What he saw before him was strange, he said. Here was a man who spoke
with their tongue fluently, though a white man--who was conversant with
their customs. Yet this man, with his companion, appeared before him
with arms in hand, came right up to him, their host and entertainer,
holding guns. And the chief cast a meaning glance at the weapons.
"Yes, I allow it isn't precisely in accordance with good manners, as
Zulus understand them, to do this," returned Dawes. "But then neither
is it for a crowd of people to rush into my camp and kill three men
under my nose--insist on my accompanying them whither I don't
particularly want to go--and drive off my cattle in that same direction
to ensure my following them. Yet this is what your people have done, O
chief of the Igazipuza."
"Am I armed?" spake Ingonyama, very conveniently ignoring the other's
explanation and complaint. "Behold me," stretching forth his hands; "I
have not even a stick."
This was true. Yet if the redoubted head of the Igazipuza could afford
to sit unarmed, surrounded by his fierce warriors, in perfect safety, it
was an experiment which Dawes, in the light of recent experience, had no
intention of trying. Indeed, as regarded himself and his companion, he
considered it a highly dangerous one. To submit to coercion well-gilded
and concealed like a pill, was good policy up to a certain point. When
such coercion took the form of open and undisguised bullying, to submit
was impolitic. In fact Dawes had resolved at all costs not to submit.
"It is as the chief says," he replied. "But if the chief is not armed,
all his people are, and they are numerous. Now we are but two men--we
are our own chiefs and people, too. Under these circumstances it is our
custom to carry arms, and it is a custom we cannot lay aside."
"_Whau_! This white man has a valiant tongue," muttered Vunawayo with a
sneer.
"And now, O chief, we will begin by demanding redress," went on Dawes in
vigorous pursuance of his policy of boldness. "Your people have treated
us with something very like hostility--have forced us out of our way--
and have over-driven our cattle and oxen. Yet we are not at war with
the people of Zulu, nor have we quarrel with any tribe or clan within
the same."
"Surely there is a mistake," spoke Ingonyama. "The hostility you
mention is but their method of showing delight. They hoped to help make
you rich by bringing you hither to trade. What have you got to sell?"
"Before I trade here, O Ingonyama, there is another matter I would speak
about," said Dawes. "With our waggons were certain Amaswazi. These
people have been set upon by your warriors and three of them killed.
What now shall we say when their chiefs ask, `Where are our children
whom we hired to you to drive your cattle? Where are they, that they
return not to their own land?'"
"But they were not your servants, _Umlungu_," said Vunawayo. "Were they
not already fleeing to their own land, when our people met them and
_turned them back_? They had broken faith with you."
"Yet what shall we say when their chiefs ask for their return?" pursued
Dawes. "What reply can we make?"
"Reply? Say? Say that the spears of the Igazipuza are sharp," returned
Vunawayo with an evil laugh.
"I think we have talked enough concerning a few Swazi dogs," said
Ingonyama, taking snuff. "And now, _abelungu_, what have you got to
sell?"
"Yes. What have you got to sell?" echoed a chorus of voices from the
spectators. And then the two, glancing around noticed that they were
encompassed by a considerable force of armed warriors, who had gathered
in groups, casually and as if by accident, but in reality with meaning
and design.
The chief had risen, and intimated his intention of proceeding to the
waggons. Dawes, recognising the necessity of extreme wariness, offered
no further objection. The armed warriors poured into the central space
till it was full to overflowing, while others clustered about the outer
side of the fence like a swarm of bees.
Ingonyama was graciously pleased to accept a large pannikin of
gin-and-water, which, having half emptied, he passed on to his _induna_
Vunawayo. He further relaxed over the gift of some snuff and a few
other things of no great value intrinsically. With each present a
chorus of thanks burst from the throats of all the spectators. This
became a perfect roar as a gaudy umbrella, striped with all the colours
of the rainbow, was added to the gifts.
"What is this?" said the chief, now in high good humour, laying his hand
on a great tufted tassel-like thing, which protruded from a bale.
"This? A skin. Fine one, isn't it?" answered Dawes, dragging it forth.
And, unrolling it, he spread out the skin of a huge lion. A great
shout went up.
"_Hau_! The thing that roars! the thing that roars!" cried the
warriors, in accordance with the strange custom which obliged them to
use some other term to express the word which happened to be the name of
their chief.
[_Ingonyama_, means "a lion."]
Ingonyama's eyes sparkled.
"Wonderful!" he cried. "Wonderful! It is, indeed, a great skin!
_Whau_!" And spreading it out, he stood contemplating it admiringly,
walking around it and every now and then stooping to touch the massive
mane, the great tufted tail.
And in fact a fine skin it was, and had been well taken off and
preserved--head and claws complete--even the skull, with the jaws and
teeth.
"And was it this one hole that let out the life?" said the chief,
pointing to a single bullet-hole fair between the eyes. Dawes nodded.
"And where was it killed?"
"In Swaziland. I killed it."
"_Ha_! My ghost has grown fat and large upon Swazi dogs," said
Ingonyama, the reference being to the Zulu belief that every man has one
or more guardian spirits which take the shape of some animal, and his of
course, would be the lion. "I would possess it," he went on. "What is
the price?"
"I had not intended to trade it," answered Dawes. "But since you
particularly want it, Ingonyama, ten cows is the price."
"_Au_!" cried the chief, with well-feigned amazement. "It is not worth
five. Ten cows? _Mamo_! Was ever such a thing heard!"
"I told you I did not want to trade the skin. You asked me my price and
I have named it. It is too high. Good. We are both satisfied." And
Dawes proceeded to roll up the skin with the most perfect coolness.
"Wait--wait! Do not be in a hurry. Let us talk," said Ingonyama, while
a murmur of astonished indignation went up from the warriors. Who was
this dog of a white man who laughed at the wishes of their chief! They
began to grip their assegais significantly.
"It is too dear," went on Ingonyama. "Yet I would have it. Take seven
cows."
"My price is ten, and it is not a great price. Consider. If the chief
of the Igazipuza were taking a new wife, he would require to pay more
than that for her. Is not a splendid lion's skin like this of more
value than the mere price of a girl? Look at the size of it, the
strength and blackness of the mane, the fine preservation of the head
and teeth."
And again the trader jerked open the skin, before the eyes of the
covetous chief.
"_Ha_!" said the latter. "I am not sure it will be a lucky deal for me.
The lion is my `ghost,' _Umlungu_, and see! this one has a ball between
the eyes--between the eyes has its life been let out."
"May that never be your own lot, Ingonyama," said Dawes. And as he
uttered the words some strange instinct moved him to fix his eyes full
upon those of the chief. Under the circumstances the look was a
significant one.
"_Hau_! This begins to look like _tagati_," [witchcraft] muttered
Vunawayo, scowlingly. "And `The Tooth' is near."
"Take ten cows then," said Ingonyama with a sigh. And he stretched
forth his hand to take the skin. But Dawes did not tender it.
"Where are the cows?" he said. "May I not see them?"
"They are out grazing now, _Umlungu_. At milking-time they will be
here. Then they shall be driven to your herd."
"Quite so. And then the skin shall be carried to your hut, O chief,"
returned Dawes, coolly. "And now I will drive my waggons hence and
outspan them outside the kraal." Then he proceeded to give orders to
his native servants as unconcernedly as though he were starting from
Maritzburg instead of moving through the armed ranks of hundreds of
lawless and turbulent savages.
In the evening the ten head of cattle were duly delivered. They were
indifferent-looking beasts for the most part. Dawes surveyed them
critically.
"I don't know that old Ingonyama hasn't done us now, Ridgeley," he said.
"These are weedy looking brutes, but three, or perhaps four of them,
ain't bad; and I suppose we must take what we can get. I shall be glad
enough to say good-bye to this place, and as soon as the stock and
things are rested, we will try our hand at trekking away. And now let's
take the skin over."
Followed by Sintoba, bearing the lion's skin, the two proceeded to
Ingonyama's hut. As before, the chief was seated outside on a
bullock-hide, with Vunawayo and half a dozen other _amakehla_, or ringed
men, around him. This time he waxed quite friendly and conversational,
and invited his involuntary visitors to sit down and drink _tywala_.
This liquor, which is a species of beer brewed from maize or millet, was
brought in huge bowls of baked clay. A gourd was apportioned to the two
white men, but the Zulus contented themselves with the simple process of
picking up the clay bowl and drinking therefrom; and Gerard, who had
seen some beer-drinking among natives, still found room for astonishment
over the enormous quantities which his present entertainers were able to
absorb.
The sun had gone down, and the afterglow had faded red on the
surrounding cliffs, then merged into the pearly grey of twilight. The
picturesque circle of the great kraal was alive with the figures of its
wild denizens, lounging in groups or stalking among the huts. Files of
girls returning from the spring, calabash on head, made melody on the
evening air, lifting up their voices in song as they walked; and though
the strain was monotonous and barbaric, the effect was not unpleasing;
and the deep tone of men's voices mingled with the shrill laughter and
shriller shriek of children. The wavy glow of fires shone out upon the
deepening twilight, and above the domed huts rose many a smoke reek.
"What a strange rock that is," remarked Gerard, referring to the great
solitary pyramid which we have already described, and which, looming out
in its isolation, seemed to gain in size. "What is it called?"
"It is called _Izinyo_--`The Tooth,'" answered Vunawayo, after a
momentary hesitation on the part of any one to reply.
"That is a strange name," said Gerard. "Is it so-called because of its
shape?"
"And because _it eats_."
"It eats!" echoed Gerard, mystified. "How? What does it eat?"
"Wizards, and--other people," said Vunawayo, darkly. And both Gerard
and Dawes thought they saw more than one significant look exchanged, and
both remembered the muttered remark of their informant while they were
chaffering over the lion's skin. That remark stood now explained, and
in a very grim and boding sense did the explanation strike them.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note 1. The salute royal, only accorded to the king, as distinct from
the "Inkose" or "Baba" ("Chief Father"), employed in hailing a lesser
potentate.