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years　by　word　of　mouth；　and　more　recently　through　his　pamphlet
〃Zululand　and　the　Zulus；〃　and　to　Mr。　John　Bird；　formerly　treasurer　to
the　Government　of　Natal；　whose　compilation；　〃The　Annals　of　Natal；〃　is
invaluable　to　all　who　would　study　the　early　history　of　that　colony　and
of　Zululand。

As　for　the　wilder　and　more　romantic　incidents　of　this　story；　such　as
the　hunting　of　Umslopogaas　and　Galazi　with　the　wolves；　or　rather　with
the　hyaenas；for　there　are　no　true　wolves　in　Zululand；the　author
can　only　say　that　they　seem　to　him　of　a　sort　that　might　well　have　been
mythically　connected　with　the　names　of　those　heroes。　Similar　beliefs
and　traditions　are　common　in　the　records　of　primitive　peoples。　The
club　〃Watcher　of　the　Fords；〃　or；　to　give　its　Zulu　name；　U…nothlola…
mazibuko；　is　an　historical　weapon；　chronicled　by　Bishop　Callaway。　It
was　once　owned　by　a　certain　Undhlebekazizwa。　He　was　an　arbitrary
person；　for　〃no　matter　what　was　discussed　in　our　village；　he　would
bring　it　to　a　conclusion　with　a　stick。〃　But　he　made　a　good　end；　for
when　the　Zulu　soldiers　attacked　him；　he　killed　no　less　than　twenty　of
them　with　the　Watcher；　and　the　spears　stuck　in　him　〃as　thick　as　reeds
in　a　morass。〃　This　man's　strength　was　so　great　that　he　could　kill　a
leopard　〃like　a　fly；〃　with　his　hands　only；　much　as　Umslopogaas　slew
the　traitor　in　this　story。

Perhaps　it　may　be　allowable　to　add　a　few　words　about　the　Zulu
mysticism；　magic；　and　superstition；　to　which　there　is　some　allusion　in
this　romance。　It　has　been　little　if　at　all　exaggerated。　Thus　the
writer　well　remembers　hearing　a　legend　how　the　Guardian　Spirit　of　the
Ama…Zulu　was　seen　riding　down　the　storm。　Here　is　what　Mr。　Fynney　says
of　her　in　the　pamphlet　to　which　reference　has　been　made：　〃The　natives
have　a　spirit　which　they　call　Nomkubulwana；　or　the　Inkosazana…ye…Zulu
（the　Princess　of　Heaven）。　She　is　said　to　be　robed　in　white；　and　to
take　the　form　of　a　young　maiden；　in　fact　an　angel。　She　is　said　to
appear　to　some　chosen　person；　to　whom　she　imparts　some　revelation；
but；　whatever　that　revelation　may　be；　it　is　kept　a　profound　secret
from　outsiders。　I　remember　that；　just　before　the　Zulu　war；
Nomkubulwana　appeared；　revealing　something　or　other　which　had　a　great
effect　throughout　the　land；　and　I　know　that　the　Zulus　were　quite
impressed　that　some　calamity　was　about　to　befall　them。　One　of　the
ominous　signs　was　that　fire　is　said　to　have　descended　from　heaven；　and
ignited　the　grass　over　the　graves　of　the　former　kings　of　Zululand。
。　。　。　On　another　occasion　Nomkubulwana　appeared　to　some　one　in
Zululand；　the　result　of　that　visit　being；　that　the　native　women　buried
their　young　children　up　to　their　heads　in　sand；　deserting　them　for　the
time　being；　going　away　weeping；　but　returning　at　nightfall　to　unearth
the　little　ones　again。〃

For　this　divine　personage　there　is；　therefore；　authority；　and　the　same
may　be　said　of　most　of　the　supernatural　matters　spoken　of　in　these
pages。　The　exact　spiritual　position　held　in　the　Zulu　mind　by　the
Umkulunkulu；the　OldOld；the　GreatGreat；the　Lord　of　Heavens；
is　a　more　vexed　question；　and　for　its　proper　consideration　the　reader
must　be　referred　to　Bishop　Callaway's　work；　the　〃Religious　System　of
the　Amazulu。〃　Briefly；　Umkulunkulu's　character　seems　to　vary　from　the
idea　of　an　ancestral　spirit；　or　the　spirit　of　an　ancestor；　to　that　of
a　god。　In　the　case　of　an　able　and　highly　intelligent　person　like　the
Mopo　of　this　story；　the　ideal　would　probably　not　be　a　low　one；
therefore　he　is　made　to　speak　of　Umkulunkulu　as　the　Great　Spirit；　or
God。

It　only　remains　to　the　writer　to　express　his　regret　that　this　story　is
not　more　varied　in　its　hue。　It　would　have　been　desirable　to　introduce
some　gayer　and　more　happy　incidents。　But　it　has　not　been　possible。　It
is　believed　that　the　picture　given　of　the　times　is　a　faithful　one；
though　it　may　be　open　to　correction　in　some　of　its　details。　At　the
least；　the　aged　man　who　tells　the　tale　of　his　wrongs　and　vengeance
could　not　be　expected　to　treat　his　subject　in　an　optimistic　or　even　in
a　cheerful　vein。

＇1＇　I　grieve　to　state　that　I　must　now　say　the　late　Mr。　F。　B。　Fynney。





NADA　THE　LILY



INTRODUCTION

Some　years　sinceit　was　during　the　winter　before　the　Zulu　Wara
White　Man　was　travelling　through　Natal。　His　name　does　not　matter；　for
he　plays　no　part　in　this　story。　With　him　were　two　wagons　laden　with
goods；　which　he　was　transporting　to　Pretoria。　The　weather　was　cold　and
there　was　little　or　no　grass　for　the　oxen；　which　made　the　journey
difficult；　but　he　had　been　tempted　to　it　by　the　high　rates　of
transport　that　prevailed　at　that　season　of　the　year；　which　would
remunerate　him　for　any　probable　loss　he　might　suffer　in　cattle。　So　he
pushed　along　on　his　journey；　and　all　went　well　until　he　had　passed　the
little　town　of　Stanger；　once　the　site　of　Duguza；　the　kraal　of　Chaka；
the　first　Zulu　king　and　the　uncle　of　Cetywayo。　The　night　after　he　left
Stanger　the　air　turned　bitterly　cold；　heavy　grey　clouds　filled　the
sky；　and　hid　the　light　of　the　stars。

〃Now　if　I　were　not　in　Natal；　I　should　say　that　there　was　a　heavy　fall
of　snow　coming；〃　said　the　White　Man　to　himself。　〃I　have　often　seen　the
sky　look　like　that　in　Scotland　before　snow。〃　Then　he　reflected　that
there　had　been　no　deep　snow　in　Natal　for　years；　and；　having　drunk　a
〃tot〃　of　squareface　and　smoked　his　pipe；　he　went　to　bed　beneath　the
after…tent　of　his　larger　wagon。

During　the　night　he　was　awakened　by　a　sense　of　bitter　cold　and　the　low
moaning　of　the　oxen　that　were　tied　to　the　trek…tow；　every　ox　in　its
place。　He　thrust　his　head　through　the　curtain　of　the　tent　and　looked
out。　The　earth　was　white　with　snow；　and　the　air　was　full　of　it；　swept
along　by　a　cutting　wind。

Now　he　sprang　up；　huddling　on　his　clothes　and　as　he　did　so　calling　to
the　Kaffirs　who　slept　beneath　the　wagons。　Presently　they　awoke　from
the　stupor　which　already　was　beginning　to　overcome　them；　and　crept
out；　shivering　with　cold　and　wrapped　from　head　to　foot　in　blankets。

〃Quick！　you　boys；〃　he　said　to　them　in　Zulu；　〃quick！　Would　you　see　the
cattle　die　of　the　snow　and　wind？　Loose　the　oxen　from　the　trek…tows　and
drive　them　in　between　the　wagons；　they　will　give　them　some　shelter。〃
And　lighting　a　lantern　he　sprang　out　into　the　snow。

At　last　it　was　doneno　easy　task；　for　the　numbed　hands　of　the　Kaffirs
could　scarcely　loosen　the　frozen　reims。　The　wagons　were　outspanned
side　by　side　with　a　space　between　them；　and　into　this　space　the　mob　of
thirty…six　oxen　was　driven　and　there　secured　by　reims　tied　crosswise
from　the　front　and　hind　wheels　of　the　wagons。　Then　the　White　Man　crept
back　to　his　bed；　and　the　shivering　natives；　fortified　with　gin；　or
squareface；　as　it　is　called　locally；　took　refuge　on　the　second　wagon；
drawing　a　tent…sail　over　them。

For　awhile　there　was　silence；　save　for　the　moaning　of　the　huddled　and
restless　cattle。

〃If　the　snow　goes　on　I　shall　lose　my　oxen；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃they
can　never　bear　this　cold。〃

Hardly　had　the　words　passed　his　lips　when　the　wagon　shook；　there　was　a
sound　of　breaking　reims　and　trampling　hoofs。　Once　more　he　looked　out。
The　oxen　had　〃skrecked〃　in　a　mob。　There　they　were；　running　away　into
the　night　and　the　snow；　seeking　to　find　shelter　from　the　cold。　In　a
minute　they　had　vanished　utterly。　There　was　nothing　to　be　done；　except
wait　for　the　morning。

At　last　it　came；　revealing　a　landscape　blind　with　snow。　Such　search　as
could　be　made　told　them　nothing。　The　oxen　had　gone；　and　their　spoor
was　obliterated　by　the　fresh…fallen　flakes。　The　White　Man　called　a
council　of　his　Kaffir　servants。　〃What　was　to　be　done？〃　he　asked。

One　said　this　thing；　one　that；　but　all　agreed　that　they　must　wait　to
act　until　the　snow　melted。

〃Or　till　we　freeze；　you　whose　mothers　were　fools！〃　said　the　White　Man；
who　was　in　the　worst　of　tempers；　for　had　he　not　lost　four　hundred
pounds'　worth　of　oxen？

Then　a　Zulu　spoke；　who　hitherto　had　remained　silent。　He　was　the　driver
of　the　first　wagon。

〃My　father；〃　he　said　to　the　White　Man；　〃this　is　my　word。　The　oxen　are
lost　in　the　snow。　No　man　knows　whither　they　have　gone；　or　whether　they
live　or　are　now　but　hides　and　bones。　Yet　at　the　kraal　yonder；〃　and　he
pointed　to　some　huts　about　two　miles　away　on　the　hillside；　〃lives　a
witch　doctor　named　Zweete。　He　is　oldvery　oldbut　he　has　wisdom；　and
he　can　tell　you　where　the　oxen　are　if　any　man　may；　my　father。〃

〃Stuff！〃　answered　the　White　Man。　〃Still；　as　the　kraal　cannot　be　colder
than　this　wagon；　we　will　go　and　ask　Zweete。　Bring　a　bottle　of
squareface　and　some　snuff　with　you　for　presents。〃

An　hour　later　he　stood　in　the　hut　of　Zweete。　Before　him　was　a　very
ancient　man；　a　mere　bag　of　bones；　with　sightless　eyes；　and　one　hand
his　leftwhite　and　shrivelled。

〃What　do　you　seek　of　Zweete；　my　white　father？〃　asked　the　old　man　in　a
thin　voice。　〃You　do　not　believe　in　me　and　my　wisdom；　why　should　I　help
you？　Yet　I　will　do　it；　though　it　is　against　your　law；　and　you　do　wrong
to　ask　me；yes；　to　show　you　that　there　is　truth　in　us　Zulu　doctors；　I
will　help　you。　My　father；　I　know　what　you　seek。　You　seek　to　know　where
your　oxen　have　run　for　shelter　from　the　cold！　Is　it　not　so？〃

〃It　is　so；　Doctor；〃　answered　the　White　Man。　〃You　have　long　ears。〃