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for　two　of　a　kind　might　not　agree。　Now　begone！〃



So　we　went　out；　but　as　we　passed　them　I　saw　the　doctors　muttering

together；　for　they　were　ill…pleased　and　foreboded　evil。　Also　they　were

jealous　of　me；　and　wished　to　smite　me　through　the　heart　of　him　who　was

called　my　son。







CHAPTER　VIII



THE　GREAT　INGOMBOCO



After　this　there　was　quiet　until　the　Feast　of　the　First…fruits　was

ended。　But　few　people　were　killed　at　these　feast；　though　there　was　a

great　Ingomboco；　or　witch…hunt；　and　many　were　smelt　out　by　the　witch…

doctors　as　working　magic　against　the　king。　Now　things　had　come　to　this

pass　in　Zululandthat　the　whole　people　cowered　before　the　witch…

doctors。　No　man　might　sleep　safe；　for　none　knew　but　that　on　the　morrow

he　would　be　touched　by　the　wand　of　an　Isanusi；　as　we　name　a　finder　of

witches；　and　led　away　to　his　death。　For　awhile　Chaka　said　nothing；　and

so　long　as　the　doctors　smelt　out　those　only　whom　he　wished　to　get　rid

ofand　they　were　manyhe　was　well　pleased。　But　when　they　began　to

work　for　their　own　ends；　and　to　do　those　to　death　whom　he　did　not

desire　to　kill；　he　grew　angry。　Yet　the　custom　of　the　land　was　that　he

whom　the　witch…doctor　touched　must　die；　he　and　all　his　house；

therefore　the　king　was　in　a　cleft　stick；　for　he　scarcely　dared　to　save

even　those　whom　he　loved。　One　night　I　came　to　doctor　him；　for　he　was

sick　in　his　mind。　On　that　very　day　there　had　been　an　Ingomboco；　and

five　of　the　bravest　captains　of　the　army　had　been　smelt　out　by　the

Abangoma；　the　witch…finders；　together　with　many　others。　All　had　been

destroyed；　and　men　had　been　sent　to　kill　the　wives　and　children　of　the

dead。　Now　Chaka　was　very　angry　at　this　slaying；　and　opened　his　heart

to　me。



〃The　witch…doctors　rule　in　Zululand；　and　not　I；　Mopo；　son　of

Makedama；〃　he　said　to　me。　〃Where；　then；　is　it　to　end？　Shall　I　myself

be　smelt　out　and　slain？　These　Isanusis　are　too　strong　for　me；　they　lie

upon　the　land　like　the　shadow　of　night。　Tell　me；　how　may　I　be　free　of

them？〃



〃Those　who　walk　the　Bridge　of　Spears；　O　king；　fall　off　into　Nowhere；〃

I　answered　darkly；　〃even　witch…doctors　cannot　keep　a　footing　on　that

bridge。　Has　not　a　witch…doctor　a　heart　that　can　cease　to　beat？　Has　he

not　blood　that　can　be　made　to　flow？〃



Chaka　looked　at　me　strangely。　〃Thou　art　a　bold　man　who　darest　to　speak

thus　to　me；　Mopo；〃　he　said。　〃Dost　thou　not　know　that　it　is　sacrilege

to　touch　an　Isanusi？〃



〃I　speak　that　which　is　in　the　king's　mind；〃　I　answered。　〃Hearken；　O

king！　It　is　indeed　sacrilege　to　touch　a　true　Isanusi；　but　what　if　the

Isanusi　be　a　liar？　What　if　he　smell　out　falsely；　bringing　those　to

death　who　are　innocent　of　evil？　Is　it　then　sacrilege　to　bring　him　to

that　end　which　he　has　given　to　many　another？　Say；　O　king！〃



〃Good　words！〃　answered　Chaka。　〃Now　tell　me；　son　of　Makedama；　how　may

this　matter　be　put　to　proof？〃



Then　I　leaned　forward；　whispering　into　the　ear　of　the　Black　One；　and

he　nodded　heavily。



Thus　I　spoke　then；　because　I；　too；　saw　the　evil　of　the　Isanusis；　I　who

knew　their　secrets。　Also；　I　feared　for　my　own　life　and　for　the　lives

of　all　those　who　were　dear　to　me。　For　they　hated　me　as　one　instructed

in　their　magic；　one　who　had　the　seeing　eye　and　the　hearing　ear。



One　morning　thereafter　a　new　thing　came　to　pass　in　the　royal　kraal；

for　the　king　himself　ran　out；　crying　aloud　to　all　people　to　come　and

see　the　evil　that　had　been　worked　upon　him　by　a　wizard。　They　came

together　and　saw　this。　On　the　door…posts　of　the　gateway　of　the

Intunkulu；　the　house　of　the　king；　were　great　smears　of　blood。　The

knees　of　men　strong　in　the　battle　trembled　when　they　saw　it；　women

wailed　aloud　as　they　wail　over　the　dead；　they　wailed　because　of　the

horror　of　the　omen。



〃Who　has　done　this　thing？〃　cried　Chaka　in　a　terrible　voice。　〃Who　has

dared　to　bewitch　the　king　and　to　strike　blood　upon　his　house？〃



There　was　no　answer；　and　Chaka　spoke　again。　〃This　is　no　little

matter；〃　he　said；　〃to　be　washed　away　with　the　blood　of　one　or　two　and

be　forgotten。　The　man　who　wrought　it　shall　not　die　alone　or　travel

with　a　few　to　the　world　of　spirits。　All　his　tribe　shall　go　with　him；

down　to　the　baby　in　his　hut　and　cattle　in　his　kraal！　Let　messengers　go

out　east　and　west；　and　north　and　south；　and　summon　the　witch…doctors

from　every　quarter！　Let　them　summon　the　captains　from　every　regiment

and　the　headmen　from　every　kraal！　On　the　tenth　day　from　now　the　circle

of　the　Ingomboco　must　be　set；　and　there　shall　be　such　a　smelling　out

of　wizards　and　of　witches　as　has　not　been　known　in　Zululand！〃



So　the　messengers　went　out　to　do　the　bidding　of　the　king；　taking　the

names　of　those　who　should　be　summoned　from　the　lips　of　the　indunas；

and　day　by　day　people　flocked　up　to　the　gates　of　the　royal　kraal；　and；

creeping　on　their　knees　before　the　majesty　of　the　king；　praised　him

aloud。　But　he　vouchsafed　an　answer　to　none。　One　noble　only　he　caused

to　be　killed；　because　he　carried　in　his　hand　a　stick　of　the　royal　red

wood；　which　Chaka　himself　had　given　him　in　bygone　years。＇1＇



＇1＇　This　beautiful　wood　is　known　in　Natal　as　〃red　ivory。〃ED。



On　the　last　night　before　the　forming　of　the　Ingomboco；　the　witch…

doctors；　male　and　female；　entered　the　kraal。　There　were　a　hundred　and

a　half　of　them；　and　they　were　made　hideous　and　terrible　with　the　white

bones　of　men；　with　bladders　of　fish　and　of　oxen；　with　fat　of　wizards；

and　with　skins　of　snakes。　They　walked　in　silence　till　they　came　in

front　of　the　Intunkulu；　the　royal　house；　then　they　stopped　and　sang

this　song　for　the　king　to　hear：



　　　　We　have　come；　O　king；　we　have　come　from　the　caves　and　the　rocks

　　　　　　　　　　　　and　the　swamps；

　　　　　　To　wash　in　the　blood　of　the　slain；

　　　　We　have　gathered　our　host　from　the　air　as　vultures　are　gathered　in

　　　　　　　　　　　　war。

　　　　　　When　they　scent　the　blood　of　the　slain。



　　　　We　come　not　alone；　O　king：　with　each　Wise　One　there　passes　a

　　　　　　　　　　　　ghost；

　　　　　　Who　hisses　the　name　of　the　doomed。

　　　　We　come　not　alone；　for　we　are　the　sons　and　Indunas　of　Death；

　　　　　　And　he　guides　our　feet　to　the　doomed。



　　　　Red　rises　the　moon　o'er　the　plain；　red　sinks　the　sun　in　the　west；

　　　　　　Look；　wizards；　and　bid　them　farewell！

　　　　We　count　you　by　hundreds；　you　who　cried　for　a　curse　on　the　king。

　　　　　　Ha！　soon　shall　we　bid　YOU　farewell！



Then　they　were　silent；　and　went　in　silence　to　the　place　appointed　for

them；　there　to　pass　the　night　in　mutterings　and　magic。　But　those　who

were　gathered　together　shivered　with　fear　when　they　heard　their　words；

for　they　knew　well　that　many　a　man　would　be　switched　with　the　gnu's

tail　before　the　sun　sank　once　more。　And　I；　too；　trembled；　for　my　heart

was　full　of　fear。　Ah！　my　father；　those　were　evil　days　to　live　in　when

Chaka　ruled；　and　death　met　us　at　every　turn！　Then　no　man　might　call

his　life　his　own；　or　that　of　his　wife　or　child；　or　anything。　All　were

the　king's；　and　what　war　spared　that　the　witch…doctors　took。



The　morning　dawned　heavily；　and　before　it　was　well　light　the　heralds

were　out　summoning　all　to　the　king's　Ingomboco。　Men　came　by　hundreds；

carrying　short　sticks　onlyfor　to　be　seen　armed　was　deathand　seated

themselves　in　the　great　circle　before　the　gates　of　the　royal　house。

Oh！　their　looks　were　sad；　and　they　had　little　stomach　for　eating　that

morning；　they　who　were　food　for　death。　They　seated　themselves；　then

round　them　on　the　outside　of　the　circle　gathered　knots　of　warriors；

chosen　men；　great　and　fierce；　armed　with　kerries　only。　These　were　the

slayers。



When　all　was　ready；　the　king　came　out；　followed　by　his　indunas　and　by

me。　As　he　appeared；　wrapped　in　the　kaross　of　tiger…skins　and　towering

a　head　higher　than　any　man　there；　all　the　multitudeand　it　was　many

as　the　game　on　the　hillscast　themselves　to　earth；　and　from　every　lip

sharp　and　sudden　went　up　the　royal　salute　of　Bayete。　But　Chaka　took　no

note；　his　brow　was　cloudy　as　a　mountain…top。　He　cast　one　glance　at　the

people　and　one　at　the　slayers；　and　wherever　his　eye　fell　men　turned

grey　with　fear。　Then　he　stalked　on；　and　sat　himself　upon　a　stool　to

the　north　of　the　great　ring　looking　toward　the　open　space。



For　awhile　there　was　silence；　then　from　the　gates　of　the　women's

quarters　came　a　band　of　maidens　arrayed　in　their　beaded　dancing…

dresses；　and　carrying　green　branches　in　their　hands。　As　they　came；

they　clapped　their　hands　and　sang　softly：



　　　　We　are　the　heralds　of　the　king's　feast。　Ai！　Ai！

　　　　　　Vultures　shall　eat　it。　Ah！　Ah！

　　　　It　is　goodit　is　good　to　die　for　the　king！



They　ceased；　and　ranged　themselves　in　a　body　behind　us。　Then　Chaka

held　up　his　hand；　and　there　was　a　patter　of　running　feet。　Presently

from　behind　the　royal　huts　appeared　the　great　company　of　the　Abangoma；

the　witch…doctorsmen　to　the　right　and　women　to　the　left。　In　the　left

hand　of　each　was　the　tail　of　a　vilderbeeste；　in　the　right　a　bundle　of

assegais　and　a　little　shield。　They　were　awful　to　see；　and　the　bones

about　them　rattled　as　they　ran；　the　bladders　and　the　snake…skins

floated　in　the　air　behind　them；　their　faces　shone　with　the　fat　of

anointing；　their　eyes　started　like　the　eyes　of　fishes；　and　their　lips

twitched　hungrily　as　they　glared　round　the　death…ring。　Ha！　ha！　little

did　those　evil　children　guess　who　should　be　the　slayers　and　who　should

be　the　slain　before　that　sun　sank！



On　they　came；　like　a　grey　company　of　the　dead。　On　they　came　in　silence

broken　only　by　the　patter　of　their　feet　and　the　dry　rattling　of　their

bony　necklets；　till　they　stood　in　long　ranks　before　the　Black　One。

Awhile　they　stood　thus；　then　suddenly　every　one　of　them　thrust　forward

the　little　shield　in　his　hand；　and　with　a　single　voice　they　cried；

〃Hail；　Father！〃



〃Hail；　my　children！〃　answered　Chaka。



〃What　seekest　thou；　Father？〃　they　cried　again。　〃Blood？〃



〃The　blood　of　the　guilty；〃　he　answered。



They　turned　and　spoke　each　to　each；　the　company　of　the　men　spoke　to

the　company　of　the　women。



〃The　Lion　of　the　Zulu　seeks　blood。〃



〃He　shall　be　fed！〃　screamed　the　women。



〃The　Lion　of　the　Zulu　smells　blood。〃



〃He　shall　see　it！〃　screamed　the　women。



〃His　eyes　search　out　the　wizards。〃



〃He　shall　count　their　dead！〃　screamed　the　women。



〃Peace！〃　cried　Chaka。　〃Waste　not　the　hours　in　talk；　but　to　the　work。

Hearken！　Wizards　have　bewitched　me！　Wizards　have　dared　to　smite　blood

upon　the　gateways　of　the　king。　Dig　in　the　burrows　of　the　earth　and

find　them；　ye　rats！　Fly　through　the　paths　of　the　air　and　find　them；　ye

vultures！　Smell　at　the　gates　of　the　people　and　name　them；　ye　jackals！

ye　hunters　in　the　night！　Drag　them　from　the　caves　if　they　be　hidden；

from　the　distance　if　they　be　fled；　from　the　graves　if　they　be　dead。　To

the　work！　to　the　work！　Show　them　to　me　truly；　and　your　gifts　shall　be

great；　and　for　them；　if　they　be　a　nation；　they　shall　be　slain。　Now

begin。　Begin　by　companies　of　ten；　for　you　are　many；　and　all　must　be

finished　ere　the　sun　sink。〃