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Child of Storm
by H。 Rider Haggard
DEDICATION
Dear Mr。 Stuart；
For twenty years； I believe I am right in saying； you； as Assistant
Secretary for Native Affairs in Natal； and in other offices； have been
intimately acquainted with the Zulu people。 Moreover； you are one of
the few living men who have made a deep and scientific study of their
language； their customs and their history。 So I confess that I was the
more pleased after you were so good as to read this talethe second
book of the epic of the vengeance of Zikali； 〃the
Thing…that…should…never…have…been…born；〃 and of the fall of the House of
Senzangakona*when you wrote to me that it was animated by the true
Zulu spirit。
＇*〃Marie〃 was the first。 The third and final act in the drama is yet
to come。＇。
I must admit that my acquaintance with this people dates from a period
which closed almost before your day。 What I know of them I gathered at
the time when Cetewayo； of whom my volume tells； was in his glory；
previous to the evil hour in which he found himself driven by the
clamour of his regiments； cut off； as they were； through the annexation
of the Transvaal； from their hereditary trade of war； to match himself
against the British strength。 I learned it all by personal observation
in the 'seventies； or from the lips of the great Shepstone； my chief and
friend； and from my colleagues Osborn； Fynney； Clarke and others； every
one of them long since 〃gone down。〃
Perhaps it may be as well that this is so； at any rate in the case of
one who desires to write of the Zulus as a reigning nation； which now
they have ceased to be； and to try to show them as they were； in all
their superstitious madness and bloodstained grandeur。
Yet then they had virtues as well as vices。 To serve their Country in
arms； to die for it and for the King； such was their primitive ideal。
If they were fierce they were loyal； and feared neither wounds nor doom；
if they listened to the dark redes of the witch…doctor； the trumpet…call
of duty sounded still louder in their ears； if； chanting their terrible
〃Ingoma；〃 at the King's bidding they went forth to slay unsparingly； at
least they were not mean or vulgar。 From those who continually must
face the last great issues of life or death meanness and vulgarity are
far removed。 These qualities belong to the safe and crowded haunts of
civilised men； not to the kraals of Bantu savages； where； at any rate of
old； they might be sought in vain。
Now everything is changed； or so I hear； and doubtless in the balance
this is best。 Still we may wonder what are the thoughts that pass
through the mind of some ancient warrior of Chaka's or Dingaan's time；
as he suns himself crouched on the ground； for example； where once stood
the royal kraal； Duguza； and watches men and women of the Zulu blood
passing homeward from the cities or the mines； bemused； some of them；
with the white man's smuggled liquor； grotesque with the white man's
cast…off garments； hiding； perhaps； in their blankets examples of the
white man's doubtful photographsand then shuts his sunken eyes and
remembers the plumed and kilted regiments making that same ground shake
as； with a thunder of salute； line upon line； company upon company； they
rushed out to battle。
Well； because the latter does not attract me； it is of this former time
that I have tried to writethe time of the Impis and the witch…finders
and the rival princes of the royal Houseas I am glad to learn from
you； not quite in vain。 Therefore； since you； so great an expert；
approve of my labours in the seldom…travelled field of Zulu story； I ask
you to allow me to set your name upon this page and subscribe myself；
Gratefully and sincerely yours；
H。 RIDER HAGGARD。
Ditchingham； 12th October； 1912。
To James Stuart； Esq。；
Late Assistant Secretary for Native Affairs； Natal。
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Mr。 Allan Quatermain's story of the wicked and fascinating Mameena； a
kind of Zulu Helen； has； it should be stated； a broad foundation in
historical fact。 Leaving Mameena and her wiles on one side； the tale of
the struggle between the Princes Cetewayo and Umbelazi for succession to
the throne of Zululand is true。
When the differences between these sons of his became intolerable；
because of the tumult which they were causing in his country； King
Panda； their father； the son of Senzangakona； and the brother of the
great Chaka and of Dingaan； who had ruled before him； did say that 〃when
two young bulls quarrel they had better fight it out。〃 So； at least； I
was told by the late Mr。 F。 B。 Fynney； my colleague at the time of the
annexation of the Transvaal in 1877； who； as Zulu Border Agent； with the
exceptions of the late Sir Theophilus Shepstone and the late Sir Melmoth
Osborn； perhaps knew more of that land and people than anyone else of
his period。
As a result of this hint given by a maddened king； the great battle of
the Tugela was fought at Endondakusuka in December； 1856； between the
Usutu party； commanded by Cetewayo； and the adherents of Umbelazi the
Handsome； his brother； who was known among the Zulus as
〃Indhlovu…ene…Sihlonti〃； or the 〃Elephant with the tuft of hair；〃 from a
little lock of hair which grew low down upon his back。
My friend； Sir Melmoth Osborn； who died in or about the year 1897； was
present at this battle； although not as a combatant。 Well do I remember
his thrilling story； told to me over thirty years ago； of the events of
that awful day。
Early in the morning； or during the previous night； I forget which； he
swam his horse across the Tugela and hid with it in a bush…clad kopje；
blindfolding the animal with his coat lest it should betray him。 As it
chanced； the great fight of the day； that of the regiment of veterans；
which Sir Melmoth informed me Panda had sent down at the last moment to
the assistance of Umbelazi； his favourite son； took place almost at the
foot of this kopje。 Mr。 Quatermain； in his narrative； calls this
regiment the Amawombe； but my recollection is that the name Sir Melmoth
Osborn gave them was 〃The Greys〃 or 〃Upunga。〃
Whatever their exact title may have been； however； they made a great
stand。 At least； he told me that when Umbelazi's impi； or army； began
to give before the Usutu onslaught； these 〃Greys〃 moved forward above
3；000 strong； drawn up in a triple line； and were charged by one of
Cetewayo's regiments。
The opposing forces met； and the noise of their clashing shields； said
Sir Melmoth； was like the roll of heavy thunder。 Then； while he
watched； the veteran 〃Greys〃 passed over the opposing regiment 〃as a
wave passes over a rock〃these were his exact wordsand； leaving about
a third of their number dead or wounded among the bodies of the
annihilated foe； charged on to meet a second regiment sent against them
by Cetewayo。 With these the struggle was repeated； but again the
〃Greys〃 conquered。 Only now there were not more than five or six
hundred of them left upon their feet。
These survivors ran to a mound； round which they formed a ring； and here
for a long while withstood the attack of a third regiment； until at
length they perished almost to a man； buried beneath heaps of their
slain assailants； the Usutu。
Truly they made a noble end fighting thus against tremendous odds！
As for the number who fell at this battle of Endondakusuka； Mr。 Fynney；
in a pamphlet which he wrote； says that six of Umbelazi's brothers died；
〃whilst it is estimated that upwards of 100；000 of the peoplemen；
women and childrenwere slain〃a high and indeed an impossible
estimate。
That curious personage named John Dunn； an Englishman who became a Zulu
chief； and who actually fought in this battle； as narrated by Mr。
Quatermain； however； puts the number much lower。 What the true total
was will never be known； but Sir Melmoth Osborn told me that when he
swam his horse back across the Tugela that night it was black with
bodies； and Sir Theophilus Shepstone also told me that when he visited
the scene a day or two later the banks of the river were strewn with
multitudes of them； male and female。
It was from Mr。 Fynney that I heard the story of the execution by
Cetewayo of the man who appeared before him with the ornaments of
Umbelazi； announcing that he had killed the prince with his own hand。
Of course； this tale； as Mr。 Quatermain points out； bears a striking
resemblance to that recorded in the Old Testament in connection with the
death of King Saul。
It by no means follows； however； that it is therefore apocryphal；
indeed； Mr。 Fynney assured me that it was quite true； although； if he
gave me his authorities； I cannot remember them after a lapse of more
than thirty years。
The exact circumstances of Umbelazi's death are unknown； but the general
report was that he died； not by the assegais of the Usutu； but of a
broken heart。 Another story declares that he was drowned。 His body was
never found； and it is therefore probable that it sank in the Tugela； as
is suggested in the following pages。
I have only to add that it is quite in accordance with Zulu beliefs that
a man should be haunted by the ghost of one whom he has murdered or
be