按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
o on。
Then he retired。 Presently the warriors arrived in panies singing a sort of solemn chant。 Each man was dressed in his fierce； fantastic war…dress。 One half wore heron plumes； the rest long black plumes； each pany had a leader and a separate pattern of shield。 They formed themselves into a half…square looking very fierce and imposing。 Each pany as it arrived caught up the solemn war…chant； which was sung in perfect time and was the most impressive thing I ever heard。
As the chief came up attended by his bodyguard it grew louder and louder； till it swelled to a regular paean； when the old man； fired with martial ardour； flung off the attendants who supported him； and forgetting his age and weakness ran to the head of his warriors。 I shall never forget the sight。
The Governor drew near and was met with the royal salute accorded only to Cetewayo； Mr。 Shepstone and the Governor of Natal — in itself imposing when pronounced by a great number； “Bayete； Bayete！”
The dance then menced and was a wonderful performance。 pany after pany charged past looking for all the world like great fierce birds swooping on their prey。 Assegais extended and shields on high； they flitted backwards and forwards； acpanying every moment with a shrill hiss something like the noise which thousands of angry snakes would make； only shriller； a sound impossible to describe but not easy to forget。 It would vary： — now it is a troop of lions； now a pack of wild dogs hounding their prey to death。
Then forth leaped warrior after warrior： advanced； challenged； leapt five feet into the air； was down； was up； was between his own legs； was anywhere and everywhere； and was met with this sibilating applause which rose and fell and rose again； but always in perfect time。
By this time they were well excited； even the little boys of the tribe had got shields and joined themselves on at the end； while the beauties； and some of them were not unworthy of the name； took hold of long branches and went undulating about （the only word to describe their motion） urging the warriors on。
Presently forth sprang the heir…apparent； and in a moment the air was filled with this fierce sibilation and every warrior roused into wild activity。
It was a splendidly barbaric sight。 The singing was the finest part of it。 The last royal salute was also imposing； it is made by striking the assegais on the shield。 It mences with a low murmur like that of the sea； growing louder and louder till it sounds like far…off thunder； and ending with a quick sharp rattle 。 。 。 。
In a letter dated July 6； 1876； I say：
。 。 。 I stopped three days in Durban and enjoyed the change very much； as it was the first holiday I have had with the exception of a week when I was sick。 。 。 。 There is somewhat stirring news from the Transvaal telling of the first skirmish between the Boers and Secocoeni； a native chief of very considerable power。 If the Boers have to deal with him alone they will be all right； though there will very likely be a good deal of bloodshed。 But Secocoeni is a tributary of and allied to Cetewayo the Zulu king； who has of late been on the worst of terms with the Boers； so that it is more than probable that he and his thirty thousand armed men supposed to be hovering like a thunder…cloud on the borders of Natal； will take an opportunity to have a shot at them too： if he doesn’t he is a greater fool than “Cetewayo the Silent” is generally supposed to be。
On the other side of them； too； are the Amaswazi； numerically as strong as the Zulus and their nominal tributaries。 These have hitherto been friendly with the Boers； not from any natural affection but to protect themselves from the Zulus who are braver and more warlike than they。 But that friendly feeling has been shaken and I hear that the Amaswazi contingent counted on by the Boers to help them in the Secocoeni business has not arrived。 If they patch up their differences with the Zulus and a united attack is made by this threefold power； Lord help the Dutch！ War here between white and black is a terrible thing。 No quarter is given and none is asked。 But I shall know more about the business tomorrow when the Transvaal mail arrives 。 。 。 。
In my next letter； dated 6th October； I talk of articles which I am writing； and add in a solemn postscript： “Don’t say anything to anybody about my having written things in magazines。” Evidently the cacoethes scribendi had already taken hold of me。 Also I say：
The war in the Transvaal is at a dead stop for the present。 The Conference in London seems to be rather a lopsided affair： our delegates and Brand appear to be settling the affairs of South Africa between them。 I am delighted to see that they have given Mr。 Shepstone the K。C。M。G。 It is； I imagine； rarely so well deserved。 I got a letter from him the other day； he seems very pleased with England generally。
From the next surviving letter； dated December 2； 1876； I gather that Sir Henry Bulwer at this time was not quite pleased at Sir Theophilus Shepstone’s request that I should acpany him on his special mission to the Transvaal。 However； ultimately the thing was arranged。 I say：
He ＇i。e。 Shepstone＇ wants me to e with him for two reasons。 First； we are very good friends and he was kind enough to say he wished to have me as a panion。 Second； I imagine there will be a good deal of what is called the champagne and sherry policy up at Pretoria and he wants somebody to look after the entertaining。 It will be a most interesting business。 。 。 。
This seems to be the last epistle that can be found of those which I wrote from Natal； so I will return to my manuscript； which now continues as I set it down before their discovery。
At Maritzburg there was a good deal of gaiety and entertaining at Government House； with which； as Sir Henry was unmarried； I had much to do。 In connection with one of our dinner…parties I remember an incident which shows that Sir Henry knew how to escape from a dilemma。 By some chance there had been invited the Roman Catholic bishop （I think his name was Jolivet）； a dean of the Church of England； and a very shining Nonconformist light。 Generally it was Sir Henry’s custom if a clergyman were present to ask him to say