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a man should be haunted by the ghost of one whom he has murdered or
betrayed； or； to be more accurate； that the spirit （〃umoya〃） should
enter into the slayer and drive him mad。 Or； in such a case； that
spirit might bring misfortune upon him； his family； or his tribe。
H。 RIDER HAGGARD。
CONTENTS
I。 ALLAN QUATERMAIN HEARS OF MAMEENA
II。 THE MOONSHINE OF ZIKALI
III。 THE BUFFALO WITH THE CLEFT HORN
IV。 MAMEENA
V。 TWO BUCKS AND THE DOE
VI。 THE AMBUSH
VII。 SADUKO BRINGS THE MARRIAGE GIFT
VIII。 THE KING'S DAUGHTER
IX。 ALLAN RETURNS TO ZULULAND
X。 THE SMELLING…OUT
XI。 THE SIN OF UMBELAZI
XII。 PANDA'S PRAYER
XIII。 UMBELAZI THE FALLEN
XIV。 UMBEZI AND THE BLOOD…ROYAL
XV。 MAMEENA CLAIMS THE KISS
XVI。 MAMEENAMAMEENAMAMEENA！
CHAPTER I
ALLAN QUATERMAIN HEARS OF MAMEENA
We white people think that we know everything。 For instance； we think
that we understand human nature。 And so we do； as human nature appears
to us； with all its trappings and accessories seen dimly through the
glass of our conventions； leaving out those aspects of it which we have
forgotten or do not think it polite to mention。 But I； Allan
Quatermain； reflecting upon these matters in my ignorant and uneducated
fashion； have always held that no one really understands human nature
who has not studied it in the rough。 Well； that is the aspect of it
with which I have been best acquainted。
For most of the years of my life I have handled the raw material； the
virgin ore； not the finished ornament that is smelted out of itif；
indeed； it is finished yet； which I greatly doubt。 I dare say that a
time may come when the perfected generationsif Civilisation； as we
understand it； really has a future and any such should be allowed to
enjoy their hour on the Worldwill look back to us as crude；
half…developed creatures whose only merit was that we handed on the
flame of life。
Maybe； maybe； for everything goes by comparison； and at one end of the
ladder is the ape…man； and at the other； as we hope； the angel。 No； not
the angel； he belongs to a different sphere； but that last expression of
humanity upon which I will not speculate。 While man is manthat is；
before he suffers the magical death…change into spirit； if such should
be his destinywell； he will remain man。 I mean that the same passions
will sway him； he will aim at the same ambitions； he will know the same
joys and be oppressed by the same fears； whether he lives in a Kafir hut
or in a golden palace； whether he walks upon his two feet or； as for
aught I know he may do one day； flies through the air。 This is certain：
that in the flesh he can never escape from our atmosphere； and while he
breathes it； in the main with some variations prescribed by climate；
local law and religion； he will do much as his forefathers did for
countless ages。
That is why I have always found the savage so interesting； for in him；
nakedly and forcibly expressed； we see those eternal principles which
direct our human destiny。
To descend from these generalities； that is why also I； who hate
writing； have thought it worth while； at the cost of some labour to
myself； to occupy my leisure in what to me is a strange landfor
although I was born in England； it is not my countryin setting down
various experiences of my life that do； in my opinion； interpret this
our universal nature。 I dare say that no one will ever read them；
still； perhaps they are worthy of record； and who knows？ In days to
come they may fall into the hands of others and prove of value。 At any
rate； they are true stories of interesting peoples； who； if they should
survive in the savage competition of the nations； probably are doomed to
undergo great changes。 Therefore I tell of them before they began to
change。
Now； although I take it out of its strict chronological order； the first
of these histories that I wish to preserve is in the main that of an
extremely beautiful womanwith the exception of a certain Nada； called
〃the Lily；〃 of whom I hope to speak some day； I think the most beautiful
that ever lived among the Zulus。 Also she was； I think； the most able；
the most wicked； and the most ambitious。 Her attractive namefor it
was very attractive as the Zulus said it； especially those of them who
were in love with herwas Mameena； daughter of Umbezi。 Her other name
was Child of Storm （Ingane…ye…Sipepo； or； more freely and shortly；
O…we…Zulu）； but the word 〃Ma…mee…na〃 had its origin in the sound of the
wind that wailed about the hut when she was born。*
＇*The Zulu word 〃Meena〃or more correctly 〃Mina〃means 〃Come here；〃
and would therefore be a name not unsuitable to one of the heroine's
proclivities； but Mr。 Quatermain does not seem to accept this
interpretation。EDITOR。＇
Since I have been settled in England I have readof course in a
translationthe story of Helen of Troy； as told by the Greek poet；
Homer。 Well； Mameena reminds me very much of Helen； or； rather； Helen
reminds me of Mameena。 At any rate； there was this in common between
them； although one of them was black； or； rather； copper…coloured； and
the other whitethey both were lovely； moreover； they both were
faithless； and brought men by hundreds to their deaths。 There； perhaps；
the resemblance ends； since Mameena had much more fire and grit than
Helen could boast； who； unless Homer misrepresents her； must have been
but a poor thing after all。 Beauty Itself； which those old rascals of
Greek gods made use of to bait their snares set for the lives and honour
of men； such was Helen； no more； that is； as I understand her； who have
not had the advantage of a classical education。 Now； Mameena； although
she was superstitiousa common weakness of great mindsacknowledging
no gods in particular； as we understand them； set her own snares； with
varying success but a very definite object； namely； that of becoming the
first woman in the world as she knew itthe stormy； bloodstained world
of the Zulus。
But the reader shall judge for himself； if ever such a person should
chance to cast his eye upon this history。
It was in the year 1854 that I first met Mameena； and my acquaintance
with her continued off and on until 1856； when it came to an end in a
fashion that shall be told after the fearful battle of the Tugela in
which Umbelazi； Panda's son and Cetewayo's brotherwho； to his sorrow；
had also met Mameenalost his life。 I was still a youngish man in
those days； although I had already buried my second wife； as I have told
elsewhere； after our brief but happy time of marriage。
Leaving my boy in charge of some kind people in Durban； I started into
〃the Zulu〃a land with which I had already become well acquainted as a
youth； there to carry on my wild life of trading and hunting。
For the trading I never cared much； as may be guessed from the little
that ever I made out of it； the art of traffic being in truth repugnant
to me。 But hunting was always the breath of my nostrilsnot that I am
fond of killing creatures； for any humane man soon wearies of slaughter。
No； it is the excitement of sport； which； before breechloaders came in；
was acute enough； I can assure you； the lonely existence in wild places；
often with only the sun and the stars for companions； the continual
adventures； the strange tribes with whom I came in contact； in short；
the change； the danger； the hope always of finding something great and
new； that attracted and still attracts me； even now when I _have_ found
the great and the new。 There； I must not go on writing like this； or I
shall throw down my pen and book a passage for Africa； and incidentally
to the next world； no doubtthat world of the great and new！
It was； I think； in the month of May in the year 1854 that I went
hunting in rough country between the White and Black Umvolosi Rivers； by
permission of Pandawhom the Boers had made king of Zululand after the
defeat and death of Dingaan his brother。 The district was very
feverish； and for this reason I had entered it in the winter months。
There was so much bush that； in the total absence of roads； I thought it
wise not to attempt to bring my wagons down； and as no horses would live
in that veld I went on foot。 My principal companions were a Kafir of
mixed origin； called Sikauli； commonly abbreviated into Scowl； the Zulu
chief Saduko； and a headman of the Undwandwe blood named Umbezi； at
whose kraal on the high land about thirty miles away I left my wagon and
certain of my men in charge of the goods and some ivory that I had
traded。
This Umbezi was a stout and genial…mannered man of about sixty years of
age； and； what is rare among these people； one who loved sport for its
own sake。 Being aware of his tastes； also that he knew the country and
was skilled in finding game； I had promised him a gun if he would
accompany me and bring a few hunters。 It was a particularly bad gun
that had seen much service； and one which had an unpleasing habit of
going off at half…cock； but even after he had seen it； and I in my
honesty had explained its weaknesses； he jumped at the offer。
〃O Macumazana〃 （that is my native name； often abbreviated into
Macumazahn； which means 〃One who stands out；〃 o