Henry M. Stanley, in his work “Through the Dark Continent,”
describes the warrior chief Mirambo, the Mars of Africa, whose
genius for war Stanley likens to that of Frederick the Great
and Napoleon Bonaparte. He was a formidable adversary, and
Stanley was very anxious to convert him from a foe into an ally.
By skilful management he did accomplish this, and to make the
alliance an unbreakable one, the covenant of brotherhood was
sealed by an interchange of blood between the African hero and
the American hero, an incision being made in the right leg of
each for this purpose. The same blood now flowed in the veins
of both Stanley and Mirambo, and they thereafter vied with
each other in proofs of their unselfish fidelity. Abraham and
Abimelech made such a covenant and the literal translation is
“they cut a covenant.” Jacob and Laban also “cut a covenant.”
An Oriental could as soon commit suicide as slay a covenant
brother, for it would be shedding his own blood.
(264)
=Blotting Out Errors=--See EFFACEMENT OF SINS.
=Blows, Repeated=--See REPETITION, FORCE OF.
=Bluffer, The Human=--See PRETENSE.