The sun had not risen very high before the hunting party was astir and
preparing to return to the kraal. The head of the elephant was left
where it was to decompose, which, under such a sun, it would not take
long doing, when the tusks could easily be removed. It may appear
strange that so valuable a portion of the animal should be left
unguarded in the bush; but there is a great amount of honour between
Kaffir hunters, and each strictly respects the mark of the other. The
Kaffir whose property they had become by right of the first wound--
though the chief being present I found they were to be presented to
him--was a great hunter, as could be seen by the leopard tails which
formed his aprons and the teeth of wild beasts of which his necklaces
and bracelets were composed; for in Caffraria, if a man wants to dress
in these much-prized ornaments, he cannot purchase them, but must first
slay their natural possessors. So proud is the hunter of these trophies
of his prowess, that he will rarely part with them save to his chief or
the exacting witch-doctor.
On nearing the kraal I remarked a sudden change in my companions'
manner, which I could not but attribute to the appearance of, or signs
made by, some Kaffirs who stood at the entrance to the huts, evidently
watching for our return, for no sooner did we come in sight than they
advanced towards us. As they approached, I saw that they were divested
of all ornaments, while they wore the oldest aprons and karosses they
possessed. Guessing there must be some cause for this, I awaited the
result with much curiosity.
The two parties had now advanced near enough to exchange sentences, and
no sooner were the first uttered than a mournfully dolorous cry arose
from the hunters, who frantically began tearing off their ornaments,
even to the Chief Metilulu, who, instantly taking the lead, hurried on
as fast as his obesity would permit.
Remembering how the Jews of old, on the illness or death of those dear
to them, rent their garments and cast dust upon their heads, I could not
help fancying that this removal of all decorations, accompanied by the
cries of sorrow, must be occasioned by the same cause, and making my way
to Tugela, I put the question as to the reason of the sudden change in
the hunters to him.
He answered that during our absence Anzutu had been taken much worse,
and was not expected to recover. He told me this in a round-about way,
for the Kaffir avoids the word "death" as an Englishman might the
plague, and it is not considered etiquette to mention it ever in a
chief's presence. Though a Kaffir has no idea of time, and regards his
life as not his own, but his chief's, who may order his execution at,
any moment he please yet they, greatly dread death when it comes
naturally, and would give anything, to conceal those precursors to old
age--grey hairs.
When I heard that Anzutu would probably die after all, I could not help
thinking that the death of the wretched wizard had not done much good.
Whether Tugela had divined my thoughts I do not know, but when he spoke
again he certainly answered them.
"Had Metilulu applied to the witch-doctor sooner," he said, "this might
not have been; the wizard had got too much power before he was stopped."
We had now entered the kraal, where I found both men and women attired
in their oldest aprons, without ornament, and all betraying the deepest
signs of grief. Metilulu, attended only by his chief warriors, had
hurried to his own hut to await further bulletins, which soon came, for
we had not returned an hour before the news spread through the community
that Anzutu was dead.
Never shall I forget the tremendous noise that then arose. Shriek after
shriek--howl after howl--groan after groan. Had Pandemonium broken
loose it could not have been worse. Work was suspended entirely, and,
stranger still for a Kaffir, eating and drinking also. There they sat
howling. Feeling myself, as a spectator, rather out of place in such a
scene, I retired to my hut, and watched proceedings from the entrance.
Soon the news that Metilulu's favourite wife had ceased to exist
travelled to other kraals, and, to my consternation--for I was almost
deafened by the noise already--fresh parties kept arriving all day, and,
taking their places, added their voices to the rest; for it appeared
Metilulu was a powerful chief among the tribes. The whole day and night
they still kept coming, and the noise continued, while never did I see
one of the people seek refreshment. Fortunately for myself, I had some
dried eland flesh in my hut, with which I stayed my hunger, and so the
most miserable twenty-four hours I had yet spent in Caffraria.
In the morning the cries had not ceased; but I went forth, feeling sure
that some ceremony--perhaps the burial--would take place after such an
uproar, as they could scarcely support it longer. I had seen a
wedding--I had seen a Kaffir baby just after birth, and found it to be
almost as white as an European's, the skin darkening rapidly
afterwards,--and now I desired to witness a funeral.
Proceeding towards Metilulu's huts--that is, his own and those of his
wives--I found him outside, dressed in full warrior costume, as were
those who stood about him. They were engaged in singing a wild native
song; then the chief issued some orders. I had no need to understand
the language to learn what they were, as they were instantly followed by
the execution of several of the tribe, this evidently being a custom.
The poor fellows received their fate without a murmur; for, as before
stated, in Caffraria the chief's word is law, and one which his people
obey even on some occasions with rejoicing. Indeed, as the miserable
beings were now being executed, I perceived by the expression of their
faces that they were uttering praises of the fat despot.
Since I saw this, I have read that, upon the death of persons of rank,
frequently a general massacre will take place, not only by the chief's
direct orders, but rather as if by it the people wish to show their
sympathy with him.
When the executions were over, the cries continued, till I beheld many
fall down insensible from exhaustion; and glad enough I was when that
day and night also came to an end, for I hoped it would be the last of
it, as the following morning the remains of Anzutu were to be consigned
to the earth; for it is a singular fact that the custom of burying the
dead is prevalent all over the world, save in India with the Parsees,
where the funeral pyre is raised and the body consumed by fire.
While speaking upon this subject, I may as well say a few words upon the
ordinary rite of burial; for it must be remembered that I am here
recounting the death and interment of a person of rank, and in that case
the show ceremonies are as different in Caffraria as in our own land,
where the plain hearse and mourning coach tell of a poor person's
demise, and waving feathers, velvet trappings, a long string of
carriages, men with gilt-tipped rods, announce that of a rich man, who,
even in death, cannot surrender the pomp and vanities of this world, but
would, as it were, strive to prove the falsity of the saying, "In death
all are equal." But to return to the Kaffirs. On the death of a chief,
the people mourn and fast, as above described, till the dead man is
buried in the isibaya, where only the head men are permitted to be
interred, and where women are never permitted to enter, dead or alive.
The commoners are buried in a hole outside the kraal. A hole too, is
the proper word to use, for it is small and deep, the body not lying
horizontally, but in a sitting position, with the knees close up to the
chin. By its side are buried the weapons it used in life, the points
being bent to render them useless; while if it be a chief, and rich,
oxen are at times killed at the grave.
The next morning all turned out to attend the funeral, I, of course,
making one of the number, though I did not mingle with the chief
mourners.
A very large hole had been made--about seven feet square,--which caused
me to think, if it were for Anzutu, she must have far exceeded her
husband in bulk; but my horror was again excited when I found that, as
Metilulu desired to show every possible honour to his departed wife, he
had issued an order that half-a-dozen young girls were to be buried
_alive_ with her.
I had often heard of the custom of immolating victims at the grave of a
chief in savage countries, and I had read the adventures of that Marco
Polo of Eastern romance, Sinbad, wherein he had, according to the custom
of the country, been buried with his dead wife; but I had never known
till now that the terrible rite of interring the living with the dead
existed in Caffraria.
As I have, I believe, previously stated, female beauty in that part of
the world where I then was is anything but prepossessing to European
eyes; yet I felt my flesh creep, and my pulses throb with impotent rage,
as any Englishman's would, at the sight of these young girls being,
without the least resistance, buried alive. The thought was too
horrible, and, starting up, I determined to expostulate with Metilulu,
regardless of the consequences, upon the performance of such a barbarous
rite.
Hastening on, I came across Tugela, to whom, as I should require his
assistance, I naturally confided my intention. He looked at me first in
surprise; then most earnestly persuaded me, for my own safety, to
refrain from such an absurd proceeding, affirming that, whatever I might
say, Metilulu, in his present state of grief, would not listen, but, on
the contrary, would very likely have me executed too for trying to
insult the memory of his wife. Despite these assertions, I was yet
persisting in my plan, when Tugela put a stop to it entirely by saying
that if I was resolved, so was he not to interpret correctly a sentence
of my request.
Therefore I had to give up my attempt, consoling myself with the
belief--which was no doubt correct--that my words would have had little
if any effect upon the despotic ruler. Meanwhile the rites went on, the
awful burial took place, a special guard was placed over the spot to
watch there for one year, and the mourners returned to the kraal, where
another ceremony consequent upon a death took place, which again
reminded me of the Jewish laws regarding cleansing and purification.
The prophets, or doctors, of the kraal, on the people's return, sent
them to bathe in an adjacent stream, and afterwards administered
medicine to each, while those who had actually touched the body had to
undergo this purification twice before they could resume their usual
every-day's labour; for a Kaffir has a great repugnance to touch a
corpse. It is only their love which will make them do so at all, and
cases are frequent, where the affection has not been great, that the
relations of the dying person, not waiting for their demise, have cast
them into a river, to save the necessity of handling the dead body a few
hours later.
Oxen were now killed and prepared for the funereal feast, during the
preparation of which the company unceasingly bewailed the loss of the
departed; then, having heartily partaken of the meal, all repaired to
their different kraals.
I was no little pleased to see an end of it, and, when all at last
seemed quiet, I set out for a saunter, hoping to come across Tugela.
This I soon did, and, after a little while, put to him the question
which my curiosity--that feeling which, since the time of Mrs
Bluebeard, has so often led both men and women into danger--urged me to.
This was, why Metilulu had taken my refusal so indifferently, never,
indeed, having noticed it.