II.

Great must be this people, Who carry loads of goods around, To barter salempore for cattle here and there. About It a song, methinks, I'll sing. It will o'erspread th' entire land. A long thin frame It has, bending to and fro. Starting from earth, It makes towards the sky, Like that huge snake which ate the white men's sheep; They set a trap for it and caught it, Pulled at it two, and three, days long; Cut it through with knives, when lo! a flame Leapt from out its pool and scorched them. Clouds of dust straightway broke forth, And streamed throughout the land, Which thereupon was set ablaze! And here at Mbilane, too, From whence (as every pool, 'twas said, was full thereof) They thought it must spring forth.

(_Note._--Like the foregoing, this song is in the form of an enigma. The word "It" evidently refers to an _impi_, which, when on the march, very much resembles a snake. The object of the song was, no doubt, to promote a spirit of defiance against Europeans. It is possible the word "snake" in line 8 is used metaphorically. Mbilane refers to a pool near Nodwengu, Mpande's principal kraal on the White Umfolozi. Mpande was Dinuzulu's grandfather. That such a song should have been sung at Usutu is clear evidence of the atmosphere of disloyalty that prevailed there.)

The Zulu version of the above translations appears in Appendix IX.]

[Footnote 88: Principal Under-Secretary to Magistrates, 28th Dec. 1905. Cd. 2905, p. 2.]

[Footnote 89: Cd. 2905, p. 2.]

[Footnote 90: On the occasion of the hut tax being raised from 7s. to 14s., Sir Theophilus Shepstone officially informed the people of the Government's intentions, and discussed with them the necessity for taking the step.]

[Footnote 91: The following is a case that occurred at Durban in September, 1905, though unknown to the Chief Magistrate when convening his meeting of 4th November: "Mditshwa and other Natives held meetings" at which the poll tax and other matters were discussed, and inflammatory and seditious speeches were uttered.... The result of the deliberations was a resolution to write to their Chiefs on the subject. A letter was produced in Court [Native High Court], written by Mditshwa to his Chief.... The following are extracts therefrom. "They refuse to submit to this money on any account, and they say that you should advise one another throughout the whole country. To-day you are given manliness, and it will be proved which man is persevering.... Day after day we find fault with your fathers, and say that they submit to every law. To-day the matter is upon yourselves. We, in Durban, say let the white people do what they will. I have two ideas: an irresistible army or hooligans, it is they who trod on a white man on the day we were gathered together to be told this law," (referring evidently to one of the other already held magisterial meetings). _Decisions, Native High Court_, Natal, March, 1906--January, 1907, p. 34.]

[Footnote 92: The hut tax, on the other hand, was payable only to the Magistrate of the district in which it became due.]

[Footnote 93: A gross breach of etiquette and a matter that would at once excite suspicion.]

[Footnote 94: The Native Code prohibits, on pain of severe penalty, the carrying of lethal weapons by persons other than constables on duty.]

[Footnote 95: When going about a district collecting taxes, a Magistrate's staff hardly ever exceeded three or four Europeans and half-a-dozen Native police and messengers.]

[Footnote 96: According to the late Mjongo, a curious phenomenon occurred almost simultaneously with the commission of this murder. "The matter I am now going to tell you (the writer) about," he said, "is of a strange or miraculous description. I am a _Kolwa_ (Christian), and would not tell anyone, but in the most confidential manner.... The instant the firing started, I saw a ball of fire fall from the sky to earth, near where the fighting was going on. It was so brilliant that a darkness arose after it, continuing some little while.... In size, this ball was about 9 or 10 in. in diameter. I was not deceived in any way. It was in no way connected with revolver or rifle fire. Moreover, I was not the only one who observed it. Those present, including the Europeans, must have noticed it. Whilst in gaol in Richmond, I heard Native warders referring to the matter.... The ball fell to earth and disappeared immediately.... When this occurred, it was misty, but still quite light."

We believe Mjongo regarded this as a supernatural intervention, ordained to mark a most unusual incident. It is probable that the other Natives who are said to have seen it hold similar views.]