaka. All 
 being' ready, Tshaka set out, and arrived before 
 Pag-atwayo's kraal at sunrise. The lat chief was 
 ill, and not able to direct his ama-pakati — a cir- 
 cumstance which frig-htened them terribl}'. They 
 attempted to withstand the assailants, but in vain; 
 they were ver}^ weak, ni}^ informant said, and could 
 not resist the Zulus. Pagatwayo was broug'ht out 
 of his hut, when the conqueror triumphed over 
 him and he died. Tshaka sent messeno-ers amono- 
 the people, to say that he should not injure them, 
 if they quietly sul)mitted. He took all their cattle, 
 but lent cows to those who ackno\vledo-ed him as 
 their master.' 
 
 On Ding'iswayo's death, his brother, Mundiso, 
 assumed the g-overnment of the Tetwas. He at- 
 tempted to aveng-e Ding'iswayo's death, but was 
 defeated and fled. The enemy pursued and ravag-ed 
 his countr}', when many of the people joined them- 
 selves to Tshaka. It was perhaps owing- to this 
 latter circumstance that tlie Dwandwes invaded the 
 Zulu-terriforv. Tshaka did not venture to oppose 
 
TSHAKAS CONQUESTS. 257 
 
 them ; but, taking* refugee in the bush, remained 
 there until the enemy retired. Switi, having- sent 
 his army with express orders to bring* Tshaka, was 
 not satisfied to see them return without him. He 
 therefore ordered them to make a second irruption 
 into Tshaka's small dominions. The Zulu chief 
 ag*ain retreated ', but at leng-th, overcoming* the fears 
 of his people, he prevailed on them to resist an 
 enemy who would evidently" leave them no peace. 
 The long* crane's feather which he wore on his 
 head having*, by accident or desig*n, dropped to the 
 ground, an attendant, who would have picked it up, 
 was struck violently and rated for a fool — could he 
 not see that the feather was a sig-n of victory ? — 
 it had fallen to sig*nify that the spirits would cause 
 Switi to crouch at his feet. The trick succeeded ; 
 the spirits were immediately invoked ; and the 
 usual ceremonies performed to prepare the men for 
 action. This done, Tshaka despatched his un- 
 married warriors to plunder the enemy's unpro- 
 tected country ; and ordered the rest to attack the 
 Dwandwe force, then near his retreat. A severe 
 eng*ag'ement ensued, in which the Zulus suffered a 
 partial defeat; but they were eventually success- 
 ful and routed the enemy with g*reat slaug-hter. 
 Meanwhile, the unmarried men had reached the 
 Dwandwe-country, and were approaching* Switi's 
 residence. Supposing* them to be his own troops, 
 he did not doubt that they were returning* victori- 
 ous ; but, while he expected them to g'o straig-ht to 
 himself, they turned aside and entered a neig'h- 
 bouring* kraal. Presently a woman escaped ; and, 
 s 
 
258 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 runiiins" as fast as a wound in her shoulder would 
 permit, informed the astonished chief that the Zulus 
 had come. Switi and his people soug-ht refuge in 
 the bush, where they are afterwards joined by the 
 remnant of his army. Having no hope of resisting- 
 the victorious Zulus, the Dwandwes took possession 
 of another country.'' 
 
 It is said that, Avhen Mundiso assumed the 
 g-overnment of the Tetwas, Tshaka made an alliance 
 with him j but that he subsequentl}' invited him to 
 a dance and killed him.^ He then claimed the 
 alleo'iance of all Ding-iswajVs people. Sotshang-ana 
 had, I think, already g-one over the Maputa. 
 AVhen the chief of the Amakoba submitted, Tshaka 
 enquired why his brother Manzini, who was at the 
 head of part of the tribe, did not follow his example. 
 Jog'o did not know ; he could not tell even where 
 his brother then resided. Afterwards, while Tshaka 
 was huntino', he discovered Manzini's laro-e herd, 
 
 o y 7 
 
 and sent him a messao-e demand ino- food for his 
 followers. The demand having- been refused once 
 and again, Tshaka attacked Manzini's kraal, and 
 killed him. The chief's son asserted that lie had 
 alvva3's advised his father to submit, and was 
 allowed to retain the cows. 
 
 Somveya, Dingiswayo's son, subsequently in- 
 curred Tshaka's disjjleasure, and Avas summoned 
 to appear before him. He insisted, not very 
 prudently, on going immediately into Tshaka's 
 ])resence, on the ground that his father had fed 
 him. An in-duna prevented the breach of eti- 
 
tshaka's conquests. 2.59 
 
 quette. When the tyrant came oiitj Somveyu shed 
 tears and said : " Why do you wish to kill the 
 Tetwas? My father g-ave you food. He did not 
 kill youj nor g-ive you up to your father." Tshaka 
 replied that the Tetwas were rascals — they g'ave him 
 cows with ug'ly horns^ which kicked and jumped 
 when he attempted to milk them — Ding'iswa3'o's 
 officers beat him and persecuted his sweet-hearts — 
 they called him by opprobrious names and said he 
 was a dependant — he disliked the Tetwas — he Avas 
 a g'reat chief now — he did not^, however, wish to 
 kill Somveyaj and, g'iving* him an ox, desired the 
 youno- chief to remain all nio-ht at the kraal. The 
 latter, mIio was old enough to penetrate Tshaka's 
 purpose, expressed a wish to sleep in another of 
 his master's establishments, and thus obtained an 
 excuse for leaving-. He then made all haste home ; 
 and, acquainting- his peo})le with their dang-er, 
 advised an immediate flig-ht. A considerable num- 
 ber having- approved of the plan, sacrifices wei-e 
 offered ; and the fug-itives, with their cattle, hurried 
 towards the Mapiita. The women and young-er 
 o-irls were left to their fate. When the Tetwas 
 reached the river, Makazana's people ferried them 
 across — that chief exactino- a o-irl and an ox for his 
 fare. The refuo-ees then bent their course towards 
 the country occupied by Sotshang-ana, who was very 
 g-lad to see them — they must live with liim and 
 become his people. Not choosing- to be g'overned 
 by one who had been subject to his father, 8om- 
 veya preferred to seek another site. When Tshaka 
 discovered that he had been outwitted, he sent 
 u •> 
 
260 THE KAFIKS OF NATAL. 
 
 a detaclimeiit of" soldiers to the Tetwa-countrv. 
 These, findiiio- that Somveva hnd fled, massacred 
 the women left behind, and pursued the fugitives. 
 Reaching" the Maputa, they endeavoured to obtain 
 from Makazana intellio-ence of their route; but 
 without success — Makazana knew nothing* about 
 them — he had not seen Somveya. The soldiers 
 having" returned, Tshaka sent for the residue of the 
 people, and killed the married men under the pretence 
 that they were "evildoers." The "boys" were 
 ordered to assume the head-ring- — Milandela, a 
 grandson of Ding-iswayo, bein^ appointed chief of 
 the tribe.^ 
 
 It was about 1820, that Tshaka's forces invaded 
 the present colony of Natal. The countr}' was 
 full of people ; but they could not resist the Zulu 
 armies. Some tribes living- near the Tug-ela were 
 allo\ved to remain as tributaries; but the rest of the 
 district was nearly depopulated. Multitudes were 
 slain, or taken captive; others fled to a distance 
 or souo'ht reftig-e in the bush. Nor did the Amam- 
 pondo escape. They had the advantag'e however 
 of occupying" a countr}' " particuhirl}' well adapted 
 for defence : hence hi two attacks made upon it 
 by the Zulu army" (one being" subsequent to 
 this period) " althoug"h Faku lost many thousand 
 cattle, he held his territory." In consequence of 
 his favourable situation, Faku became an important 
 chief. " He was not originally greater, nor had 
 he a force superior to many of his neighbours, until 
 the remnants of tribes despoiled and scattered by 
 
tshaka's conquests. 201 
 
 Tshaka sought an asylum with him: other tribes, 
 dreadino- the oTeat Zulu chief althoug-h unmolested 
 by him, attached themselves to Faku." Mr. Fynn, 
 who arrived in Natal in 1824, did not find a sing-le 
 tribe (with the exception of about thirty natives 
 near the Bluff) from within a few miles of the 
 Umzimvubu to the Tong-ati — a distance of two 
 hundred and thirty miles : ^' there were neither 
 kraals, huts, cattle, nor corn. Occasionally I saw 
 a few stragglers — mere living skeletons — obtaining 
 a precarious subsistance on roots and shellfish." 
 
 The following account of the resistance made b}^ 
 the Amatuli is from the evidence of an American 
 Missionary: — ^^ Before the country of Natal was 
 invaded by the Zulus it was densely populated 
 from the Umg*eni to the Umkomazi, and inland, 
 some twelve or fifteen miles at least, by one large 
 and powerful nation. Their great chief was 
 Untaba, son of Uyebu, who was son of Um- 
 tshatwa. Untaba lived not far from New Ger- 
 many, which place is still known to the natives 
 bv the name of Kwentaba, in honour of that chief. 
 Under Untaba there were several subordinate 
 chiefs who ruled over particular tribes and separate 
 sections of the country included in the above Hmits. 
 (Thus from the Umkomazi to the Ilovo the people 
 were under Usojuba, son of Umatshoka. From 
 the Ilovo to the Amanzimtote they were under 
 Uashuj and from thence to the Umlazi, under 
 Umcwane. From the Umlazi along the Bluff 
 to the Bay the people were under Amabone or 
 Umante, father of Umninij and from the Bay to 
 
2i)'2 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 the Uingeiii and iuliind Utusi was chief.) All 
 these^ howe\pr, were for a time at least, suhjeet to 
 the g'reat king* Uiitaba ... On the arrival of the 
 Zulu invader, at one time at least, they g'ave battle 
 and resisted bravely. They not only stood their 
 g-round, but pressed hard upon the forces of the 
 assailant. Says Ujodile, one of our authorities 
 for this sketch, speaking- of the approach of the 
 Amazulu, ^That day I remember well. I was 
 then a young- man. The Amatuli all collected 
 upon a plain this, east, side of the Umkomazi. 
 The Zulus came uj^ in the afternoon, we g-ave them 
 battle and drove them back to the Umzimbazi, 
 leaving- the dead strewn in heaps by the way. 
 With this rio'ht hand of mine I slew many. 
 When the sun was down we returned, took our 
 cattle and fled, well knowing- that the Amazulu 
 would come ag-ain in g-reater numbers.' Some, 
 perhaps man}', were slain in battle. Many others, 
 however, escaped death b}' taking- refug-e in the 
 bush and rocks which skirt the coast fi*om the Bay 
 to the southwest. Among* them was the present 
 chief of the tribe, Umnini. There concealed, be- 
 tween the Bluff and the sea, they lived upon herbs 
 and roots, and such insects and animals as could 
 be obtained from land or water, till their country 
 had rest from war and it was safe for them to 
 emerg-e from their hiding- i)laces."^ 
 
 After the arri\ al of the Europeans, Sikonyana, 
 son of Switi, ap})eared with a hu-ge force, to reclaim 
 the country of his fathers. Tshaka seems to have 
 
tshaka's conquests. 203 
 
 been afraid of the Dwandwe chief, for we find him 
 sending- an order to the Europeans to bring- their 
 boat to the Tug-ela, then swollen, "to enable him to 
 cross, for the purpose of paying* a visit to our 
 habitations." The jolly-boat was immediately re- 
 paired and carried to that river. When the natives 
 saw it launched and veer with its head to the 
 stream, their astonishment was excessive — they 
 were "noAv older than their forefathers, who had 
 never seen the g-reat river crossed when it was in 
 wrath." Having- moored the boat to a larg-e 
 stone, Messrs. Fynn and Isaacs proceeded to a 
 neig-hbouring- kraal, to await the despot's arrival. 
 In the evening- messeng-ers came to say that Tshaka 
 had, for the present, g-iven up his intention ; but 
 desired them to proceed at once to his residence. 
 When the}^ reached one of his kraals, the in-dima, 
 who had charg-e of it, " arrived (says Isaacs) from 
 the king-, to prepare his regiment for immediate 
 service. He informed us that the enemy (Incon- 
 yarner), with whom they were at war, had encamped 
 within a day's march of the royal residence j that 
 their force was larg-e ; and that he saw four vessels 
 standing- to the westward. He g-ave us a cow for 
 our use, and some milk. We noAV beg-an to g-uess 
 the cause of Tshaka's sendino- for us and for the 
 boat, and experienced some little difficulty in deter- 
 mining- how to act. To advance would in all pro- 
 bability, we thoug-ht, bring- us into contact with 
 the force of the enemy with whom Tshaka was at 
 war. To retreat would incense him, and re- 
 move the hig-h opinion he entertained of European 
 
i204 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 bravery 5 we therefore resolved on proceeding' to 
 his capital." After their arrival, they were told 
 that T^haka intended to meet the enemy at the full 
 moon. Some days later, as they were sitting* in 
 his presence, they " observed a larg-e quantity of 
 small \\ hite flowers, blown from the shrubs in the 
 vicinit}', floating- in the air, covering- the whole 
 space of the kraal, and ^ light as thistle-down 
 moving,' which were carried off by the first ripple 
 of breeze that sprang- up. The king- asked us the 
 cause of this; when, we being- at a loss for a 
 plausible reason, he observed that it was a sig-n the 
 enemy had retreated from his position. AVhile ^^ e 
 were communicating- with him, messeng-ers arrived 
 to announce the fact, and that they had encamped 
 two days' march nearer the confines of their own 
 countr}'. Tshaka immediately g-ave orders for his 
 warriors to hold themselves in readiness for an 
 immediate attack." The two following* da^^s, ^4he 
 king- amused himself by dancing- with his people, 
 and superintending- the driving- of his cattle to the 
 rivers — the latter being- a flivourite occupation." 
 On the third day, "three reg-iments of ^boj^s' 
 arrived to be reviewed. There appeared to be 
 nearly six thousand, all having- black shields. The 
 respective corps were disting-uished b}- the shape 
 and ornament of their caps. One reg-iment had 
 them in the shape of Mala}- hats, with a peak on 
 the crown about six inches hig-h, and a bunch of 
 feathers at the top. Another wore a turban made 
 of otter-skin, having- a crane's feather or two on 
 each side; and the third wore small bunches of 
 
tshaka's conquests. 265 
 
 feathers over the whole head^ made fast by means 
 of small ties. Thus accoutred and disting-uished, 
 they entered the g*ate, ran up the kraal, halted in 
 front of the palace, and saluted the king*. One 
 boy stepped in front and made a long* harang-ue. 
 When the orator had concluded, the whole of his 
 comrades first shouted, and then commenced run- 
 ning- over the kraal, tr^^ing* to excel each other in 
 feats of agility, reg-ardless of order, regularity, or 
 discipline. After this exhibition, which lasted 
 three hours, a regiment of men arrived with white 
 shields, having on them one or two black spots in 
 the centre; the}' saluted Tshaka, then retired to 
 put away their shields, and assembled again in one 
 body to dance. 
 
 '^They formed a half circle; the men in the centre 
 and the bo3's at the two extremities. The king- 
 placed himself in the middle of the space within the 
 circle, and about one thousand five hundred girls 
 stood opposite to the men three deep, in a straight 
 line, and with great regularity. His majesty then 
 commenced dancing, the warriors followed, and the 
 girls kept time by singing-, clapping* their hands, 
 and raisino- their bodies on their toes. The stransfe 
 attitudes of the men exceeded anvthino- I had seen 
 before. The king was remarkable for his un- 
 equalled activity, and the surprising muscular 
 powers he exhibited. He was decorated with a 
 profusion of green and yellow glass beads. The 
 girls had their share of ornaments ; in addition too 
 the}' had each of them four brass bangles round 
 their necks, which kept them in an erect posture, 
 
200 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 and rendered tliem as immoveable as the neck of 
 a statue. This ceremony was performed with 
 considerable re<i'ularitv, from the kino- o-ivino* as 
 it were, the time for every motion. Wherever 
 he cast his eye, there was the o-reatest effort 
 made; and nothing- could exceed the exertion of 
 the whole until sunset, when Tshaka, accom- 
 panied by his g'irls, retired within the palace, 
 and the A\arriors to their respective huts. Many, 
 however, first went to the river and performed 
 their eveninof ablutions." Next mornino- Tshaka 
 was ag-ain among- his warriors, and commanded 
 the izhi-dtina to point out those who had displayed 
 cowardice in the previous war. He was assured 
 that every coward had been slain. After this 
 statement a pause ensued, during- which the Euro- 
 peans obtained permission to return home. Subse- 
 quently messengers arrived at Port Natal, " from 
 the king- to request all the white people to proceed 
 with their fire-arms immediately, to accomjian}' him 
 to war, as he had resolved on attackino- Isse- 
 konyarna at his encampment." Others came to 
 say that they need not g'o till the full moon ; and 
 others to request that the tent might be taken to 
 Tshaka. AVhen Isaacs, who superintended the 
 delivery of that article, had I'eached the Zulu- 
 countr}', he found that the king* had '^recently 
 ordered one of his best reg-iments, with their wives 
 and families, to be massacred for suj)posed cow- 
 ardice. They had been defeated in battle, althoug'h 
 the}' foug'ht with great bravery, liaA ing- been over- 
 powered by superior troops and g"reater numbers. 
 
tshaka's conquests. 5207 
 
 and compelled to retreat." Having* seen the tent 
 erected^ Tshaka was much pleased and thoug-ht that 
 the sig'ht of it would strike his enemy with disma}^, 
 and g"ive him an easy victory. 
 
 Thoug'h Tshaka had required all the Europeans 
 to gfo with him, he was ultimately prevailed on 
 to be content with the company of Messrs. Farewell 
 and Fynn. He set out with a force of thirty 
 thousand men, and marched ten days before he 
 reached the enemy. For the first three days, they 
 journeyed throug-h a rather mountainous country ', 
 and for the three next, over a wide plain, w^hich 
 did not afford them even fire-wood ; they were 
 oblig-ed to broil their beef with g-reen g-rass. The 
 last portion of the journey was throug'h a country 
 of rocky precipices, " partly inhabited by a small 
 tribe of murderers 5 who, from want rather than 
 otherwise, make human sacrifices for food." The 
 Dwandwes were strong-ly posted on the top of a 
 hig-h rock 5 where, with their families and cattle, 
 they awaited the enemy's attack. When the Zulus 
 attempted to scale the hill, stones were showei'ed 
 upon them from above, and the assailants fell back. 
 Ultimately however the hill was carried, and the 
 Dwandwes routed with g-reat slaug-hter. Sikon- 
 yana and a few followers alone escaped.^" 
 
 Previously to this expedition, Tshaka had carried 
 his arms beyond the Maputa, and subdued the 
 tribes near Delag'oa Bay. His ravag'es are said 
 to have extended as far even as Inhambane. The 
 following' song- was composed (I have been told by 
 himself) in celebration of his conquests. 
 
208 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 " Thou hast finished, finished the nations. 
 Where will you go out to battle now ? 
 
 Hey ! where will you go out to battle now ? 
 Thou hast conquered kings. 
 
 Where arc you going to battle now ? 
 Thou hast finished, finished the nations. 
 Where are you going to battle now ? 
 
 Hurrah ! Hm-rah ! Hurrah ! 
 Where are you going to battle now r'''^ 
 
 III. — Tsliaka possessed a most surprising- influ- 
 ence over his subjects. The majorit}' were of 
 conquered tribes, and could not therefore have 
 an}' hereditary respect for hinij yet the people 
 submitted to his unnatural institutions, and ren- 
 dered implicit obedience to his commands; the 
 father would execute the sentence of death on his 
 child \ and the son " become the inhuman mutilator 
 of his own mother." They were ready, at his 
 bidding-, to undertake the most perilous task; and a 
 man has been known even to thank him while 
 the executioners were beating- him to death.^' 
 
 It is interesting- to consider how he maintained 
 his influence. Isaacs says that he Avas liberal in 
 distributing- the spoils of war among* his soldiers; 
 while those \\\\o did the work of executioners had 
 a g-ood share of the ])ropert3' of the deceased. The 
 warriors were also well fed, and the people diverted 
 b}' amusements. These means, however, would 
 have been ver}' inefficacious, if used alone: he 
 employed two others, which operated with g-reater 
 force, nameh- Superstition and Severit}'. 
 
 It has been previously stated that, in the normal 
 
TSHAKA S POLICY. 209 
 
 condition of the people^ the chief's authority 
 depends much on the seer's influence. Tshaka 
 did not attempt to g-overn without that support; 
 but he contrived to unite the two offices in his 
 own person^ and persuade the people that he was 
 himself inspired. The following* is an example of 
 the manner in which he produced this impression. 
 
 Having- arisen unusually early, Tshaka ordered 
 a larg'e number of black and white oxen to be 
 slaug-htered. As these belong-ed to his favourite 
 herd, the people naturally concluded that something* 
 of g'reat importance was about to be transacted. 
 "The warriors were summoned and directed to join 
 in a g-rand dance, which was prolong*ed to a late 
 hour of the nig-ht. At its conclusion, Tshaka 
 asserted that Umbia, a noted chief of his father's 
 time, had appeared to him the preceding* nig-ht, 
 and stated that Senzang'akona was very ang-ry with 
 the Zulus, because the}^ were losing* their reputa- 
 tion, and had ceased to be more cunning* than their 
 neig-hbours. The spirit added that the nation, 
 which was becoming* too large, required con- 
 stant emplo3'ment; and that there were many 
 enemies to conquer before the}^ could be merr}^ 
 Umbia also said that he and all the people who had 
 died, were ver}' comfortable under g-round, having* 
 plenty of cattle and fine g'irls, but no enemies to 
 disturb their enjoyment. Tshaka ordered cattle to 
 be slaug-htered at all his kraals, in honour of the 
 dream; the descendants of Umbia were created g-reat 
 men ; the name of that chief resounded throug-h 
 the country; and all his g-ood deeds were talked of. 
 
'270 THE KAFIKS OF NATAL. 
 
 While tliese thing's were taking* place, an old 
 man belono-iuo- to one of the sul^iuo-ated tribes dis- 
 appeared ; nor could any infoi-niation be obtained 
 respecting- liim, except from his wife, who said tliat 
 a lion had entered their hut in the nig-ht and 
 carried him away. A report of the affair was 
 made to Tshaka, wlio received it in the presence of 
 his warriors, with apparent unconcern. After some 
 months the man Avas forg'otten ; when he suddenly 
 reappeared before Tshaka and the soldiers. He 
 was dressed in a peculiar manner; his head-ring* 
 had been removed, and the hair suffered to grow 
 long* ; he looked like a being* not of earth. Some 
 enquiries having* been made as to whence he came, 
 he rose and said that he had been to the spirits, 
 who, after he had remained with them three moons, 
 had directed him to o-o to the Great Chief and sav 
 that they were making* merry, and would soon pick 
 out all the " evildoers," that the Zulus also might 
 be merry. " I am," said he, " the son of Fetehlu, 
 of the Amacele, who was taken awav bv the lion 
 and drag*g"ed to his den, where I sank into the 
 earth. The lion went with me and treated me as 
 a mother would treat her child, until I came to 
 some red earth. The lion left me thei*e. In wan- 
 dering* about, I walked upon earth that trembled 
 and g*ave way ; I then fell into a deeper abyss, and 
 was rendered insensible by the fall. Recovering*, I 
 found myself in a fine country inhabited by the 
 spirits. I saw all the old people who had been 
 killed in war, and those who had died at home. 
 They are nuich smaller than we. They have 
 
TSHAKA .S POLICY. 271 
 
 plenty of cattle, but all ver}'- small. The g'irls are 
 handsome. Umbia is a g'reat chief, and enjoys 
 himself veiy much ; he is also a g'reat doctor. He 
 strolls about at nig-ht, no one knows whither ; but 
 he always says that he g"oes to visit his relations," 
 
 Tshaka affected to be indig-nant at the speaker's 
 nudacity, and denounced him as a liar and an "evil- 
 doer." The people remembered the king's dream^ 
 and did not know what to think. Their doubts 
 were relieved when some prophets had been sum- 
 moned to smell the man^ and decide whether he 
 were really a messenger from Umbia. The seers 
 decided that he was what he professed to be ; and 
 said that, because some of the people did not believe 
 the king's dreams, the spirits had sent the lion to 
 fetch the man that he might return and corroborate 
 them.^^ 
 
 The barbarous severity with which he acted, 
 contributed to establish Tshaka's authority. Death 
 was inflicted for all important offences^ and some- 
 times for the most trifling. Isaacs says that, to 
 prevent intercession, he never gave his reason for 
 orderino- an execution until it was too late to recal 
 the sentence. The order, generally given by point- 
 ing with his finger or by a nod, was promptly obe3^ed 
 by any who wei'e present. The follow^ing- instance 
 is from the writer just quoted. Tshaka, having 
 come out in the morning to perform his toilet, 
 summoned Isaacs into his presence. Three '^boys" 
 approached, carrying vessels of water, \\ liich they 
 bore with extended arms over their heads. '^One 
 
27'2 THE KAFIIiS OF NATAL. 
 
 held a broad black dish before him, while anotlier 
 poured in A\ater for his majesty to wash, and a 
 third stood ready with a further supply in case of 
 need, holding* it in the position before described 
 without daring" to put it down." AVhile performing* 
 his ablutions, which extended from head to foot, 
 Tshaka conversed with the people near him. The 
 washing* being* done, an attendant presented a 
 basket at arm's leno'th. The vessel contained a 
 sort of red paste, which Tshaka rubbed over his 
 person until it had disappeared. Another at- 
 tendant then advanced with a g-reas}- substance 
 which, applied in the same manner, g*ave his 
 majesty a fine g'lossy appearance. At this moment 
 a body of about three hundred men approached ; 
 and, saluting* the king*, sat down. Tshaka, having* 
 uttered one or two words, some of the warriors 
 arose and seized three of the people, who made no 
 resistance. The king* was silent; but ^^from some 
 sig*n he g'ave the executioners, the}' took the crimi- 
 nals, lavino- one hand on the crown and the other 
 on the chin ; and, b}' a sudden wrench, a})peared 
 to dislocate the head." The victims were then 
 draofo-ed to the bush, blows beino* at the same time 
 inflicted, and were left for the wild beasts and 
 vultures to devour. Having* ordered his \\arriors 
 to withdraw, he retired into his palace. 
 
 Innocent people were frequently accused of 
 some crime and killed. When an}- of his concubines 
 — he had no wife — became preg*nant, they were 
 innnediately taken away, and an iinag'inar}' crime 
 alleg'ed as a reason for j)utting* them to death. 
 
A MASSACRE. 273 
 
 Sometimes he practised wholesale massacres. Rising- 
 early one morning-j he told the people that he 
 was g'oing- to choose a new site for a kraal. 
 The intended victims were then sent out to survey 
 the neighbourhood and report a fitting- spot. 
 When they had gone he sat down near the path j 
 and, desirino' his attendants not to divulpfe what 
 he should say^ asserted that he had been much 
 disturbed by a painful dream ; in which he saw that 
 several "boys" had been holding- forbidden conver- 
 sation with his concubines. He expressed his 
 determination to punish the offenders, and the 
 people applauded his resolve: "Father, kill them; 
 they are not fit to live." Findhig- his desig-n 
 approved, he proceeded to say that Umbia had 
 visited him several times respecting- this offence ; 
 which (the spirit said) had been frequently com- 
 mitted during- his absence from the kraal — he had 
 no doubt that some were committing* it at that 
 very moment, for why had they remained behind ? 
 — "look at the white man; he is a mati j he knows 
 that it is improper to stop in the kraal when I 
 am away." While this was being- said, two or 
 three men left the crowd and went towards the 
 kraal. Isaacs did not think that they had any 
 criminal purpose in view; but they were imme- 
 diately slain. Tshaka now rose and walked 
 forward, the people following- at the distance of 
 about twenty yards and bending* to the ground 
 every time he stopped. Sitting down again, he 
 said : " Let me see if there be a ma7i among- you. 
 How are we to secure the people in the kraal?" 
 
 T 
 
274 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 Some proposed to surround it. " Well, liow will 
 3'ou mnnng'e it ? Will they not see you and many 
 of them escape ?" The people being' at a loss what 
 to reconnnend or perhaps really Avishing- them to 
 escape^ he directed that, when they approached 
 the kraal, a few should run to each side of it, 
 the rest following* shortly after j and then^ while 
 those within were unsusjiecting-l}- looking- on, all 
 were to unite and surround it. A party was 
 ordered to remain with Tshaka, both to prevent 
 suspicion and that the}^ might be emplo3'ed in 
 taking' the people out of the huts. His plan 
 having' been heard with applause, the tyrant 
 entered the kraal. At first he beat his old mother 
 because she had not taken proper care of his g'irls. 
 He then worked himself into so violent a rao-e that 
 Isaacs, knowing" his w^ant of discrimination when 
 excited, judged it prudent to withdraw. 
 
 The victims, including' those who had been sent 
 to examine the neig'hbourhood and several g'irls, 
 were now broug'ht fi'om the huts, to the number 
 of about one hundred and seventy. Ha^ ing- sum- 
 moned the men who had surrounded the kraal, 
 Tshaka told them that his heart was sore, and 
 that he had been beating' his mother because she 
 had neo'lected to look after his o-irls. He then 
 selected several fine lads and ordered their own 
 brothers to twist their necks : this done, they were 
 drag'g'ed away and beaten with sticks until life 
 was extinct. The rest w^re butchered indiscrimi- 
 nately. When the warriors had returned, Tshaka 
 said : " You see that we have killed a number of 
 
INTERCOURSE WITH EUROPEANS. 275 
 
 ^evildoers.' I sliall now consult ITmbia and find 
 out the remainder." Tlien^ having- directed oxen 
 to be slain as a thanksg-iving- to the spirits, he 
 added : '' To-morrow I shall kill all those who 
 have offended during- my reig*n. There will then 
 be nothing- wanted to make you and me happy." 
 He arose, and went into his palace. Next day 
 droves of h3'enas were howling- immediately around 
 the kraal.^* 
 
 IV.— In 1823 Lieutenant Farewell and Mr. 
 Alexander Thompson chartered the brig- "Salis- 
 bury," to explore the coast N.E. of the Cape 
 Colony. Having- landed at St. Lucia and at- 
 tempted to trade with Tshaka's subjects, they 
 returned, puttino- into Natal Bay for provisions. 
 When Lieutenant Farewell reached the Cape, 
 "he was of opinion that favourable opening's for 
 commerce presented themselves at Natal, and in- 
 duced about twenty persons to join him in his 
 favourite scheme of founding* a new colony." 
 Mr. H. F. Fynn, with some others, proceeded by 
 land, and reached Natal early in 1824. He then 
 set his companions to erect temporary building-s 
 on the present market-square of Durban, and 
 proceeded to Tshaka's country. On his return, 
 he found that Farewell and others had arrived by 
 sea. In the following- year, the party were joined 
 by Lieutenant King- and Mr. Isaacs, who were 
 unfortunately shipwrecked while attempting- to 
 enter the bay. The latter individual says, that 
 " the place selected by Mr. Farewell for his 
 
276 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 residence had a sing'ulur appearance, from the 
 peculiar construction of the several edifices. His 
 house was not unlike an ordinar^^ barn made of 
 wattle, and plastered with clay, without windows, 
 and with only one door composed of reeds. It had 
 a thatched roof, but otherwise was not remarkable 
 either for the ele<>"ance of its structure, or the capa- 
 city of its interior. The house of Cane was contig'u- 
 ous to that of Mr. Farewell, and about twenty yards 
 from it, while that of Og"le A\as at a similar distance^ 
 and had the appearance of the roof of a house 
 placed desig'nedly on the ground, the g'able end of 
 which being' left open served as a door. Opposite 
 Mr. Farewell's house was a native hut, in the 
 shape of a bee-hive, about twenty-one feet in 
 circumference, and six feet high, built of small 
 sticks and supported by a pole in the centre. It 
 was thatched with grass, and had an apperture 
 about eighteen inches square, through which the 
 owner crept into his mansion, when he was dis- 
 posed to enjoy the sweets of repose." A tri- 
 angular fortress, to enclose two hundred square 
 3^ards and a permanent habitation, was in progress, 
 "i'lie ditch was being' dug, and palisadoes were 
 being planted, A mud fort had '^ been commenced, 
 at each angle, designed to mount three twelve- 
 pound carronades, which were lying* there dis- 
 mounted." In the neighbourhood of the ditch, 
 " was a cattle-pound, partly finished j and at the 
 distance of two hundred yards, a native kraal in 
 a similar state, enclosing an elevated space of 
 ground, of about as man}^ yards in circumference." 
 
ADVENTURES OF A CATTLE-THIEF. 277 
 
 A square piece of land had been enclosed for 
 cultivation, but nothing* had been planted except 
 mustard and cress^ and some maize. 
 
 When Mr. Fynn first attempted to communicate 
 with T.shakaj he was well treated but ordered 
 to return. The kino;* then sent an in-duna to 
 scrutinize the strang-ers; and, having* heard a 
 favourable report^ permitted them to visit him. 
 They were received "with an air of surprize and 
 amazement^ but with a civility which they had 
 little contemplated." This was attributed to the 
 influence of a Frontier Kafir then with Tshaka. 
 Having* been arrested in the act of stealing* cattle, 
 " Jacob " had been put on board the " Salisbury " 
 to be conveyed to Cape Town. The voyag-e being* 
 roug'h and long', he suffered much from the in- 
 clemency of the weather— a circumstance which 
 induced the commander, Lieutenant King*, to re- 
 move his irons, and g'ive him clothes with an 
 occasional allowance of ffrotr. After reachino- the 
 Cape, he was tried and transported to Robben 
 Island. "When Captain Owen was eng-ag-ed in his 
 survey, Jacob became his interpreter, and made 
 a voyag*e to Delag'oa Ba3^ The vessel then re- 
 turned to Alg'oa Bay, and he was about to be sent 
 back to his own country; but, before his release, 
 the " Salisbury " (chartered by Messrs. Farewell 
 and Thompson, as before mentioned,) put into the 
 port. Seeing* his old friend, Lieutenant King*, 
 Jacob ag-reed to accompany him as interpreter, 
 " as did also his companion ' Fire,' who had been 
 ti'ansported at the same time and fm* a similar act." 
 
t?7S THE KAFIRS OF NATAL, 
 
 The vessel having- readied St. Liieia, Jacob dis- 
 ting'iiislicd himself as an expert swimmer^ saving- 
 his own life nnd that of Mr. FareAvell. Wlien 
 the party had landed, one of them struck Jacob; 
 who in consequence refused to return on board 
 and absconded. Taking' an inland direction he 
 reached Tshaka's residence ; and, being- reg-arded 
 as a spVj narro^^ly escaped death. For some 
 time he lived in apprehension, but ultimately rose 
 to gTeat importance. 
 
 Jacob was shrewd enoug-h to discover that, 
 notwithstanding" his despotism, Tshaka lived in 
 constant fear of assassination. He therefore told 
 him, nmong' other stories of the white people, how 
 the kino' was o-uarded by sentinels ; and added 
 tliat he had been made a sentinel on board the 
 kino-'s ship and had kept watch during- the nig'ht 
 at the captain's door. The latter, he said, g-ave 
 this reason for choosing- him — namely, that bping- 
 a strang-er he A\ould be vig-ilant, as his life de- 
 ])ended on that of the person he was ap])ointed 
 to g-uard. To confirm this, lie asked Avliat would 
 now become of himself, but for Tshaka's protection 
 — would not the pQO})le destroy him on suspicion 
 of his being' a spy ? 
 
 Influenced by Jacob's plausible talk, Tsliaka 
 i-aised a party of sentinels and placed them under 
 his command, at the same time taking- him by the 
 ear and saying-: " Remember, if any tiling- liaj)pens 
 to me, my ju'ojde \^ill kill you for being- in my 
 favour; your piospects (le]ieii(l on my safety." 
 Cattle and wives were g'i\en him. Tshaka listened 
 
ADVENTURES OF A CATTLE-THIEF. 279 
 
 with interest to Jacob's account of the white 
 people^ and frequently summoned him to his hut, 
 when his ordinary attendants had retired. More 
 cattle and more wives were g-iven to the chief of 
 the sentinelsj who g-radually "^ acquired considerable 
 influence in the g'overnment." Jacob's narratives, 
 ming-led doubtless with many fictions, had ex- 
 cited in Tshaka's mind "no ordinary anxiety and 
 solicitude to see " a race of whom he had previously 
 known nothing*. The arrival of the Europeans in 
 1824, was therefore " conceived to be a g"ood 
 omen." The king- had now an opportunity of 
 gratifying" his curiosity, while Jacob appears to 
 have recommended them to his " consideration and 
 respect." 
 
 Jacob's importance increased after the settlement 
 of the^ Europeans at Natal j for, in addition to his 
 former office, he became the king's interpreter in 
 all his interviews with the white people. When 
 Lieutenant King- arrived, he went to Natal to 
 g'reet his benefactor. "It is not easy," says 
 Isaacs, " to describe the joy he evinced on seeing* 
 us; and the care and anxiety he displayed on 
 hearing- of our being- shipwrecked. He soug-ht 
 to aid us in every way, sent us a bullock for 
 food, offered to Lieutenant King- a quantity of 
 ivory, and accosted him as his father and protector, 
 compelling- his wives as well as his people to do 
 the same." 
 
 Having- succeeded in opening- a communication 
 with Tshaka, Mr. Fynn proceeded southward to 
 
280 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 visit tlie Amampondo^ who lived on the Umziiii- 
 vubu. lie returned soon after the arrival of 
 Isaacs, who says that he ^^had been trading- with 
 the natives and had collected a g'reat quantity of 
 ivory. For eig'ht months he had separated himself 
 from his solitary companion, Mr. Farewell, and 
 had associated solefy with the people with whom 
 he sojourned. We sat to hear him detail his 
 adventures — the many vicissitudes he had endured, 
 and the obstacles with which he had contended, 
 not only in having* been often ^^ithout food and 
 ig-norant where to seek it, but in daily terror of 
 behig destroyed by wild animals or massacred by 
 the savag'e natives. . . . He was highly beloved 
 b}^ the natives, who looked up to him with more 
 than ordinary veneration, for he had been often in- 
 strumental in saving* their lives; and, in moments of 
 pain and sickness, had administered to their relief. 
 About a hundred had attached themselves to him." 
 These were some of the people who, at the time of 
 Tshaka's invasion, took refug'e in the bush. Others 
 were subsequently collected (including- refug-ees 
 from the Zulu-country) until a considerable native 
 population had settled itself under the protection 
 and chieftainship of the Eng-lish.^^ 
 
 Messrs. F^mn, King*, and Isaacs being- at 
 Tsliaka's kraal, he summoned them into his pre- 
 sence, and dismissed all his attendants. He then 
 invited them into his hut — an honour never before 
 conferred — and stared at them in silence. After a 
 few moments, he thanked Lieutenant Kino- for some 
 
Rowland's macassar. i281 
 
 medicines he had sent; and reg'aled the party with 
 a basket of boiled beef and a pot of beer. Having- 
 thrust his head throug-h the doorway to see whether 
 any listeners were near^ he said "that he should 
 like to cross the water to see King* Georg-e ; but 
 feared that he should not receive a welcome. He 
 would therefore send a chief under the charo-e of 
 Lieutenant King-^ as soon as the vessel should be 
 finished. He further said that he would send two 
 elephant's teeth as a present to King- Georg-e, to 
 show that he desired to be on terms of amity with 
 him. He wished also that Lieutenant Kino- would 
 procure more medicines for him^ and particularly 
 some stuff for turning- white hairs black, as he had 
 heard from Mr. Farewell that it was to be g-ot on 
 the other side of the water, and he wanted it much 
 for his ag'ed mother. He appeared more than 
 ordinarily anxious to obtain this latter preparation ; 
 and promised to reward Lieutenant King* with 
 abundance of ivory and droves of cattle, provided 
 he should return with it." (Mr. Farewell had told 
 Tshaka of some specific possessed by white men, 
 possibly Rowland's Macassar, which would remove 
 all indications of ag"e. The king- was now beg-in- 
 ning' to fear the approach of g'ray hairs ', to procure 
 the means of eradicating- which, was probably his 
 principal object in sending- the mission.) He 
 begged that they would not betray his confidence, 
 but keep his project a profound secret. They 
 promised to do so, at the same time intimatino- 
 that they mig'ht not be able to obtain the sjiecific 
 he required. He proposed to detain Isaacs, as 
 
•282 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 a hostno-e for the safe return of the chief; aiitl^ 
 presenting' the party Avith some cattle, g-ave them 
 permission to g'o home. Shortly afterwards his 
 mother died, and the horrible massacres previously 
 mentioned took place. Referring- ag*ain to his de- 
 sio-n he said to Isaacs : ^^ I am like a wolf on 
 a flat, that is at a loss for a place to hide his head 
 in. The Zulus have killed all my })rincipal people 
 and my mother. I w ill g"o to the other side of the 
 Avater to see King' Georg-e." 
 
 When the vessel (built partly out of the wreck) 
 had been launched, Mr. Fynn visited the king- to 
 arrano-e the business of the mission. A chief 
 named Sotobe was appointed to represent Tshaka, 
 but he was associated w^ith Mr. King", to whom 
 ■was confided the entire manag'ement of the em- 
 bassy. Another chief^ of less importance, " was 
 to accompany them, but to return, on their arrival 
 at the first port, with tiding's of their reception, 
 of the friendship shown them, and likewise the 
 terms existing' between the Eno-lish and the 
 frontier tribes, with whom Tshaka designed g'oin^ 
 to war. (He had however promised to delay it, 
 until this chief returned wdth the Cape g'overn- 
 ment's opinion of the step he*-was about to take.) 
 Jacob was appointed interpreter, thoug'h he could 
 not speak much Eng-lish and but little Dutch. 
 It was ao-reed that Sotobe should take two wives, 
 and Jacob one ; and that Mr. King- should furnish 
 them A\ith three of his native boys as servants. 
 'J'he object of the mission was particularly detailed 
 to Lieutenant King- by Tshaka himself, when he 
 
tshaka's mission at the cape. 38.* J 
 
 created him chief of Tiig-uza^ and promised him 
 gTeat advantag'es if he broug'ht his people safely 
 hack." Isaacs being' unwell, Fynn g-eneronsly 
 consented to remain as the hostag'e. 
 
 The schooner sailed April 30th, 1828, and after 
 a short voyag-e anchored in Alg-oa Bay. Lieu- 
 tenant King- wrote to the Colonial authorities, 
 and was directed to have the chiefs entertained at 
 the expense of Government, ^'- until an opportunity 
 should occur for conveying- them to Cape Town. 
 At the same time strict injunctions were g-iven that 
 they should not be permitted to approach Graham's 
 Town nor view the frontier." While the i)arty 
 Avere expecting- to g'o to Cape Town, Major Cloete 
 visited the Zulus, telling- Isaacs that he had been 
 directed by the Governor to ascertain the object 
 of the mission. The following- is the conversation 
 between the Major and Sotobe, as g-iven by Isaacs, 
 who acted as interpreter. 
 
 " Can Tshaka write, or make any characters whereby to show 
 that he sent the chiefs on their mission, and to show his 
 authority?" "No. He cannot write or make characters." 
 " How is Sotobe to be known as a chief, and how is he dis- 
 tinguished as such?" "By the bunch of red feathers; and 
 there is no one allowed to wear them but the king, and two or 
 three of his principal chiefs." " Did you come by your own 
 free will and consent ? " " We were sent by our king to show 
 his friendly disposition towards the governor and the white 
 people ; also to ask for medicines." 8cc. " What authority 
 have you from your king to show that you are sent by him ? " 
 " We have nothing. We were sent with Lieutenant King." 
 " Have you no sign, or token, or feather, or tiger's tail, or tootli, 
 to show that you were sent by Tshaka ? " " We generally send 
 cattle, but as the vessel could not take them, Tshaka has sent an 
 ivory tusk." " AVill Sotobe go to Cape Town with me?" 
 
084 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 •' No ; wc have been here so long, that Ave are quite tired, and 
 we wish to go hack to our king." " "WTiat was your motive for 
 coming licre, if you did not intend to see the governor r " " We 
 have heard that our king is near the colony [Tshaka had sent 
 his army towards the Kei, after the departure of the mission] 
 and we want to return, as we understand that the governor will 
 protect the neighbouring tribes, and our king was not aware of 
 it before our leaving Natal. We also hear that Lieutenant King 
 is going to meet Tshaka, and we cannot leave him ; we were 
 sent with him, and we know no other person. We look upon 
 him as our father and protector. Unbosom Boser [the inferior 
 chief] ought to have returned long ago, and then I could 
 have gone to see the governor, as my king wished me to do." 
 " Provided Unbosom Boser returns from hence, will Sotobe 
 go and see the governor ? " " As Lieutenant King is absent, 
 we cannot say anything about it ; we will not leave him, as he 
 is sent with us, and he is one of our mission." " How is it 
 possible that Lieutenant King can go to Cape Town with you, 
 and back to Tshaka with Unbosom Boser?" "I do not care 
 who goes back with Unbosom Boser, so long as Lieutenant 
 King remains with me ; I am particularly entrusted to his 
 care." " What did you consider Lieutenant King to be ? did 
 you consider him as a chief; a person authorized by government 
 to act for them, or as agent for them ?" " We look upon 
 Lieutenant King as a subject of King George's, and a Chief, 
 as he is our principal at Natal and always had the command of 
 the people [ ? ]." " If you were to return without seeing the 
 governor, would you not be punished by Tshaka ? " " No. 
 We have been here so long without getting any intelligence 
 from the governor, that we now wish to go away on our return 
 and inform the king that we have heard the white people will 
 protect the neighbouring tribes," 
 
 The Major had subsequent interviews with the 
 chiefs, at one of which Isaacs was present. 
 
 "You must now decide whether you will return with 
 Unbosom Boser, when the vessel is ready, or go on with me 
 to the governor ? Mind Jacob (addressing the interpreter) I 
 mean you to go with me." '' I have no objection to go with 
 
tshaka's mission at the cape. 285 
 
 you, but I cannot leave Lieutenant King, he is sent with us 
 on this mission ; our king has put every confidence in him, and 
 ■we consider ourselves under his particular care." " Ask him, if 
 he expects that Lieutenant King will return with him to his 
 country, after seeing the governor, and if he looks to Lieu- 
 tenant King to send him back?" "I cannot think of leaving 
 Lieutenant King, but if you or any other person have a desire to 
 accompany us, with him, we should not object to it, as our king 
 would always be glad to see any white man in his country." 
 " How is it that you differ so ? yesterday you said you would 
 all return ; to-day you want to go on with Lieutenant King to 
 the governor, and to return your wife with Unbosom Boser? '' 
 "Yesterday I was very unhappy, and much depressed about 
 my wife. She is very ill, I wish her to return with Unbosom 
 Boser, but she will not. My reason for saying that we would all 
 return was, because you told us yesterday that you had been 
 near Gaika's, and saw we could not get back by land, and that 
 the vessel we came in could not go back from this place without 
 a written order from the governor ; and your repeated questions 
 made me unhappy." " If you like you can all go back from 
 hence with Lieutenant King, as you have refused to go to the 
 governor with me ?" " We do not refuse to go with you to the 
 governor ; we say that we cannot go without Lieutenant King, 
 as our king has made him a chief, and he is our principal on this 
 mission ; he knows the road, we do not (meaning that Tshaka, 
 their king, had confided to Lieutenant King the whole charge of 
 their mission) and cannot proceed without him." " Tell him 
 Jacob (the interpreter^ that I know the road, and that I am sent 
 expressly to take him away." " Your path is from the governor 
 here, and our path with Lieutenant King is from Tshaka to the 
 governor." " I am a chief under the governor, and when the 
 governor heard that you were in his country, he sent me expressly 
 to bring you to him ; he knows nothing of Lieutenant King, he is 
 not a chief, neither is he a person authorized by the governor to 
 act for him; if jou like to go to the governor with me alone, you 
 can." " Lieutenant King is a chief in our country, and sent by 
 Tshaka to communicate with the governor, and we cannot go with 
 any other but him; if we were to leave him what would our king 
 think ? " " What is it that makes you adhere so much to 
 
29^C) THE KAFIUS OF NATAL. 
 
 Lieutenant King, do you always expect him to be with you?'' 
 " Because our king has sent us with him, he is kind to us, and our 
 lung has given him every information respecting this mission, and 
 trusts to him, as we are unacquainted with your ways." " If 
 Sotobe will go on with me to the governor, I will find a large 
 present to send on to his king by Unbosom Boser. If you will 
 not go on with me, you can go back to your country when the 
 vessel is ready, together with Unbosom Boser."' " How is it 
 that you are constantly asking us questions ? We have told you 
 all that wc have to say, and that we wish to see the governor. 
 You make us quite unhappy talking to us so repeatedly about 
 one thing ; and I now begin to think that you suspect us to be 
 spies, and that we are a people come to steal your cattle, and will 
 not allow us to go back again." Lieutenant King having 
 entered the room, the Major became silent. This led Sotobe to 
 regard the latter as an intruder who was afraid to speak before 
 King, and induced him to say in an angry tone : " Why do you 
 come here alone, why do yoix come here in the absence of 
 Lieutenant King, who is our principal on this mission ? he knows 
 all about Tshaka, and he is a white man and knows your 
 ways, and you know we do not ; it is to him you ought to 
 apply for information respecting the object of our visit here, and 
 he is competent to satisfy you." 
 
 Having- understood that they were to return^ the 
 party made preparations for the voj'ag-ej but were 
 surprised b}' the arrival of H.M.S. " Helicon/' 
 which had been sent to take the chiefs to Natal. 
 She also broug-ht them a present, and carried one 
 for Tshaka. Sotobe and his companions were 
 elated at the prospect of g'oing- home j but refused 
 to embark unless King- or Isaacs accompanied 
 them. The former therefore went on board 
 the Helicon, while the latter followed in the 
 schooner. 
 
 Soon after the mission had left Natal, Tshaka 
 
A DErLORABLE MISTAKE. 287 
 
 marched his army to Mr. Fyiin's kraal on tlie 
 Umzimkulu. Ketamiiiof one reo-iment for his own 
 protection^ he sent the remainder forward " to tlie 
 Amampondoj with directions to extend their opera- 
 tions; and sweep the whole of the Kafir trihes, until 
 they should reach the borders of the colony." The 
 Amampondo fled to their fastnesses; and the Zulus 
 passed on towards the Kei. Tshaka had ordered 
 his soldiers to sit on their shields if they saw the 
 white people; and^ if attacked by the latter^ to 
 retreat. Mr. Fynn prevailed on him to recal the 
 army and await the result of his mission. 
 
 When the Frontier tribes heard that the " Fe- 
 cani/' or marauders, were approaching", they be- 
 soug-ht the Colonial Government to protect them. 
 A force was ordered to be sent to their assistance, 
 but the preparations occupied so much time that 
 the Zulu army — alwaj'S, says Mr. Fynn, rapid in 
 its movements — had returned before the European 
 troops took the field. The British commander 
 entered Kafir-land unaware of the enemy's re- 
 treat; and the chiefs, instead of undeceiving- him, 
 held a council " to decide in what manner the force 
 should be employed." The Amang-wane — one of 
 the tribes disturbed by Tshaka's earlier wars — were 
 now settled near the som'ces of the Umtata, under 
 Matuana. For many years that chief had been a 
 roving- plunderer, but had located his tribe on its 
 present site with the professed intention of living- 
 peaceably with his neig-libours. These, having- no 
 confidence in his professions, determined to make 
 use of the Colonial force to effect his destruction. 
 
288 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 "The troops were led to his position under the belief 
 that Matujina's people were the marauders ag*ainst 
 whom they had been sent. In a few hours the 
 tribe was destroyed, the Frontier Kafirs taking* 
 tlieir part in the engag'ement by killing- the women 
 and children. The g-reater part of the cattle then 
 captured were distributed among' the native allies; 
 and many of the Amang-wane, who were taken 
 prisoners, soon afterwards became the servants of 
 the colonists." After the lapse of several months 
 the Cape Government discovered its mistake.^ 
 
 16 
 
 When the mission had returned to Natal, it was 
 found necessary, for the convenience of carriage, to 
 0})en the case in which the presents sent to Tshaka 
 were packed. The assortment was curious, con- 
 sisting- of some sheets of copper, medicines, knives, 
 trinkets, and a piece of scarlet broad-cloth — the 
 only article of any considerable value. " We had 
 them laid out," sa^'s Isaacs, " to the best advantag-e, 
 first taking* the precaution of having* Sotobe and 
 Jacob present; when they g*ave it as their opinion 
 that the present was a })altr3' one, considering- that 
 it came from so great a nation as the Eng-lish and 
 was intended for so powerful a monarch as Tshaka. 
 However as I thouo-ht that the kino- knew nothino- 
 
 D O O 
 
 of the value of the medicines, I enhanced their 
 worth as much as I could; and, to add to the whole, 
 Lieutenant Kino- sent a valuable lookino--o-lass, 
 which cost one hundred and twenty rix dollars; a 
 quantity of beads ; and a variety of Httle triHes. 
 In the evening-, Unbosomboser and a native boy 
 
A CONSPIRACY. 289 
 
 were despatched^ to announce our return." Three 
 days afterwards they came back with two oxen to 
 be sacrificed for the recovery of Mr. King- — he was 
 dying- — and that his sickness mig-ht be transferred 
 to Sotobe^ who had oftended his master by tarrying* 
 at the Bay. The messeng'ers broug'ht him positive 
 orders to proceed at once, with some of the Euro- 
 peans, that Tshaka mig'ht hear what communication 
 had been sent. In the evenino- other messeno-ers 
 came, repeating* the previous orders, and saying- that 
 Lieutenant King-'s iUness ought to have taken hold 
 of Sotobe. They also asked for medicines ; which 
 were given. (Tshaka's chief anxiety was doubtless 
 the hair-dye.) 
 
 Isaacs and the chiefs, having- set forth towards 
 Tug'uza, were met by one of the last messeng'ers. 
 To the white man he would not say a wordj to 
 Sotobe he was abundantly communicative — he was 
 gfoing* to Lieutenant King* to ascertain why Sotobe 
 had been detained — Tshaka was in an unusual 
 rag-e and had dashed the bottle of medicine to the 
 g-round — Sotobe was to g-o at once and not wait 
 for the paltry present — the king- would not accept 
 it. The chiefs were alarmed ) and, to save them- 
 selves, aofreed to foro-et their differences and attri- 
 bute all blame to the Europeans. Isaacs discovered 
 this from his native servant, who had overheard 
 their conversation j but determined to proceed. 
 The plot having- been ag-reed on, and their parts 
 rehearsed during- the evening-, the two chiefs were 
 unusually complaisant and communicative. When 
 Isaacs enquired of Sotobe what he intended to say 
 u 
 
200 THE KAFIifS OK NATAL. 
 
 on seeing' Tshaka, the treacherous chief replied that 
 he should depend for pardon solely on the influence 
 of the white people. They reached Tug-uza at 
 sunset and found the king*, with about two hundred 
 warriors^ sitting* outside the kraal. He beheld 
 them with indifference and the presents with con- 
 tempt. Isaacs was silent. Sotobe spoke as 
 follows: 
 
 " You mountain, you lion, you tiger, you that are black. 
 There is none equal to you. You sent us to the other side of 
 the water. Vv^e have been, and who has crossed the great 
 water but ourselves ? Did our fathers know anything of the 
 white people ? No. We know much more than they did, and 
 there is no king equal in power to you. Has any other black 
 king sent people to cross the great water as you have done ? 
 We have been to a small town, and seen an officer who annoyed 
 us by asking numerous questions ; and we know not whether he 
 looked upon us as friends or foes. Our long absence has been a 
 source of misery to us ; and, what is still worse, our king is 
 angry with us ; and why ? Because we have delayed attending 
 to the i^resents, and because Lieutenant King is sick, Mhom we 
 did not like to leave in his present state." 
 
 Tsliaka talked to his warriors during" the delivery 
 of this speech. When it was ended^ he asked 
 Isaacs W'here the present w'as, thoug-h it had been 
 placed before him, and what had become of the 
 larg'e box sent by the Governor. AVhen the reason 
 for unpacking* it had been explained, he enquired 
 of Sotobe whether he had seen it opened. I'he 
 chief replied that Mr. Fynn had desired him to 
 sit outside the hut, and that the contents had been 
 handed out for his inspection. Tshaka said to the 
 people : " You see these rascals " (Sotobe and his 
 r(Minuo) " have not attended to my interests. They 
 
THE MEDICIINE-CHEST. 291 
 
 have been deceiving* me." He tried to induce 
 Isaacs to accuse Sotobe; and then remarked: "It 
 is all that fellow_, Fynn's fault. He has been insti- 
 g-ating- Lieutenant King* to open the chest. He 
 is like a monkey. He wants to peep into every- 
 thing-." Isaacs having" been directed to point out 
 those articles which had come from the Governor 
 and those added by King*, Tshaka said : "Lieutenant 
 Iving-'s present is more valuable than that of the 
 Governor. What a pity it is that he is sick ! I 
 think they have g'iven him poison on the other 
 side of the water." The mirror attracted Tshaka's 
 notice and astonished his warriors. It also made 
 him curious about the other presents ; which^ when 
 it was nearly dark^ Isaacs was directed to bring* 
 into the isi-gohlo. The latter availed himself of 
 the opportunit}^ to refer to the mission^ and stated 
 that the Governor particularly requested him not 
 to make war on those tribes who were under British 
 protection. Tshaka said that the white people had 
 no control over the blacks^ and did not know how 
 to command them — those whom they "took under 
 their shield" were daily committing* depredations 
 on his tributaries — he should attack them when- 
 ever he pleased. He now spoke of the medicine- 
 chest ; and, when it had been opened, desired Isaacs 
 to see whether any one were coming*. He took 
 out an ornamented case of lancets, which he doubt- 
 less supposed to contain the g'reat medicine ; and, 
 not thinking* that he was observed, concealed it 
 under the mat he sat upon. The other articles 
 were exhibited and their use explained j but they 
 u 2 
 
2\)'2 TilE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 did not answer liis expectation and lie replied 
 sulkily. The first package was bark, ^^■hich^ he 
 was toldj was useful in debility. He answered : 
 " I am strono- enouii'h. Do you think we are such 
 weak thing's as you?" Respecting- some ointment 
 he said with a savag'e g'rin : "^ Do you think we 
 are such seabb}' fellows as you?" Some spirits 
 of lavender were praised as beneficial in cases of 
 depression^ when he asked : " Do 3'ou think we 
 ever need anything* to exhilarate us^ or that we 
 are ever dull ?" Tbe box being* emptied^ he 
 chang-ed his tone and enquiried g*ently for the 
 medicine he wanted : " These," he said, " are of 
 no use to my subjects. They are not troubled 
 with the disorders you mention. The best medi- 
 cine for them is beef. When they cannot eat^ they 
 are of no use to me. The medicine I want is the 
 stuff for the hair." Finding- that this had not 
 been brouo-ht, he turned over on the mat and fell 
 asleep. Isaacs Avent to his hut. 
 
 Next morning' Tshaka rene^^^ed his enquir}^ about 
 the medicine, and remarked that Lieutenant Kinar 
 had probably reserved it to bring' himself. Isaacs 
 detailed the events connected with the embassy j 
 but the king' had received Sotobe's account, and 
 paid no attention to the narrative. He observed, 
 however, that he had been told that Lieutenant 
 King- had spent all his time with the women, and 
 left the business of the mission to Isaacs. He 
 abused the former, and threatened to kill the latter. 
 He said that he would send John Cane to discover 
 whether any of the presents had been stolen, and 
 
TSHAIvA DISAPPOINTED. 293 
 
 to procure wliat had not been obtained. Isaacs, who 
 vainly demanded that Sotobe and Jacob shoukl be 
 confronted with him, expected no less than death. 
 The king-'s rag-e, which was mainly owing- to his 
 disappointment with reg'ard to the ^^ stuff for the 
 hair," had been increased by the statements of 
 Sotobe and Jacob, who had told him that the 
 Eng-lish were a small people, whom he mig-ht 
 conquer with a sing-le reg'iment; and that King- 
 Georg-e was only the name of a mountain. For 
 three days Isaacs was abused and often threatened 
 with immediate death. At last he told the merci- 
 less monarch that, thoug-h, as a sing-le individual, 
 he could not resist him ; yet, as a British subject, 
 his death would be certainly aveng-ed. Tshaka 
 iauo'hed, and said: "The little white man is a 
 spirited fellow. He does not fear death." Having-, 
 after this, frequently failed to obtain permission 
 to return home, Isaacs took the liberty of departing" 
 without leave. 
 
 Soon afterwards Lieutenant King- died, his ill- 
 ness, it is said, having- been "g-reatly ag-g-ravated by 
 [nany circumstances of disappointment and chag-rin 
 which had ai-isen out of their visit to Alg'oa Bay, 
 and by the preplexities and difficulties which arose 
 in connexion with the return to Tshaka of the two 
 chiefs whom thev had taken with them." A 
 messeng-er having- announced his death, the king- 
 expressed g-reat sorrow, and said that he should 
 now reg-ard Isaacs as chief of the Europeans. 
 Fynn and Isaacs went to Tug'uza, at his desire, to 
 
 1 
 
21)4 Tlir, KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 g-ive an account of King-'s deatli and his property. 
 Tsliaka was persuaded, and notliing- could remove 
 tlie impression, that some bhick person, either at 
 Natal or Alg'oa Bay, had administered poison to 
 the deceased. He " said that he had mourned for 
 his death, and reg'retted exceeding-ly having- spoken 
 warmly to him and abused him ; but that he was 
 irritated at not receiving* the medicine, and the 
 mission not havino* succeeded to his wishes." He 
 assured them that he had sent to recal John Cane, 
 and would send them to the Cape "to neg-ociate 
 a friendly alliance and obtain such articles as he 
 wanted. To this hoAvever we objected (though 
 much in want of ivory to pay us for our past 
 services) as Sotobe and his suite had not been con- 
 fronted Avith us." After some further talk, Tsliaka 
 said that he could not g'ive them food, because they 
 had neo'lected to brino* a calf that he mio-ht wash 
 himself from grief for his deceased friend. Gomana 
 was directed to furnish them with one, and they 
 performed the ceremony next morning- at the cus- 
 tomar}' hour. Tshaka was washing-, when " our 
 servant," saj's Isaacs, " cut the calf between the 
 middle ribs, took the caul from the liver, then let 
 the poor wounded animal run, to be devoured by 
 the wild beasts in the neig-hbourhood or by the 
 vultures in the rocks. We went towards Tshaka, 
 Mr. Fynn carrying the caul. He desired us to 
 pass it to each other, and sprinkle it round the 
 king' and my companions in succession; after which 
 a ])ot of roots was handed for the same ceremony ; 
 and then a stick was presented, on which Tshaka 
 
TSHAKA .S AUTOGRAPH. 295 
 
 spat and said : ^ I look upon the deceased as one of 
 my family, and had he been a brother of my own 
 mother, I could not have felt the loss more. I 
 , must therefore forbid you to moan ag-ain^ as it will 
 affect me seriously. I wish all his people well, 
 and will be a friend to his black people, of whom 
 I know he was very fond.' We now left him." 
 Two oxen were presently sent them — one as a 
 sacrifice, and the other for their own use. 
 
 Tshaka soon renewed his proposal to send another 
 mission to the Cape, and offered Isaacs a kraal of 
 cattle to conduct it, promising* also to send soldiers 
 to hunt elephants for him. He likewise, in con- 
 sideration of his presents and past services, g*ave 
 him a large tract of country (which included the 
 Bay of Natal) and the exclusive rig*ht of trading- 
 with his subjects. A memorandum of the gift 
 havino' been written, Tshaka affixed his mark to 
 it. The interpreter did the same ; but, as he made 
 a larg'er cross than his master's, the latter asked 
 in a stern tone how a common man's name could 
 be bio-o-er than a kino-'s. He then took back the 
 paper; and, having- "scribbled and made marks 
 all over the blank part," said (pointing* to his eg-re- 
 gious signature) : " There ! any one can see that 
 is a king's name, because it is a large one. King 
 Georofe will see that it is Kino- Tshaka's name." 
 
 He now desired his visitors to return home — he 
 had a great deal to say to them, but his heart 
 would not let his tongue speak as he could wish, 
 so recently after the death of his friend — he w^ould 
 send for them again. At their departure he re- 
 
OOP) TIIF. KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 marked : " If you all return to your native land, 
 I have til is consolation that a white man and a 
 chief lived a long* time in my country without 
 molestntion from myself and ni}^ people, and that 
 he died a natural death. That will ever be a 
 source of satisfaction to me." 
 
 V. — About a year before the departure of the 
 mission to Kino- Georo-e, Tshaka's army had 
 made an unsuccessful attack on a tribe livino- on 
 the upper part of the Black Folosi. Having- taken 
 refug^e in a rocky fastness, that people had resisted 
 the Zulu force for three months and destroyed a 
 reo-iment of Tshaka's best warriors. He therefore 
 required the Europeans to proceed to the assistance 
 of his soldiers and employ their fire-arms ag-ainst 
 the enemy. The white men were at this time 
 placed in a very critical position, and felt that they 
 had no alternative but to obey. '^To o-o to war 
 with such innocent people," says Isaacs, ^^ was 
 painful ; it was, however, not a measure of choice 
 but one of necessity j and we were led to hope 
 that, instead of any protracted contention, Ave 
 mig-ht be able to parley with them and bring* them 
 to terms." When Isaacs and the party that 
 accompanied him were about to proceed, Tshaka 
 directed them to kill every individual of the tribe. 
 They remonstrated ag-ainst the slaughter of women 
 and children, who could do him no harm ; but in 
 vain — the women, he said, would bear children to 
 become his enemies — it was not his custom to o-ive 
 quarter — he commanded them to kill all. 
 
tshaka's reverses. 297 
 
 Having" reached the Ziiki encampment — a kraal, 
 apparently — they found the chiefs afraid to attack 
 the enemy 5 but unwilling* that the ^^ hite men, by 
 the use of their muskets, should achieve a victory 
 which would contrast with their own want of suc- 
 cess, and provoke the rag'e of their implacable king*. 
 After three days' inactivity, the Europeans saw 
 the enemy's cattle, and rushed from the kraal to 
 take them. The chiefs followed and be^ra'cd that 
 the attack mig'ht be delayed till next day ; but, 
 while they were talking- with Isaacs, his companions 
 had obtained possession of the herd. The Zulus 
 now came up, to the number of about five thou- 
 sand, and were duly prepared for action by the 
 doctors. The enemy appearing* in small detach- 
 ments on some rocks which crowned the summit of 
 a hill, Isaacs and his party ascended the slope. 
 In front of them were about fifty men, whom they 
 defeated. The report of their g'uns, reverberating* 
 from the rocks, terrified both the enemy and the 
 Zulus. The latter, who had retired to the distance 
 of a mile, " were observed all lying* on the g'round, 
 with their faces under and their shields on their 
 backs, having* an idea that in this position the balls 
 would not touch them." Seeing- them fall, the 
 enemy concluded that they were dead ; and, attri- 
 buting" it to the report of the fire-arms, fled pre- 
 cipitately. A larg*e body of them, however, were 
 rallied, and advanced ag*ainst the Europeans. "My 
 part}'," says Isaacs, "for a moment felt some doubt. 
 On perceiving" it I rushed forward and g"ot on the 
 top of a rock. One of the enemy came out to 
 
•208 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 meet me^ and at a sliort distance threw his spear 
 with nstonishing- force^ which I evaded by stooping-. 
 I levelled at him and shot him dead. My party 
 also fired, and wounded some others, when the 
 whole ran ofF in g'reat disorder and trepidation." 
 The Europeans now '^ advanced along- the side of 
 the rocks to dislodo-e some few who had halted to 
 oppose us ag-ain ; they had g'ot behind the bushes 
 and larg-e trees, and hurled stones at us with pro- 
 dio'ious force — the women and children aidino' them 
 with extraordinary alacrity. I received a contu- 
 sion on my shoulder, and our interpreter had his 
 foot injured. Advancing* a little farther, we reached 
 some huts, which we burnt, and killed their dog's ; 
 this we did to induce them to surrender without 
 further bloodshed. We continued on their track, 
 encountering- occasionally their missiles, which did 
 us no injur}', until we arrived at the place where 
 their cattle usually stood ; from hence, like the 
 women and children, they had dispersed in all 
 directions, there being- occasionnlly three or four 
 only to be seen at a time. The position of the 
 enemy was of a triang-ular form — one portion of 
 it protected b}^ rocks, and the other by a swamp ; 
 the former were almost innccessible, and the latter 
 was difficult to get throug-h. The whole, besides, 
 was g'reatly sheltered by trees and bushes." 
 
 A chief havino- come forth from the thicket to 
 view the assailants, said to his warriors : " Come 
 out, come boldly. AVhat are you afraid of? They 
 are only a handful." Thus encourng-ed, a thousand 
 men now appeared in front of the bush. Both 
 
tshaka's revekses. 299 
 
 ])arties paused a moment ; when the chief, running* 
 in advance of his followers^ rushed towards a Hot- 
 tentot who had accompanied the Europeans. Not 
 having- sufficient confidence in his own skilly Isaacs 
 "allowed the chief to approach Michael, while I 
 aimed at one of the main body, thinking- that if I 
 missed him I mio-ht hit another. The Hottentot's 
 piece missed fire at first, but at last went off and 
 shot the chief as he was preparing* to throw his 
 spear. Just as I had pulled my trig'ger, and saw 
 the man fall and another remove his shield, I 
 felt something" strike me behind. I took no notice, 
 thinking- it was a stone, but loaded my musket 
 again ; on putting- my hand however behind, I 
 perceived it to be bloody, and a stream running- 
 down my leg-. Turning- my head I could see the 
 handle of a spear which had entered my back. 
 John Cane tried to extract it, but could not j Jacob 
 and four others tried successively ; I, therefore, 
 concluded that it was one of their barbed harpoons. 
 I retired a short time in consequence, when my 
 native servant, by introducing- his fing-er into the 
 ^A'ound, managed to get it out. All this time I felt 
 no pain, but walked to a small stream at a short 
 distance, and washed myself, when I found that 
 the wound made by the spear had lacerated my 
 flesh a good deal. I now was more anxious than 
 before to renew the attack, but felt myself getting* 
 weak from loss of blood ; I therefore descended 
 the hill, and g-ot to the position where a reg'iment 
 of Zulu boys had been stationed. I requested some 
 of them to conduct -me to the kraal, as I had to 
 
r)v)0 Tllli KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 o'o nloiio- the side of the bush wliere the enemy 
 had siiiiill parties^ l)nt they refused to lend me the 
 least assistance. I took a stick and be^-an to beat 
 them, and levelled my peice at them, but not with 
 the intention of firing', at which they all ran off 
 in great confusion. My party now came up, the 
 enemy having retreated, and we proceeded towards 
 the camp in a body ; but I had not g'one far before 
 I was compelled to drop, and my wound being- 
 extremely stiff and painful, I was oblig'ed to be 
 carried on the backs of mv boys." He reached 
 the kraal at sunset and durino- the niii'ht endured 
 excruciating' pain. 
 
 Next day his comrades advanced a second 
 time against the enemy, and were followed by the 
 Zulus. The former arrang'ed themselves for attack 
 in front of the forest, but found that the enemy was 
 not there. The young' warriors becoming* suddenly 
 courag'eous, rushed forward without orders \ " the 
 chiefs followed, overtook them, and beat them back; 
 and, while they were eng'ag'ed in debating" on the 
 subject of their conduct, three people from the 
 enemy made their appearance, unarmed, on a 
 conspicuous part of the mountain," and announced 
 the willino'ness of the tribe to submit — they did 
 not understand the medicine which they supposed 
 the white men to emplo}' —they could not contend 
 with people who spat fire from their mouths. The 
 chiefs refpiired them to g'ive up their cattle and 
 become tributary to the conqueror — terms which 
 were at once complied with. It was now dis- 
 covered that the enem^' ^' were in strang'e conster- 
 
TbHAKA'6 REVERSES. iJOl 
 
 nation respecting- their dead and wounded. Not 
 being- able to discover the cause of death/' they 
 conckided that the spirits of their forefathers were 
 ang'ry and had employed a supernatural ag"ency 
 to punish them. 
 
 AVhen Tshaka had recalled his forces from the 
 neig'hbourhood of the Kei, he despatched them 
 ag-ainst Sotshang-ana. Having- reached the ene- 
 my's country^ after some skirmishes with other 
 tribes^ the Zulus approached Sotshang'ana's kraals. 
 They had seen no token of alarm^ and anticipated 
 an easy victory. Arrang'ements were made for an 
 attack before sunrise; and, the nig'ht being* dark, 
 the warriors slept without apprehension. Their 
 confidence was premature. A traitorous in-duna, 
 having" feig'ued indisposition when the army set 
 forth, had proceeded by a nearer route and ac- 
 quainted Sotshang-ana with his dang-er. That 
 chief, suspecting- treachery, received the infor- 
 mation with doubt and secured his visitor. He 
 then sent out spies, who returned with an ample 
 confirmation of the in-duna's statement. The g-ood 
 faith of the latter being- thus established, Sotshan- 
 gana entrusted him with a military command, 
 and confided in his advice. The Zulus, thoug-h 
 closely watched, were permitted to advance without 
 opposition ; and, while sleeping- in fancied security, 
 were attacked at the dead of nig-ht. They were 
 oblig-ed to retreat, one reg-iment being- nearly 
 destroyed ; but, having- recovered from their sur- 
 prise, the}' soon rallied and dispersed tlie enemy. 
 
.'JO'3 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 Sotshanpina's people rallied in turn; and the Zulus, 
 "weakened by want of food, found it necessary to 
 retire. They attempted to redeem their want of 
 success by attacking* weaker tribes ; but these 
 manao-ed to secure their cattle in the bush, and 
 punished the marauders by setting- fire to their 
 own corn-fields. The Zulus were reduced to the 
 necessity of eating' their shields (made of hide) and 
 the sinews with which their assag-ais were bound. 
 Having" reached Makazana's counti'}', they were 
 supplied with food : but famine and sickness had 
 made frig-htful havoc among* them ; for, while five 
 thousand were slain by the enemy, three times 
 that number fell victims to fatig'ue, hung"er, and 
 disease." 
 
 yi. — When the shattered remains of his army 
 returned, Tshaka was dead. It is said that after 
 its departure his brothers, Ding-ane and Umhlan- 
 g-ani, were visited by Makabiii and Mama, two 
 sisters of the deceased Mnande. Believina* that 
 Tshaka had caused her death, the}' instig-ated the 
 brothers to aveng'e it. " The blood of your mother," 
 they said, "cries for veng-eance. The tig-er who 
 hath drimk it, is thirsting- for your own. Go then 
 and kill him, before he can throw himself upon 
 you. The troops will be thankful to you, if 3-ou 
 do. You may be certain that, on their return, 
 they will look to you to become their leaders." 
 The brothers answered, "Yon have spohen" — a 
 short sentence which implied much.'- 
 
 Whether this be true or not, it is certain that 
 
tshaka's death. '60'3 
 
 Ding"ane and Umhlang-ani ag'reed to destroy Tshaka; 
 and I have m3'self heard that a very fat woman^ 
 with a name not essentially different from Makabiii, 
 was connected with the plot. Bopa^ the king-'s 
 principal domestic, was induced to join it. The 
 conspirators, who probably knew that it would be 
 hnpossible to introduce poison into the king-'s food, 
 determined that he should be assassinated. Havino- 
 armed himself with an unshafted assag-ai, Bopa 
 approached Tshaka as he sat with two or three 
 councillors witnessing* the return of his herds. 
 The traitor spoke rudely to the councillors, bade 
 them to cease pestering' the king- with their false- 
 hoods, and attempted to drive them away. As- 
 tonished and alarmed at his presumption, they 
 endeavoured to secure Bopa ; but, while they were 
 so occupied, the two brothers stole behind the king* 
 and stabbed him in the back. Throwing- aside his 
 blanket, Tshaka attempted to escape , but he was 
 pursued by the conspirators, and stabbed by Bopa. 
 Having' fallen to the ground, '' he besoug-ht them 
 to let him live that he mio-ht be their servant. To 
 this, however, no heed was given. They soon 
 speared him to death 5 and then left, to execute a 
 similar deed" on the councillors, who had attempted 
 to fly. These being* slain, the assassins returned 
 to Tshaka's corpse and danced round it with savag'e 
 joy. Captain Gardiner states that the ^^two un- 
 natural brothers are said to have drunk, on the 
 spot, the g-all of the chief they had conspired to 
 assassinate." 
 
 The g'reater part of the people fled from the 
 
804 THE KAFIllS OF NATAL. 
 
 krnal; but Sotobe and a few others seized their 
 weapons to aveng'e the fallen chief. The conspi- 
 rators stood on their defence and addressed them : 
 ^^Do you not know that it is the sons of Senzano-a- 
 kona mIio have killed Tshaka for his base and 
 barbarous conduct^ and to preserve the nation of 
 the ZuluSj the sons of our fathers, that you may 
 live in peace and enjoy j^our homes and your 
 families; to put an end to the long- and ceaseless 
 wars, and mourning- for that old woman Mnande, 
 for whom so many have been put to a cruel death." 
 Thus saying', they entered the palace, while Sotobe 
 withdrew to his kraal. 
 
CHAPTER IX.— TSHAKA'S SUCCESSORS. 
 
 I.— EARLY PART OF DINGAN'S REIGN. II.— TROUBLES OP THE 
 
 EUROPEANS. III.— WAR WITH THE BOERS. IV.-,a6cESSI0N 
 
 OF PANDE, 
 
 I. — Both Dino-an and Umhlano'ani claimed the 
 
 O c5 
 
 chieftainship ; but the one contrived to g'et rid of 
 the other J and; when Umg'wati^ an illeg-itimate 
 son of Mnandej manifested a disposition to dispute 
 Ding'an's claim, Bopa attacked his kraal and killed 
 him. The army are said, on their return, to have 
 been indig-nant at Tshaka's murder; but Ding-an 
 promised them peace and relaxed the severe rule 
 relating- to the compulsory celibacy of the warriors. 
 He killed most of the important men connected 
 with his predecessor, but made Sotobe principal 
 chief on the Natal side of the Tug-ela. In 1829, 
 he was living- at Nobamba, and remarked to the 
 traveller, Green, that he should not fail to do rig*ht 
 by doing* the reverse of Tshaka's acts.^ 
 
 It is asserted that, when the army returned from 
 beyond the Maputa, Umhlaka, the commander, 
 made an attack on the royal kraal and captured 
 some thousands of cattle. With these and part 
 of the troops, he "made oft' to the East of the 
 Malutis, where he settled and still remains."^ 
 
 Qnetu, one of Tshaka's principal captains, refused 
 
 X 
 
300 THE KAFIIJS OF NATAL. 
 
 to acknowledo'e Dino-an and fled to the southward 
 witli five thousand followers and much cattle. 
 Havino' been refused permission to settle in Faku's 
 territories, he became the implacable enemy of the 
 Amampondo, \vho succeeded however in defeating* 
 him near the Umzimvubu, ^^•here the g-reater part 
 of his ]ieople were either assagai'd or drowned. 
 The remnant -were attacked by Ncapai, who thus 
 got possession of the herds taken from the Zulu- 
 country. To recover these Dingan (having failed 
 to defeat Qnetu) sent an army ag'ainst Ncapai. 
 That chief retreated j and the Zulus, in following 
 him, endured much latio-ue and huno-er. Reachino;' 
 a cold country, where many of the soldiers died, 
 the principal officers pretended that the spirit of 
 Tshaka had appeared to them all in one night and 
 demanded what they were doing so far from home, 
 since the}" had slain him to enjo}" peace and tran- 
 quillity — Dingan, said the spirit, had sworn that 
 he would lay down the spear and shield and go 
 to war no more. Subsequent!}' Tshaka reappeared 
 and warned them that, if they went on, the Zulus 
 would surely perish. Trusting that these inven- 
 tions would be believed by Dingan, they directed 
 the arm}' to return.^ 
 
 Umzilikazi was another who retired from Dinofan. 
 He went over the Draakensberg and attacked the 
 Bechuana tribes. " Those who resisted and would 
 not stoop to be his dogs, he butchered. He trained 
 the captured youth in his own tactics, so that the 
 majority of his army were foreigners." AVlien 
 visited by Mr. Mofiat, in 1830, he was living on 
 
UMZILIKAZI. 807 
 
 the Elephants' River; but afterwards he moved 
 westward and fixed his residence on the Marikua. 
 An army sent by Ding'an attacked him while 
 building' a larg-e kraal; some of his people were 
 killed, others fled, and the Zulus drove away many 
 of his cattle. At the Marikua, he came into con- 
 tact with the Eraio-rant Boers. Some of these were 
 moving* up the Yaal River, when an advanced 
 party was suddenly attacked by Umzilikazi's people, 
 "and twenty-eig'ht of their number barbarously 
 murdered." Of another party, "some twenty-five 
 men and women were also massacred, and their 
 wag-ons and properties destroyed and plundered; 
 but a few of their party fortunately escaped to 
 warn the numerous little parties, who were still 
 scattered about those vast plains, of their impending- 
 dang-er. They had scarcely collected themselves 
 in a laager of about fifty waggons, when they were 
 attacked by the whole" of Umzilikazi's arm3^ 
 Thoug-h the latter were finall}^ repulsed, they swept 
 away six thousand head of cattle and upwards of 
 forty thousand sheep. The intellig'ence of these 
 disasters having* reached them, "the numerous and 
 powerful clans, who had remained peaceably con- 
 centrated about Thabo, 'Nchu, resolved to take 
 ample reveng-e and recover the cattle stolen from 
 their countrymen ; and, a party of two hundred 
 warriors, headed by Gerrit Maritz, crossed the 
 Vaal River, and making* a flank movement across 
 his western boundaries, attacked one of Umzili- 
 kazi's principal military towns named Moseg'a ; 
 where they killed several hundreds of his principal 
 x 2 
 
308 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 warriors, and recovered about seven thousand liead 
 of cattle," toii'etlier with the wa^'ons which had 
 been taken after the attacks made on the small 
 ])arties. Umzilikazi Hed to the TSorth, and is now 
 residing* beyond the Limpopo. 
 
 The ibllowing- is Mr. Moffat's description of his 
 first interview with this imitator of the renowned 
 Tshaka. " We proceeded directly to the town, 
 and on riding- into the centre of a larg'e fold, 
 which was capable of holding' ten thousand head 
 of cattle, we were rather taken by surprise to find 
 it lined by eio-ht hundred warriors, besides two 
 liundred who weie concealed on each side of the 
 entrance, as if in ambush. We ^\ ere beckoned to 
 dismount, which we did, holding- our horses' bridles 
 in our hands. The warriors at the gate instantly 
 rushed in with hideous yells, and leajiing* from the 
 earth with a kind of kilt around their bodies, 
 hano'ino- like loose tails, and their laro-e shields, 
 frig-htened our horses. They then joined the circle, 
 falling" into rank with as much order as if they had 
 been accustomed to Euro})ean tactics. Here we 
 stood surrounded by warriors, whose kilts were of 
 ape skins, and their leg-s and arms adorned \\ith 
 the hair and tails of oxen, their shields reaching- to 
 their chins, and their heads adorned with feathers. 
 
 "Although in the centre of a town, all was silent 
 as the midnight hour, while the men were motion- 
 less as statues. Eyes only were seen to move, and 
 there was a rich disjday of fine white teeth. After 
 some minutes of profound silence, a\ hicli was only 
 interrujjted by the breathing- of our horses, the war 
 
UMZILIKAZI. 309 
 
 song" burst forth. There was harmoii}^, it is true, 
 and the}' beat time with their feet, produciiio- a 
 sound like hollow thunder; but some parts of it 
 was music befitting* the nether reg'ions, especially 
 when they imitated the o-roanino-s of the dyino- on 
 the field of battle^ and the yells and hissing's of the 
 conquerors. Another simultaneous pause ensued^ 
 and still we wondered what was intended, till out 
 marched the monarch from behind the lines, fol- 
 lowed by a number of men bearing' baskets and 
 bowls of food. He came up to us and, having- been 
 instructed in our mode of salutation, g'ave each a 
 clumsy but hearty shake of the hand. He then 
 politely turned to the food, which was placed at 
 our feet, and invited us to partake. By this time 
 the wag'ons were seen in the distance, and having' 
 intimated our wish to be directed to a place where 
 we mig'ht encamp in the outskirts of the town, he 
 accompanied us, keeping* fast hold of my rig-ht arm, 
 thoug'h not in the most graceful manner, yet with 
 perfect familiarity. ' The land is before you ; jou 
 are come to your son. You must sleep where you 
 please.' When the ^moving* houses,' as the wag'ons 
 were called, drew near, he took a firmer g"rasp of 
 my arm, and looked on them Avith unutterable sur- 
 prise ; and this man, the terror of thousands, drew 
 back with fear, as one in doubt as to whether they 
 were not living- creatures. AVhen the oxen were 
 unyoked, he approached the wag-on with the utmost 
 caution, still holding- me by one hand, and placing- 
 the other on his mouth indicating- his surprise. 
 He looked at them very intently, particularly the 
 
810 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 wheels^ and wlieii told of how many pieces of wood 
 each wlieel was composed, his wonder was in- 
 creased. After examining* all very closely, one 
 mystery yet remained, how the larg-e band of iron 
 surroundino- the felloes of the wheel came to be in 
 one piece without either end or joint. Umbate, 
 my friend and fellow-traveller, whose visit to our 
 
 4.' -^ 
 
 station had made him much wiser than his master, 
 took hold of my rig*ht hand, and related what he 
 had seen. ^My e3'es,' he said, 'saw that very 
 hand,' pointing- to mine, 'cut these bars of iron, 
 take a piece off one end, and then join them as you 
 now see them.' A minute inspection ensued to 
 discover the welded part. ' Does he g'ive medicine 
 to the iron V was the monarch's enquiry. ' No,* 
 said Umbate, ' nothing* is used but fire, a hammer, 
 and a chisel.' Moselekatse then returned to the 
 town, where the warriors were still standing- as 
 he left them, who received him with immense 
 bursts of applause. 
 
 Vi 
 
 The following* poem, composed in Ding-an's 
 praise, will show how g*rossly the Zulus flattered 
 their despot.^ 
 
 THE PRAISES OF DIXGAN. 
 
 There is a bird hovering. 
 It hovers above Bulawalo. 
 This bird devours the other birds ; 
 It has devoured the Sagacious One of Bulawalo." 
 The lustral waters have been drunk in silence ; 
 They have been drunk by INIania and Makhabai." 
 The bird has perched at Nobamba, in the cattle fold. 
 Liberator ! thou hast shown thyself lo this people ; 
 
PRAISES OF DINGAN. 311 
 
 Thou hast delivered from oppression the virgins, 
 
 The women, the men, and the children. 
 
 Thou art a king who crushest the heads of the other 
 kings. 
 
 Thou passest over mountains inaccessible to thy prede- 
 cessors. 
 
 Thou findest a defile from which there is no egress. 
 
 There thou makest roads ; yes, roads. 
 
 Thou takest away the herds from the banks of the 
 Tugela. 
 
 And the herds of the Babanankos, a people skilled in 
 the forging of iron. 
 
 Thou art indeed a green [vigorous] adventurer ! 
 
 Thou art the pillar which supports the house of Mnande, 
 
 Before thee the true men of the nations faint in their 
 heart. 
 
 The true men of the nations faint away. 
 
 Bird of the morning ! give in secret thy commands 
 
 To thy soldiers ; to the veteran and to the more youthful. 
 
 They ■will go, before the dawn of day, 
 
 To ravage every place whithersoever thou may'st com- 
 mand them 
 
 To carry desolation. 
 
 Of night we know nothing ! 
 
 Formerly we used to say of him, — He is a man of 
 no importance. 
 
 We did not know thee ! 
 
 But now we know thee ; 
 
 For thou hast cast a spell on the Tshakas.* 
 Author of our tranquillity ! 
 
 Thou givest us flesh and marrow ; 
 
 We are no longer lank and lean. 
 
 Of old the hostile nations disturbed our repose ; 
 
 They did it as do the niazeze [fleas]. 
 
 To-day they trouble us not. 
 
 For thou hast caught and crushed them. 
 
 Thou makest all the world to keep silence. 
 
 Thou hast silenced even the troops ; 
 
 Thy troops always obey thee : 
 
312 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 Thou sayest and they go ; 
 Tliou sayest and they go agam. 
 
 All have respect for a king whom no one can approach 
 unto. 
 \^'llen the king eats there remains with him no one but 
 
 Ceyelele ; 
 For Ceyelele has his confidence. 
 The king speaks not to Pande, 
 Nor to his other brothers. 
 
 Thou art the purple dawn of the morning. 
 Thou art beautiful as an isle in the Unizinyati. 
 Thou puttest nations to silence, 
 As thou wouldst silence thy cooks. 
 Thou art the salvation of thy subjects. 
 Thou art not the man to rest at ease in thy palace ! 
 Thou delightest in the military expedition ! 
 Out then ; flocks have been seen 
 Going up from the sea shore. 
 Pursue these herds and seize them. 
 The ox of the Zulu is his assagai. 
 Father of praise, give an ox, 
 The ox of thy troops. 
 New troops have arrived, 
 Who stand before their king 
 To receive from him their food. 
 
 Thou art indebted to no one for what thy belly de- 
 vours. 
 But thou fillest all bellies, 
 O conqueror of kings ! 
 
 Thou, the only one issuing commands, 
 Issuest orders even to thy seniors. 
 Thou art not young, for thou art powerful. 
 If some head of cattle have gone astray, 
 Tlie herdsmen fear to come and inform thee. 
 Matshetshe, that chief of the herdsmen, trembled 
 When the black heifer disappeared. 
 He pulled up the supports of his cabin. 
 And went to plant them far from thy wrath. 
 
 Noble sovereign, reign over the subjects of Mnandc, 
 
PRAISES OF DINGAN. 313 
 
 Of the land of Buza. 
 
 Thou art a vulture, thou hast pounced upon Busako. 
 
 Thou art he who abaseth all other men. 
 
 In the race, by thy agility, thou causest to pant 
 The lungs of the Basutos. 
 Dost thou not say to them, Ha ! ha ! 
 When they speak they tell lies. 
 They are beasts of the fields from all lands. 
 If they slaughter an ox, the cutting up 
 Begins with the shoulder ; 
 They cut first the shoulder, then the leg. 
 And the other flesh remains there ; 
 A pretty spectacle it is ! 
 These gross Basutos are numerous ! 
 Multitudes of petty tribes. 
 Which know not whence they have come, 
 A host of beasts of the field from all countries. 
 
 Thou hast the whole nation under thee. 
 Thou art Tshaka ; thou causest to tremble all people. 
 Thou thunderest like the musket. 
 At the fearful noise which thou makest 
 The inhabitants of the towns take to flight. 
 Thou art the great shade of the Zulu, 
 And thence thou expandest and reachest to all countries. 
 Thou puttest out of breath thy soldiers. 
 Thou art like the door of a house ; 
 If it close itself upon an adversary 
 He must perish. 
 
 So it happeneth to those whom thou shuttest up. 
 Even amongst thine own people. 
 
 Thy granaries are larger than those of Kokobane. 
 Thou art sagacious as the elephant, 
 Thou stabbest the other elephants : 
 Thou hast stabbed the elephant of Tebethlango [i'. e. 
 Tshaka]. 
 
 Thou slaughterest the nations as thou slaughterest 
 a lamb. 
 Thou hast slain a great number of them, 
 Who no more dared to make a noise 
 
314 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 Than the dumb sheep. 
 
 Hast not thou devoured Tshaka ? 
 
 Hast not thou devoured Umhlangani ? 
 
 The bitter herbs of expiation, 
 
 It is thyself who hast eaten them. 
 
 Boko'khu'khus keep quiet. 
 You are indeed men of courage ; 
 But we know one 
 More courageous still ; 
 It is your conqueror. 
 Submit your soul, obey him. 
 Sleep a tranquil slumber. 
 All the horses of the nations are his. 
 All leaders belong to him. 
 
 Silence ! Silence ! obey him ^vithout a murmur ; 
 Or else, murderer of men, do thou arouse thyself and slay. 
 
 He who scattered the Mathlubis on the Umzinyati 
 Is no youthful warrior. 
 Do not fear 
 
 That he will ever want fat oxen 
 "Wherewith to feast his concubines. 
 Do not fear 
 
 That he mil ever permit any to take away his flocks. 
 Powerful conqueror, 
 Triumph over all the powers of the east. 
 Thou art violent ; thou art cold 
 Like the wind which comes from the sea, 
 Thou causest to perish all the nations. 
 It is said that thou hast wrenched from the Tseles their 
 herds, 
 
 And that thou hast delivered to the flames their habi- 
 tations, 
 Forcing them to go and construct new ones elsewhere. 
 Thou hast subjected the tribes on the Folose, 
 And on the Folosane. 
 Ravager of provinces, 
 Deep abyss, which engulphest all ; 
 Thou covetest all the riches of the tribes, 
 And thou hast gathered them together as into a pit. 
 
MURDER OF FAREWELL. 315 
 
 Go, thou sagacious one, take away the cattle of the 
 
 cunning. 
 Bird, king of tlie other birds, scream. 
 Since thou hast been placed at the head of the troops 
 Call Petlelele, thy faithful herald, 
 
 Give to him thy commands, and our chiefs, with speed, 
 Will run from all corners of the realm 
 To appear before thee at the appointed day. 
 Thou reignest here, thou reignest there ; 
 Thou reignest in all directions. 
 
 II. — Soon after Tshaka's death, Isaacs left Natal 
 with the vessel and effects of his deceased friend, 
 Lieutenant King*. Mr. Farewell sailed with him to 
 Alg-oa Bay; and, accompanied by Messrs. Walker 
 and Thackaray, attempted to return by land. 
 Having" reached Faku's place, he determined to 
 visit Qnetu, whom he had known at Natal. The 
 Amampondo chief would have dissuaded him j but 
 believing- that the Quabies had much ivory to 
 barter. Farewell persisted. Qnetu received the 
 European party with apparent kindness ; but, fear- 
 ing* probably that they mig'ht assist Ding'an ag-ainst 
 him, wished them not to proceed. This request 
 was denied, and Qnetu's countenance altered. 
 Thoug'h his two companions were alarmed. Fare- 
 well was unwillino- to think that the chief would 
 venture to kill them ; and they retired. A little 
 before day-break, a party of men surrounded their 
 tent, silently cut the string's, and assag-ai'd the 
 inmates. Their native servants, who slept in a 
 hut hard by, w^ere attacked j and of seven only 
 three escaped. The barbarians then went to plun- 
 der the wag'ons, which had been left at a short 
 
816 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 distance. ^^Oii seeiiio* them advance, the people in 
 charo-e (hoth English and Hottentots) immediately 
 fled into the woods, so that there was no further 
 ohstacle in the way." The boot}' was rich • for, 
 besides the oxen, ten or twelve horses, and some 
 g-uns, the ruffians obtained several thousand pounds 
 of beads— a treasure, in their 63-68^ of g-reat value. 
 
 Isaacs, having" been absent about a 3^ear, re- 
 turned to Natal, and determmed to remain.^ After 
 this, Ding-an sent Cane on another mission to the 
 Cape; where, however, the authorities refused to 
 receive it.^" Cane then sold the ivory which had 
 been taken as a present to the Governor, and 
 purchased g'oods for Ding-an wdth the proceeds. 
 Having" returned to Natal he sent these forward to 
 the king', but himself imprudently remained behind. 
 The messeng-ers were directed to say that he was 
 detained by the illness of one of his companions ; 
 but, the day after he had been told this, the king- 
 learned that Cane was hunting- elephants. Ding-an 
 was incensed, not only at Cane's want of respect, 
 but because his conduct seemed to confirm a mali- 
 cious report made to him b}' Jacob. 
 
 On the death of Tsliaka, Jacob was deprived of 
 his position as chief of the sentinels, aiid retired to 
 his kraal. When Cane went to the Cnpe, he was 
 appointed to accompany' him. This was done at 
 Cane's request ; and, as Jacob did not like the 
 journey, he ever afterwards cherished feeling-s of 
 reveno-e towards that individunl. Havino- returned 
 he rejiorted to Ding-an that he hiid met a Frontier 
 
\ 
 
 TROUBLES OF THE EUEOPEANS. 317 
 
 Kafir who wished to find a home Avith the Zulus, 
 it being- impossible to live near the white men. 
 These people (Jacob's informant said) came at first 
 and took part of the Kafirs' land ; they then in- 
 creased and drove the natives further back, and 
 had frequently taken more land from them as well 
 as cattle; their next step was to build houses 
 (mission-stations) to subdue the people by " witch- 
 craft." Of these, he said, there was already one 
 at every tribe ; and, as the prophets had predicted 
 would be the case, some chiefs had died in conse- 
 quence. Jacob added that at Graham's Town the 
 soldiers had frequently asked whether the roads 
 in the Zulu-country were g'ood for horses, and 
 whether the people had many cattle. He had 
 heard, he said, that a few white people intended to 
 come first and obtain land j and, when they had 
 built a fort, others would follow and subdue the 
 Zulus. He stated also, that after thev had left 
 Graham's Town, Cane had told him that some 
 people were coming- soon, and that Major Somerset 
 was about to visit Ding-an. He concluded by in- 
 sinuating- that Cane had stopped behind to g-uide 
 them. 
 
 Isaacs endeavoured to convince Ding-an that 
 Jacob had fabricated a story to be reveng-ed on 
 Cane 5 who, he said, \Aould be certain to come when 
 he heard that the king- was angiy. " I do not 
 want to see him ag'ain," Ding-au replied ) " I wish 
 you very much to drive him away." Subsequently 
 he said: "If I knew that a white army was 
 coming-, I Avould distribute the people, and tell 
 
13 18 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 tliein to separate in all directions 5 and, for my 
 partj I would take only five men and g-o where you 
 would never find me ; and tlien ^^ hat would you do 
 for food ? Besides, I would poison our waters." 
 Dii)o-;ni had already said that a reo-iment had been 
 ordered to proceed to Cane's and take away his 
 cattle ; and when Isaacs was leaving-, Tambuza, a 
 principal m-diuia, said to him : " It is the wish of 
 the son of Senzang-akona that I should impress 
 you with the friendship he bears to the white peo- 
 ple ; and how he wishes to renew and cultivate 
 that friendship. He trusts, therefore, 3'ou will not 
 be displeased with him if he sends to take away 
 John Cane's cattle, as that person has irritated the 
 king- and compelled him to do what he is sorry for. 
 We are the conquerors of the blacks, but know 
 nothing' of the S3^stem of fighting' of the white 
 people, and are afraid to learn. You have been in 
 our country ever since the first war with the 
 Amampondo, and we have never molested 3'ou in 
 any wa}^, but have always esteemed you as friends." 
 Isaacs having" replied that Cane would doubtless 
 defend his property, the iti-duna remarked : " Losing 
 people on such an occasion is usual and to be 
 expected, and the chance as much in our favour as 
 Cane's." 
 
 When Isaacs returned to the Bay, he found 
 that Cane's residence (near the site of the present 
 Horticultural Gardens) had been destroyed. The 
 first thing" which attracted his notice Avere a few 
 sheets of an encyclopedia scattered along' the path. 
 ^^The kraal had been 1)urnt for fuel 3 the cat had 
 
TROUBLES OF THE EUROPEANS. 319 
 
 been speared and skinned; the ducks were scattered 
 lifeless about the place;" even the gTowing* corn 
 had been levelled. As he was g'oing* away, a 
 terrified dog* made its appearance^ crouched at the 
 visitors' feet, and seemed to supplicate their pro- 
 tection. Cane had fled before the arrival of the 
 army, tog'ether with Mi*. Fynn. Isaacs went on 
 board a vessel which had just arrived, while his 
 companion, William Fynn, departed in search of 
 his brother. In a short time the fugitives returned 
 to the Bay, and Ding-an assured the Europeans 
 that Cane alone had cause to fear. Mr. Fynn, 
 having* visited the king-, undertook to disprove 
 Jacob's statements, and was referred to the prin- 
 cipal iziii'duna. A council was therefore held; and 
 the officers, after hearing* both parties, declared 
 themselves satisfied with Mr. Fynn's explanation. 
 He did not, however, think them sincere, but felt 
 convinced that they believed all that Jacob had 
 said. " The execrable villain," says Isaacs, " had 
 poisoned the mind of the king* and his chiefs, to be 
 reveng-ed on Cane, and would make every effort to 
 excite the wrath of Ding-an against the Europeans, 
 fearing* an exposure by them, when his fate would 
 be sealed." 
 
 Isaacs left in the vessel ; Fynn took his people 
 to the Umzimvubu ; and Cane went into the bush. 
 But subsequently Ding-an, believing* that he had 
 been deceived, induced Cane to leave his retreat; 
 Jacob was put to death, and Mr. Fynn returned." 
 
 III._In 1807, Pieter Retief visited Dino-an; 
 
800 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 and, on behalf of tlie EmigTant Farmers, requested 
 a formal cos^ion of the present colony of Natal. 
 Dino-an promised the territory on condition that 
 the boers first recovered from Sikonyela (residing* 
 near the sources of the Caledon) a number of cattle 
 Avhich had been stolen from him by that chief. 
 Retief accepted the condition; and, having- obtained 
 the cattle, returned with seventy Dutchmen and 
 about thirty young" Hottentots and servants, to 
 Ding-an's residence. The king* was pleased to see 
 the cattle ; and, for two days, entertained his 
 visitors with a series of war-dances. A formal 
 g'rant having* been written, he affixed his mark, and 
 next morning- Eetief prepared to depart. Ding-an 
 invited the Dutchmen to enter his kraal for the 
 purpose of taking* leave, but desired them to comply 
 w'ith the usage of his court and not bring- their 
 weapons. Being- unsuspicious, they piled these 
 outside the gate; and, having- directed their ser- 
 vants to saddle the horses, went in. The king-^ 
 surrounded, as usual, by warriors, talked to Retief 
 and his principal companions in a very friendl}' 
 manner, and ordered some bowls of native beer to 
 be set before them. AVhile they were eng-ag-ed in 
 drinking", the warriors rushed upon them from all 
 sides, exclaiming" Bamhani ahatahati, seize the 
 "evildoers." The Dutchmen drew their knives 
 and made a determined defence, killing- some and 
 wounding- more; but it was impossible to resist 
 the assault of thousands, and one after another 
 they were disabled and carried away to be slain.^^ 
 Relying- on Ding-an's promise to Retief, a con- 
 
\ 
 
 MASSACRE OF THE DUTCH. 321 
 
 siderable body of Emig-rants had descended the 
 mountain^ and were now spread over the basin of 
 the Upper Tug*ela. Immediately after the massacre 
 at Umkung-ung-hlovu^ Din^an despatched ten regi- 
 ments to exterminate these hapless people. The 
 army divided itself into several detachments, which 
 fell at day-break on the most advanced parties of 
 the emigTants, near the present town of Weenen 
 f^^ Weeping- "), its name being* derived from the 
 events of that terrible morning". Other parties 
 were surprised and murdered j " but from one or 
 two wag'ons a solitary young* man escaped, who, 
 hastening- to the parties whom he knew to be 
 in the rear, at leng'th succeeded in spreading" 
 the alarm." Some laagers or encampments were 
 hastily formed, and preparations made for resist- 
 ance. None of these laagers were forced ; and at 
 a large one on the Bushman's River, a fig-ht took 
 place which continued the whole day. The Farmers' 
 amunition was nearl}' expended, when " their last 
 shot from a three-pounder, which had been rig"g'ed 
 to the back of one of their wag'ons, struck down 
 some of the leading* Zulu chiefs and forced them 
 to a precipitate retreat." When the survivors were 
 able to visit the stations of the advanced parties, 
 " a scene of horror and misery was unfolded which 
 no pen can describe. All the wag-ons had been 
 demolished, the iron parts wrenched from them, 
 and by their ruins lay the mang-led corpses of 
 men, women, and children, thrown on heaps and 
 abandoned to the beasts of prey. Among'st these 
 heaps, at the Blue Krantz River, they found 
 
 Y 
 
322 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 literally amoiig-st the dead corpses^ the bodies of 
 two vouno- females, about ten or twelve years of 
 ag-e, which appeared to show some sig-ns of vitality. 
 The one was pierced with nineteen and the other 
 with twenty-one stabs of the assao-ai." They lived 
 nevertheless ] and^ thoug*h perfect cripples^ g-rew up 
 to womanhood. The number of persons murdered 
 is said to have been six hundred. ^^ 
 
 Hearing" of their countrymen's misfortune^ other 
 parties hastened to join them^ and four hundred 
 fig-hting' men set forward^ under the command of 
 Uys and Potg'ieter^ to punish Dnig-an for his 
 perfidy. The expedition proved unsuccessful ; Uys, 
 with some others, was killed, and the Boers re- 
 turned to their laagers. While Uys and his people 
 were occupj'ing' Ding'an's attention, the Eng'lish 
 settlers proceeded with their natives ag'ainst the 
 kraals of Sotobe and another in-duna, situate be- 
 tween the Mooi River and Tug-ela. The followers 
 of Cane and Og'le (who w^ere the most considerable 
 leaders) quarrelled about the right of precedence ; 
 and, having" no other means of settling- the dispute, 
 resorted to their clubs. The battle, in which fifty 
 were disabled from continuing* the journey, appears 
 to have resulted in favour of Cane's people. Og'le's 
 men threatened to reveng-e themselves, nor w^as it 
 long* before they had the opportunity of so doing*. 
 Having' reached their destination, the expedition 
 found the kraals undefended (the men being* absent 
 with the army) and carried oft* six thousand cattle, 
 besides a considerable number of w^omen and 
 children. " On the return of the settlers, the booty 
 
\ 
 
 A BATTLE. 323 
 
 was divided amoiig-st them^ according* to the pro- 
 portion of people they had, each chief settling- with 
 his own followers." 
 
 After this successful foray, Mr. E,. Big-g-ar (whose 
 brother had been slain in the massacre near the site 
 of Weenen) returned from Graham's Town, and 
 proposed a second expedition. AVhen this had 
 been ag-reed to by the leaders, some of the people 
 were unwilling* to g"o, while others were filled with 
 extraordinary enthusiasm \ the plunder obtained on 
 the previous occasion had excited their cupidity, 
 and old men barely able to walk could not be 
 dissuaded from accompanying* the more vig*orous. 
 The army, having* crossed the Tug*ela, advanced 
 towards a kraal situated on the side of a hill, and 
 surrounded it before d-a3lig*ht. It being* known 
 that some of Ding*an's warriors were here, volleys 
 of musketry were directed ag*ainst the huts, and 
 aimed low that the balls mig*ht strike the sleepers. 
 When these discovered their dang*er, they endea- 
 voured to avoid it by taking* hold of the sticks 
 which formed the framework and suspending* them- 
 selves from the roofs. The huts however sunk with 
 the ^veig'ht, and the assailants aimed hig'her. The 
 inmates were killed and the kraal was set 
 on fire. The movements of the invaders being* 
 well known to the Zulus, ten thousand warriors 
 marched to repel them. The Natal army was 
 drawn up near the burning* kraal — those who had 
 fire-arms being* in front. When the first division 
 of the enemy approached, it was received with a 
 steady fire, checked and driven back. The first 
 y 2 
 
:]24 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 division^ however, " only retreated to make way for 
 others that ad^•anced from different points, as the 
 formation of the hills permitted." "Cane sent 
 Og'le's KaHrs to attack the Zidus on the south- 
 west, whilst he with the main body of the Natal 
 army took the north-east. When Og'le's Kafirs 
 had dispersed these, they were to come round and 
 take the Zulus in flank." Instead of doino* this, 
 the}' dispersed the enemy and fled, thus fulfilling" 
 their threat to be reveng-ed on Cane's people. The 
 Zulus, encourag"ed by their flig'ht, closed in upon 
 the diminished forces of Natal. The struo-o-le was 
 fierce, and the slaug-hter frig-htful. " The Zulus 
 lost thousands of their people ; they were cut down 
 until the}' formed banks, over which those who 
 were advancing- had to climb." So great was their 
 fury that the wounded who could manag'e to crawl 
 still endea\'oured to stab their foes ; and thus it 
 became necessary to shoot them a second time. 
 Cane, who was mounted, received an assa^rai in his 
 breast ; another pierced him between the shoulders \ 
 and, frilling- fi*om his horse, he was quickly 
 despatched. Stubbs was stabbed by a boy, and 
 Big'g'nr fell close by. Their leaders being- dead, 
 the Natal Kafirs threw away their bado-es ; and, 
 having* exchang-ed their shields for those of Din- 
 g-an's fallen warriors, fled towards the Tug-ela. 
 The Zulu officers, who knew the g-round, so i)laced 
 their forces as to oblio-e the fuf>-itives to run to- 
 wards a ])art of the river where the descent was 
 over a precipice one hundred feet deep; and, to 
 destroy those who mio'ht survive the fill), sent a 
 
A BATTLE. 325 
 
 division by Ivuown approaches into the stream. 
 " Very few g-ained the opposite bank. It was here 
 that Blankenberg" was killed. Of the few who 
 escaped, some swam, some dived, and some floated 
 alouo- feio-niiio- to be dead. One, Goba, crossed the 
 river four times, and was saved at last." Of the 
 white men and Hottentots, not a dozen survived 
 this terrible eng-ag-ement ; while, out of the seven 
 hundred and fifty Kafirs who had been mustered 
 at Port Natal, only about two hundred returned 
 (these being" chiefl}^ Ogle's people). " The few who 
 escaped arrived at home sing'l}^, many of them 
 having* been pursued nearly to the Bay, and owing- 
 their deliverance to the shelter of the bush and the 
 darkness of nig'ht." After a few weeks a Zulu 
 army was sent to Port Natal, when the Eng-lish 
 ^^took refuo-e on the island in the middle of the 
 Bay, where they remained by day, and at nig"ht 
 went on board the ^Cornet,' which was lying* at 
 anchor there at the time.'' The Zulus remained 
 above a fortnight in the neighbourhood, destroyed 
 everything destructible, and swept away all the 
 cattle. ^^ 
 
 The Dutchmen, disheartened by the result of 
 their own attack on Dingan and by the fate of the 
 English expedition, " gave up all hope of resuming 
 hostilities for the present. They had been taught 
 a lesson of prudence by the talent and daring 
 displayed by the Zulu armies, and they accord- 
 ingly kept a watchful e^'e upon their Northern 
 Frontier, and sent messengers out in various direc- 
 
320 TilE KAFIUS OF NATAL. 
 
 tioris iin|)loring' further accession to their numbers^ 
 both from the Ca})e and the present [now kite] 
 Sovereig-ntv. Many parties^ upon hearino* of their 
 distressed state^ came to join them j but this at the 
 moment only increased their misery and wants^ as 
 their cattle and herds ha\'ing' been swept away 
 (these being- still in the hands of the Zulus) and 
 having" been prevented from cultivating* an}' lands, 
 they were not only exposed to the greatest want, 
 but were aetualty in a state of famine, when some 
 liberal minded countrymen of theirs at the Cape, 
 hearing- of their distressed condition, sent them 
 supplies of food, medicine, and other necessaries 
 of life, which helped them throug-h the miseries of 
 the winter of 18''38, during* which season, want, 
 disease, and famine stalked over the land, makino* 
 fearful ravao-es amono- them. 
 
 "Ding-an ever watchful when to attack his foe 
 with advantag-e, being- fully informed of their 
 wretched condition, made another attack upon 
 them in Aug-ust 1888 j but, on this occasion, the 
 Emig;rant Farmers (having* their scouts always out 
 to g-ive them timely intimation of his ad^ance) 
 were every where prepared to g-ive him a warm 
 reception, and at every laager the Zulu forces 
 were driven back and defeated with areat loss, 
 only two or three lives havino- been lost amono- the 
 Emig-rants during- several successive eng-ag-ements." 
 
 Thoug-h the Boers were thus victorious, they had 
 to- contend with g-reat difficulties. Various small 
 parties who joined them broug-ht little ellectual 
 assistance ) but, before the end of the year, a num- 
 
ANDRIES PRETORIUS. 327 
 
 ber of young" men descended fi'om what was lately 
 the Sovereig-nt}^, while Andries Pretorius was 
 added to their number. Having- been formerly 
 a field-cornet in the GrafF-Reinet District^ he 
 became extremely popular among- the Emig-rants, 
 and fom' hundred and sixty fig'hting' and mounted 
 men put themselves under his command. "They 
 were powerfully aided by the brave and sterling- 
 Carl Landman, who joined them with all those 
 Emig-rants who had already commenced settling* 
 themselves down near the Bayj and these com- 
 bined forces, profiting' from the experience of the 
 past, advanced with great caution, securing' their 
 position every evening-, so that, when they had 
 nearly reached the Umhlatusi River, they were 
 fully prepared, as at the earliest dawn of day on 
 Sunday the 16th December, 1838, the whole of 
 Ding-an's forces, about ten or twelve thousand 
 strong-, attacked their position with a fury far 
 exceedino- all their former attacks. For three 
 hours they continued rushing- upon them, en- 
 deavouring* to tear open all their defences and force 
 the Emig-rant campj until Pretorius, finding* the 
 Zulu forces concentrating- all their efforts upon one 
 side of the camp and their own ammunition nearly 
 failing*, ordered two hundred mounted men to sally 
 forth out of one of the gates at the rear of the 
 line which the Zulus were attacking-; and these 
 mounted warriors, charging both flanks and pour- 
 ing their deadly vollej's upon the immense masses 
 which were gathered together within a small space, 
 at leng-th beat them off with a fearful loss. The 
 
3'28 THE KAFIRS OF N^TAL. 
 
 Emigrants .assert that nearly three thousand Zulus 
 licked tlie dust before they retreated; and their 
 defeat must have been complete^ as Dmg"an fled 
 quite panic stricken^ set fire to the whole of his 
 town of Unikung'uno-hlovu, and hid himself, with 
 the remnant of his force, for a considerable time, in 
 the woods skirting- the Umfolosi River. 
 
 " The Emig-rants, having- had only three or four 
 men killed and as many wounded in this decisive 
 eno-ao*ement (a mono- the latter of whom was Preto- 
 rius himself), advanced upon the town of Umkung-- 
 ung'hlovu, which the}' still found partially burning-; 
 and, on the awful hillock out of the town, they 
 beheld, on one vast pile, the bones and remains of 
 Eetief and their one hundred companions in arms, 
 who, ten months before, had fallen victims to 
 Ding-an's treachery, but whose deaths they were 
 then in fact avenging-. Many of the straps or 
 riejns by which they had been drag-g-ed to this 
 place of slaug'hter, were still found adhering' to 
 the bones of the leg's and arms by which they had 
 been drawn thither. The skulls were frig-htfully 
 broken, exhibiting' marks of the knob-kirries and 
 stones with which they had been fractured; and, 
 sing'ular to relate, the skeleton of their ill-fated 
 leader, E,etief, was recog'nized by a leathern pouch 
 or bandoleer, which he had suspended from his 
 shoulders and in which he had deposited the deed 
 or writing* formally ceding' this territory to the 
 Emig-rant Farmers, as written out by the Eev. 
 Mr. Owen, on the day previous to his massacre, 
 and sig-ned with the mark of Ding-an, ])y wliicli 
 
BURIAL OF RETIEF'S REMAINS. .3'39 
 
 he declared ^ to resig-n to Eetief and his coimtry- 
 men the place called Port Natal^ tog-ether with 
 all the land annexed: that is to say — from the 
 Tug-ela to the Umzimvubu Eiver, and from the 
 sea to the north^ as far as the land may be useful 
 and in my possession.' These are the ver}^ words 
 of the original document, which was found still 
 perfectly legible, and was delivered over to me 
 by the Yolksraad in the year 1843, and is now 
 (or oug'ht be) among the archives of the Colonial 
 Office here." Having* interred the remains of 
 their unfortunate countrymen, the Boers sent out 
 a strong- patrol which was unexpectedly attacked 
 and escaped with difficulty. In consequence of 
 this, the Dutchmen retired from Ding-an's country 
 taking- with them, it is said, some five thousand 
 cattle.'* 
 
 After their return, the farmers entered into a 
 treaty with the Zulu king-^ "at his instance," by 
 which he ag-reed to restore the horses, cattle, and 
 guns which had fallen into his hands, and relinquished 
 the country south-west of the Tug-ela river. The 
 British Commandant was concerned in the nec'o- 
 ciations which led to this convention ; but interfered 
 no further "than by using- his g-ood offices in the 
 attainment of some arrang-ements," which he 
 thoug-ht would probably prevent further blood- 
 shed.'^ 
 
 Not long- after the treaty had been formed, 
 Ding-an's brother, Pande, thinking- his life in 
 dang-er, left the Zulu-country, and took possession 
 
iV>]0 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 of some land on tlie Umvoti. He was accompanied 
 or followed by a laro-e portion of the Zulu forces. 
 From the Umvoti he sent messeno-ers to the 
 Farmers, soliciting- their support and protection. 
 It was at first suspected " that this was a deep-laid 
 plot between him and Ding-an, to inveig'le them 
 into the Zulu-country; but, after repeated con- 
 ferences, a formal treaty of alliance, offensive and 
 defensive, was concluded a\ ith him ; by the terms of 
 which the Emig-rant Farmers pledg'ed themselves to 
 support and defend Pande ; while he, on the other 
 hand, promised to support them in any attack upon 
 Dingan." 
 
 In 1840, the Boers mustered a force of four 
 hundred mounted men, under the command of 
 Pretorius. These joined Pande's army, about four 
 thousand strong*; and the combined force entered 
 the Zulu-country, the Farmers keeping' themselves 
 at some distance from Pande's people. 
 
 When the Dutchmen were collecting* their forces 
 at Pieter-Maritzburg*, Tambuza arrived with an 
 offer of peace. "He was, however, seized, with his 
 attendant Combizana; and, upon being* rig'idly 
 questioned, fi-nnkly admitted that he had also been 
 sent with a view of reporting' to Ding-an the state 
 of the combined army of Emigrants and Zulus 
 under Pande. The latter, evidently embittered 
 ag-ainst this person (one of Ding-an's principal 
 counsellors), charged him with having* been the 
 chief cause of the murder of Retief and his party ; 
 that he had plotted and advised his (Pande's) 
 death ; and in short brought such a series of 
 
DEATH ^F DINGAN.V j 331 
 
 charg-es ag-ainst him that (contrary to every usag-e 
 of civilized life) he was taken along- with the army 
 as a prisoner, until they reached the banks of the 
 Buffalo or Umzinyati River, where a court martial 
 was formed, which under the excited feelings of the 
 occasion, soon passed a sentence of death upon the 
 unfortunate prisoners, and which was carried into 
 execution within a few hours after; Tambuza not only 
 nobly upbraiding- his executioners with the viola- 
 tion of all usage towards messeng-ers, even among-st 
 savag-es, but expressing- his perfect readiness to die, 
 he only implored (but in vain) mercy on behalf 
 of his young- attendant, who was only a camp 
 follower, and had thus been but doing- his duty in 
 following- his master. This may be said to have 
 been the only blot which seriously reflected upon 
 the conduct of the Emig-rant Farmers in their several 
 eng-ag-ements with the Zulus, for the}^ otherwise 
 constantly endeavoured to spare the women and 
 children from massacre, and have uniformly con- 
 ducted their wars with as much discretion and 
 prudence as bravery ."^^ 
 
 A few days after the execution of Tambuza^ 
 Pande's army defeated the forces of Ding-an. 
 When the Farmers heard of their ally's success, 
 they followed it up with great vig-our, drove 
 Dino'an over the Black Folosi, and thence to the 
 Pongolo. Having- crossed the latter river, he 
 attempted to pass throug-h the Amaswazi-country, 
 with his children, his cattle, and a small force ; but 
 was murdered by that people, Avho (according- to 
 Pande) kept all the ro} al children, with those of 
 
33*3 THE KAFIRrS OF NATAL. 
 
 Seiizniig'alvoiiii and several of the g-reat ineii^ and 
 many of the royal cattle. Pande subsequently 
 required the children and cattle to be restored ; but 
 the feet of the messengers were worn out in vain — 
 no redress was g^iven.^' 
 
 IV. — Havino- no doul)t that Dino-an was dead 
 and his army dispersed, the Farmers ^^ assembled in 
 oTeat state on the banks of the Folosi, February the 
 14th, 1840; and there, under the disnharg-e of their 
 gnns, Andries Pretorius proclaimed Pande the 
 sole and acknowledg-ed king- of the Zulus." In a 
 proclamation issued by Pretorius and the other com- 
 mandants, the Boers "declared their sovereig-nty 
 to extend from the Black Umfolosi and St. Lucia 
 Bav to the Umzimvubu or St. John's River ; and 
 in fact, by their proceeding's of that day, assumed 
 a certain authorit}' or soAereigiity over Pande him- 
 self: from whom they received, as their indemnity, 
 thirt3'-six thousand head of cattle." Of these, four- 
 teen thousand were g'iven to the farmers from 
 beyond the Draakensbero- who had come to the 
 assistance of their friends. 
 
 It does not fall within the province of this work 
 to relate the subsequent history of the Farmers, their 
 strife \\ ith the British troops, and the annexation 
 of Natal to the colonial possessions of this country. 
 Pande's proceedings have not been productive of 
 events calculated to interest the general reader; 
 but the conduct of his sons, Cetwa3'a (or 
 Ketshwaya) and Umbulazi, lately detailed in the 
 news})aperB, requires some notice. 
 
 
A CIVIL WAR. 833 
 
 It was known to the traders^ during- November, 
 1856, that Ziiki politics were in a critical state, 
 and that Pande's sons were preparing- to eng-ag-e in 
 a contest for the sovereignty. Cetwaya and Um- 
 bulazi, being- each at the head of an army, ap- 
 proached a spot about seven miles from the Tug'ela 
 — the boundary between Natal and the Zulu- 
 country. Cetwaya's followers amounted, it is sup- 
 posed, to tAventy thousand, while those of Umbulazi 
 did not exceed eio-ht thousand. The latter, wishin»- 
 to obtain assistance from the colony, had applied to 
 the nearest British official, who very properly said 
 that he had no authority to interfere. It appears, 
 however, that his interpreter " volunteered to cross 
 the river, with a small body-g'uard, to endeavour 
 to neg'ociate terms of peace between the bellig*erent 
 parties. The proposal was unfortunately acceded 
 to, and the Kafir-police attached to the station, 
 with the uniforms and arms supplied for their use 
 by our Government, besides a number of Hotten- 
 tots and other natives, collected and armed for the 
 purpose, proceeded on their dang'erous mission — 
 their leader (Mr. Dunn) being- also armed to the 
 teeth. The very appearance of such a force (it 
 numbered sixty men) was calculated to irritate 
 already excited savages j and it is not surprising- 
 that no answers were returned to repeated mes- 
 sages sent to Cetwaya with a view to open neg'oci- 
 ations — more especially if it be true, as positively 
 affirmed, that Mr. Dunn and his men took up 
 their quarters with Umbulazi, thus apparently 
 at least, rang-ino- themselves on one side, nnd. 
 
384 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 tliereforej being- disqualified as arbitrators between 
 the two. At leng'th Mr. Dunn proceeded in person 
 towards Cetwaya's position, when he was fired upon 
 and the ball passed near his head. On this, the 
 party were drawn out and ordered to fire ; and thus 
 connnenced the horrors of the da)^ A Dutchman 
 named Gouws (a settler in Natal) was professedly 
 supporting- Umbulazi at another point. Mr. Dunn's 
 little party thrice momentarily repulsed the hug'e 
 mass of Cetwaya's arni}^, and g-allantly stood their 
 gTound for a time; but ag'ainst such terrible odds 
 resistance was hopeless; and the whole army of 
 Umbulazi took to flig'ht, as well as the Dutchman 
 and his party. No battle therefore was fought, but 
 the scene was a rout and a wholesale slaug-hter." 
 The fuofitives ran towards the colony, where alone 
 they could find safety. 
 
 " Followed by a mig-hty mass of infuriated and 
 triumphant savag-es, multitudes fell fainting- by the 
 way, and were quickly despatched by assag-ais ; and 
 multitudes more fell beneath the deadly thrust of 
 that weapon while running- for their lives. The 
 women and children, A\ho had taken refiig-e in 
 hloofs and ravines, prior to the actual attack, were 
 enclosed and mercilessly butchered. Still several 
 thousands of men, women, and children, reached 
 the Tug-ela, and plung-ed into its swollen stream ; 
 where ag-ain the s})ear of their brutal pursuers 
 helped the deep and rapid current in the work of 
 destruction. The river was reddened with blood, 
 where it was not blackened with the shrieking* 
 forms of innumerable savag-es; and some idea of 
 
A CIVIL WAR. 335 
 
 tlie number of corpses that shortly encumbered 
 the water may be formed from the fact that they 
 obstructed the action of the oars and the passag-e 
 of the boat that conveyed the few who were able 
 to avail themselves of it. Of Mr. Dunn's party 
 of sixty^ only eig-ht or ten returned to tell the tale 
 of horrors ; and the number of Zulus that perished 
 by spear or water, in their terrible massacre, is 
 estimated to be at least six thousand. Notwith- 
 standing* all this sacrifice of life, fully three thou- 
 sand miserable half-drowned or wounded wretches 
 succeeded in reaching* the Natal side ; and, since 
 the day of the slaughter, Umbulazi himself (who 
 at first was said to be killed, but who, it seems, 
 had succeeded in concealing* himself) came over 
 with one hundred of his followers, the remnant of 
 his army, and is now under British protection, as 
 well as a lad, one of Pande's young*est sons." 
 
 Some Eng'lish traders (who observed a strict 
 neutralit}^) ^^ escaped across the river with the 
 utmost difficulty and peril. But the whole of their 
 property was carried off by the victorious army ; 
 twelve wag*ons were entirely stripped and sacked, 
 and no fewer than one thousand six hundred head 
 of cattle belong-ing* to the traders were carried off. 
 Six of the wag'ons, with about one thousand head 
 of cattle, had been taken in safety over the Zulu 
 side of the river to an island in the centre ; yet, 
 even here, on this neutral g-round (if it be not 
 actually British territory) they were em])tied of 
 their contents and the cattle driven off. The vnlue 
 of property and cattle thus seized is not less than 
 
.').3G THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 four thousand pounds^ whilst a larg-e amount of the 
 property and cattle of traders still remains iu the 
 interior of the country' at the mercy of the vic- 
 torious sa^ag'es. We have the concurrent testi- 
 mon^" of the most respectable and experienced 
 traders for the belief that but for the unfortunate 
 attempt of Mr. Dunn and his party^ clothed^ in 
 the apprehension of ig-iiorant savag'eS; with the 
 authority of the British Government^ no white man's 
 life would have been endang-eredj no wag-on plun- 
 dered^ and if any trader's cattle had been taken 
 away in the foray they would have been promptly 
 returned on application. Up to the eve of the 
 catastrophe, and during- the known preparations, 
 the traders had mixed freely in friendly and 
 business intercourse with both parties, and the 
 continued observance of a strict neutrality on our 
 part would, it is fully believed, have prevented any 
 loss or dang'er to Englishmen, as well as the very 
 serious complications which have now arisen." 
 
 The victor is said to have divided his army 
 into three parts, which scoured the country in all 
 directions, putting- to death not only those who 
 favoured his rival, but all who were neutral or 
 doubtfiil. Elated m ith his success, Cetwaya praised 
 his 3'oung- men, saying- that they, and not the ama- 
 doda, were the warriors. Offended at this and 
 fearing- for their lives, Ma})ite and another old and 
 influential chief deserted with their numerous fol- 
 lowers and returned to Pande. Masipula, his 
 principal g-eneral, a supporter of Cetwaya, had 
 reached the Great l^lace before them; but it was 
 
A CIVIL WAR. 837 
 
 only to watch the king- until the arrival of the rehel 
 army. The appearance of the two chiefs- was 
 therefore peculiarly opportune^ and Pande immedi- 
 ately told them to slay Masipula. This being* done, 
 Pande and his old warriors collected all their 
 people, g-ave battle to the usurper, and put his 
 "boys"to%ht. 
 
 Pande appears to have obtained help fi'om the 
 Boers, to whom he made over the region 13'ing' 
 between the White Folosi and the Colony. " The 
 larg'e slice of the Zulu-country thus ceded," says 
 the Natal Mercury, "comprises the most healthy 
 and fertile portion of the whole, flanking the Natal 
 border along* its entire leng'th, and having* a com- 
 mercial outlet on the coast at St. Lucia Bay. We 
 have not heard Avhat is to be done with Cetwaya, 
 but presume he will share the fate of the weaker, 
 now that a strono'er than he has taken the field. 
 The Boers, it is stated, are hunting* him from his 
 hiding*-place. Boers came in to the number of from 
 four hundred to five hundred — strong* enoug'h to 
 dictate their own terms; and we understand the 
 ceded country will be speedily occupied by a larg'e 
 number of settlers from the Buffalo district and the 
 more remote and inconvenient districts of the Trans 
 Vaal. This new turn in Zulu affairs considerably 
 complicates the difficulties of our colonial states- 
 manship, though we do not in the least apprehend 
 that it increases, but rather diminishes, the dang'er 
 of inroad or collision."'^ 
 
CHAPTER X.— ZULU WARFARE. 
 
 I.— MILITARY POLITY. 11.— MODE OF WARFARE. III.— AN 
 
 EXPEDITION. 
 
 I. — The Zulu army (the org^anization of which is 
 due to Tshaka) consists of two classes^ namely 
 " men " and " boys " — the former being- those en- 
 titled to wear the head-ring-, and the latter all 
 others.^ Both classes are divided into reg'iments, 
 each of which assembles at one of the royal kraals. 
 Under ordinary circumstances the men attend there 
 when they please ; but, if the number present be 
 too small, the in-diina sends for as many as he 
 may think necessary. The reg-iments bear the 
 same name as the kraals where they assemble. 
 Two or three years ag-o, Pande's arm}^ embraced the 
 folio-wing". (1.) Of OLD "men," he had four regi- 
 ments, namely Tuguzuj Isiklepini, Imheliheli, No- 
 hamhc (the last being" particularl}^ ancient people). 
 (2.) Of YOUNGER "men" (ama-kehia) he had six 
 reg-iments, namety Bulawalo, Nodwenge, Duma- 
 zulu, Lamhongwenyn, Swongindaha, Indaba-ka- 
 aumhi. (8.) The "boys" were distributed into 
 four reg'iments, Tuluana, Ismigu, Inguluhi Hlam- 
 hehlu. (Some of the Hlambehlu "boys" -were 
 thirty-five 3^ears of ag-e). Tshaka "estabhshed a 
 force of nearly one hundred thousand men, about 
 fifty thousand of Avliom were warriors in constant 
 
ZULU WARFARE. 889 
 
 readiness for battle." A European, who saw 
 Pande's army setting- out on an expedition, esti- 
 mated it at twenty thousand.^ 
 
 Tshaka is said to have suppHed his soldiers, when 
 assembled at his kraals, with all the food they 
 required; but Pande onl}'' g"ives them an ox or 
 two now and then. Whatever additional food 
 they need must be sent from their own homes. 
 The officers bring- cows to supply themselves with 
 milk. The troops have no pay. Beads and 
 blankets are occasionally given to the "men," but, 
 with the exception of a few favourites, the " boys " 
 receive nothing*. I do not know whether Pande 
 is more g*enerous after a successful foray, unless 
 it be to those who have slain an eneni}^ ; but 
 Tshaka made a liberal distribution of the spoils 
 taken in war. 
 
 When Tshaka's soldiers were defeated, he killed 
 them. "After an expedition his troops were per- 
 mitted to retire to their respective kraals for a 
 short period, to recover from their fat ig'ue; whence, 
 in a short time, the chiefs were called to collect the 
 people, to hear the details of those operations in 
 which the warriors had been eng-ag-ed; at which 
 time all who had evinced cowardice were selected," 
 and put to death. An entire regiment was some- 
 times massacred. It is easy to see how much 
 Tshaka's practice in this respect, must have con- 
 tributed to render his troops desperate, if not 
 courag"eous. Pande has put men to death for 
 defeat or cowardice; but I have been told that, when 
 he was proceeding* to destroy several in succession, 
 z2 
 
840 THE KAFIUS OF NATAL. 
 
 some of his g-reat officers interfered to prevent the 
 massacre. 
 
 The normal weapon of the Kafir tribes is the 
 assag'ai (um-hnnfn), ^\■hich consists of a double- 
 edo-ed iron-Wade inserted in tlie thicker end of a 
 tnpering- stick — the whole being- about five feet 
 long'. It is used principally as a dart; butj having* 
 no other offensive weapon, a prudent warrior re- 
 serves his last assag'ai to be emplo3'ed as a stabbing* 
 instrument. Tshaka abolished the use of the assao-ai 
 as a missile ; but, before he directed his followers 
 to depart from the usag'e of their forefathers, he 
 ordered a mock fig'ht between two reg'iments, reeds 
 being' substituted for more dang'erous arms. The 
 one reo'iment was told to follow the old-ftishioned 
 practice, and cast their reeds at the enemy j the 
 other, each man having* a sing'le reed, was to rush 
 upon the op])osing' rank and use their fragile 
 weapons at close quarters. The latter having* 
 g'ained nn easy victory, the people were willing* 
 to lay aside their darts 5 each soldier was supplied 
 with a short, stout spear, the loss of which in battle 
 was made a capital offence. The Zulu forces owed 
 much of their orig'innl success to this new weapon ; 
 but, afterwards, when contending* with the Farmers, 
 thev discovered that it was of little use ao-ainst a 
 mounted foe, and resumed the old assag'ai. The 
 war-shield is of ox-hide, nearl}" oval and streng'thened 
 by means of a stick down the centre. It almost 
 covers the body — a circumstance from which, as 
 previously mentioned, the Zulus obtained their 
 ]iechuana ap})ellation of Mafaheh, those who dis- 
 a})pear. (A smaller shield is used for dances.) 
 
ZULU WAllFAllE. 841 
 
 It is stated by Mr. Isaacs, that Tshaka iiiain- 
 taiiied a " system of esj,ioiiao-e, by which he knew 
 at all tiiries the coudition niid streng-th of every 
 tribe around him, both independent and tributary." 
 Spies were also sent out before an expedition. 
 Thus, when he had determined to attack the 
 Amampondo, persons were despatched to examine 
 the country, find out the enemy's strong-holds, and 
 ascertain how these mig'ht be approached irom 
 some point wlience an attack would be least ex- 
 pected. The same practice is still observed. 
 
 It was Tshaka's custom to conceal the desti- 
 nation of his army, until the moment before 
 starting-. "■ When all was read}'," says Isaacs, 
 " for entering- upon their march, he confided to one 
 general his desig-n, and to him he entrusted the 
 command, should he not head his army in person. . . 
 He made it an invariable rule to address his 
 warriors at their departure j and his lang-uag-e was 
 generally studied, to raise their expectations and 
 excite them in the hour of battle. He particularly 
 detailed to them the road his spies had pointed out, 
 inducing- them to believe that they were 'going 
 to attack any party but the one actually designed." 
 Concealment was intended to prevent treasonable 
 communications being made to the enemy; though, 
 as is evident from the fact already mentioned in 
 connexion with the expedition against Sotshangana, 
 it was not alwa3's successful. 
 
 There can be no doubt that, speaking generall}-, 
 these people are deficient in courage, and that 
 the conquests achieved by Tshaka were due in a far 
 
342 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 g'reater measure to himself and the disci})line he 
 established, than to the braveiy of his soldiers. 
 Their celibacy contributed to foster a martial 
 spirit, but they " foug-ht to avoid being- massacred, 
 and trium])hed more from the trepidation of their 
 opponents than from the use of their spears." The 
 atiair at Ing'oma, in which he was eng-ag'ed, con- 
 vinced Isaacs that they possessed no innate cou- 
 rao*e. The followino: anecdote will show how a few 
 resolute men have defeated a much larg'er number. 
 Ding-an having- sent a force ag'ainst a tributary 
 chief^ the latter was surprised and fled. A con- 
 siderable body of the Zulu soldiers were driving* 
 away his cattle, when his brother, not aware of the 
 circumstances, seized his weapons ; and, running* in 
 advance of a few followers, chased the plunderers. 
 He rushed singly to the attack ; killed several in 
 the enemy's rearj and, when his handful of sup- 
 porters came up, put the entire body to flig*ht. 
 Having* recovered from their consternation, they 
 turned upon their pursuers ', but ag-ain gave way ; 
 and it was onl}^ when one of Tshaka's noted 
 reg-iments came up that the brave little party was 
 defeated. 
 
 Medicine and superstition are conspicuously 
 associated with Zulu warfare. Before an expe- 
 dition sets forth, the king* takes medicine, into 
 which is introduced some personal article belono-ino- 
 to his enemy. The belief in the efficacy of this is 
 so confirmed that, if a chief is oblig-ed to retreat, 
 the floor of his hut is scraped ; and, I su])])ose, it 
 
WAR-CEREMONIES. 343 
 
 was for the same reason that Ding-an, when he fled 
 before the Boers, set fire to his kraal. The doctor 
 who prepared Tshaka to g'o ag'ainst Pag-atwayo, 
 made cutting's in various parts of his body, and 
 placed medicine in them. During- Pande's prepa- 
 rations for encountering' Ding'an, a celebrated 
 practitioner cut off the fore-leg' of a heifer and left 
 the animal to die ; what use he made of the limb I 
 do not know, but the proceeding' is believed to have 
 contributed very materially to Pande's victory. 
 
 Medicine is administered to the soldiers. A 
 young' bull having' been slain, they take with their 
 fing'ers a decoction of medicine ; and subsequently 
 pieces of the beef are rolled in powdered medicine, 
 thrown into the air, caug'ht by the warriors, and 
 applied to their mouths, as at the Feast of First 
 Fruits. Taking' from the fire a root or stick of 
 medicine, the doctor blows sparks fi'om it towards 
 the soldiers, who are then dismissed to the bush 
 and directed not to wash themselves until morning-. 
 Next day they take copious draug'hts of a decoc- 
 tion — apparently an emetic — and, having- left the 
 ki'aal, vomit into a larg'e hole. A medicine called 
 inabopi (ama-bopi?) is used. Standing* in the midst 
 of the warriors, the doctor takes it in both hands 
 and elevates it several times, saying': "^^Here is 
 the mabopi (Nangu mabopi) ; do you see it ?" 
 Their united voices reply, in a tone of thunder, 
 " We have seen it." They are then fumig-ated with 
 the medicine. The doctor's words, " JVcmgu ma- 
 bopi " — the first being" several times repeated — form 
 a war-cry : " Nangu, nangu, Jiangu, nangu mabopi^ 
 
344 THE KAFIIiS OF NATAL. 
 
 It is uttered not only when the men rush to battle, 
 but when the}' are about to ford a deep and 
 dniiii'erous river. In addition to his other cere- 
 monies the doctor sprinkles them with some 
 mysterious preparation, using- the tail of a g'nu. 
 Pande's wives also sprinkle them with water, em- 
 ploying' for that purpose small household brooms. 
 An oftering- having- been previously made, the king- 
 addresses the Spirits that they may bless and 
 prosper the expedition.^ 
 
 The arni}^ is accompanied by doctors, ^^•ho carry 
 bundles of medicine with which to prepare the 
 soldiers ag-ain before they eng-ag-e the enemy. Mr. 
 Isaacs says that the doctors prepared the Zulus for 
 an attack at Ing-oma, by sprinkling- them with 
 some decoction, which the recipients carefully 
 rubbed over their persons in the belief that it would 
 render them invulnerable and victorious. When 
 the same writer was wounded, a young- heifer was 
 killed —he says as a sacrifice for the patient's speedy 
 recovery, but I was assured by a disting'uished 
 warrior that the beast is not, on such occasions, 
 offered to. the Spirits. Some of the small entrails 
 being- parboiled with g-all and medicine, the mix- 
 ture was g-iven him to drink. His olfiictory sense 
 had been so much affected during- the preparation, 
 that he refused to taste the abominable compound. 
 The doctor was furious — unless he drank of the 
 mixture he could not be permitted to take milk, 
 lest the cows should die — if he approached the king- 
 without having- used the charm, his Majesty would 
 become ill. Findhig- expostulation vahi and being- 
 
AN EXPEDITIOX. ,345 
 
 too feeble to resist^ Isaacs yielded to the A\isli of 
 the doctor^ who had directed him to take three sips 
 and sprinkle the remainder over his bod}". lie 
 was then told to spit on a sticky point it three times 
 at the enem}^^ and then throw it to\A^ards their posi- 
 tion. This done^ the doctor g-ave him an emetic^ 
 to eject the nauseous mixture he had swallowed. 
 
 III. — The following" narrative relates to an ex- 
 pedition sent by Pande to reco^^er the cattle w^hich 
 the Amaswazi had taken from Dino-an. 
 
 About the month of April (the rivers beiug- then 
 low) the soldiers were summoned to Nodwenii'e. 
 After a g-rand dance^ they recei\ed cattle for 
 slaug'hter^ and repaired to the bush to feast and 
 pass the nig-ht. Next morning- another dance took 
 place^ and the doctors beg-an the ceremonies 
 previousl}' described. When Pande addressed the 
 warriors^ he told them (following* Tshaka's system 
 of deception) that they were g'oing- ag-ainst the 
 Usutu, a tribe living- beyond the Amaswazi. To 
 excite their enthusiasm^ he described the Usutu as 
 having- abundance of cattle — his spies had been 
 amonof them and seen their laro-e herds. The 
 "boys" clamoured to be at once dismissed, and 
 asked why the king- had not sent them before. 
 Observing- the " men " silent^ they charg-ed them 
 with cowardice and insinuated that they preferred 
 the society of their wives and children to the perils 
 of war and the king-'s honour. The accused were 
 not slow to resent the imputation and vindicate 
 their prowess — who but they had g-ained the 
 
34G THE KAFIRS OF NATAL 
 
 victories of Tshaka and Ding-an and built up the 
 kraal of Senzang-akona — what did the " boys " 
 know al)out war? Pande was indig*nant that 
 the "men" should talk of his predecessors, and 
 show more reo-ard for Tshaka and Dino-an than 
 for him. The " bovs " seconded the kino-'s denun- 
 ciatioUj and the dispute soon ceased to be a war 
 of words. The " men/' with their sticks, attacked 
 the " boys/' who vig'orously returned the blows j 
 nor did the battle cease until Pande and his 
 principal ofhcers had rushed among' the bel- 
 lig-erents and beaten them into order. To prevent 
 a repetition of the fig'ht, the " boys " were ordered 
 to leave the kraal. The "men/' being* now up- 
 braided by the king-, explained their unwilling'ness 
 to g'o — they had heard that there were Dutchmen 
 among- the people ag'ainst whom they were to be 
 sent — they feared to encounter enemies of whom 
 they had learned so much in Ding'an's time. 
 Pande did not believe that they would meet with 
 many Boers ; and attempted, b}^ other arg'uments, 
 to overcome their fears. He failed, however j and, 
 telling' them to remain at home if they were afraid 
 to o'o, retired in hig'h dudg'eon to his palace. In 
 the evening' oxen were ag*ain g-iven to the " bo3's," 
 but the " men " received nothing'. 
 
 Next morning', the bo3's having' entered the 
 kraal, Pande addressed them, saying- (among- other 
 thing's) that, if they met with any Dutchmen, tliey 
 were not to attack them • but if attacked, they 
 were to defend themselves and kill their opponents. 
 The women now sprinkled them with water • Pande 
 
AN EXPEDITION. 347 
 
 invoked the Spirits and the various reg'inients were 
 ordered to march. The ^^men," being- still in the 
 bush^ were not sent ; but, feeling- that it would be 
 disoTaceful to remain behind or dreadino- Pande's 
 wrath more than the Farmers' g"uns, they set for- 
 ward to join the ^^ boys." This being* reported to 
 the king-^ he followed his repentant ama-doda ; 
 and, having- had them dul^^ prepared by the doc- 
 tors, addressed the Spirits in their behalf. The 
 entire army now proceeded, the " men " and the 
 "boys" being- in separate divisions. Masipula, 
 the g-eneral-in-chief, accompanied the former. 
 
 While passing- throug-h Pande's dominions the 
 soldiers helped themselves to food at the various 
 kraals. In one locality the women, who expected 
 a visit, had removed as much as they were able 
 and concealed it in the bush. The hung-ry warriors 
 were therefore obliged to be content with a scanty 
 supper and to leave the kraals without breakfast. 
 Arrived at another place, they searched the huts 
 in vain 5 neither corn nor milk was to be found; 
 and it seemed as if the neig-hbourhood had been 
 visited by a famine. They were more successful 
 when they turned their attention to the cattle-folds, 
 and soug'ht the subterranean g-ranaries constructed 
 there. The women wept and wailed at the rifling- 
 of these precious stores, and fled to the bush that 
 they mig'ht not witness the consumption of their 
 children's food. Having- g-org-ed themselves to their 
 satisfaction, the warriors broke the cooking--vessels 
 they had used ; and, being- now near the frontier, 
 carried away more corn than they had eaten, as 
 some provision for the journey. 
 
348 THE KAFIKS OF NATAL. 
 
 Iltiviiiii' entered the Ainaswazi-coimtry.tliev round 
 that the people had i-ctired, \^ ith iiearly all then* 
 movahles, to the caves. The first nig-ht they slejit 
 in some deserted kraals^ having- previoush' enlarg-ed 
 the doors of tlie huts that they niig-lit the more 
 easil}" escape if attacked. Next morning' they set 
 fire to the houses w liich had afforded them shelter^ 
 and proceeded. They now travelled a consider- 
 able distance without seeing* any evidence that the 
 country was inhabited. As they crossed the valleys 
 or peered into them from the heights abo^e^ they 
 could discover neither cattle nor kraals; the foot- 
 prints which occurred near their track were those 
 of wild animals alone; nor could the}^, by the 
 utmost straining" of their eyes^ descry even a dis- 
 tant curl of smoke to indicate the presence of a 
 human being-. At leng-th one of their number 
 declared that he had heard the crowing* of a cock ; 
 and in a short time they came unexpectedly within 
 view of a kraal. Having- approached it silently, 
 they hoped to surprise the inhabitants, but were 
 happily disapi)ointed ; the huts were deserted and 
 empty. The "•boys" discovered an underg-round 
 g-ranary ; but they would not permit the " men " 
 to touch its contents, nor could Masipula himself 
 prevail on them to yield. Having- few facilities 
 for cooking-, they were oblig-ed to eat the corn in 
 a half-crude state, while at the same time the}^ 
 imprudently drank a great deal of water. Many 
 in consequence became ill, and several ^^ere left 
 behind — to be destroyed b}' the Amaswazi. The 
 ama-doda were induced with beef.^ Next morn- 
 
AN EXrEDITION. 849 
 
 ing- the host advanced, without burning- the kraal 
 (which would have alarmed the people on their 
 route); and ultimately reached another deserted 
 habitation. Here they found milk scattered on 
 the o-round; and two slaug'htered cows. The latter 
 were tempting'^ but they did not doubt that poison 
 had been introduced. Ploweverj having- cut away 
 larg'e portions about the wounds (which the very 
 dog's of the kraal refused) they ventured to eat the 
 rest. Maize was also discovered j but the officers, 
 rememberincr the evil which had resulted from 
 using' it half-cooked, forbade the corn to be eaten. 
 
 Beino- no\^' not far from a kraal belono-ino* to the 
 chief of the Amaswazi, the army was prepared for 
 action by the doctors* Masipula and the other 
 great officers invoked the spirits ; and the soldiers 
 learned for the first time that they had been sent to 
 plunder the Amaswazi. When the order was 
 g'iven to proceed, the "boys" were directed to 
 
 follow the "men," whose experience rendered it 
 desirable that they should advance first to the 
 attack. The " boys," however, would not consent to 
 g-ive place to the others — the "men," they said^ 
 had no business there at all — who had sent the 
 cowards? After a g-ood deal of wrang'ling', the 
 "boys" cut short the dispute by setting' forward. 
 Masipula, who knew how to deal with tliem, 
 ordered the " men " not to follow ; and waited until 
 a little reflection should have cooled the ardour of 
 the thoug-htless warriors. His policy was justified 
 by the event, for they soon returned, and consented 
 to follow their seniors to the fig'ht. No battle, 
 
350 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 however^ was to take place, for when the kraal 
 became visible it was burning'. A messenger, 
 whom Masipula had sent forward to deceive the 
 Amaswazi, and who had been g-iven up for dead, 
 now arrived. On reaching- the chief's kraal, he 
 had represented himself as coming- from I^ande, to 
 request that Ding-an's oxen mig"ht be restored and, 
 in case of refusal, to threaten an invasion. The 
 chief said that an arm}" was already coming- ; and 
 thoug-ht it quite reasonable to keep Ding'an's oxen, 
 since both he and Tshaka had stolen plenty of 
 theirs. Some of his soldiers wished to kill the 
 Zulu ; but he would not allow them to violate the 
 custom of the nation, by slaying* the messeng-er of 
 a chief. Scouts having* returned to report the near 
 approach of the invaders, he sent his young* men to 
 g'uard the cattle; while he and the remainder with- 
 drew to the caves,, leaving* a person to scrape his 
 floor and burn the kraal. 
 
 Two Dutchmen, whom the messeng*er had seen at 
 the chief's, visited the Zulu army and told them to 
 g*o home. The "men," finding* their worst apprehen- 
 sions likely to be realized, desired to return ; but 
 the "boj's" were resolved to push forward, and next 
 morning* resumed their march. The officers followed 
 and attempted to beat them back; but the eflbrt 
 was fruitless, and the " men," afraid to face Pande 
 alone, had no alternative but to proceed. Guided 
 by the footprints of the Amaswazi chief's cattle and 
 passing* some deserted habitations, the united force 
 advanced as far as the river Umkomazi. From the 
 apj)earance of the trail the g-enerals now judg'ed it 
 
AN EXPEDITION. 351 
 
 necessary to return^ and invoked the Spirits to g-rant 
 them success. That done, the army went back in 
 two divisions — the " men " scouring- the country to 
 the rig-ht and the ^^boys" that to the left. 
 
 The latter were not very successful at first, but 
 ultimately captured a mag'nificent herd of cattle 
 and a larg*e flock of g'oats. Subsequently they 
 picked up a few more \ but were oblig'ed to pass a 
 great number which had been driven to places 
 difficult of access and well defended. One of these 
 overlooked a kraal which had been occupied by the 
 chief's father. Men, standing* on the top of a pre- 
 cipice, bade the marauders not g-o home and tell 
 Pande they were unable to find Ding'an's oxen — 
 "here they are, come and take them." Girls, 
 having shields and assagais in their hands, taunted 
 the Zulus with cowardice and dared them to scale 
 the heights. The reckless "boys" wished to do 
 so ) but they had been rejoined by a regiment of 
 "men," who dissuaded them from the dangerous 
 attempt — even Tshaka and Switi had been con- 
 tent to pass the place — one of Dingan's regiments 
 was nearly destroyed in endeavouring* to storm 
 it. Their reasoning prevailed, and the "boys" 
 proceeded. Soon afterwards they were joined by the 
 remaining regiments of men, who had captured 
 many cattle and several young women. The "boys" 
 wished to kill these " calves of the Amaswazi." 
 The army then passed a number of caves, in which 
 the people had taken refuge, and where they had 
 also secured the cattle. Near one of the caverns 
 was a dead ox, which had not been able to enter. 
 
352 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 and which its owners^ rather than allow it to wan- 
 der, had slain. The beast was remarkabl}' fat, and 
 some of the soldiers wished to eat it; but the 
 officers suspected that poison had been introduced 
 into the carcass, and commanded them to refrain. 
 Some of the "boys/' notwithstanding- the order, 
 had to be beaten away. When the army reached 
 home Pande \^as ang'ry that they had not broug'ht 
 Dingan's oxen, and within a few months sent 
 them ag'ain.'^ 
 
CHAPTER XI.— ARTS AND MANUFACTURES. 
 
 I — MEDICINE. II.— IRON. III.— MISCELLANEOUS 
 
 I. — Like all other trades^ that of medicine is 
 hereditary — a doctor communicating' his secrets to 
 none but his children or relatives. I have heard 
 it said that^ if he were to teach the art to a 
 young-er son, the eldest would be entitled to his 
 brother's fees. When the profession descends to 
 a female, she is allowed to have the absolute control 
 of all cattle received in the exercise of her calling*.^ 
 It sometimes happens that a family has derived 
 from its ancestors the knowledg-e of a particular 
 medicine. '^ Hence," says Mr. Fynn, '•^ on a native 
 being" attacked by disease he obtains the opinion of 
 a doctor as to the nature of his complaint and 
 is recommended to apply to the family which 
 possesses a knowledg-e of the appropriate remedy 
 for the fever, dropsy, rheumatism, or whatever the 
 complaint may be. But the doctors frequently 
 purchase a knowledg*e of such remedies for their 
 own practice." The people g-enerally are very 
 slig'htly acquainted with medicines. 
 
 It is said by Mr. Fynn (who has frequently 
 boug-ht a knowledg-e of native herbs) that the 
 doctors have a considerable acquaintance with 
 medicinal plants, of which some are really valu- 
 able. These, he adds, are usually mixed with others 
 
 A A 
 
354 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL, 
 
 which possess no healino* qualities — a ])ractice 
 orig-inall}' adopted^ doubtless, to disg-uise the nos- 
 trum and prevent its becoming known, though 
 "the useless additions are now believed to be an 
 essential ])art of the remedy." Medicine is some- 
 times administered in the forui of a decoction, and 
 sometimes as a powder. In the latter shape it is 
 not only taken internally, but is also introduced 
 into small wounds cut on the surface of the body. 
 
 A species of cupping- is frequently practised, 
 and I know not that the people have any other 
 method of bleeding*. The operation is effected by 
 making- incisions in the skin, and then applying* 
 a horn, throug-h the small perforated end of which 
 the blood is sucked by the doctor. " Should the 
 blood not flow freely, the affected part is beaten 
 with a stick." Broken limbs are bound up with 
 the assistance of dried hide or bark; and some- 
 times a cradle is formed of reeds. Another method 
 is described by Captain Gardiner on the authority 
 of a European who had benefited by it. The 
 patient having- broken his arm, a party of men 
 assembled with a doctor at their head and scooped 
 a deep hole in the g-round. This being- partly 
 filled with soft clay, ^^the whole arm, with the 
 hand open and the fing-ers curved inwards, was 
 then inserted ; when the remainder of the clay that 
 had been prepared was filled in and beaten closely 
 down. Several men then steadily raised his body 
 perpendicularly to the incased arm, and drew it 
 out by main force. By this simple but somewhat 
 
SMELTING IRON. 355 
 
 painful method his arm was perfectly reset ; and, 
 had he retained the native bandag-e, would doubt- 
 less have g'rown perfectly straig-ht." 
 
 II. — Iron is abundant in the reg'ion occupied 
 by these people ; copper has been found in Natal ; 
 and some description of white metal seems to exist 
 in the Zulu-country. During- one of his journeys, 
 Isaacs observed, in places where the rain had 
 washed away the surface, a g-littering- mineral, 
 which apparently possessed some metallic prop- 
 erties. He dug' a larg*e quantit}^, but could not 
 induce the natives to carry it. They said that, 
 some years before, a mineral was dug- which turned 
 to a beautiful g'lossy white colour when melted. 
 The chiefs had ornaments manufactured from the 
 new metal, abandoning- the old fashioned iron ring's 
 to their people. Several of the former having- died, 
 the prophets at first ascribed the circumstance to 
 poison -J but, when the malady continued, notwith- 
 standing* the destruction of many suspected " evil- 
 doers," they attributed it to the ornaments lately 
 adopted by the chiefs. The individuals who had 
 discovered the metal were slain ; those who had 
 made the ring-s shared their fatej the orna- 
 ments were buried where the ore had been 
 found, and orders were g'iven that no one, on pain 
 of death, should ag-ain dig- up the pernicious metal.^ 
 
 When a blacksmith wishes to smelt iron ore, 
 
 he provides himself with a sufficient quantity of 
 
 charcoal. He then dig-s a hole to serve for a 
 
 furnace, and buries a short tube of coarse pottery, 
 
 A a2 
 
300 
 
 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 one end of wliicli communicates with the furnace, 
 wliile in the otlier extremity he inserts a horn, and 
 in that the nosle of his bellows. By this means 
 
 ..iiTiiiiini-trTTR":'-!,.. 
 
 the blast is directed under the tire. Several 
 bellows are sometimes used. The brass (obtained 
 throuf^'h the Amatong-a from the Portug'uese at 
 
LEATHER-MAKING. 357 
 
 Delag-oa Bay) is melted in crucibles of coarse sand- 
 stone, which are sunk in the olowing" charcoal. 
 The metal is then ^^ either run into bars for formino- 
 throat-ring's and armlets, or into smaller clay moulds 
 for the knobs and studs with which the women 
 frequently ornament their girdles and petticoats."^ 
 
 Picks or hoes, axes, and assag'ais are the prin- 
 cipal articles manufactured by the smiths. Picks 
 are now extensively introduced from Eng'land, and 
 sold at about one and sixpence each, whereas the 
 native smiths would probably not have been con- 
 tent with less than the present equivalent of half 
 a sovereig"n. Small axes are also boug-ht from 
 the traders. Many of the brass ornaments for- 
 merly made by the native artists are obtained from 
 European traders. 
 
 III. — To make the leather used for a married 
 woman's dress, the skin of an ox or cow is steeped 
 to facilitate the removal of the hair; g-rease and 
 friction are employed to soften it ; the inner side is 
 scratched with a piece of prickly branch, until a 
 long- nap is raised; it is then blackened with 
 charcoal, and looks like a piece of shag-g-y cloth. 
 Shields are made of dried hide with the hau* on. 
 
 Wooden vessels are not much needed by people 
 who possess the calabash, and I do not remember 
 to have seen more than the milk-pail and some 
 larg-e spoons. The former, which is deep and 
 narrow, is hollowed from a piece of wood. The 
 "pillow," sticks, hoe-handles, etc., do not require 
 special notice here. 
 
358 THE KAFIRS OF NATAL. 
 
 Baskets are made of grass^ some being* so close 
 in texture as to be capable of holding* liquids. 
 Mats are manufactured for various purposes. 
 
 The women make their own cooking'-pots of 
 clay^ and burn them on a small fire of sticks^ 
 brands being- also placed inside the vessel. 
 
 To procure malt for beer, the g-rain (maize or 
 millet) is wetted, wrapped in a mat, and left to 
 sprout. It is then gTound into meal , and, having" 
 been boiled, is placed into a larg'e pot to ferment. 
 During" the fermentation, which continues for some 
 days, the scum is removed with an instrument 
 made for the purpose. When poured out for 
 drinking", it passes through a strainer.* 
 
 f 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 SKETCH OF NATAL.' 
 
 I. — The Colony of Natal extends from the Umzimkulu 
 and one of its branches to the Tugela and Umzinyati, and 
 from the sea to the Draakensberg. The land gradually 
 rises from the coast to the foot of those mountains, which 
 form the ascent to the great plateau of South Africa. 
 
 A strip of strongly undulating ground, with an average 
 breadth of about ten miles, runs along the coast; and, 
 at its inland-edge, terminates abruptly. The surface of 
 this region presents throughout "an almost painful suc- 
 cession of hills and vales, rising and falling in endless 
 monotony. The traveller fords a stream, ascends a hill, 
 descends, crosses a brook. If he sees ahead of him (as 
 he does in the vicinity of Natal Bay) a level plain, he 
 hails with joy this interruption to the fatiguing monotony 
 of grass-covered hills and ravines," The inland-edge of 
 this coast-region is, in many places, precipitous. At 
 various intervals it has been cleft, to afford a passage 
 to the rivers, which sometimes flow between perpendicular 
 walls of rock, "from five hundred to two thousand feet 
 high." 
 
 The precipices bounding this district overlook " a deep 
 gulf between the first and second range of table-lands." 
 This depression is an exceedingly broken country. In 
 some parts occur isolated mountains, with flat tops several 
 acres in extent and covered with grass. Others appear as 
 sharp or rounded peaks, others again being "carved into 
 a thousand fantastic shapes." The spaces between these 
 
300 APPENDIX. 
 
 detached mountains " are nearly filled with innumerable 
 round, grass-covered hills, rising from one hundred to 
 two thousand feet high. The appearance of these valleys 
 as viewed from the surrounding heights, has been com- 
 pared to the ocean stirred from its depths and then 
 suddenly congealed." Near Esidumbini, an American 
 Mission station, is " a granite boulder, thirty feet thick, 
 one hundred and forty feet long, and ninety-five feet 
 broad, extreme measure. One end is elevated thirty-four 
 feet from the ground, and the other end about ten feet, 
 resting on three rocks not more than four to eight feet in 
 diameter. The rocks on which it rests are split into 
 shivers, as if the boulder had fallen from above and 
 partially crushed them." 
 
 Beyond the " gulf" the land continues to rise gradually 
 " and stretches out in broad table-land often cut deep by 
 ravines and rivers, and sometimes interrupted by ranges 
 of mountains. As we penetrate inland about fifty miles, 
 the peaks of Draakensberg, are visible in the distance." 
 
 The Draakensberg, was described by the late Surveyor- 
 General as consisting of two parts, having different direc- 
 tions and different geological features. The one forming 
 the N.W. boundary of Natal, he called the Small 
 Draakensberg. It " is of the average altitude of five thou- 
 sand feet above the sea, and about one thousand five 
 hundred feet above the general level of the country at 
 its base. The outline is in general round and soft, 
 presenting some remarkable features, and occasionally 
 high table-lands with precipitous sides. These mountains 
 are composed of beds of sandstone cut through by veins 
 of trap, and diminish in height as they advance to the 
 N.E. until at some distance beyond the source of the 
 Umzimyati, they ajipear to terminate in low hills. They 
 are passable almost at any part by horses and cattle ; 
 but there are only three passes in use by the Boers." 
 That portion which forms the western boundary (the 
 
 1 
 
SKETCH OF NATAL. 361 
 
 Great Draakensberg) joins the other about the source 
 of the Tugela. " These mountains are much higher 
 than the others, and quite impassable, presenting a 
 rugged outline and bold and precipitous escarpments." 
 From a distant view of their outline the Surveyor con- 
 cluded them to be granite. 
 
 Natal abounds in streams. The Tugela (the largest 
 river-system in the country), the Umkomazi, and Um- 
 zirakulu rise in the Draakensberg. Cascades and falls are 
 frequent. The Umgeni-Fall, near Maritzburg, is two 
 hundred and seventy-six feet in perpendicular height. 
 None of the rivers are navigable ; and most of them are 
 closed, during the greater part of the year, by sand-banks 
 at their mouths. Though low in the dry season, most of 
 them are perennial. Their water " is soft and clear ; and, 
 running over beds of granite and trap rock, is but slightly 
 impregnated with minerals. It is said, however, that the 
 waters of several rivers (as the Umgeni and Umhloti) are 
 slightly alkaline." 
 
 II. — The geology of the country is but little known ; 
 "yet some features are manifest to the most cursory observer. 
 The perpendicular sides of the table-lands and mountains, 
 in the coast division, generally present strata of red sand- 
 stone ; and what, perhaps, strikes a foreigner most, is the 
 perfect horizontaHsm of these strata. In several places, 
 the mountains seem to have been worn by water up to the 
 very top of the rocks. One can hardly resist the impres- 
 sion, that the widest valleys have been washed out, or, 
 at least, have once been filled with water. Many of the 
 rounded hills in these valleys are moraines. Nearly all 
 the streams flow over beds of gneiss, granite, or trap rock ; 
 and in their channels abound large boulders of those rocks. 
 AH the varieties of quartz are found in the beds of the 
 streams, and on the lower hills. As we pass along the 
 beach, we may travel a few miles on strata of sandstone ; 
 
S()'2 APPENDIX. 
 
 then intervenes a couple of miles of basalt or pudding- 
 stone, gneiss, or granite. All of these are found in dis- 
 tinct sections along the coast, each occupying in succession 
 from fifty rods to five miles. From the Uovo river to the 
 Umpambinyoni — a distance in latitude of perhaps eighteen 
 miles — at an elevation of three hundred or four hundred 
 feet above the sea, is a continuous mass of greenstone 
 conglomerate, surmounted, towards the northern part, by 
 Ifumi Hill — a mass of sandstone, some three miles in 
 circumference, and two hundred or three hundred feet 
 high above the surrounding country. Imbedded in this 
 greenstone are fragments, both angular and worn, of 
 quartz, granite, porphyry, jasper, sienite, varying from 
 the size of a pea to that of a bushel measure. Adjoining 
 this formation on the north, and also in other places in 
 the. district, is found slate-stone. But little lime, and 
 none of pure quality, has been discovered near the coast, 
 except in the form of shells and corals. There are seen 
 large banks of shells in several places, many feet above 
 the present level of the sea." Coal has been found. " On 
 the Umtwalumi river is found a black oxide of iron, 
 resembling lava, in which are cemented particles of coarse 
 siliceous sand and pebbles of quartz. No fossils, except 
 a few ammonites, have as yet been discovered." 
 
 III. — A thick bush extends along the coast, " varying 
 in width from two rods to as many miles." Bush is also 
 found along the numerous streams of the coast region, 
 " through almost every part of which, wagons can find 
 their way, without their owners being required to bestow 
 labour in making the roads." There is a thick bush on 
 the Berea heights behind Port Natal. The table-lands 
 beyond the "gulf" are almost destitute of trees, though 
 the mountains which have been described as interrupting 
 them, are clothed with forests. Timber abounds in the 
 valleys on the S.E. side of the Small Draakensberg. 
 
SKETCH OF NATAL. 363 
 
 The botany of the country " is but little familiar to the 
 public." Trees exist in great variety. The most sing\ilar 
 in appearance is the euphorbia, which has been compared 
 to a cactus grown to the height of thirty feet. A variety 
 of the castor-oil tree abounds ; as well as the mimosa, 
 which yields gum. "A singular tree called by the natives 
 the umtomhi — from the quantity of milky juice which 
 exudes from its bark when pierced — fastens itself, when 
 young, upon another tree ; and, after a few years, com- 
 pletely envelopes and kills it in its embrace." 
 
 IV. — Many of the quadrupeds of Natal have been 
 previously mentioned. Serpents are numerous and some 
 of them very poisonous. Birds of beautiful plumage 
 occur in great variety, nor are they all without song. 
 Hawks steal your fowls ; and, when their appetite is 
 sharpened by a cold day, are amazingly impudent; the 
 secretary-bird stalks among the grass in search of the 
 serpents on which it preys ; vultures approach within a 
 few yards of your house ; while the eagle soars aloft, and 
 would be scarce visible even as a speck but for the bright 
 light in which he moves. Scorpions, hornets, flies, and 
 ants, are some of the disadvantages to be balanced against 
 the beautiful climate ; but more troublesome than these 
 are the tichs, which, during the warm weather, abound 
 in the region near the coast. " On every spire of grass, 
 they await the passing of some living creature, to which 
 they tenaciously cling, bury their heads in the flesh, and 
 while they suck the blood infuse a subtle poison, which 
 excessively irritates the skin and causes painful and obsti- 
 nate sores." Some are so small as to be scarcely visible 
 until swollen by the blood they have extracted. Those 
 which fasten on the cattle thus enlarge until they become 
 as big as the end of a man's little finger. When they 
 fall off" the blow-flies attack the sore. Neglected cattle 
 sometimes lose their ears and are occasionally killed by the 
 maggots which result. 
 
304 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 V. — The temperature of the coast region is rather high 
 in summer, but in winter is everything a reasonable person 
 can desire. Inland, it is, of course, modified by the 
 gradual elevation of the ground. The rain falls chiefly 
 between September and March — most copiously in De- 
 cember and January. The extreme of moisture thus 
 coincides with the extreme heat — a circumstance which 
 gives a surprising impetus to the progress of vegetation. 
 After a fortnight's absence at this period, I have been 
 hardly able to recognize my own garden. 
 
3G5 
 
 MTSSIONAUY OPERATIONS. 
 
 I. — In 1834, the late Captain Gardiner visited South 
 Africa, to endeavour " to open a way whereby the minis- 
 ters of the gospel might find access to the Zulu nation." 
 Travelling through Kafir-Land and the Amampondo- 
 country, he reached Port Natal, and thence proceeded to 
 Umkungunghlovu. Dingan treated him well, but would 
 not allow his people to be taught — a determination which 
 was doubtless, in a great measure, due to the story 
 Jacob had invented. Having, on his return to Natal been 
 assured by the Europeans that missionary operations 
 there should have their support, the Captain selected a 
 spot on the heights near the Bay, as the site of a missionary 
 establishment. He named the station Berea, " since, not- 
 withstanding my ill success with Dingan, the word has 
 here been gladly received." He subsequently visited 
 England. 
 
 Meanwhile, the attention of the American Board of 
 Commissioners for Foreign Missions having been attracted 
 to the Zulus, they determined to send agents not only to 
 them but to the people of Umzilikazi. Those who went 
 to the Matabele obtained Umzilikazi's permission to settle 
 in his dominions ; and, in 1836, took up their residence 
 at Mosega. Their prospects, however, were blighted 
 when the Boers attacked that chief, and compelled him to 
 remove farther to the north. Of the missionaries who 
 were sent to Natal, the Rev. A. Grout visited Dingan 
 (December, 1835) and obtained permission to build in his 
 dominions. After a visit to Algoa Bay, he proceeded to 
 the Zulu-country, and erected a house, " frequently visit- 
 ing Dingan at his capital." Other stations were established 
 by Mr. Grout's brethren near Port Natal. 
 
 In 1837 Mr. Grout went to America ; and, during his 
 
:mo 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 absence, Captain Gardiner returned with the Rev, F. 
 Owen, of the Church Missionary Society. Mr. Owen 
 went to Dingan's, and was there during the massacre of 
 Retief. The events following that terrible deed affected 
 the missionaries in common with the other white people ; 
 and, " in the year 1838, all the stations were abandoned." 
 The American mission was afterwards revived, Mr, Grout 
 returning to the Zulu-country. Owing, I believe, to in- 
 formation that Pande intended to destroy the people of 
 his station, he removed to Natal, after about sixteen 
 months' residence in Pande's territories. 
 
 In 1843 (Natal had passed into the hands of the 
 British) the American Board thought it advisable to dis- 
 continue their missions in that country, and sent in- 
 structions to their agents to withdraw. Mr. Grout sailed 
 for America ; but, on his arrival at Cape Town, a strong 
 desire was manifested both by the public and the govern- 
 ment that the mission at Natal should be continued. An 
 address was forwarded to the Board begging them to re- 
 verse their resolution ; a subscription was raised to defray 
 Mr. Grout's expenses ; the governor and his secretary 
 entered warmly into the matter ; Mr, Grout soon returned 
 to his labours with a grant of land from his excellency ; 
 and the Board decided to continue their operations. A 
 great addition was made to the number of missionaries 
 then employed. In their Report for 1851, the Board 
 stated that they had in Natal eleven stations and six out- 
 stations ; fourteen missionaries (one a physician) ; one 
 male and sixteen female assistant missionaries ; and three 
 native helpers. 
 
 The Wesleyans extended their South African missions 
 to Natal; and in 1843 a Norwegian Missionary, Herr 
 Pastor Schreuder, with a lay assistant, arrived. He re- 
 sided some time at an American station, twice visiting 
 Pande and seeking permission to build in his country 
 and teach his people. The king refused unless the 
 
DIFFICULTIES OF MISSIONS. 367 
 
 Missionary would first kill the people who had deserted 
 him and were living at Mr. Grout's station on the Umvoti. 
 Mr. Schreuder subsequently established a station in 
 Natal near the Zulu frontier. While he resided there, 
 his medical skill became known to Pande, who was suffer- 
 ing from gout. The missionary, having been sent for, 
 succeeded in subduing the despot's pain and renewed 
 his original request. He received permission to select 
 two places for building, and established a station, Em- 
 pangeni, near the mouth of the Umhlatusi. Afterwards 
 he commenced another, Entumeni, higher up the river. 
 Missionary operations are now conducted in connexion 
 with the diocese of Natal. 
 
 II. — The practice of selling their women in marriage 
 presents a serious obstacle to the conversion of these 
 Kafirs. It is too profitable to be given up ; and, lest 
 the girls should acquire notions which might render them 
 indisposed to be objects of bargain and sale, they are 
 withheld as much as possible from intercourse with the 
 Europeans It is well known, in Natal, that native 
 female servants can rarely be obtained — those found in 
 service being generally orphans. " And why does the 
 Kafir not give his girl in service ? It is because he fears 
 to lose her. With civilised people the girl might soon 
 become civilised and opposed to that trade." For the 
 same reason, Kafir parents prevent their girls attending 
 at the mission services. Many say : '' Children you are 
 too young to resist the power of the word of God — you 
 might become converted ; but we old people can go and 
 hear, because our hearts are hard and strong enough to 
 resist." A few may perhaps allow their daughters to 
 go, but not until they have previously endeavoured to 
 prejudice them against the gospel. Girls have some- 
 times " been brought to missionaries for service or medical 
 purposes, but with strict injunctions not to allow them- 
 
368 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 selves to be taught ; and, as soon as the parents perceived 
 that their child was instructed, they took it away." Girls 
 expressing a desire to become Christians have been cruelly 
 treated by their parents, who ceased their ill usage only 
 on the interference of the Diplomatic Agent.* 
 
 Polygamy has been found a great hindrance to the 
 progress of Christianity — the missionaries having re- 
 quii-ed their converts to retain only one wife. Poly- 
 gamy, says a member of the American INIission, is the 
 " peculiar and idol institution " of the Kafirs ; " and, as 
 the gospel strikes at the root of this sin, they hate it with 
 their whole hearts." 
 
 " I am sick," said a native to a missionary. 
 " How are your wives and children ?" 
 " They are sick, and sufiering from cold. Give them 
 blankets. Why do you, our teacher and king, refuse ? 
 
 " You say you are sick ; but what is your disease, and 
 where is it situated ?" 
 
 " In my head, feet, and all over my body." 
 " Why do you not wear clothing then, if you are so 
 very ill ?" Why are you out this cold day with only pieces 
 of sheep-skin about your loins ? 
 
 " Teacher ! Where shall I get clothing ? Have I not 
 asked you for it and been denied ?" 
 " Why do you not purchase it ?" 
 
 " But have we black people any gold and silver ? Do 
 we know how to coin money ?" 
 
 " And have you no cows that you could dispose of for 
 money, and buy clothing for yourself and family ?" 
 
 " No, I have no cows ; and my wives and children are 
 at this moment suffering for want of corn and milk." 
 
 " It is all true that you say, I presume ; and the same 
 may be said of nearly all the men in the kraals about us. 
 But is it not your own fault that you are thus troubled ? 
 Have you not just bought a seventh wife; and have not ten 
 of your best cows, those on which you • have hitherto de- 
 
MISSIONARY RESULTS. 369 
 
 pended for milk, been driven past my door to yonder kraal 
 to pay for that wife. Did you need an additional wife as 
 you need food and clothing, with a respectable house to 
 live in ? Have you not sinned in buying wives ? And is 
 not your trouble a natural consequence of this sin ? Why 
 do you, an able-bodied man of fifty years, come to me to- 
 day naked, begging clothing, money and food, while all 
 your time, energy and property are devoted to self-gratifi- 
 cation ?" 
 
 After a short silence the man said, " Teacher, you speak 
 the truth. But we are black people ; and this custom has 
 descended to us from our fathers. JVe love polygamy, and 
 cannot ahandon it." 
 
 III. — Notwithstanding the various obstacles with which 
 they have had to contend, the missionaries have met with 
 some success. In their Report for 1850, the American 
 Board state that " there were churches at nine of their 
 eleven stations, containing one hundred and twenty-three 
 members, thirty-six of whom were received during the 
 year." "We must not however estimate the result of 
 missionary labour merely by the number of converts. 
 The people are becoming gradually enlightened ; " and 
 we believe that the seed sown will not be altogether lost. 
 Many of them already know enough of the gospel to come 
 to Christ, whenever the Spirit of God shall bring home 
 his word with power to their hearts." 
 
 It is not surprising that the missionaries have to lament 
 the infirmities of some of their converts. " It is charac- 
 teristic of the natives of this country," says the Rev. — 
 Lindley, one of the first missionaries sent to South Africa 
 by the American Board, " and, for ought we know, it may 
 be characteristic of all the heathen, to talk very much and 
 very loud, to scold and wrangle and brawl about trifles. 
 With their tongues, as also with their hands, armed not 
 unfrequently Avith sticks of various sizes, they make a 
 B B 
 
•370 APPENDIX. 
 
 great ado about a little matter. No effort is made by 
 them to restrain their anger. And some of our church 
 members have been quite faulty in this respect. A little 
 child that could crawl about with some facility, unob- 
 served by its mother, pulled its father's best coat down 
 into the dust to play with it. For this act of the child, 
 the mother received a severe scolding, with a few heavy 
 blows from the father. Sometimes the chickens of one 
 person have found their way into the garden of another ; 
 and this trespass of the poor fowls, that have literally to 
 scratch for a living among the heathen, has been the 
 occasion for a war of words hot enough to roast them, 
 feathers and all. Thoughtless little children, cows, calves, 
 dogs, &c., have all furnished cause or opportunity for 
 these perverse disputings. One poor woman received a 
 hard slaj) on the mouth from her husband, because a 
 well-meaning person told him that he ought not to scold 
 his wife, as he was then doing, for not having his food 
 prepared just when he was ready to eat. His excuse for 
 this barbarous act was, that he wished to let others see 
 that she was his wife. The feeling of his heart was 
 probably: "I paid cattle for you, to serve my pleasure; 
 and you shall serve it." Widows, living with their 
 married sons, feel at liberty to scold their daughters-in- 
 law as much as they please, with or without cause. Anger 
 has, with one exception, caused all the difficulty that we 
 have had since my last report. We have frequently 
 preached against it in public ; and in private we have 
 talked against it to the individuals most concerned ; and 
 once the members of the church were assembled, that 
 we might hear from all what they had to say on the 
 subject, and that I might be heard by them all in general, 
 and by some of them in particular. Apparently there 
 is some improvement. I should be sorry, however, to 
 have it supposed that all our church members are prone 
 to indulge their angry passions. We live much more 
 
INFIRMITIES OF CONVERTS. 371 
 
 amicably than our brawling neighbours, the heathen. 
 Five of our church members have, in our opinion, de- 
 served and have received reproof, with exhortations to 
 keep their tongues and tempers with greater dilligence. 
 In regard to one of these five, I have but faint hopes of 
 improvement." AVith several of his converts, however, 
 Mr. Lindley continued to be well pleased. With most, 
 indeed, he saw no cause to find serious fault, yet his 
 experience during the past year (I quote from the Mis- 
 sionary Herald of April, 1854) had tended to weaken his 
 " confidence in the religious professions of this people. 
 They do not give such evidence as I could wish of a 
 thorough change of heart. And this question, always a 
 difficult one, has now become painful ; ' How much 
 allowance ought to be made for imperfection in the 
 Christian character of those who have barely, and but 
 lately, emerged from the depths of a truly degrading- 
 heathenism V " 
 
 IV. — The following extract from a letter of the Bishop 
 of Natal (dated March 22, 1856) relates to a very in- 
 teresting and unexpected circumstance : — " The central 
 institution at Ekukanyeni (Place of Light) has by the 
 course of events been brought into active operation much 
 sooner than I had at all anticipated, though it was always 
 my hope that we should eventually succeed in making it 
 available for the purpose to which it is now devoted, viz. 
 the education of a number of Kafir lads, from five to four- 
 teen years of age, all sous of chief men, or their indunas, 
 who have been committed into their hands by their 
 parents in the most confiding manner, to be taught and 
 trained in any way we think best. My hope was that, 
 from our different stations scattered about the country, we 
 might, after a year or two, be able to procure a few lads 
 whose parents would allow them to be removed from their 
 native kraals and their abominations, and be brought up 
 under our care. But on proceeding to find a station with 
 B B 2 
 
372 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 the chief Geza, shortly after Sir George Grey's return 
 from his visit to this colony, we (Mr. Shepstone and my- 
 self) were led by circumstances to make a proposal to the 
 tribe, that they should send their children to me for edu- 
 cation. The experiment was so utterly novel and untried, 
 that Mr. Shepstone (whose influence Avith the Natal Kafirs 
 is most remarkable) had never before thought of the plan 
 as possible ; and indeed proposed it to them with con- 
 siderable hesitation as to the probability of their assenting. 
 However, he explained to them fully the advantages of 
 such a measure; and their confidence in him was such, 
 that with one voice they agreed to do what he recom- 
 mended, and to send their boys (it will be a more serious 
 matter to get the girls, but we must try for that in due 
 time) as soon as I should be ready to receive them. 
 Happily we had almost completed at Ekukauyeni a resi- 
 dence for the principal of the institution (whoever it might 
 be), with outbuildings for barn and stabling, all which 
 might be adapted for our present necessities. And, ac- 
 cordingly, we promised to be ready in a fortnight ; and 
 they might send their children as soon after that as they 
 pleased. To the great trial, however, of our faith and 
 patience, three months elapsed before any children came, 
 and it appeared that meanwhile great discussions had been 
 carried on within and without the tribe of Geza (which 
 for the present was principally concerned in the proposal) 
 as to the object for which the children were required. 
 Geza himself and his chief men were firm in their resolu- 
 tion. The former declared that * his two boys should go, 
 if they went alone.' But in all the tribes of the district, 
 to whom the intelligence was soon conveyed, there were 
 serious misgivings as to the consequences of such a 
 measure ; and by many Geza and his people were called 
 fools for trusting their children wholly into the hands of 
 the white man. However, these fears and suspicions, 
 from which perhaps their own hearts, if the truth -vvcre 
 
THE bishop's operations. 873 
 
 told, were not wholly free, were so far overcome at last, 
 that on a day, of which due notice was given us, nineteen 
 young boys were brought to the station by their friends, 
 who formed a long procession of men and women, some 
 leading the little ones by the hand, others bearing them 
 npon their shoulders, and with much ceremony and some 
 speech-making, delivered up into our hands. * We might 
 do what we liked with them — take them over the sea to 
 England if we pleased, as many people said we should, 
 though they sincerely hoped we should not.' Since that 
 time we have received eleven more, and it is quite possible 
 that in the course of a few months our numbers may 
 steadily increase to fifty or one hundred children. They 
 feel very much the change from the warm, close Kafir 
 hut to the airy and draughty European house, more 
 especially in wet weather, when they suffer a good deal 
 from cold. This requires us to pay careful attention to 
 the matter of clothing, and entails of necessity no incon- 
 siderable expense. 
 
 " In order to break as much as possible, especially 
 during the first winter, their change from Kafir to Euro- 
 pean habits, I have been obliged to order this day the 
 construction of a first-class Kafir hut at the institution, 
 where on a wet evening the children may sit around a 
 fire in the centre, and feel a little of the warmth and com- 
 fort of home. And in order to provide for their better 
 accommodation at night I have had constructed a wooden 
 building of some extent, which must serve for the present 
 as chapel, school-room, and dormitory, while we proceed 
 to erect other buildings where the lads may have each his 
 little stretcher and separate bed at night, and so be accus- 
 tomed by degrees to the decencies and the wants of 
 civilized life. At present they sit around upon the floor 
 for their meals, which consist mainly of meal porridge 
 with beef, and at night a cup of coffee on Sundays. 
 Never was a lesson of order and ]iaticnce taught more 
 
374 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 expressively than by the appearance of these thirty lads 
 at meal-time. The old Kafir woman, whom the tribe 
 chose at my request as their attendant, standing in the 
 middle, ladles out the porridge with provoking delibera- 
 tion, generally going the round twice to equalize the 
 portions, though the little ones always tell her when they 
 have enough on their plate. Not a movement is made 
 towards the food, however hungry they may be, till this 
 process is duly completed ; then they say their little grace 
 in Kafir, and, at a given signal, the meal proceeds." 
 
375 
 
 TRIBES OF THE ZULU-COUNTRY AND NATAL. 
 
 The Zulus (Uzulu) are a branch of an older tribe 
 (Amantombela) now extinct; and, through it, connected 
 with the Amalanga and Quabies (Uquabi). The Zulus, 
 who remain chiefly on their original site, embrace the 
 following divisions; viz. Amampongosi, Amambani, Ba- 
 kwabiyele, Amanhlagazi, Abasemgazini, Amahlabiza, Ama- 
 telezi, Amaxulusi, Amazuza. The Amalanga lived on 
 a ridge near the Umhlatusi, where some remarkable trees 
 stand. Tshaka's mother was of this tribe. It is said that 
 he fought a severe battle with them in the early part of 
 his career. They are now dispersed. The Amagwaza, 
 Amantshali, and Amasimangu were divisions of this tribe. 
 The Uquabi lived from the Umhlatusi to the Tugela. A 
 spring near the mission station Entumeni bears the name 
 of Ukonhlo, the father of Pakatwayo. I am not certain 
 about the names of the families of this tribe. " It was 
 a powerful tribe, excited the jealousy of the aspiring 
 Amazulu, and was one of the first to suffer at the hands 
 of Tsliaka, in the early days of his reign. Being dis- 
 turbed and overcome, some passed over to the west of the 
 Utugela and went down as far as the Amampondo a full 
 quarter of a century since. These were followed by 
 others at different times, who built along the coast from 
 the Utugela to the Umkomazi, chiefly at first about the 
 mouths of the Nonoti and Umvoti, and afterwards on the 
 Umpongodwe and Amanzimtote, being joined by some 
 of those who had fled before them to the Amampon lo. 
 Different companies passed over at different times and 
 settled at different places, from the days of Tshaka or 
 before, until the arrival and residence of the Boers in 
 Natal and perhaps until the country became a British 
 colony, for, if we mistake not, MaAva who came, we think 
 
370 APPENDIX. 
 
 in 1843, either originally belonged to this tribe or else 
 joined it after her arrival here. They are now residing, 
 some at the I mona and Umtongati and Umvoti, under 
 the chief Umusi, and some at the Umvoti under Uman- 
 fongonyana ; and some in other parts of the colony. In 
 1847 the number of kraals belonging to this tribe, then 
 li-vang upon the Umona and. Umtongati, where they had 
 then been for seven or eight years, was about one hun- 
 dred, besides sixteen or seventeen kraals at the mouth of 
 the Umhloti, and fourteen or fifteen more on the Uhlanga. 
 Of this tribe there are now ninety-six kraals (338 huts) 
 belonging to the Inanda location." 
 
 The DwAXDWES (Undwandwe) believe themselves to be 
 connected with an ancestor of the Zulus, named Inkosi 
 Enkulu (Great Chief). They lived on the Black Folosi 
 and beyond, and were partly intermixed with the Zulus. 
 They included the Xnumayo a considerable division now 
 in Natal ; Abakwansimbi ; Abakwakumayo ; Abasiman- 
 gcwangeni ; and, I have been told, the tribe of Umzilikazi. 
 Usikonyana, is said to be still living, near Sotshangana. 
 The Umtetv^'a (Tetwas) lived on the low ground begin- 
 ning at the Umlelas. They included the Abakwasibata ; 
 Abakwambogazi ; Abakwamcaya ; Abakwamcnubi ; Aba- 
 kwamkunzi; Abasimaclambini; Abakwasiyana; Abasihlam- 
 beni; Abakwadubl; Abakwampugunyoni ; Amakoba(?); 
 Abakwasigoti, the tribe of Sotshangana, who lives near 
 Delagoa Bay, on the Paiila (Lipalule ?) ; Abakwamsweya, 
 whose chief, Mandeku, is near Sotshangana ; while Ux- 
 naba, of the Abasimansimeni, is in the same neighbour- 
 hood. 
 
 The Quabies, Tetwas, Dwandwes (who are distinguished 
 as Amatefula, an opprobrious term) spoke a dialect some- 
 what different from that of the Zulus. 
 
 The foUoM-ing is a list of tribes who dMelt in the present 
 colony of Natal (or very near it) at the time of the Zulu 
 
LIST OF TRIBES. 
 
 077 
 
 invasion, and are again found there in something of a tribal 
 state under their respective chiefs. The sites which they 
 occupied when disturbed by the Zukis are indicated, but 
 it has not been thought necessary to note the particular 
 localities they now occupy.' 
 
 Amangwane lived near the sources of the Umzinynti 
 and the Tugela. The notorious Matuana was chief of this 
 tribe. After his defeat by the colonial forces, he returned 
 with some followers and made terms with the Zulus, but 
 was subsequently killed by Dingan. The Amahlubi, who 
 separated from the Amangwane, lived between the Tugela 
 and Umzinyati. Disturbed by the Amacunu, and after- 
 wards by the Zulus. F. Amabomvu, said to be a branch of 
 the Amangwane. Inland on the Umzinyati. Not much 
 disturbed by Tshaka, but fled before Dingan. Amabele, a 
 branch of the Amahlubi, high up on the Impafana (Mooi 
 River). Some in Faku's country ; some in Natal. F. (I 
 have been told that the Amangwane were related to the 
 Zulus). 
 
 Amagoba, Amabazo, Abakw^azw^ana, Amalata, Ama- 
 
 QANYENi, Amaximba. Bcyoud Umzimyati. Amacunu: said 
 
 to be a branch of the Quabies. Once lived at Eganhla, 
 
 below and beyond the Umzimyati. 
 
 Amanyuswa or Amangcobo. On the Emambo, a trib. 
 
 of Tugela on its left bank. Served Tshaka. Amacadi, a 
 
 branch of the Amanyuswa. Lived on the Insuze, trib. 
 
 of Tugela on its left bank, nearly opposite Kwamapumulo. 
 
 Amagongoma, a branch of the Amanyusa, on whom they 
 
 were dependent until Dingan's time, 
 
 Amancolosi. Originally above Kwamapumulo on the 
 
 Umambulo south of Tugela. Many destroyed, some fled, 
 
 some submitted. 
 
 Amahlangu, or Inhlangu or Enhlangwini. Originally 
 
 near the junction of Tugela and Umzinyati, towards 
 
 Noodsberg and Isidumbi. Fled to S.W. part of Natal. 
 Abasembu or Abambu. Branched from the Quabies. 
 
878 APPENDIX. 
 
 Lived near the junction of Tagela and Umzinyati. Rout- 
 ed by Tshaka. 
 
 Inati. Both sides of the Tugela, Fled to the bush, but 
 afterwards submitted to Tshaka. 
 
 Abatembu, on the Umtshizij N. of Tugela, far inland. 
 
 Amaosiana. Originally near Kwamapumulo. 
 
 Amasekunkne. Kwamapumulo. Nearly destroyed by 
 Tshaka. F. 
 
 Amakabela. Near the mountain Untunjambile, on the 
 Tugela, not far from Kwamapumulo. Became tributaries 
 in skins. 
 
 Amafoze or Amafuti. Originally between Tugela and 
 Umyinyati. 
 
 Abakwamkultsa. Lived near Job's Berg. 
 
 Amamemela. Lived above Job's Berg, 
 
 Amampumuza. Lived on the Umpanza, a trib. of the 
 Lnpafana. 
 
 Amasepepeta. Lived near the hill Episweni between 
 the Umvoti and Tugela. 
 
 Amanganga. Lived near the sources of the Nonoti. 
 
 Amasome. Lived near the sources of Nonoti. 
 
 Amakanya. Lived near Nonoti. 
 
 Amahlongwa. Lived on the sources of Umvoti. Some 
 became herders of Tshaka's cattle on the Umzimkuln. — 
 Ainahlala, a branch of the former, lived in the same neigh- 
 bourhood. Amala7iga, another branch of the same. Lived 
 on the Umvoti and Ihlimbiti. Amapumulo, another 
 branch, who resided near Kwamapumulo. Ama?idclu, or 
 Amabahlcla, separated from the Amahlongwa and lived on 
 the Umvoti. 
 
 Amaluleka. On the Umvoti. Once subject to the 
 Amahlongwa. Present chief banished for " witchcraft." 
 
 Amacele. Lived near the Umvoti, Tongati, and Inanda. 
 At first all lived near the mouth of the Umvoti. Two 
 sons of the chief quarrelled And divided the tribe. Some 
 never left the country. 
 
LIST OF TRIBES. »379 
 
 Amandwayana. Lived at Esidunjlni in the region of 
 Tsidiimbi. 
 
 Amatshangasi. At Emanlilatoti, above Kwamapumiilo. 
 
 Amadunga. At Epasiwe, between the Umvoti and 
 Tngela inland. Near them lived a branch of the tribe, 
 Amahonibo; while the Amanyafu, another branch, dwelt 
 near Noodsberg, Umvoti, and Isidumbi. 
 
 Am ABACA, lived high up on the Umgeni. 
 
 Amatuli. See page 261. 
 
 Amatolo. Inland on the Umkomazi. 
 
 Amekuze. On the Umlcomazi. Some say that they 
 dwelt beyond the Tugela before Tshata. F. (I have 
 heard them spoken of as allied to the Zulu tribes). 
 
 The following tribes originally lived in Natal, but have 
 no tribal existence there now. The Amalilancja dwelt on 
 the Umgeni, inland, in Tshaka's time. They were slain or 
 dispersed by the invader Some fled to the Amabaca, who 
 were then with the Amaxosa. Some now live with the Ama- 
 baca ; some with the Inhumbi tribe on the Umtwalume ; 
 some on the Umgeni sources, and some with other tribes. 
 Their hereditary chief is Umgada, said to be living not far 
 from Pietermaritzburg. The Amandhlovu: there seem to 
 have been two distinct tribes or branches called by this 
 name. Some lived on the west of the Umtongati, some on 
 the west of the Umgeni, near the sources of the Umhlatu- 
 zana, and further inland. Of the former there are now 
 four or five kraals living on the Umpongodwe and Isipin- 
 go. The latter fled far inland at the time of the invasion, 
 A few are now living on the Umkomazi, near Udumisa. 
 There are also some of this name, amounting to twenty- 
 nine or thirty kraals, living with Ukofiana on the Uhlanga, 
 and on the Inanda location. The Amagcni dwelt near Isi- 
 dumbi. They were destroyed and driven ofl' to the south- 
 west by the Amazulu. Tlierc are a few still living in the 
 colony, chiefly on the Umhlatuzana. 'i"he Amazilcmu for- 
 
;j80 APPENDIX. 
 
 mcrly lived in the region of the Uintongati. When they 
 fled before Tyaka many perished through famine ; some 
 escaped to the Amamponda land, whence they have not 
 returned in any considerable numbers. A few, however, 
 may be now found living on the Umtwalume, among them 
 is the chieftess Uvunhlazi. They were the parent of the 
 Amabaca. Amalcomyao, lived formerly on the Uhlanga 
 and Umhloti. They shared the same fate as the Amazi- 
 Icmu. A few took refuge with the Amatuli at the Bluff, 
 and were saved. There are five at least now living under 
 the chieftain Uvunhlazi on the Umtwalume. The Atna- 
 lilungelc, an off-shoot from the Amazilemu, dwelt on the 
 Uhlanga at the time of the Zulu invasion. The greater 
 part were slain. Some fled to the bush, and some died of 
 fiimine. The Kwalanga tribe dwelt on the Umgeni, in- 
 land, and were mostly slain by the Zulus. Some were 
 carried away captives, and some escaped to the Kwa- 
 hlamba mountains. As a tribe they are extinct ; but a few 
 live near Table Mountain, and a few others are scattered 
 in other parts of the colony. The Amatshihi anciently 
 dwelt on the Umzinyati, but emigrated to the Umvoti, 
 near the Isitemtu Mountain, before the days of Tshaka. 
 They were originally an ofF-shoot from the Amancolosi. 
 They were dispersed by Tshaka. Some, however, still 
 remain in the district of Natal ; some are with Fodo, some 
 with the Amabaca, and some just this side of the Um- 
 zimkulu, under Ungobozi. The Amazotsha built in ancient 
 times on a jilain south-west of Table Mountain. They 
 were subdued by the Amabaca and many of them incor- 
 porated M-ith that tribe. Some now dMell high up the 
 Umkomazi, and some on the west side of the Umvoti, not 
 far from the sea. The Amantultizela dwelt on a tributary 
 of the Umtwalume. Many were destroyed. A remnant 
 now resides near the Kwahlamba INIountaiiis. F. The 
 Amanzohe dwelt on the Umvoti. Their chief, Undabane, 
 was slain by the Zulus. Some saved themselves by flight 
 
LIST OF TRIBES. 381 
 
 to the west. The remnant now resides on both sides of 
 the Umzimkulu. The Amakulu, or Iminkulu, anciently 
 lived inland on the Umhloti, at a place called " Ozwatini," 
 under the chief Umambane. Some are now found in the 
 country scattered among other tribes. There is a remnant 
 on the Umkomazi ; but the royal family is extinct. The 
 Atnazizi, it is said, formerly lived above Pieter Maritz- 
 burg, and that some are still living near their old home, 
 while some are scattered among other tribes. F. Some 
 of the Amajivane tribe, which once lived between the 
 Umzumbi, and Umzimkulu, are said to be residing now 
 near the Umgeni, under Ukofiana. Some of the survivors 
 of the AmahloJco, who once built on the Umhlale, are now 
 incorporated with the Amacele. The Amajuzazi, who 
 dwelt on this side of the Umzinyati ; the Amahane, who 
 dwelt on the Umvoti ; and the Amansipo, who dwelt on 
 the Umona, were nearly all destroyed by the Zulu in- 
 vader, or driven whence they have not been heard from 
 by us. Of the Ahahvawo, or Abatshwawu, F, who for- 
 merly lived around the mountain, Inhlazuka, near the 
 llovo ; of the Amantshele, and of the Atnatshohene, a few 
 survivors may be found in the colony incorporated with 
 other tribes. Of the Arna^nhibi also, \n\\o once lived 
 between the Umkomazi and Umzumbi, there are still a 
 few in the colony. 
 
 The names also of a few other tribes once inhabiting the 
 Natal district, may be given here, of which a few indi- 
 viduals also may be found scattered here and there in differ- 
 ent parts of the Natal colony, of which are the Amanj'ilo, 
 who once lived west of the Umgeni, about the sources 
 of the Umlazi, under the chief Usali ; the Amalumba, 
 once lying on the north of the Umhloti ; the Amanjale, 
 on the same river, inland ; the Amankomo, not far from 
 the last named ; the Amamtamho, on the Umkomazi, in- 
 land ; the Amazodtva, on the Umkomazi also, inland ; the 
 Amamj)ofava, near the same river ; and tlie Amantozalce, 
 
:)8e 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 near the Umzunibc, inland. F. A few kraals, belonging 
 to all the above tribes and to a few others of ancient 
 residence in Natal, but now nearly extinct, especially as 
 tribes, ai"c still to be found in different parts of the colony 
 incorporated with other tribes. 
 
388 
 
 THE KAFIR LANGUAGE. 
 
 I.— A SUBSTANTIVE consists of a root and a prefix — the 
 latter being a particle with no separate meaning. E.g. 
 umu-ntu, a man; i-hashe, a horse. The name of injiex 
 has been given to the prefixed particle, because by changes 
 of it the modifications of the noun for number and case 
 are effected, as in Latin and Greek they are eflfected by 
 means of terminal jDarticles, or inflexes set after the root. 
 Thus, in the Latin word, Jiom-o, the root is horn and the 
 inflex 0, which is changed to ines in the plural, the whole 
 word becoming homines ; just as the singular words umu- 
 ntu and i-hashe become, in the plural, dba-ntu and ama- 
 hashe. There are eight singular inflexes, six having 
 plural forms ; and thus we have eight species of nouns, 
 two of which want the plural. Some of the inflexes are 
 abbreviated ; e.g. imiu occurs in the shorter forms of um 
 and u; Hi becomes e. Both the full and abbreviated 
 forms are given below. 
 
 . .SiS umu-ntu f man, aba-tifu, men. 
 
 . . as um-fazi, wife, aba-fazi, wives. 
 
 ..as u-dade, sister, o-dade, sisters. 
 
 . ..as ili-zioe, land, ama-zwe, lands, 
 
 ... as i-hashe,. horse, ama-hashe, horses, 
 
 i . . as im-azi, cow, izbn-azl, cows. 
 
 . . . as in-kabi, ox, izin-kabi, oxen. 
 
 . ..as i-tunga, pail, izi-tunga, pails. 
 
 ... as isi-nltwn, loaf, izi-nkwa, loaves. 
 
 ... as unin-ti, tree, imi-ti, trees. 
 
 . ..as um-sebenzi, work, iinl-sebenzi,works. 
 
 VI. ulu, plural, izbn,izin ; as ulu-to, thing, izm-fo, things. 
 11, plural, izim,izin ; as u-tango, hedge, izim-^Ajigro, hedges. 
 
 VII. ubu, no plural, as nbu-kosl, greatness. 
 VIII. uku, no plural, as uku-lunga, righteousness. 
 
 There is a fragment of each inflex, which is found to 
 be of great consequence in grammatical construction. It 
 
 I. 
 
 umu. 
 
 1 plural. 
 
 aba; 
 
 
 um, 
 
 plural, 
 
 aba ; 
 
 
 u, 
 
 plural, 
 
 o; 
 
 11. 
 
 Hi, 
 
 plural, 
 
 avia ; 
 
 
 h 
 
 plural. 
 
 ama ; 
 
 III. 
 
 im. 
 
 plural, 
 
 izim j 
 
 
 in. 
 
 plural. 
 
 izin ; 
 
 
 i, 
 
 plural. 
 
 izi ; 
 
 IV. 
 
 isi. 
 
 plural. 
 
 izi ; 
 
 V. 
 
 umu, 
 
 plural, 
 
 imi ; 
 
 
 um. 
 
 plural. 
 
 imi ; 
 
084 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 has been called the characteristic of the inflex. Thus, in 
 the first species, umu, wn, u, are represented by u, and 
 aba by h. The characteristics (singular and plural) of 
 each species are as follows : — I. w, h. II. /, a. III. i, z. 
 IV. s, z. V. u, i. VI. lu, z. VII. h. VIII. ku. 
 ( U and e before a vowel become w and y.) 
 
 The Vocative Case is formed by eliding the initial 
 vowel. E.g. ^ba-ntu people. 
 
 The Possessive is formed by prefixing the characteristic 
 of the inflex of the governing noun with the connecting 
 vowel a. E.g. umuntu wa-ilizwe would be a man of the 
 country ; but a coalesces with i, and the correct form is 
 timuntu welizwe. (The vowels a and u would coalesce 
 into 0/ « and a into a. E.g. wa-umzi would become 
 womzi ; wa~abantu, wdbantu?) Proper names of persons 
 droj) their initial vowel and prefix ka, to which again is 
 prefixed the last syllable of the inflex of the governing 
 noun, whenever that is dissyllabic. E.g. umfazi ka- 
 Tshaka, wife of u-Tshaka ; aba-fazi baka-Pato, wives of 
 Pato. 
 
 The Locative or Oblique Case is that in which a noun 
 is put when it follows a verb, of which it is not the direct 
 object ; and will be expressed in English by in, to, or 
 from. It is formed by changing the initial vowel into e ; 
 and the final, if a or e, into eni — if i into itii — if o into 
 tveni — if w into wini. E.g. imi-hla, day, emihleni. Proper 
 names of places merely change the initial vowel into e. 
 E.g. em Voti, from tim Voti. The locative takes a euphonic 
 s before it when preceded by a monosyllable. 
 
 II. — Adjectives take the inflex of the substantives they 
 refer to. (I.) When an adjective accompanies a substan- 
 tive as an epithet (e.g. the white man), it follows it, with 
 the full inflex of the substantive — the first vowel of the 
 inflex being prolatcd (by the change of i into e, and u into 
 o). Thus {kulu signifying great) in-kosi en-kulu — a great 
 
THE LANGUAGE. 385 
 
 chief. (2) When an adjective is separated from its sub- 
 stantive and used as a predicate (e.g. the man is white) 
 the last syllable only of the inflex of the substantive is 
 prefixed. Y^.g. tn-kosi in-kulu ; ili-so li-kulu. 
 
 *^* As will be seen hereafter, the adjectival inflexes in 
 the one case are relative pronouns ; and in the other 
 personal pronouns. (I.) Ili-so eli-kuhi=^th.e eye which (is) 
 great = the great eye. (2.) Ili-so li-kulu=the eye it (is) 
 great =the eye is great. These may be called, re- 
 spectively, the relative and personal inflexes. 
 
 in. — The personal pronouns, of the first and second 
 persons, are gi (ngi after a vowel), I ; u, thou. Those of 
 the third person (the personal inflexes) are the last sylla- 
 ble of the inflexes of the nouns to which the pronouns 
 refer. Personal pronouns have a Possessive, and a Pre- 
 positional case — the latter being the form in which they 
 take a preposition and corresponding to the objective case 
 of nouns. There is also an Emphatic form of these pro- 
 nouns which may be used when emphasis is required in- 
 stead of any of the other forms or in addition to either of 
 
 them. 
 
 Personal pronoun of the first person : Gi, I or me ; 
 
 ami, of me ; Prepositional, mi, as ga-mi, by me ; ku-mi, 
 
 to me ; na-mi, with me. Emphatic form, mma. Plural : 
 
 Si, we or us ; ctu of us ; ti, as ga-ti, by us ; hi-ti, to us ; 
 
 na-ti, with us. Emphatic, tina. 
 
 Second person : IT, thou or thee ; ako, of thee ; we, as 
 ga-we, kti-ive, na-we. Emph. wena. Plural. Ni you; 
 enu of you ; ni, as ga-ni, ku-ni, na-ni. Emph. nina. 
 
 */ The characteristic of the governing noun, with a, is 
 prefixed to the genitive of the pronoun as of a substantive. 
 E.g. uku-lila kxcami, kwako, kwetu, kwenu ; my, thy, 
 our, your food. 
 
 The forms or cases of pronouns of the third person 
 vary, according to the inflex of the substantive they refer 
 C C 
 
386 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 to. Thus, if the latter belong to the first class of sub- 
 stantives, of which the iuflex is u ; the pronoun will be 
 u, a, e ; possessive, aJce ; prepositional, ye ; emphatic, yena. 
 If of the second class, the inflcx being Hi, the simple form 
 will be li; possessive, alo ; prepositional, /o/ emphatic, Zowa. 
 
 Relative pronouns. First person, o ; plur., aha, esi. 
 Second person, o; plur., aha, e?ii. Those of the third 
 person are the same as the relative inflexes, i.e. they 
 are the complete inflexes of the noun they refer to, with 
 their initial vowels prolatcd. E.g. ili-ztoe eli, the land 
 which ; aha-ntu aha, the people Avho. These serve for 
 the nominative ; but the possessive and accusative are 
 expressed by the personal pronouns. E.g. umuntu ilizwe 
 lake li-n^amanlila, the man, his word is powerful = the man 
 whose word is powerful. 
 
 Demonstrative pronouns are formed from the relative 
 by prefixing I to signify this ; by prefixing / and changing 
 the final vowel to o, to signify that ; by prefixing I and 
 affixing ya, to signify tJiaf there, i.e. further off. E.g. leli 
 ilizwe, lelo ilizive, leliya ilizwe. 
 
 IV. — Verbs, besides their simple form, have the follow- 
 ing : (1.) A FoKMAL PASSIVE, formed from the simple by 
 adding kala, or changing its final vowel to eka. Ex. hona, 
 see, bonakala, become seen, appear ; tanda, love, tandeka, 
 become loved. (2.) Causative, formed by inserting is 
 before the final vowel. Hamha, go ; hamhisa, make to go. 
 (3.) Objective (so called because it generally expresses 
 that the action of the verb is done for or towards some 
 object) is formed from the simple by inserting cl before 
 the final vowel. Sehenza, work ; sehenzela, work for. 
 (4.) The Reflective form prefixes zi. Tanda, love ; 
 zitanda, love one's self. (5.) The Reciprocal inserts an 
 before the final vowel. Tanda, love ; tandana, love one 
 another. (6.) The Sim])le, Causative, and Objective forms 
 have each a Passive, formed by inserting w before their 
 
THE LANGUAGE. 387 
 
 filial vowel. Tanda, tandroa ; tandisa, tandisvm ; tandela, 
 tandelwa. 
 
 The Verb is used in six Moods — Imperative, Infinitive, 
 Indicative, Potential, Optative, Subjunctive. 
 
 The Imperative Second Person Singular, is the Eoot of 
 the Verb. Ex. ianda, love thou, tanda-ni, love ye. The 
 other persons of the Imperative are formed by means of 
 the particle ma, (from the verb ma, stand,) and the Sub- 
 junctive. Ex. ma-ngi-ianda, let me love. 
 
 The Infinitive consists of the Simple Verbal Root 
 Form, preceded by uku, and generally ends in a. Ex. 
 uliu-tanda, to love, uku-hamha, to walk. 
 
 In the Indicative there are ten Tenses, four of which 
 are Simple, and six Compound, i.e. formed by help of the 
 auxiliary verbs, ya or za, go, ha, be. 
 
 Every action, whether in Present, Past, or Future Time, 
 may be regarded as, at the moment spoken of, either just 
 beginning to he, or already in progress, or Just finished. 
 Thus we shall need three Tenses for each species of Time, 
 to express the action as commencing, continuing, or com- 
 pleted (perfect). Hence we have the following Scheme of 
 Tenses : — 
 
 (1.) Commencing Present, gi-ya-tanda, I love, now 
 begin to love. 
 
 (2.) Continuing Present, gi-tanda, I love or am loving, 
 have been, and still am loving. 
 
 (3.j Completed Present, gi-tandile, I have loved, have 
 done loving. 
 
 (4.) Commencing Past, ga-tanda, I loved, then began to 
 
 love. 
 (5.) Continuing Past, gi-he ngi-tanda, I was loving, had 
 
 then been, and still was, loving. 
 (6.) Completed Past, gi-he ngi-tandile, I had loved, had 
 then done loving. 
 c c 8 
 
888 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 (7.) Commencing Future, gi-ya-ku-tanda, I shall come 
 
 to love, shall then begin to love. 
 (8.) Continuing Yxxiwxe, gi-ya-ku-he 7igi-tanda, I shall he 
 
 lochig, then, as before. 
 (9.; Completed Future, gi-ya-ku-he ngi-tandile, I shall 
 
 have loved, shall then have done loving. 
 Besides which there is the Imperative Future, which is 
 only used when an idea oi posltiveness, authority, command, 
 or co)npulsion, is to be expressed. 
 
 (10.) Imperative Future, go-tanda, I will love. 
 
 Three of the Simple Tenses arc the same in form with the 
 Root, but take the prefixed pronouns with different vowel- 
 sounds, as (ji-tanda. I love, ga-tanda, I loved, go-tanda, I will 
 love. The fourth is formed from the Root by changing the final 
 vowel into He ; as gi-tandile, I have loved. 
 
 The Simple Forms are also used as participles, each with its 
 proper shade of meaning. Ex. gi-ta7ula, I loving (now), ga- 
 tanda, I loving (then, in past time), gi-tandile, I having loved. 
 
 The Compound Tenses are formed by means of the tenses of 
 the auxiliaries, and the simple participles of the verb. 
 gi-ya-tanda, (probably, for gi-ya ngi-tanda, I am going loving,) 
 
 I love. 
 gi-ya ku-tanda, I am going to love, I shall love. 
 gi-he ngi-tanda, I was loving, gi-be ngi-tandile, I was having loved, 
 
 I had loved. 
 gi-ya-ku-be ngi-tanda, I shall be loving. 
 gi-ya-ku-be ngi-tandile, I shall be having loved, I shall have loved. 
 
 N.B. be appears to be the tense of the verb ba, which cor- 
 responds to tandile from tanda. 
 
 So too the Future Imperative may be expressed in three 
 Forms, by means of the auxiliary ba and the participles. 
 
 Ex. Commencing, go-tanda, I will love. 
 
 Continuing, go-ba ngi-tanda, I will be loving. 
 Completed, go-ba ngi-tandile, I will have loved. 
 
 The Co7npound Forms are also used as participles. 
 
 Tlie Future Compounds are also found with za instead of ya, 
 and then the action is intended to be expressed as more imme- 
 diate. Ex. u-za-kii-fa, he is just about to die, 
 
THE LANGUAGE. 389 
 
 The above tenses are all made negative, by the use of 
 the negative particles a and nga, which are inserted as 
 follows, with a change of the last vowel of the root in the 
 present to i, and in the past to anga. (In the Comjiound 
 Futures the change of vowel takes place, it will be seen, 
 in accordance with the above rule, in the verb ya, The 
 Future Imperative has no negative form.) 
 
 Present. Past. 
 
 1. a-ngi-tandi. 4. a-ngi-tandanga. 
 
 %. gi-nga-tandi. 5. gi-he ngi-nga-tandi. 
 
 Z. a-ngi-tandile (or tandangci). 6. gi-he ngi-nga-tandanga. 
 
 Future. 
 
 7. a-ngi-yi-Jcu-tanda. 
 
 8. a-ngi-yi-ku-he ngi-tanda. 
 
 9. a-ngi-yi-ku-he ngi-tandile. 
 
 There are five Tenses in the Potential Mood, formed 
 by means of the particle ga or nga, introduced into certain 
 tenses of the Indicative, as follows : — 
 
 1. gi-nga-tanda, I may or can love. 
 
 2. gi-he-ngi-nga-tanda, I might or could love. 
 
 3. ga-ngi-tanda, I should or would love. 
 
 4. g a-ngi-tandile, (or tundanga), I might, could, should, 
 
 would, have loved. 
 
 5. ga-ngi-ya-Tiu-tanda, I may or might &c. come to love. 
 The three tenses of the Optative are formed from the 
 First Tense Potential, by prefixing to it the Present, Past, 
 and. Future, Simple Tenses, of the verb ga or nga, to wish. 
 
 1. gi-nga-gi-nga-tanda, I wish I may love. 
 
 2. ga-nga-gi-nga-tanda, I wished I might love. 
 
 3. go-nga-gi-nga-tanda, I shall wish I might love. 
 The one tense of the Subjunctive is formed from the 
 
 Present Indicative, by changing the final a into e. 
 Ex. ( ukuhaj gi-tande, (that) I may love. 
 
 A verb is ahvays used with pronominal prefixes (the 
 usual personal pronouns). Thus, in the Commencing 
 
390 APPENDIX. 
 
 Present of the Indicative Mood : Gt-t/a-tatida, I love ; 
 u-ya-tafida, thou lovcst. The prefix of the third person 
 depends on the nominative case; and will be, according 
 to the species of the noun, m, U, i, si, u, lu, hu, ku, ya- 
 tanda : Pluial: Si-ya tanda, we love; ni-ya-tanda, ye 
 love ; third person ha, a, zi, i-ya-tanda. 
 
 The accusative of a pronoun, referring to the object 
 of the verb, is inserted between the verb and pronominal 
 prefix ; and the Emphatic form is often put, as an exple- 
 tive, after the verb, in apposition to the accusative before 
 it. E.g. ha-m-sahe yena, they him frightened, him. 
 
 (N.B. m is an accusative form of the pronoun, third 
 person, first species.) 
 
 The preceding sketch of some of the more prominent 
 features of the Kafir language, is compiled, generally 
 verbatim, from the Elementary Grammar of the Bishop 
 of Natal. 
 
 PRONUNCIATION OF NATIVE TERMS. 
 
 A to be pronounced as in father ; e, as a in mate ; i, as 
 e in seen ; o, as in bone ; u, as oo ; au, as ow in hoio. 
 C, q, X are clicks — c being the dental, q the palatal, and x 
 the lateral, which are uttered, respectively, by thrusting 
 the tongue against the toj) of the front teeth, the roof of the 
 mouth, and the side teeth, and suddenly withdrawing it. 
 The accent to be placed on the penultimate. The prefixes 
 of the substantives are usually distinguished, in the pre- 
 ceding pages, by hyphens. 
 
NOTES. 
 
 CHAPTER 
 
 'The eye is sometimes turned up at the outer corner. 
 
 ^The Amatonga are said to be very dark — a state- 
 ment confirmed by Captain Owen's assertion that the 
 people of ISIapoota are all jet-black. {PritcharcTs Re- 
 searches, vol, ii, p. 322.) 
 
 ^Eed hair occurs among the natives of Kongo. {Id. 
 324.) 
 
 *Lara. V. 10. See also Job xxx. 30. 
 
 *The Amampondo wear a head-ring, but do not shave 
 the hair outside it. I think the Amalala practice was 
 similar. (Young men sometimes trim their hair like a 
 bishop's wig.) The Amaswazi partially shave their head. 
 The Makua (coast of Mosambique) " dress their hair 
 fantastically ; some shave one side of the head, others both 
 sides, leaving a hairy crest from the forehead to the nape 
 of the neck, while others wear only a knot on the top of 
 their foreheads." Some or all of the Amalala tattooed 
 themselves — a practice which Tshaka forbade to the cap- 
 tives. Some cut off a joint of a finger — a custom not 
 unknown among the Frontier Kafirs. The Amatonga 
 and Makua tattoo. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 'Kraal, generally supposed to be Hottentot, was first 
 written corael and crael, and is regarded by the editor of 
 the Cape Documents as a corruption of the Spanish coi'ral. 
 
 * From umnini a proprietor, and wnzana a place. 
 
l)\)'2 NOTES. 
 
 NStonc fences for kraals are found in the upjier 
 country, where bush is rare. Anciently, when catttle- 
 stealing was common, two kraals would, 1 have been told, 
 be built near together with a short passage between them, 
 for mutual security. 
 
 ^"The Kafirs cultivate Maize, ISIillct, three seed-bearing 
 plants, viz. inyaloti or inyauti, donqa, and upoJio ; two 
 Gourds, Calabash, Pumpkin, Water-Melon, Underground 
 Bean, Kidney-Bean, Kidney-Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, an 
 Arum, a Yam; Sugar-Cane; a Sweet Reed {imfi); To- 
 bacco ; Bananas grow in various parts and are supposed 
 to have been planted. 
 
 *When the grass is large and not dry enough to burn, 
 the land is picked or dug before the sowing. 
 
 * TJm-takati, is usually translated witch. It signifies an 
 evildoer. See p. 141. 
 
 ^Mr. Gordon Gumming states that, a piece of dry dang 
 having been ignited by the patch from his rifle, an elephant 
 turned aside and smelt it with his trunk. It was night. 
 
 ^Isaacs, vol. ii. p. 52. In this and other quotations, I 
 have, for the sake of uniformity, departed from the 
 author's mode of spelling native terms. 
 
 ^Arbousset, p. 221. 
 
 "A missionary asked Pande's doctor what took place in 
 connection with the death of the black bull, but the official 
 would not tell him. Isaacs mentions little more than that 
 the king breaks three calabashes " as indicative of his 
 command for the people to garner and eat the new food." 
 (This may be the principal part of the original ceremony.) 
 Mr. Fynn thinks that Tshaka added the war-ceremonies 
 that his troops might be ready to march when the rivers 
 should be down. 
 
 '°I once detected a Kafir, who had placed a pot of meat 
 on the fire, eating a very bitter root. He said it was to 
 prevent his jaws aching ; but afterwards confessed that 
 rich men u!>cd it as a provocative. 
 
NOTES. 390 
 
 " This description of Pande's cattle is on the aiilhority of 
 Europeans who have seen them. Horns are bent by 
 being scraped on one side, and (it is said) softened with 
 water. The three horns could have been produced only 
 by splitting one or both of the others — a practice alluded 
 to by Mr. Anderssen, who says (Lake Ngami) that some 
 African tribes take much pains to form the horns of their 
 oxen " of a certain shape. This is effected either by 
 sawing off the tips, splitting them, bending them forcibly 
 when tender, and so forth." 
 
 "A circumstance which may be due to the abolition of 
 cattle-stealing by Tshaka. See p. 155. 
 
 "Murray's Africa. Cattle are fond of the shoots of 
 reeds. A fact which may deserve consideration in con- 
 nexion with Genesis xli. 2, 18, where the meaning of the 
 original of "meadow" is uncertain. 
 
 '*This animal is not very common in Natal. In the 
 Zulu-country it occurs chiefly near the coast. 
 
 '^Arbousset's Narrative. 
 
 '''Isaacs' Travels. 
 
 '" The Amatonga are said to catch fish in a sort of basket. 
 
 '"Notes to Pringle's Poems. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 ' Mr. Fynn's Evidence. 
 
 *My informant belonged to the Dwandwes, 
 
 ^This has been considered a Jewish usage, but it must 
 be remembered that the practice of taking a deceased 
 brother's wife prevailed before the time of Moses. Gen. 
 xxxviii. 8. "Resemblances to this usage have been traced 
 in India ; among the Athenians ; among the ancient Ger- 
 mans ; and among the modern Egyptians." 
 
 ^The custom appears to prevail between a husband and 
 his wives' mothers, (a man calls his father's wives his 
 mothers) ; between a wife and her husband's ftxther (until 
 she have a child ?) and the father's brothers ; between a 
 
{{1)4 NOTES. 
 
 lather and his sons' wives (in the same hut*) ; between a 
 mother and her daucfhter's husband (and his brothers?); 
 between an uncle and his nephew's wives and niece's 
 husband's wives, but not vice versa (?) The asterisk 
 indicates that the igama, in this case, is not within the 
 custom. See p. 221. 
 
 ^Mr. Pepjicrcorne, magistrate of the Pafana Location, 
 appears to be speaking of the tribes generally, when he 
 says, ("Evidence") that the consent of the chief must be 
 obtained by a young man before his marriage, which con- 
 sent the chief frequently withholds as long as possible. 
 
 ''See Mr. Dohne's Evidence. 
 
 ^Tshaka, says Mr. Fynn, ordered a merely nominal 
 price to be given ; but the people have now reverted to 
 the normal usage. 
 
 ®See Mr. Dohne's Evidence. 
 
 ^Mr. Dohne's Evidence. 
 
 '"See Mr. Fynn's Evidence. 
 
 "This may explain such a statement as the following . 
 *' The amount of cattle does not compel the female to 
 accept a husband whom she may dislike." 
 
 '°'Mr. Dohne's Evidence. 
 
 ""Though the marriage becomes valid by the slaughter 
 of the ox, the guests would be indignant if it were 
 considered so, while any beef remained unconsumed. 
 
 '*See Gen. xxx. 33, (margin) ; " So shall my righteous- 
 ness answer for me to-morrow.''^ See also Exod. xiii. 14, 
 Josh. xxii. 24. 
 
 '^ See p. 107, note 9. 
 
 '* Mr. Peppercorne's Evidence. 
 
 ''Mr. Peppercorne. 
 
 ''See note p. 46. 
 
 '^It is implied, in the remark of Mr. Isaacs, that the 
 women woik up to the very time of their delivery — a 
 circumstance to which it may be owing that children are 
 sometimes born in the garden. I have heard that women 
 
NOTES. 395 
 
 sometimes retire to it, as a quiet place. See Canticles 
 viii. 5. 
 
 '^Circumcision — a usage so extensively prevalent in 
 Africa — is still retained by the Frontier tribes, and Avas 
 practised by those of Natal and the Zulu-country before 
 the time of Tshaka. That conqueror interdicted the 
 practice — an innovation which some of the ancient people 
 regret ; the men of the present day, they think, are not so 
 strong as their fathers, while the hair becomes gray sooner 
 than before. Isaacs tells us that the rite was attended with 
 some ceremony ; the youths were admitted to the rank of 
 manhood after the operation ; and for three months 
 succeeding it were permitted unlimited indulgence, in 
 dancing, singing, and other amusements. I am not aware 
 that there is any ceremony which now marks the period 
 when a boy ceases to be regarded as a child. It is other- 
 wise as to the females ; Tshaka's orders did not extend to 
 them ; and a ceremony is still practised at about twelve 
 years of age. " From this time forth the girl is allowed to 
 associate with the class of women;" previously she had 
 nursed the younger children ; but she now she leai-ns to 
 do her mother's work — whether in the house or in the 
 garden or in bearing burdens — and thus begins her training 
 for the duties of a wife. 
 
 " There is, strictly speaking, no fixed time of majority 
 of males and females respecting marriage ; all depends on 
 circumstances. The female is thought fit a year after that 
 period above mentioned ; the male as soon as he is able to 
 to pay the requisite number of cattle." It is doubtful 
 whether the last remark would apply to the people in 
 their normal condition; for the chief would probably 
 withhold his consent to the marriage of a very young 
 man. In Natal, however, where the chiefs consent is 
 not necessary, the young men are in the habit of marry- 
 ing as soon as they have obtained sufficient means. Nor 
 are these difficult to procure ; wages can be always earned 
 
390 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 from the colonists ; and if a boy begins to work early, he 
 may easily be married in his teens. I know one man, 
 who conld hardly have passed his 21st year, when he took 
 his third wife. 
 
 " Great men are addressed as father, 
 
 '"If a young man have no cattle, and his relatives will 
 not furnish him with any to purchase a wife, he some- 
 times procures them by attaching himself to a wealthy 
 person. In Natal the young men work for Europeans. 
 
 ^'I have been told that the master claims a portion. 
 *«See Mr. Fynn's Evidence. 
 -^Mr. Fymi's Evidence. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 'Fyun's Evidence. Isi-funda and um-funda applied, 
 with a difference of signification, to the subjects of a chief, 
 appear to be connected with funda to learn. A chief 
 has various titles. The Zulu king is called Elephant, 
 Lion, Father, Great Mountain, You who are black, &c 
 
 *Mr. Fynn's Evidence. The term in-kosi, chief, has 
 been explained to signify the Fountain of Mercy. 
 
 ^See Applcyard's Kafir Grammar. 
 
 ^Bishop of Cape Town's Journal. 
 
 * Isaacs' Travels. 
 
 ^See p. 46, respecting the custom of hlonipa 
 
 *Mr. Fynn's Evidence. 
 
 ^Commissioners' Report. Dr. Livingstone discovered 
 people who hold their w^omen in high estimation. If a 
 man were asked to go anywhere or to agree to any arrange- 
 ment, he would say, " 1 must go home and ask my wife," 
 If she said " no," it was impossible to get him to move. 
 "Women sit in their councils; and, while a Bechuana 
 swears by his father, these people swear by their mother 
 Many of the women become chiefs. (Speech at a meeting 
 of the R. G. S.) The Damaras swear by the tears of their 
 mothers. Thcii' tribes are divided into " castes," having 
 
NOTES. 
 
 397 
 
 different rites. If a man of one caste marry a woman of 
 another, the offspring adopt the rites of the mother. 
 
 '"Arbousset's Narrative. 
 
 "When the natives saw the first cannon at Port Natal 
 and enquired their use, they were told that they would 
 learn by and bye. Hence the name. 
 
 '^He is not peculiar to the Zulus. 
 
 ■'The black isi-gohlo is the part appropriated to the 
 king's wives and concubines. The white is occupied by 
 his mothers, etc. 
 
 "The property of an " evildoer " is taken to the king. 
 
 CHAPTER v. 
 
 'Blue Book. 
 
 *" The spirit of revenge, as among all savage nations, is 
 very strong; but it can neither be implacable nor inexorable, 
 for in many places in this district the bitterest enemies of 
 former times are living together as neighbours, cultivating 
 the same fields, and mixing together in daily social inter- 
 course." (Mr. Shepstone's Evidence.) As to the cow- 
 ardice of the people, see p. 341. 
 
 'A gentlemen, long acquainted with the people, sus- 
 pected it; one of the author's cows died with apparent 
 symptoms of strychnine ; a plant yielding that poison 
 
 srrows in Natal, 
 o 
 
 ^The pamphlet has been acknowledged by the author 
 of the History of Natal. 
 
 *The Kafirs appear to think that an " evildoer " always 
 knows an antidote to his poison. The " Vandoux," a 
 mysterious and dangerous community, found chiefly in 
 Mexico and Texas, is supposed to be of African origin. 
 Its '•' members possess or j)retend to possess important 
 secrets respecting the properties of several more or less 
 known plants. They prepare poisons capable of producing 
 various effects : some kill slowly, some quick as lightning ; 
 some stupify the brain, some destroy the reason. They 
 know also the proper antidotes." See " Clerical Journal," 
 Aprils, 1857. 
 
J308 NOTES. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 'Mr. Fynn's Evidence. 
 
 ^ Among the Frontier Kafirs UJdanga is sometimes used 
 for the Supreme Being. (See p. 199.) Arbousset says 
 that the following legend is very current in the S. of Africa: 
 " The Lord sent in the former times a gray lizard with 
 this message to the world : Men die ; they ivill he restored 
 to life ogam. The chameleon set out from his chief, and 
 arriving in haste, he said : Men die ; they die for ever. 
 Then the gray lizard came and cried, ' The Lord has 
 spoken, saying, Men die ; they shall lire again. But men 
 answered him, the first word is the first ; that which is 
 after is nothing." A tradition among the Namaquas 
 states that the moon sent the hare to man with this 
 message : " As I die and am born again, so ye shall die 
 and be again alive." The hare made a mistake and said : 
 *' As I die and am not born again, so you," «&:c. When he 
 returned, the moon, being angry at his error, threw a stick 
 at him and split his lip. The animal then fled and is 
 doing so to this day. 
 
 ^Bishop Colenso's Ten Weeks in Natal, from which the 
 fact respecting Zikali in the previous paragraph is taken. 
 
 "The Damaras believe that the spirits of the deceased 
 appear after death, usually in the shape of a dog. A 
 belief in transmigration has been suspected to exist among 
 some of the Bechuanas. The " Mucarongas" "hold 
 monkeys were in times past men and women, and call 
 them the old people." 
 
 *A white man who had a particularly fine ox which 
 became sick, sold it to a Kafir for a trifle. The beast 
 having recovered, he would gladly have purchased it, but 
 the owner, much to his surprise, could not be induced to 
 part with it. 
 
 ""The Frontier Kafirs burn fat in some cases as a sacrifice. 
 Mr. Fynn told me that a war offering made before a battle 
 is burnt. What remains of the black bull at the Feast of 
 First Fruits is burnt with the skin and bones. 
 
NOTES. 399 
 
 ^Seep. 221. 
 
 ®" According to a horrible law of the Zulu despots, 
 when a chief [important man ?] is put to death, they ex- 
 terminate his subjects : " Your father is dead ; who vnll be 
 able to support you, is all that is said." (Arbousset.) 
 When an "evildoer" is killed, those supposed to be 
 acquainted with his poison are slain. 
 
 ^See Mr. Fynn's Evidence. 
 
 '"The natives seem to ascribe dreams in general to the 
 spirits ; the prophet's heir is distinguished by the number 
 and peculiarity of his visions. 
 
 "A misprint for change. Twasa, a verb used to signify 
 the change of the moon to the new, and the changing of 
 the year to spring, is applied to a prophet in his novitiate. 
 
 '^Mr. Fynn. The belief that they can discover a 
 misdoer, must tend to prevent crime to some extent ; if, 
 therefore, we destroy their influence without supplying 
 some other motive for obedience, we shall make the people 
 worse than they are. 
 
 '^After remaining there a year, Makanna, with a few 
 followers (Kafirs and slaves), disarmed the guard and 
 attempted to escape in a boat, but was drowned. (Prin- 
 gle's Narrative, from which the account of Makanna is 
 taken.) 
 
 '^This account of Umlanjeni is from a narrative of the 
 war published in Graham's Town, and King's Cam- 
 paigning in Kafir-lancl. 
 
 '^From the newspapers It was stated in April that the 
 apprehensions lately entertained respecting the safety of 
 the colony, existed no longer. 
 
 ^^See p. 4. The bow of the queen is, of course, the 
 rain-bow. 
 
 '^Animals, whose names are in italics, are abstained from 
 among the Frontier Kafirs. 
 
 '^From a Cape periodical. 
 
 ""Arab women in N.- Africa give their male children a 
 piece of the lion's heart to eat to make them courageous. 
 
400 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 "See Eell's Geography, vol. ii. p. 532. 
 *'See Mr. Backhouse's work. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 'The first vowel of a proper name is usually omitted. 
 The final vowel is sometimes omitted, as Dingan, for 
 Dingane. 
 
 *From a statement of Isaacs in a Cape paper. 
 
 * Kafirs from a distance have applied to me for food, 
 alleging that their hrethrcn in the neighbourhood (of 
 another tribe) would not give them any. 
 
 'The leader of the dance walks about while speaking. 
 
 ^Appleyard's Grammar. Bush is figuratively a refuge ; 
 the blind are mankind or the heathen ; the trumpet is the 
 church-bell. 
 
 Tacts mentioned by Backhouse. 
 
 ''When a man is killed at Pande's, the executioners 
 wash. 
 
 "This seems the case among the Amaxosa. 
 
 '"Soldiers cut their hair after an expedition in which any 
 of them have been killed or perhaps died. 
 
 ''Arbousset says that some Zulus burn the dead, while 
 some others expose the corpse of a chief on the branches 
 of a tree, and afterwards burn it, throwing the ashes in 
 the river. It is said that cremation is practised at 
 Benguela; and that in Loango, the bodies of great men 
 are dried before burial. 
 
 ^°See Bishop Colenso's Ten AVeeks in Natal. 
 
 CHAPTER VIIT. 
 
 'Gardiner's Journey. 
 
 '^Mr. Fynn as quoted in a Cape periodical, where the 
 visitor is supposed to have been Dr. Cowan. 
 ■'Isaacs. 
 *One account says that Tshaka joined him. 
 
NOTES. 401 
 
 *His policy was, at first, not to destroy people, but to 
 subdue and incorporate them with his own subjects (Rev. 
 L. Grout.) 
 
 ^A MS. says that Tshaka was hiding many months. 
 
 ■^Mundiso is said to have ridiculed Tshaka, 
 
 "Tshaka seems to have had regiments of •* men," though 
 unmarried. 
 
 ^See Mr. L. Grout's Evidence. 
 
 ^" Fjmn pleaded hard for the lives of some captives, but 
 in vain — the only time he ever failed. 
 
 "Mr. L. Grout's evidence. 
 
 ^^People condemned by Pande are said to thank him. 
 
 ^^Tshaka related this imposture to Isaacs. 
 
 ^''" Birds of prey darken the air in the neighbourhood of 
 Dingan's kraal." MS. 
 
 I'ln 1838 it had amounted to 10,000 souls. 
 
 ^"The Araangwane are said to have been living in huts, 
 and to have cultivated the ground ! 
 
 ^'Isaacs. Natives say that Sotshangan poisoned the 
 water — a possible fact, there being much stagnant water in 
 the region. See p. 23. 
 
 ^**Arbousset. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 ^ " He pledged his word to us to recal those scattered by 
 Tshaka." MS. 
 
 ^Arbousset. The Malutis are the Draakensberg. 
 
 3 Isaacs, Mr. Moffat visited Umzilikazi in 1855, at 
 Matlokotloko, and describes his dominions as reaching the 
 Zambeze. 
 
 '' I have omitted parts of the poem as given by Arbousset. 
 
 "The Sagacious One is the elephant. 
 
 ^This refers to the "medicine" taken after Tshaka's 
 death by his relatives, Arbousset says they consist of 
 milk and water and the juices of certain bitter herbs. 
 
 ''The plural of a man's name expresses his people. 
 D D 
 
402 NOTES. 
 
 'Fynn was made chief of Natal at his suggestion. 
 
 "They would receive nothing through Cane. 
 
 " Isaacs, who is said to have subsequently taken up his 
 abode on an island on the W. coast. 
 
 ^^ Lectures on the Emigration of the Dutch Farmers, 
 by the Hon. H. Cloete, L.L.D., Recorder of Natal. 
 
 '^Holden's History of Natal. 
 
 "Cloete, and despatch of British Commander at Port 
 Natal. 
 
 ''From his despatch. 
 
 '"Message from Pande in the Blue Book. 
 
 "From the newspapers. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 '"Men" ordinarily implies married men, but Tshaka, 
 who allowed so few of his warriors to marry, seems to 
 have had regiments of " men." 
 
 ^There were none but old men left behind. 
 
 ® Green enumerates (MS.) an emetic, sprinkling, and 
 incense Tmabopi 1) among the preparations for war. 
 
 * Tshaka gave his army cattle for food during the march, 
 but Pande seems to send very few. Other oxen are sent 
 to assist in finding and driving away the enemy's cattle. 
 
 'The Amaswazi-country, more extensive than Natal, 
 was described as without population in 1853. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 'The same rule applies to a prophetess. 
 *A European has heard a similar story. 
 ""Captain Gardiner. 
 'A stimulating plant is said to be added. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 'The quotations are from Holden's History and Blue 
 Book. 
 
 ■'See Mr. Dohne's Evidence. 
 
NOTES. 
 
 403 
 
 "The rest of this article is founded on the valuable list 
 in Mr. L. Grout's Evidence. It has not been thought 
 necessary to distinguish quotations. F, added to the 
 account of a tribe, signifies Fingo. 
 
 V- 
 
 \ 8 R 
 
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