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massacre and fighting should be written of；except by special
correspondents；or that the sufferings of mankind beneath one of the
world's most cruel tyrannies should form the groundwork of romance；
may be invited to leave this book unread。 Most； indeed nearly all； of
the historical incidents here recorded are substantially true。 Thus；
it is said that Chaka did actually kill his mother； Unandi； for the
reason given； and destroy an entire tribe in the Tatiyana cleft； and
that he prophesied of the coming of the white man after receiving his
death wounds。 Of the incident of the Missionary and the furnace of
logs； it is impossible to speak so certainly。 It came to the writer
from the lips of an old traveller in 〃the Zulu〃； but he cannot
discover any confirmation of it。 Still； these kings undoubtedly put
their soldiers to many tests of equal severity。 Umbopo； or Mopo； as he
is named in this tale； actually lived。 After he had stabbed Chaka； he
rose to great eminence。 Then he disappears from the scene； but it is
not accurately known whether he also went 〃the way of the assegai；〃 or
perhaps； as is here suggested； came to live near Stanger under the
name of Zweete。 The fate of the two lovers at the mouth of the cave is
a true Zulu tale； which has been considerably varied to suit the
purposes of this romance。 The late Mr。 Leslie； who died in 1874； tells
it in his book 〃Among the Zulus and Amatongas。〃 〃I heard a story the
other day；〃 he says； 〃which； if the power of writing fiction were
possessed by me； I might have worked up into a first…class sensational
novel。〃 It is the story that has been woven into the plot of this
book。 To him also the writer is indebted for the artifice by which
Umslopogaas obtained admission to the Swazi stronghold； it was told to
Mr。 Leslie by the Zulu who performed the feat and thereby won a wife。
Also the writer's thanks are due to his friends； Mr。 F。 B。 Fynney；＇1＇
late Zulu border agent； for much information given to him in bygone
years by word of mouth； and more recently through his pamphlet
〃Zululand and the Zulus；〃 and to Mr。 John Bird； formerly treasurer to
the Government of Natal； whose compilation； 〃The Annals of Natal；〃 is
invaluable to all who would study the early history of that colony and
of Zululand。
As for the wilder and more romantic incidents of this story； such as
the hunting of Umslopogaas and Galazi with the wolves； or rather with
the hyaenas；for there are no true wolves in Zululand；the author
can only say that they seem to him of a sort that might well have been
mythically connected with the names of those heroes。 Similar beliefs
and traditions are common in the records of primitive peoples。 The
club 〃Watcher of the Fords；〃 or； to give its Zulu name； U…nothlola…
mazibuko； is an historical weapon； chronicled by Bishop Callaway。 It
was once owned by a certain Undhlebekazizwa。 He was an arbitrary
person； for 〃no matter what was discussed in our village； he would
bring it to a conclusion with a stick。〃 But he made a good end； for
when the Zulu soldiers attacked him； he killed no less than twenty of
them with the Watcher； and the spears stuck in him 〃as thick as reeds
in a morass。〃 This man's strength was so great that he could kill a
leopard 〃like a fly；〃 with his hands only； much as Umslopogaas slew
the traitor in this story。
Perhaps it may be allowable to add a few words about the Zulu
mysticism； magic； and superstition； to which there is some allusion in
this romance。 It has been little if at all exaggerated。 Thus the
writer well remembers hearing a legend how the Guardian Spirit of the
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 bef