Part 10 (1/2)
Of course, there remain their witchcraft and the cruelties which result from their alic
Well, since I lived in England I have been reading up this subject, and I find that quite recently sihout Europe--that is in a part of the world which for over a thousand years has enjoyed the advantages of the knowledge and profession of the Christian faith
Now, let hihly cultured take up a stone to throw at the poor, untaught Zulu, which I notice the most dissolute and drunken wretch of a white enerally because he covets his land, his labour, or whatever else may be his
But I wander fro the people e call savages is in all essentials very much the saland every child is educated at the expense of the Country, but I have not observed that the system results in the production of ift of Nature, and that universal mother sheds her favours impartially over all who breathe
No, not quite impartially, perhaps, for the old Greeks and others were exaeneral rule obtains
To return Mameena was a very able person, as she chanced to be a very lovely one, a person who, had she been favoured by opportunity, would doubtless have played the part of a Cleopatra with equal or greater success, since she shared the beauty and the unscrupulousness of that famous lady and was, I believe, capable of her passion
I scarcely like to mention the matter since it affects myself, and the natural vanity of man makes him prone to conclude that he is the particular object of sole and undying devotion Could he know all the facts of the case, or cases, probably he would be much undeceived, and feel about as small as I did when Mameena walked, or rather crawled, out of the hut (she could even crawl gracefully) Still, to be honest--and why should I not, since all this business ”went beyond” so long ago?--I do believe that there was a certain amount of truth in what she said--that, for Heaven knohat reason, she did take a fancy toher short and store for hiht of the day of ain, my ribs, or whatever part of me it was that the buffalo had injured with his iron knees, havingbusiness to attend to in Natal, and, as no more had been seen or heard of Saduko, I detere that he knehere to find me if he wantedinvolved in his private ith Bangu Indeed, I wished to washthe fair Ma already got up my oxen, I told Scowl to inspan them--an order which he received with joy, for he and the other boys wished to be off to civilisation and its delights Just as the operation was beginning, however, a ed me to delaychief, had cochief farther off, but, as it seemed rude to refuse the request of one who had been so kind to me, I ordered the oxen to be unyoked but kept at hand, and in an irritable frame of mind walked up to the kraal This was about half a mile from my place of outspan, for as soon as I was sufficiently recovered I had begun to sleep inhut to the ”Worn-out-Old-Cow”
There was no particular reason why I should be irritated, since tireat account in Zululand, and it did notor the afternoon But the fact was that I could not get over the prophecy of Zikali, ”the Little and Wise,” that I was destined to share Saduko's expedition against Bangu, and, although he had been right about the buffalo and Ma in this particular
If I had left the country, obviously I could not go against Bangu, at any rate at present But while I reht return at any moment, and then, doubtless, I should find it hard to escape froiven to him
Well, as soon as I reached the kraal I saw that soress, for an ox had been killed and was being cooked, so; also there were several strange Zulus present Within the fence of the kraal, seated in its shadow, I found Ureat, brawny ”ringed”
native, ore a tiger-skin moocha as a mark of rank, and soate, dressed in her best beads and holding a gourd of Kafir beer which, evidently, she had just been handing to the guests
”Would you have run aithout saying good-bye to me, Macumazahn?” she whispered to me as I came abreast of her ”That is unkind of you, and I should have weptto ride up and bid farehen the oxen were inspanned,”
I answered ”But who is that man?”
”You will find out presently, Macu to us”
So I went on to the circle, and as I advanced U :
”This is Masapo, chief of the Amansomi, of the Quabe race, who desires to know you, Macumazahn”
”Very kind of him, I am sure,” I replied coolly, as I threwed with grey To be frank, I took a great dislike to hi, coarse face, and his air of insolent pride, which repelled ers of es inferiority to the other
Therefore I stood and conte on events
Masapo also contemplated me, then made some remark to one of his attendants, that I did not catch, which caused the fellow to laugh
”He has heard that you are an ipisi” (a great hunter), broke in U strained, and that it was necessary to say so
”Has he?” I answered ”Then he is more fortunate than I am, for I have never heard of him or what he is” This, I am sorry to say, was a fib, for it will be remembered that Mameena hadnatives one nity somehow ”Friend Umbezi,” I went on, ”I have come to bid you farewell, as I am about to trek for Durban”
At this juncture Masapo stretched out his great hand to , and said: