nada the lily-第2章

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Ama…Zulu　was　seen　riding　down　the　storm。　Here　is　what　Mr。　Fynney　says

of　her　in　the　pamphlet　to　which　reference　has　been　made：　〃The　natives

have　a　spirit　which　they　call　Nomkubulwana；　or　the　Inkosazana…ye…Zulu

（the　Princess　of　Heaven）。　She　is　said　to　be　robed　in　white；　and　to

take　the　form　of　a　young　maiden；　in　fact　an　angel。　She　is　said　to

appear　to　some　chosen　person；　to　whom　she　imparts　some　revelation；

but；　whatever　that　revelation　may　be；　it　is　kept　a　profound　secret

from　outsiders。　I　remember　that；　just　before　the　Zulu　war；

Nomkubulwana　appeared；　revealing　something　or　other　which　had　a　great

effect　throughout　the　land；　and　I　know　that　the　Zulus　were　quite

impressed　that　some　calamity　was　about　to　befall　them。　One　of　the

ominous　signs　was　that　fire　is　said　to　have　descended　from　heaven；　and

ignited　the　grass　over　the　graves　of　the　former　kings　of　Zululand。

。　。　。　On　another　occasion　Nomkubulwana　appeared　to　some　one　in

Zululand；　the　result　of　that　visit　being；　that　the　native　women　buried

their　young　children　up　to　their　heads　in　sand；　deserting　them　for　the

time　being；　going　away　weeping；　but　returning　at　nightfall　to　unearth

the　little　ones　again。〃



For　this　divine　personage　there　is；　therefore；　authority；　and　the　same

may　be　said　of　most　of　the　supernatural　matters　spoken　of　in　these

pages。　The　exact　spiritual　position　held　in　the　Zulu　mind　by　the

Umkulunkulu；the　OldOld；the　GreatGreat；the　Lord　of　Heavens；

is　a　more　vexed　question；　and　for　its　proper　consideration　the　reader

must　be　referred　to　Bishop　Callaway's　work；　the　〃Religious　System　of

the　Amazulu。〃　Briefly；　Umkulunkulu's　character　seems　to　vary　from　the

idea　of　an　ancestral　spirit；　or　the　spirit　of　an　ancestor；　to　that　of

a　god。　In　the　case　of　an　able　and　highly　intelligent　person　like　the

Mopo　of　this　story；　the　ideal　would　probably　not　be　a　low　one；

therefore　he　is　made　to　speak　of　Umkulunkulu　as　the　Great　Spirit；　or

God。



It　only　remains　to　the　writer　to　express　his　regret　that　this　story　is

not　more　varied　in　its　hue。　It　would　have　been　desirable　to　introduce

some　gayer　and　more　happy　incidents。　But　it　has　not　been　possible。　It

is　believed　that　the　picture　given　of　the　times　is　a　faithful　one；

though　it　may　be　open　to　correction　in　some　of　its　details。　At　the

least；　the　aged　man　who　tells　the　tale　of　his　wrongs　and　vengeance

could　not　be　expected　to　treat　his　subject　in　an　optimistic　or　even　in

a　cheerful　vein。



＇1＇　I　grieve　to　state　that　I　must　now　say　the　late　Mr。　F。　B。　Fynney。











NADA　THE　LILY







INTRODUCTION



Some　years　sinceit　was　during　the　winter　before　the　Zulu　Wara

White　Man　was　travelling　through　Natal。　His　name　does　not　matter；　for

he　plays　no　part　in　this　story。　With　him　were　two　wagons　laden　with

goods；　which　he　was　transporting　to　Pretoria。　The　weather　was　cold　and

there　was　little　or　no　grass　for　the　oxen；　which　made　the　journey

difficult；　but　he　had　been　tempted　to　it　by　the　high　rates　of

transport　that　prevailed　at　that　season　of　the　year；　which　would

remunerate　him　for　any　probable　loss　he　might　suffer　in　cattle。　So　he

pushed　along　on　his　journey；　and　all　went　well　until　he　had　passed　the

little　town　of　Stanger；　once　the　site　of　Duguza；　the　kraal　of　Chaka；

the　first　Zulu　king　and　the　uncle　of　Cetywayo。　The　night　after　he　left

Stanger　the　air　turned　bitterly　cold；　heavy　grey　clouds　filled　the

sky；　and　hid　the　light　of　the　stars。



〃Now　if　I　were　not　in　Natal；　I　should　say　that　there　was　a　heavy　fall

of　snow　coming；〃　said　the　White　Man　to　himself。　〃I　have　often　seen　the

sky　look　like　that　in　Scotland　before　snow。〃　Then　he　reflected　that

there　had　been　no　deep　snow　in　Natal　for　years；　and；　having　drunk　a

〃tot〃　of　squareface　and　smoked　his　pipe；　he　went　to　bed　beneath　the

after…tent　of　his　larger　wagon。



During　the　night　he　was　awakened　by　a　sense　of　bitter　cold　and　the　low

moaning　of　the　oxen　that　were　tied　to　the　trek…tow；　every　ox　in　its

place。　He　thrust　his　head　through　the　curtain　of　the　tent　and　looked

out。　The　earth　was　white　with　snow；　and　the　air　was　full　of　it；　swept

along　by　a　cutting　wind。



Now　he　sprang　up；　huddling　on　his　clothes　and　as　he　did　so　calling　to

the　Kaffirs　who　slept　beneath　the　wagons。　Presently　they　awoke　from

the　stupor　which　already　was　beginning　to　overcome　them；　and　crept

out；　shivering　with　cold　and　wrapped　from　head　to　foot　in　blankets。



〃Quick！　you　boys；〃　he　said　to　them　in　Zulu；　〃quick！　Would　you　see　the

cattle　die　of　the　snow　and　wind？　Loose　the　oxen　from　the　trek…tows　and

drive　them　in　between　the　wagons；　they　will　give　them　some　shelter。〃

And　lighting　a　lantern　he　sprang　out　into　the　snow。



At　last　it　was　doneno　easy　task；　for　the　numbed　hands　of　the　Kaffirs

could　scarcely　loosen　the　frozen　reims。　The　wagons　were　outspanned

side　by　side　with　a　space　between　them；　and　into　this　space　the　mob　of

thirty…six　oxen　was　driven　and　there　secured　by　reims　tied　crosswise

from　the　front　and　hind　wheels　of　the　wagons。　Then　the　White　Man　crept

back　to　his　bed；　and　the　shivering　natives；　fortified　with　gin；　or

squareface；　as　it　is　called　locally；　took　refuge　on　the　second　wagon；

drawing　a　tent…sail　over　them。



For　awhile　there　was　silence；　save　for　the　moaning　of　the　huddled　and

restless　cattle。



〃If　the　snow　goes　on　I　shall　lose　my　oxen；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃they

can　never　bear　this　cold。〃



Hardly　had　the　words　passed　his　lips　when　the　wagon　shook；　there　was　a

sound　of　breaking　reims　and　trampling　hoofs。　Once　more　he　looked　out。

The　oxen　had　〃skrecked〃　in　a　mob。　There　they　were；　running　away　into

the　night　and　the　snow；　seeking　to　find　shelter　from　the　cold。　In　a

minute　they　had　vanished　utterly。　There　was　nothing　to　be　done；　except

wait　for　the　morning。



At　last　it　came；　revealing　a　landscape　blind　with　snow。　Such　search　as

could　be　made　told　them　nothing。　The　oxen　had　gone；　and　their　spoor

was　obliterated　by　the　fresh…fallen　flakes。　The　White　Man　called　a

council　of　his　Kaffir　servants。　〃What　was　to　be　done？〃　he　asked。



One　said　this　thing；　one　that；　but　all　agreed　that　they　must　wait　to

act　until　the　snow　melted。



〃Or　till　we　freeze；　you　whose　mothers　were　fools！〃　said　the　White　Man；

who　was　in　the　worst　of　tempers；　for　had　he　not　lost　four　hundred

pounds'　worth　of　oxen？



Then　a　Zulu　spoke；　who　hitherto　had　remained　silent。　He　was　the　driver

of　the　first　wagon。



〃My　father；〃　he　said　to　the　White　Man；　〃this　is　my　word。　The　oxen　are

lost　in　the　snow。　No　man　knows　whither　they　have　gone；　or　whether　they

live　or　are　now　but　hides　and　bones。　Yet　at　the　kraal　yonder；〃　and　he

pointed　to　some　huts　about　two　miles　away　on　the　hillside；　〃lives　a

witch　doctor　named　Zweete。　He　is　oldvery　oldbut　he　has　wisdom；　and

he　can　tell　you　where　the　oxen　are　if　any　man　may；　my　father。〃



〃Stuff！〃　answered　the　White　Man。　〃Still；　as　the　kraal　cannot　be　colder

than　this　wagon；　we　will　go　and　ask　Zweete。　Bring　a　bottle　of

squareface　and　some　snuff　with　you　for　presents。〃



An　hour　later　he　stood　in　the　hut　of　Zweete。　Before　him　was　a　very

ancient　man；　a　mere　bag　of　bones；　with　sightless　eyes；　and　one　hand

his　leftwhite　and　shrivelled。



〃What　do　you　seek　of　Zweete；　my　white　father？〃　asked　the　old　man　in　a

thin　voice。　〃You　do　not　believe　in　me　and　my　wisdom；　why　should　I　help

you？　Yet　I　will　do　it；　though　it　is　against　your　law；　and　you　do　wrong

to　ask　me；yes；　to　show　you　that　there　is　truth　in　us　Zulu　doctors；　I

will　help　you。　My　father；　I　know　what　you　seek。　You　seek　to　know　where

your　oxen　have　run　for　shelter　from　the　cold！　Is　it　not　so？〃



〃It　is　so；　Doctor；〃　answered　the　White　Man。　〃You　have　long　ears。〃



〃Yes；　my　white　father；　I　have　long　ears；　though　they　say　that　I　grow

deaf。　I　have　keen　eyes　also；　and　yet　I　cannot　see　your　face。　Let　me

hearken！　Let　me　look！〃



For　awhile　he　was　silent；　rocking　himself　to　and　fro；　then　he　spoke：

〃You　have　a　farm；　White　Man；　down　near　Pine　Town；　is　it　not？　Ah！　I

thought　soand　an　hour's　ride　from　your　farm　lives　a　Boer　with　four

fingers　only　on　his　right　hand。　There　is　a　kloof　on　the　Boer's　farm

where　mimosa…trees　grow。　There；　in　the　kloof；　you　shall　find　your　oxen

yes；　five　days'　journey　from　here　you　will　find　them　all。　I　say　all；

my　father；　except　three　onlythe　big　black　Africander　ox；　the　little

red　Zulu　ox　with　one　horn；　and　the　speckled　ox。　You　shall　not　find

these；　for　they　have　died　in　the　snow。　Send；　and　you　will　find　the

others。　No；　no！　I　ask　no　fee！　I　do　not　work　wonders　for　reward。　Why

should　I？　I　am　rich。〃



Now　the　White　Man　scoffed。　But　in　the　end；　so　great　is　the　power　of

superstition；　he　sent。　And　here　it　may　be　stated　that　on　the　eleventh

day　of　his　sojourn　at　the　kraal　of　Zweete；　those　whom　he　sent　returned

with　the　oxen；　except　the　three　only。　After　that　he　scoffed　no　more。

Those　eleven　days　he　spent　in　a　hut　of　the　old　man's　kraal；　and　every

afternoon　he　came　and　talked　with　him；　sitting　far　into　the　night。



On　the　third　day　he　asked　Zweete　how　it　was　that　his　left　hand　was

white　and　shrivelled；　and　who　were　Umslopogaas　and　Nada；　of　whom　he

had　let　fall　some　words。　Then　the　old　man　told　him　the　tale　that　is

set　out　here。　Day　by　day　he　told　some　of　it　till　it　was　finished。　It

is　not　all　written　in　these　pages；　for　portions　may　have　been

forgotten；　or　put　aside　as　irrelevant。　Neither　has　it　been　possible

for　the　writer　of　it　to　render　the　full　force　of　the　Zulu　idiom　nor　to

convey　a　picture　of　the　teller。　For；　in　truth；　he　acted　rather　than

told　his　story。　Was　the　death　of　a　warrior　in　question；　he　stabbed

with　his　stick；　showing　how　the　blow　fell　and　where；　did　the　story

grow　sorrowful；　he　groaned；　or　even　wept。　Moreover；　he　had　many

voices；　one　for　each　of　the　actors　in　his　tale。　This　man；　ancient　and

withered；　seemed　to　live　again　in　the　far　past。　It　was　the　past　that

spoke　to　his　listener；　telling　of　deeds　long　forgotten；　of　deeds　that

are　no　more　known。



Yet　as　he　best　may；　the　White　Man　has　set　down　the　substance　of　the

story　of　Zweete　in　the　spirit　in　which　Zweete　told　it。　And　because　the

history　of　Nada　the　Lily　and　of　those　with　whom　her　life　was

intertwined　moved　him　strangely；　and　in　many　ways；　he　has　done　more；

he　has　printed　it　that　others　may　judge　of　it。



And　now　his　part　is　played。　Let　him　who　was　named　Zweete；　but　who　had

another　name；　take　up　the　story。







CHAPTER　I



THE　BOY　CHAKA　PROPHESIES



You　ask　me；　my　father；　to　tell　you　the　tale　of　the　youth　of

Umslopogaas；　holder　of　the　iron　Chieftainess；　the　axe　Groan…maker；　who

was　named　Bulalio　the　Slaughterer；　and　of　his　love　for　Nada；　the　most

beautiful　of　Zulu　women。　It　is　long；　but　you　are　here　for　many　nights；

and；　if　I　live　to　tell　it；　it　shall　be　told。　Strengthen　your　heart；　my

father；　for　I　have　much　to　say　that　is　sorrowful；　and　even　now；　when　I

think　of　Nada　the　tears　creep　through　the　horn　that　shuts　out　my　old