The King's Assegai: A Matabili Story

Then he took snuff.

“And what became of the old Mosutu witch-doctor?” I said, judiciously allowing the fate of Nangeza to remain shrouded in mystery.

“Masuka? Ha! After I was allowed to tunga he came to me and declared that I must give him cattle, for his was the múti which made me great; and, indeed, he told no lie there, for as far as a man’s thoughts can speak, while his tongue must keep silence, old Masuka’s thoughts spoke to me through his eyes that day that I should remind the King of his promise. So I gave him cattle, and from time to time more, for it was a great day for me, that whereon I had saved his life; and the King favoured him, and the old Mosutu lived to a great age and died peacefully.”

“And why did you leave the Amandebili, Untúswa?” I said.

“The man who is high in favour with one King is not always high in favour with him who reigns next, nor with those who sit at his right hand,” he answered. “Umzilikazi has long been dead. Then I heard that a great and merciful King sat in Zululand in the seat of Tshaka. So I returned to konza to Cetywayo, who received me well; nor was I too old to strike a blow for him, for I was enrolled in the Undi regiment, and fought against you English Kwa Jim (at Rorke’s Drift), and again at Kambula. Yes, after all my wanderings, I returned to die in Zululand. And now, Nkose, the sun is getting low, and I have some distance to travel, wherefore I must be gone.”

The like held good as regarded myself. The heat of the day was over, and my “boys,” who all this time had been asleep beneath the waggon, were waking up and preparing to in span for the evening trek. So I loaded up Untúswa with sundry unconsidered trifles, but very precious in Zulu eyes at that time. He was loud in his thanks.

“The story I have told, Nkose, is but that of a small portion of my own life – of a small portion of the earlier wanderings of the Amandebili. Afterwards, how we met and fought the Boers and other peoples —au! that would take long in telling. But if you are in this part again before leaving the Zulu country, it may be that we shall meet, and other strange tales and wonders I shall relate.”

And, uttering a sonorous farewell, the fine old warrior turned, and soon his tall, straight form was out of sight.

Such was the story of the King’s Assegai, as told by Untúswa, the son of Ntelani, and as an episode in the early stages of the Amandebili migration it seems worthy of being retold.

The End