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her so truly that he drove the spear through her; and she fell down

dead。 After that Nada bound up his wound; which was deep; and with

much pain he reached the king's kraal and told me this story。



Now there were some who cried that the boy must be put to death;

because he had killed one possessed with a spirit。 But I said no; he

should not be touched。 He had killed the woman in defence of his own

life and the life of his sister; and every one had a right to slay in

self…defence; except as against the king or those who did the king's

bidding。 Moreover; I said; if the woman had a spirit; it was an evil

one; for no good spirit would ask the lives of children; but rather

those of cattle; for it is against our custom to sacrifice human

beings to the Amatonga even in war; though the Basuta dogs do so。

Still; the tumult grew; for the witch…doctors were set upon the boy's

death; saying that evil would come of it if he was allowed to live;

having killed one inspired; and at last the matter came to the ears of

the king。 Then Chaka summoned me and the boy before him; and he also

summoned the witch…doctors。



First; the witch…doctors set out their case; demanding the death of

Umslopogaas。 Chaka asked them what would happen if the boy was not

killed。 They answered that the spirit of the dead woman would lead him

to bring evil on the royal house。 Chaka asked if he would bring evil

on him; the king。 They in turn asked the spirits; and answered no; not

on him; but on one of the royal house who should be after him。 Chaka

said that he cared nothing what happened to those who came after him;

or whether good or evil befell them。 Then he spoke to Umslopogaas; who

looked him boldly in the face; as an equal looks at an equal。



〃Boy;〃 he said; 〃what hast thou to say as to why thou shouldst not be

killed as these men demand?〃



〃This; Black One;〃 answered Umslopogaas; 〃that I stabbed the woman in

defence of my own life。〃



〃That is nothing;〃 said Chaka。 〃If I; the king; wished to kill thee;

mightest thou therefore kill me or those whom I sent? The Itongo in

the woman was a Spirit King and ordered her to kill thee; thou

shouldst then have let thyself be killed。 Hast thou no other reason?〃



〃This; Elephant;〃 answered Umslopogaas; 〃the woman would have murdered

my sister; whom I love better than my life。〃



〃That is nothing;〃 said Chaka。 〃If I ordered thee to be killed for any

cause; should I not also order all within thy gates to be killed with

thee? May not; then; a Spirit King do likewise? If thou hast nothing

more to say thou must die。〃



Now I grew afraid; for I feared lest Chaka should slay him who was

called my son because of the word of the doctors。 But the boy

Umslopogaas looked up and answered boldly; not as one who pleads for

his life; but as one who demands a right:



〃I have this to say; Eater…up of Enemies; and if it is not enough; let

us stop talking; and let me be killed。 Thou; O king; didst command

that this woman should be slain。 Those whom thou didst send to destroy

her spared her; because they thought her mad。 I have carried out the

commandment of the king; I have slain her; mad or sane; whom the king

commanded should be killed; and I have earned not death; but a

reward。〃



〃Well said; Umslopogaas!〃 answered Chaka。 〃Let ten head of cattle be

given to this boy with the heart of a man; his father shall guard them

for him。 Art thou satisfied now; Umslopogaas?〃



〃I take that which is due to me; and I thank the king because he need

not pay unless he will;〃 Umslopogaas answered。



Chaka stared awhile; began to grow angry; then burst out laughing。



〃Why; this calf is such another one as was dropped long ago in the

kraal of Senzangacona!〃 he said。 〃As I was; so is this boy。 Go on;

lad; in that path; and thou mayst find those who shall cry the royal

salute of Bayete to thee at the end of it。 Only keep out of my way;

for two of a kind might not agree。 Now begone!〃



So we went out; but as we passed them I saw the doctors muttering

together; for they were ill…pleased and foreboded evil。 Also they were

jealous of me; and wished to smite me through the heart of him who was

called my son。







CHAPTER VIII



THE GREAT INGOMBOCO



After this there was quiet until the Feast of the First…fruits was

ended。 But few people were killed at these feast; though there was a

great Ingomboco; or witch…hunt; and many were smelt out by the witch…

doctors as working magic against the king。 Now things had come to this

pass in Zululandthat the whole people cowered before the witch…

doctors。 No man might sleep safe; for none knew but that on the morrow

he would be touched by the wand of an Isanusi; as we name a finder of

witches; and led away to his death。 For awhile Chaka said nothing; and

so long as the doctors smelt out those only whom he wished to get rid

ofand they were manyhe was well pleased。 But when they began to

work for their own ends; and to do those to death whom he did not

desire to kill; he grew angry。 Yet the custom of the land was that he

whom the witch…doctor touched must die; he and all his house;

therefore the king was in a cleft stick; for he scarcely dared to save

even those whom he loved。 One night I came to doctor him; for he was

sick in his mind。 On that very day there had been an Ingomboco; and

five of the bravest captains of the army had been smelt out by the

Abangoma; the witch…finders; together with many others。 All had been

destroyed; and men had been sent to kill the wives and children of the

dead。 Now Chaka was very angry at this slaying; and opened his heart

to me。



〃The witch…doctors rule in Zululand; and not I; Mopo; son of

Makedama;〃 he said to me。 〃Where; then; is it to end? Shall I myself

be smelt out and slain? These Isanusis are too strong for me; they lie

upon the land like the shadow of night。 Tell me; how may I be free of

them?〃



〃Those who walk the Bridge of Spears; O king; fall off into Nowhere;〃

I answered darkly; 〃even witch…doctors cannot keep a footing on that

bridge。 Has not a witch…doctor a heart that can cease to beat? Has he

not blood that can be made to flow?〃



Chaka looked at me strangely。 〃Thou art a bold man who darest to speak

thus to me; Mopo;〃 he said。 〃Dost thou not know that it is sacrilege

to touch an Isanusi?〃



〃I speak that which is in the king's mind;〃 I answered。 〃Hearken; O

king! It is indeed sacrilege to touch a true Isanusi; but what if the

Isanusi be a liar? What if he smell out falsely; bringing those to

death who are innocent of evil? Is it then sacrilege to bring him to

that end which he has given to many another? Say; O king!〃



〃Good words!〃 answered Chaka。 〃Now tell me; son of Makedama; how may

this matter be put to proof?〃



Then I leaned forward; whispering into the ear of the Black One; and

he nodded heavily。



Thus I spoke then; because I; too; saw the evil of the Isanusis; I who

knew their secrets。 Also; I feared for my own life and for the lives

of all those who were dear to me。 For they hated me as one instructed

in their magic; one who had the seeing eye and the hearing ear。



One morning thereafter a new thing came to pass in the royal kraal;

for the king himself ran out; crying aloud to all people to come and

see the evil that had been worked upon him by a wizard。 They came

together and saw this。 On the door…posts of the gateway of the

Intunkulu; the house of the king; were great smears of blood。 The

knees of men strong in the battle trembled when they saw it; women

wailed aloud as they wail over the dead; they wailed because of the

horror of the omen。



〃Who has done this thing?〃 cried Chaka in a terrible voice。 〃Who has

dared to bewitch the king and to strike blood upon his house?〃



There was no answer; and Chaka spoke again。 〃This is no little

matter;〃 he said; 〃to be washed away with the blood of one or two and

be forgotten。 The man who wrought it shall not die alone or travel

with a few to the world of spirits。 All his tribe shall go with him;

down to the baby in his hut and cattle in his kraal! Let messengers go

out east and west; and north and south; and summon the witch…doctors

from every quarter! Let them summon the captains from every regiment

and the headmen from every kraal! On the tenth day from now the circle

of the Ingomboco must be set; and there shall be such a smelling out

of wizards and of witches as has not been known in Zululand!〃



So the messengers went out to do the bidding of the king; taking the

names of those who should be summoned from the lips of the indunas;

and day by day people flocked up to the gates of the royal kraal; and;

creeping on their knees before the majesty of the king; praised him

aloud。 But he vouchsafed an answer to none。 One noble only he caused

to be killed; because he carried in his hand a stick of the royal red

wood; which Chaka himself had given him in bygone

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