It is probable that the Matopo Hills, in Southern Matabeleland, are, as
a freak of Nature, unique on the earth's surface.
Only a vast upheaval--whether through the agency of fire or of water,
let the geologists determine and quarrel over--can have produced such a
bizarre result. A very sea of granite waves, not smooth and rolling,
but piled in gigantic, rugged heaps; cones of immense boulders, rising
to the height of many hundred feet; titanic masses of castellated rock;
slab-like _mesas_ and smooth-headed domes all jumbled together
arbitrarily side by side; it is as though at some remote age a
stupendous explosion had torn the heart out of earth's surface, and
heaving it on high with irresistible force, had allowed it to fall and
settle as it would. Colossal boulders, all on end, anyhow, forming dark
holes and caves, lead up to the summits of these marvellous cones; and
in such clefts wild vegetation finds abundant anchorage--the acacia and
wild fig and mahobo-hobo. Here a tall rock pinnacle, balancing upon its
apex a great stone, which, to the unthinking eye, a mere touch would
send crashing from its airy resting-place where it has reposed for ages
and ages beyond all memory; there a solid square granite block the size
of a castle, riven from summit to base as completely and smoothly as a
bisected cheese. Grim baboons, of large size and abnormal boldness,
bark threateningly from the ledges, and every crag is a perfect rookery
of predatory birds--hawks and buzzards, and kites and carrion crows--
soaring and wheeling beneath the blue of the heavens. Valleys, narrow
and winding, intersect this chaotic mass, swampy withal in parts, and
harbouring reedy water-holes where, beneath the broad leaves and fair
blossoms of radiant lilies, the demon crocodile lurks unsuspected.
Great crater-like hollows, too--only to be entered by a single way, and
that a very staircase of rocks--the whole a vast and forbidding series
of natural fastnesses, which even now have been thoroughly penetrated by
but few whites, and at that time by the conquerors of the country not at
all.
Evening is drawing down upon this rugged wilderness. The sun has gone
off the world, but a rosy afterglow still tinges the piled boulders or
smooth, balanced crags rearing up above the feathery foliage of acacia;
and, save for an odd one here and there, the wheeling birds of prey have
sought their inaccessible roosting-places. But such as have not--for
these an unwonted sight lies beneath. The deathlike solitude of each
winding valley is disturbed by an unwonted life--the life of men.
On they come--dark forms in straggling lines--threescore here, two
there; a dozen further back, even as many as a hundred together. And
they are converging upon one point. This is a hollow, the centre of
which forms an open space--once under cultivation--the sides a perfect
ruin of shattered rocks.
On they come--line upon line of dark savages--advancing mostly in
silence, though now and then the hum of a marching song, as some fresh
group arrives at the place, rises upon the stillness in clear cadence.
None are armed, unless a stick apiece and a small shield can be defined
as weapons; and there is a curiously subdued note pervading the
assembly--an elated look on some of those dark faces, a thoughtful one
on others--but one of expectancy upon all.
Each party as it arrives squats upon the ground awaiting the next. And
still the tread of advancing feet, the hum of approaching voices, and
presently the open space is filled with dark humanity to the number of
several hundreds. During the period of waiting, chiefs, leaving their
own following, greet each other, and draw apart for converse among
themselves. Suddenly, and with startling nearness, there echoes forth
from a crag overhead a loud resonant bark. It is answered by another
and another. A volley of deep-voiced ejaculation, first startled--for
their feelings are wrought up--then mirthful, arises from scores of
throats. A troop of baboons has discovered this human concourse, and,
secure in a lofty vantage ground, is vocally resenting its presence.
But such levity is promptly checked by a sense of the serious nature of
the gathering. It is clear that all are assembled who mean to come.
And now the gloom lightens with amazing rapidity, as the broad disc of a
full moon sails majestically forth above the jumble of serrated crags;
and to it turns that sea of wild dark faces stamped with an unwonted
expectation and awe, for as yet the bulk of those present have but a dim
idea of the end and object of this mysterious convention.
In the lamplike glow of this new light faces are clearly discernible,
and amid the group of chiefs are those of Madula, and Zazwe, and
Sikombo, and Umlugula, and several others holding foremost rank among
their tribesmen. On this occasion, however, they are not foremost, for
it is upon another group that the main interest and expectation centres.
The members of this are decked out in the weird array of sorcerers, are
hung around with entrails and claws, mysterious bunches of "charms,"
white cowhair and feather adornments, and the grinning skulls of wild
animals. One alone is destitute of all ornamentation, but the grim
hawk-like countenance, the snaky ferocity of the cruel stare, the lithe
stealthiness of movement, stamps this man with an individuality all his
own, and he is none other than Shiminya. These are the "Abantwana
'Mlimo," the hierarchy of the venerated Abstraction, the "Children of
Umlimo." Of them there are perhaps two score. They are seated in a
circle, droning a song, or rather a refrain, and, in the midst, Shiminya
walks up and down discanting. The chiefs occupy a subsidiary place
to-night, for the seat of the oracle is very near, and these are the
mouthpieces of the oracle.
By degrees the assembly gathers around. Voices are hushed. All
attention is bent upon these squatting, droning figures. Suddenly they
rise, and, bursting through the surrounding ranks, which promptly open
to give them way, start off at a run. The crowd follows as though
magnet drawn. But the run soon slows down to a kind of dancing step;
and, following, the dark assemblage sweeps up the valley bottom, the
long dry grass crackling as the excited multitude crushes its way
through. On the outskirts of the column a great venomous snake,
disturbed, trodden on, rears its hideous head, and, quick as lightning,
strikes its death-dealing fangs into the legs of two of the crowd, but
in the exaltation of the hour no thought is given to these. They may
drop out and die; none can afford to waste time over them.
For nearly an hour the advance continues, the black mass pouring, like
ants, over every obstacle--over stones, rocks, uprooted tree-trunks--
winding through a tortuous valley bottom, the granite crags, towering
aloft in their immensity, looking down as though in cold scornful
indifference upon this pigmy outburst of mere human excitement, and then
the way opens, becoming comparatively clear. The "Abantwana 'Mlimo"
slacken their pace, and then the whole body is brought to a halt.
The spot is a comparatively open one save for the long dry grass. In
front is a belt of acacias; but behind, and towering above this, there
rises an immense mass of solid granite, its apex about two hundred feet
above the bottom of the hollow--a remarkable pile, smoother and more
compact than the surrounding crags, and right in the centre of its face
is a black spot about twelve feet square.
The blackness, however, is the effect of gloom. This spot is the mouth
of a hole or cave.
In dead silence now the multitude crouches, all eyes fixed expectantly
upon the black yawning mouth. Yet, what can appear there within, for
the rock face is inaccessible to any save winged creatures? A cleft,
passing the hole, traverses obliquely the entire pile, but as
unavailable for purposes of ascent as the granite face itself. No
living being can climb up thence. Another vertical crack descends from
above. That, too, is equally unavailable. Yet, with awe-stricken
countenances, the whole assembly, crouching in semicircular formation,
are straining their eyeballs upon the gaping aperture.
In front are the hierarchs of the grim Abstraction. If here indeed is
the home of the latter it is well chosen, for a scene of more utter
wildness and desolation than this weird, granite-surrounded fastness is
hardly imaginable. The great round moon, floating on high, seems to the
impressionable multitude to lower and spread--almost to burn.
And now the "Abantwana 'Mlimo" rise from their squatting posture, and,
forming into a double line, their faces lifted towards the black, gaping
hole, begin to sing. Their chant rolls forth in a regular rhythm, but
the usual accompaniment of the stamping of feet is at first absent. But
the song, the wild savage harmony of voices fitting well into their
parts, is more tuneful, more melodious, than most barbaric outbursts of
the kind. Its burden may be rendered somewhat in this wise--
"Voice from the air, Lighten our way! Word of the Wise, Say! shall we
slay? Voice of the Great, Speaking from gloom; Say! shall we wait
Darkness of doom?"
The echoes ring out upon the still night air, rolling in eddies of sound
among the granite crags. The company of sorcerers, every nerve and
muscle at its highest tension, softly move their feet to the time, as
again and again they repeat their awesome invocation, and with each
repetition the sound gathers volume, until it reaches a mighty roar.
The multitude, stricken motionless with the awe of a great expectation,
gaze upward with protruding eyeballs, awaiting a reply. It comes.
The singing of the Abantwana 'Mlimo has ceased. There is a silence that
may be felt, only broken by a strained breathing from hundreds of
throats. Then, from the black cave, high above, sounds forth a voice--a
single voice, but of amazing volume and power, the voice of the Great
Abstraction--of the Umlimo himself. And the answer is delivered in the
same rhythm as the invocation--
"Dire is the scourge, Sweeping from far: Bed is the spear, Warming for
war. Burned is the earth, Gloom in the skies; Nation's new birth--
Manhood arise!"
Strong and firm the Voice rolls forth, booming from that black portal as
with a thunder note--clear to a marvel in its articulation, cold,
remorseless in the decision of its darkly prophesying utterance.
Indescribably awe-inspiring as it pours forth its trumpet notes upon the
dead silence, small wonder that to the subdued eager listeners it is the
voice of a god. Thrice is the rhythm repeated, until every word has
burned deep into their minds as melted lead into a beam of soft-grained
wood.
And now in the silence which ensues there steps forth from the ranks of
the Abantwana 'Mlimo one man. Standing alone a little in front of the
rest, he faces upward to the great cave overhead. In the absence of
weird adornment, and with the moon upon his bird-like countenance,
stands revealed Shiminya.
"Great Great One! Voice of the Wise!" he cries. "Thy children hear
thee. They are brought even unto death. The scourge which Makiwa has
brought upon them strikes hard. It is striking their cattle down by
scores already. There will be no more left."
There is a pause. With outstretched arms in the moonlight, the mediator
stands motionless, awaiting the answer. It comes:--
"There will first be no more Makiwa."
A heave of marvel and suppressed excitement sways the crowd. There is
no misunderstanding this oracular pronouncement, for it is in the main
what all are there to hear. Shiminya goes on.
"Oh, Great Great One, the land is burned dry for lack of rain, and thy
children die of hunger. Will the land never again yield corn?"
"Makiwa has laid his hand upon it;" and the dull, hollow, remorseless
tone, issuing from the darkness, now seems swept by a very tempest of
hate, then replies, "Remove the hand!"
Sticks are clutched and shields shaken to the accompaniment of a deep
growl of wrath forced from between clenched teeth.
"Remove the hand!" runs in a humming murmur through the multitude. "Ah,
ah! Remove the hand!"
Again, with hollow boom, the Voice rolls forth.
"Even the very skies are darkening. Behold!"
Every head is quickly jerked back.
"_Whou_!"
Just the one ejaculation, volleyed from every throat, and in it there is
but one consent, one expression, that of marvel and quaking dread. For
in the tense excitement of awaiting the utterances of the oracle none
have noticed that the flooding light of the moon has been gradually
fading to darkness, albeit not a cloud is in the heavens. Now, as they
look up, lo! the silvern orb is half covered with a black shadow.
Onward it steals, creeping further and further, until the broad disc is
entirely shrouded. A weird unnatural darkness lies upon the earth.
In silent awe the superstitious savages gaze blankly upon the
phenomenon. There are those among them who have beheld it before, and
to such under ordinary circumstances it would be looked upon with little
concern. Now, however, worked up as they are, it is different. There
are even some among them who have heard of the darkening of the sun
during the first struggle of the great parent race of Zulu against the
white invasion. Then it presaged great slaughter of their white
enemies. And, as though reading the thoughts of such, the awful voice
of the Great Abstraction broke in upon the oppressive, unnatural gloom--
"Children of Matyobane, [Father of Umzilikazi, founder and first king of
the Matabelo nation], hearken. When Makiwa thought to eat up the mighty
stock from which ye are sprung the very sun withdrew his light, and the
plains between Isandhlwana and Umzinyati were red with the blood of
Makiwa. Such as were not slain fled from the land. For the children of
Zulu the sun grew black. For the children of Matyobane the moon. Lo,
the blackening of the moon is the hiding of the nation, crushed,
blackened, beneath the might of Makiwa. But the blackness does not
last; so is the foot of Makiwa removed from the neck of the people of
Matyobane. Behold!"
Every face, which has been turned towards the bark mouth of the oracle,
again looks skyward. The black disc is moving back. The outer rim of
the broad moon once more shines forth in a shaft of light. Broader and
broader does this become, the strained eyeballs of the wrought-up
savages bent upon it with concentrated stare. Then the Abantwana
'Mlimo, falling prone to the earth, once more raise the chant, and this
time the whole multitude joins, in a great rolling volume of chorus:--
"Burned is the earth, Gloom in the skies; Nation's new birth--Manhood
arise!"
In wild uncontrollable excitement the multitude watches the now fast
lightening orb; then, when the shadow has entirely left it, shining in
bright, clear radiance as before, all faces are once more turned upward
to the great granite pile, looming huge against the stars, its front a
dull grey in the moonlight. Once more is the silence dead--expectant.
"Oh, Great Great One!" cries Shiminya, standing with arms outstretched,
"we behold a nation's new birth. But the time, O Word of the Wise? The
time?"
"The time!" And now the Voice rolled from the black cavern mouth in a
very thunder roar that reverberated among the mighty granite walls in a
shock of echo that struck the entranced auditors speechless. "The time,
Children of Matyobane? The time? _Before next moon is dead_."