Sheba's Breasts and the Place of Execution--Zombode and the royal
kraal of Queen Labotsibeni--Common and royal ground--We reach King
Buno's kraal at Lebombo--Gin for the king--Buno, the regal savage--I
present a rifle to the king--Lomwazi takes me to Labotsibeni--The old
queen is worried over Tuys's activities--The shooting match with the
king--Tuys and I manage to miss a few human targets.
Next morning we waked to find several hundred more warriors
surrounding our camp. A more important chief was in command, and when
Tuys had made a brief but leisurely toilet, he talked to him. Again
Tuys was given kingly honors, which he accepted with marked
condescension. This chief informed him that King Buno was waiting for
him and had sent greetings to "his white brother." Many dramatic
gestures accompanied this announcement, and I was quite impressed with
the manner of the chief. He was a fine figure of a savage and had a
great number of scars on his forehead, showing that he had killed many
enemies.
We broke camp shortly after and started on the short climb to the top
of the plateau. With our escort we made a party of about five hundred,
and I felt very proud to be riding with Oom Tuys at the head of so
imposing a procession.
When we reached the top, Tuys reined in and pointed across the Valley
of Heaven to where two rounded peaks rose about a thousand feet above
the river.
"You see those?" he asked. "Those mountains are Sheba's Breasts and
are known everywhere in Swaziland. Beyond them is the Place of
Execution. If you look closely, you can see that sharp cliff to their
left."
The rounded peaks looked exactly like a woman's breasts and were very
striking. There are many tales about them and they are supposed to be
the home of spirits of all kinds. I could see the cliff Tuys spoke of.
It appeared to be a sheer drop of many feet.
The plateau was much like the high veldt in our country. Except for
the tall grass and a few rocks raising their rugged tops here and
there, it was absolutely barren. These rocks look like little black
islands in a vast rolling sea of dull brown. Back of this are the bare
mountains, rugged and naked in their rocky barrenness.
We came to a little stream, which appeared to head up in these hills;
then suddenly a great collection of huts seemed to spring up out of
the plain. Hundreds of poles projected above them, and soon we saw a
number of kraals. There were a few patches of trees, their green being
the only relief from the dull brown of the scene. We seemed to come
suddenly on the settlement because its huts and kraals were of the
same color as the grass, which gave them a fine camouflage.
This was Zombode, formerly the royal kraal of King Umbadine.
"Queen Labotsibeni, his royal widow, lives there now," Tuys told me.
"All Umbadine's other widows live there, too. I think there are about
twenty of them. When we get close you will find that the big mountain
behind is already throwing its shadow over the place. It will be
cooler then."
Soon we came to the shadow and it was very pleasant to get out of the
scorching sun. This mountain was a sort of natural fort and protected
Zombode from attacks from the west. East of Zombode was a rolling
grass-covered plain.
Close to the outlying kraal was a small stream. We did not cross this.
"That marks the line between the common and royal ground," Tuys
explained. "We will follow it and push on to Lebombo, Buno's kraal. If
we wished to call on Labotsibeni, we would wait here until we received
permission to cross this water. Then we would camp on the royal ground
and she would send for us."
By this time I could see scores of Swazis running out of their kraals
to inspect us. A chief, accompanied by a score or so of warriors, came
to meet us. We kept on, and he caught up to us by running. Tuys paid
no attention to him and advised me to do the same. One of our servants
told him that "The White King" was going to visit his brother, King
Buno, and I looked back to see the chief and his men watching us as we
went on.
About three or four miles farther on, over the same barren brown
country, we came to another stream. This is about midway between
Zombode and Lebombo. Lebombo came out of the ground exactly like
Zombode and was situated in exactly the same way at the foot of a high
mountain, facing the East. It was simply another Zombode.
"That's where Buno lives," said Tuys. "The big kraal in the center is
his, and all the little ones belong to his indunas. Each of the
indunas has a number of wives and is the leader of an impi of about a
thousand men. King Buno has twenty-six wives and I don't know how many
children."
As we went on I could see the people coming out to meet us, the small
boys running swiftly and shouting as they ran. Here also there was a
little stream separating the common from the royal ground. By the time
we reached this dividing line several indunas had come to meet us, and
we forded the water and pitched camp on the royal ground.
Tuys went to the wagon and soon appeared with a quart of gin. This he
gave to the most imposing of the chiefs, who seemed to be a sort of
special representative of the king.
"Tell the great king that his white brother comes with presents and
the tribute," he said. "Tell him that our king, Oom Paul, sends
greetings and prays that his health is good and that he will live
forever!"
"Nkoos, it shall be done!" the induna answered, saluting with his
shield and knob-kerrie.
Then he retired swiftly to the royal kraal.
Less than ten minutes later he came back and said, "The great King
Buno, ruler of Swaziland and leader of countless warriors, bids you
approach!"
Oom Tuys stepped into our tent and called me inside. He gave me the
rifle and handed Sibijaan a heavy bag of cartridges. Then he loaded a
dozen of our escort with more cartridges and bottles of gin. Thus
loaded down, we set out to call on the most powerful and savage king
in South Africa.
After passing the triple walls of the kraal we found King Buno
standing in front of the royal palace, or rather, hut. He shook hands
warmly with Tuys, who handed him the gold. I noted how easily Buno
handled it. He was a strong man. While he talked with Oom Tuys I had
an opportunity to look him over.
King Buno was well over six feet and must have weighed at least two
hundred and thirty or forty pounds. He was very deep chested and had a
body like an ox. His legs were well shaped and very muscular. Of
course he was too fat, but this was explained by the fact that the
Swazis consider corpulence a sign of aristocracy and are proud to
"carry weight."
Without doubt, Buno was the most powerful savage I had ever seen. He
was every inch a king, and he knew it. While I was admiring him he
suddenly turned and looked at me. His eyes were the cruelest I have
ever looked into, and it came over me with a rush that he must be
quite as black as he was painted. I was only a boy, but I could feel
the cruel brutality of this savage the minute he looked at me.
Tuys motioned me to come forward.
"O King, this is Mzaan Bakoor, my nephew, who has come all the way
from Rietvlei to bring you the rifle you desire!" Such was his
introduction.
Buno shook hands with a grip like a vise and took the Mauser from me.
He seemed to gloat over the weapon for a moment, and then spoke:
"The king thanks you, Mzaan Bakoor, little white chief," he said, and
his voice was deep and melodious. "You are the near relation of my
friend; you shall be the friend of the king. All my subjects shall be
your slaves!"
Then he fondled the rifle a moment, throwing it to his shoulder and
going through the motions of shooting.
"It is a good rifle," he said, using the native term of "mroer," "and
to-day we shall try it. Already I know how to shoot, and this
afternoon we shall have a shooting match. I shall show you how the
king can shoot!"
There was a little more conversation about the rifle and Buno was much
pleased at the quantity of cartridges we had brought. He was as
delighted with the Mauser as a child with a new toy. Later that day I
found myself regretting that the weapon was not a toy.
At length Buno said something to Tuys that I did not hear. The latter
turned to me and said, "I have some business to transact with the
king. You go back to our camp and wait for me."
I would have given much to know what this business was. Tuys and Buno
had been in some queer deals together and I felt that they were
planning another. Both were reckless and lawless, and, backed by the
thousands of Buno's impis, they were able to do anything they had a
mind to, at least in Swaziland.
Tuys and Buno dropped to their knees and crawled into the royal hut,
and I returned to our camp. Sibijaan was as curious as I was and made
an attempt to pass in the rear of the king's hut with the intention of
hearing something. He did not get far and came back with speed, for he
had run into a six-foot Swazi warrior with an evil eye who appeared to
be on guard.
Boylike, I was hungry when we reached camp and was glad to see that we
were to have fresh-killed beef for dinner. I was munching a rusk when
Sibijaan hopped into the tent, his eyes flashing with excitement.
"O Mzaan Bakoor, there is an induna asking for you!" he said. "He says
he comes from Queen Labotsibeni and must see you!"
Outside I found a young chief who looked very much like Buno. He had
the same great body and hard eyes and carried himself with the same
"swank" affected by the king.
"Mzaan Bakoor, little white induna," he said in the same rumbling
melodious bass so common among the Swazis, "I am Lomwazi, brother of
the king and son of Queen Labotsibeni. My mother would see you and has
asked that I beg you to visit her. She waits for you!"
Realizing that it was not fitting that an O'Neil should run at the
command of a kaffir queen, I told Lomwazi that I would go when "the
shadow of that tree strikes the tent." I estimated this would be in
about half an hour, and I was right. Lomwazi, great induna that he
was, squatted outside the tent until I was ready. He evidently
expected that I might offer him gin or some present, but I decided it
would be poor policy to do so, since I intended giving gin to
Labotsibeni.
As soon as Sibijaan told me that the time was up I went out and found
Lomwazi with an escort of half a dozen warriors waiting for me. Sure
that Buno's friendship would protect us, I followed Lomwazi without
hesitation. As we went along I noticed the deference paid us and
realized that Lomwazi must be a power in the land.
We found Queen Labotsibeni in a nearby kraal, which she used when
visiting Lebombo. It was a sort of guest kraal placed at her disposal
by King Buno. There were huts sufficient for all her retinue, among
which were some of the other widows, whom she ruled with a heavy hand.
Labotsibeni was very stout and tall, even when sitting down, as she
was when I first saw her. She had an intelligent face, with the same
eyes, though not so cruel, as Buno and Lomwazi. Her beautifully shaped
hands were much in evidence, and I don't recall having ever seen
cleaner or better manicured fingers. Like the other women in
Swaziland, she was practically naked, except for a covering draped
from the waist. Her hair was piled high on the top of her head and was
bound so that it looked like a melon. When she spoke I noted that her
teeth were perfect. This, of course, is the rule in Swaziland, since
these people take care of their teeth from earliest childhood. They
never finish eating without carefully rubbing their teeth with charcoal
or some fine sand. If the Swazis have no fixed religious observances,
they certainly are religious in the care of their teeth.
Labotsibeni had not lost her sight this first time I saw her, and she
looked me over for a full minute before speaking. Then she motioned to
me to be seated and addressed me:
"Nkoos, little white induna," she said, "you come to Pungwane (the
native name for Swaziland) as the friend of our great white leader.
Oom Tuys is the trusted friend of my son, the king, and you shall be
trusted likewise. Our friend always brings presents; thus do we know
that his heart is true to us!"
I accepted the hint and produced the quart bottle of gin I had brought
for her. She grasped it greedily, and the interview was interrupted
until she had gulped down what I estimated to be nearly a pint. Her
capacity for gin was extraordinary, I learned later, although all the
Swazis will drink alcoholic liquors without restraint. They have
absolutely no sense with gin or whiskey, and only stop guzzling when
the supply runs out or they are completely paralyzed.
After taking her drink, Labotsibeni wiped her lips on a leaf--one of a
pile she had at her side--and then spoke:
"Oom Tuys comes to pay the tribute," she observed, "but my son and he
have other plans they will carry out. You are close to the great white
man. What are these plans?"
I then realized what she was after. Of course I knew nothing about
what new deviltry Buno and Tuys were hatching, but I realized that it
would not do for me to appear to be on the outside. I would lose
prestige.
"Oom Tuys and the king plan great things for the people of Swaziland,"
I solemnly assured her. "It is not for me to say what they will do.
When we have left Swaziland the king will tell you everything. Until
then I must remain silent."
This cryptic statement did not seem to satisfy the old queen and she
several times reverted to her question in our subsequent conversation.
Lomwazi was also present at the interview, but only spoke to agree
with his mother. Behind her in the shadow of the hut sat several of
her maids. They watched their mistress keenly and hastened to assist
her when she rose as a signal that the interview was over.
The impression Labotsibeni gave me was that she was very cunning and
intelligent. I could readily understand the common belief that she was
the "brains behind the throne" in Swaziland.
Tuys was waiting for me at our camp and was much interested to learn
that I had been to see the queen mother. He was amused to hear that
she was anxious to know what business he and Buno were planning.
"So she is worried, eh?" he observed. "Well, that's good for her! She
has kept Buno tied to her apron-strings too long, and I suspect she is
playing into the hands of the Britishers. We must keep Buno as a
friend of our people. If we don't, we shall find the English behind
the Swazis in the next war."
After dinner, during which Tuys told me more stories about Buno and
his cruelty, we attended the shooting match. I don't suppose there was
ever another like it. It was a most terrible exhibition of savage
beastiality and ought to have been called the "murder match," instead
of a shooting contest.
When we arrived at Buno's kraal we found him walking excitedly up and
down, the rifle in his hands. Standing near him were a score or more
of his indunas, and we were struck at once by their look of
apprehension. Lined up on either side of the wide roadway leading to
the royal kraal were thousands of warriors. More than a dozen impis
were in line, every man in his full war costume. Their knob-kerries
were held at the ready, their shields across their bodies, and each
had shifted his assegai to the position used in battle.
The lines of savage warriors stretched away from the kraal for
hundreds of yards. It was the first time I had ever seen the impis of
the king on parade and it was a most impressive sight. There was a
slight breeze and the white plumes on their heads danced in the
sunlight. What struck me most was the splendid build and stature of
these men. They were all six feet or more and their black skins fairly
shone. Most of them wore leopard-skins caught about the waist and on
one shoulder.
My rapid inspection was broken by the king. He greeted us
vociferously, and I immediately saw that he was on fire with the gin
he had drunk. No sooner did he raise his hand in salutation than the
impis gave the royal salute. Their deep shout ended with the crash of
twenty thousand feet brought down together. The earth fairly shook.
I realize now that this salute was a tribute to the cruelty of the
ages. In just such a manner did the gladiators salute Nero with their
"Morituri te salutamus!" A few moments after the salute I realized
that these men were also about to die.
"Come on, Oom Tuys, come and let the king see how well you can shoot!"
Buno shouted. "I have provided the only targets worthy of your
skill--you who are noted for your shooting among a race of white men
who have conquered all with their rifles! I will shoot first, and then
you shall beat me!"
Then he turned suddenly to me.
"And you, too, Mzaan Bakoor, little induna! You, too, shall shoot
against the king! First I will shoot, then Oom Tuys, and then you.
Each will shoot this many shots," and he held out four clips of five
cartridges each.
[Illustration: PRINCESSES AND THEIR MAID TAKING A MORNING BATH]
[Illustration: YOUNG PRINCESSES AMIABLY ENGAGED IN HAIR-DRESSING
These are of exceptionally high birth and of remarkable beauty. Either
would probably be worth fifty head of cattle and could only be bought
for that number. Women are the standard of currency among the Swazis,
the average low-caste woman, if young and sound in limb, being worth
five head of cattle. The price of women increases according to their
birth and beauty]
[Illustration: SWAZI GIRLS
This picture shows the large navel which is common to most women,
particularly to those of aristocratic birth]
[Illustration: PUDANA, FAVORITE TO THE OLD QUEEN LABOTSIBENI
He is a charming little fellow and the most privileged personality in
all Swaziland, being the only male allowed to attend all interviews
and conferences]
The indunas gathered about and I could see the horror in their faces.
They knew what was coming, but even then I did not suspect. Tuys
looked startled and gazed at Buno as though he could not understand.
Down the lines the plumed heads still nodded and after a moment there
was silence.
The savage king slipped a clip into his Mauser, the metallic click
intensified by the silence. He raised the rifle, sighting down first
one line of warriors and then the other. The next instant a shot rang
out and a plumed Swazi pitched forward and lay writhing in the
sunlight. As Buno threw another cartridge into place, two warriors
stepped out and stabbed the fallen warrior.
Four more shots rang out, and at each a plumed head came down, with
shield and assegai crashing as they struck the ground. Each warrior
was stabbed as he lay, the killers quietly stepping back into the ranks.
It was the most ghastly spectacle I had ever attended. We Boers have
always had to fight for our lives and farms, so that sudden death was
no novelty to me. But such a slaughter as this!
Buno completed his twenty shots and made three misses. These angered
him and he shouted out the equivalent of "I'll get you next time!"
Then came Tuys's turn. He had been thinking rapidly and I had a faint
hope that he would find some way out.
"O King, it is not fitting that your warriors should die by my rifle,"
he said hurriedly. "You are king and their lives are yours; I am but
your guest and it is not right that brave men should be killed by one
who loves only peace. Let us shoot at other targets. Let us kill
cattle so that there may be a feast to-night."
Buno's face darkened. His bloodshot eyes flashed and for a second I
thought he would strike Tuys.
"The king commands! Buno, king of the Swazis, commands!" he shouted in
a hoarse voice. "Shoot! Shoot and kill more than I did, if you can!"
I was holding Tuys's rifle and he came over to where I was standing. I
was so sick with it all that I hardly heard him when he spoke to me
hurriedly in Dutch.
"We must go through with it," he whispered. "Kill as few as you can.
Shoot them in the head and they'll die quickly!"
A second later Tuys raised his rifle. Each shot that hit meant death;
there was no need of stabbing when he shot. Buno taunted him at each
shot, and in spite of being the best shot in the Transvaal Tuys was
able to miss as many as possible without arousing the suspicions of
the bloody king.
When he had finished my turn came. I could hardly hold the heavy
rifle. Buno fairly abused me, for he was raging by this time. One
taunt I well remember.
"O Mzaan Bakoor, you of the great ears!" he shouted, his voice now a
hoarse growl. "Show the king that you can shoot as well as you hear.
Oom Tuys cannot shoot. You beat him!"
So unsteady was I that I could not have held the rifle firmly if I had
wanted to. I shot, and never were twenty shot so many. My score was
much worse than Tuys's, but the memory of that murder match will never
die!
Buno was jubilant over his victory. He seemed to think that he had
shamed the white men before his people and his indunas also gloried in
his victory. I think they were rather glad that they had not been
asked to serve as targets.
I thought we were done with killing for the time being and wanted to
return to camp and rest. I was suffering from shock and felt that I
must lie down. But this was not the end. Buno was not yet satisfied.
He challenged Tuys to shoot at running targets! Tuys tried to talk him
out of the idea and suggested that they had better go and get some
gin. But Buno would not be put off.
He led the way to a point a short distance from the kraal, where there
were clumps of bushes and long grass. Warriors were made to dodge in
and out of these bushes while their king potted them. This required
much better shooting, and the men turned and twisted in and out of the
brush like mad things. Buno found that he could not kill enough to
satisfy his brutish desire and soon tired of the "sport." Tuys,
however, had to take his turn, and he was able to miss even more
frequently than before. Sick as I felt, I was rather amused at Tuys
missing these poor savages. I have often seen him stop an antelope in
full flight, and we have a saying that "only a bullet travels faster
than a springbok."