The dance then menced and was a wonderful performance。 pany after pany charged past looking for all the world like great fierce birds swooping on their prey。 Assegais extended and shields on high； they flitted backwards and forwards； acpanying every moment with a shrill hiss something like the noise which thousands of angry snakes would make； only shriller； a sound impossible to describe but not easy to forget。 It would vary： — now it is a troop of lions； now a pack of wild dogs hounding their prey to death。
Then forth leaped warrior after warrior： advanced； challenged； leapt five feet into the air； was down； was up； was between his own legs； was anywhere and everywhere； and was met with this sibilating applause which rose and fell and rose again； but always in perfect time。
By this time they were well excited； even the little boys of the tribe had got shields and joined themselves on at the end； while the beauties； and some of them were not unworthy of the name； took hold of long branches and went undulating about （the only word to describe their motion） urging the warriors on。
Presently forth sprang the heir…apparent； and in a moment the air was filled with this fierce sibilation and every warrior roused into wild activity。
It was a splendidly barbaric sight。 The singing was the finest part of it。 The last royal salute was also imposing； it is made by striking the assegais on the shield。 It mences with a low murmur like that of the sea； growing louder and louder till it sounds like far…off thunder； and ending with a quick sharp rattle 。 。 。 。
In a letter dated July 6； 1876； I say：
。 。 。 I stopped three days in Durban and enjoyed the change very much； as it was the first holiday I have had with the exception of a week when I was sick。 。 。 。 There is somewhat stirring news from the Transvaal telling of the first skirmish between the Boers and Secocoeni； a native chief of very considerable power。 If the Boers have to deal with him alone they will be all right； though there will very likely be a good deal of bloodshed。 But Secocoeni is a tributary of and allied to Cetewayo the Zulu king； who has of late been on the worst of terms with the Boers； so that it is more than probable that he and his thirty thousand armed men supposed to be hovering like a thunder…cloud on the borders of Natal； will take an opportunity to have a shot at them too： if he doesn’t he is a greater fool than “Cetewayo the Silent” is generally supposed to be。
On the other side of them； too； are the Amaswazi； numerically as strong as the Zulus and their nominal tributaries。 These have hitherto been friendly with the Boers； not from any natural affection but to protect themselves from the Zulus who are braver and more warlike than they。 But that friendly feeling has been shaken and I hear that the Amaswazi contingent counted on by the Boers to help them in the Secocoeni business has not arrived。 If they patch up their differences with the Zulus and a united attack is made by this threefold power； Lord help the Dutch！ War here between white and black is a terrible thing。 No quarter is given and none is asked。 But I shall know more about the business tomorrow when the Transvaal mail arrives 。 。 。 。
In my next letter； dated 6th October； I talk of articles which I am writing； and add in a solemn postscript： “Don’t say anything to anybody about my having written things in magazines。” Evidently the cacoethes scribendi had already taken hold of me。 Also I say：
The war in the Transvaal is at a dead stop for the present。 The Conference in London seems to be rather a lopsided affair： our delegates and Brand appear to be settling the affairs of South Africa between them。 I am delighted to see that they have given Mr。 Shepstone the K。C。M。G。 It is； I imagine； rarely so well deserved。 I got a letter from him the other day； he seems very pleased with England generally。
From the next surviving letter； dated December 2； 1876； I gather that Sir Henry Bulwer at this time was not quite pleased at Sir Theophilus Shepstone’s request that I should acpany him on his special mission to the Transvaal。 However； ultimately the thing was arranged。 I say：
He ＇i。e。 Shepstone＇ wants me to e with him for two reasons。 First； we are very good friends and he was kind enough to say he wished to have me as a panion。 Second； I imagine there will be a good deal of what is called the champagne and sherry policy up at Pretoria and he wants somebody to look after the entertaining。 It will be a most interesting business。 。 。 。
This seems to be the last epistle that can be found of those which I wrote from Natal； so I will return to my manuscript； which now continues as I set it down before their discovery。
At Maritzburg there was a good deal of gaiety and entertaining at Government House； with which； as Sir Henry was unmarried； I had much to do。 In connection with one of our dinner…parties I remember an incident which shows that Sir Henry knew how to escape from a dilemma。 By some chance there had been invited the Roman Catholic bishop （I think his name was Jolivet）； a dean of the Church of England； and a very shining Nonconformist light。 Generally it was Sir Henry’s custom if a clergyman were present to ask him to say Grace； but on this occasion； realising the difficulty of the situation； he passed that duty on to me。
“Haggard；” he said in a reproachful voice； which suggested that I was neglecting my business； “will you be so good as to ask someone to say Grace？”
I worked out the position rapidly in my mind and； ing to the conclusion that one should stick to one’s own people； ignored the Roman Catholic bishop and went for the dean。
Talking of deans reminds me of Bishop Colenso； whom I used to meet。 He was a tall； able and agreeable man with a most interesting face； but one who was desperately at loggerheads with everybody。 Ecclesiastically his position was that he had in effect been exmunicated by the other South African bishops on account of his views as to the Pentateuch； etc。 He had appealed however to the Privy Council； which disallowed the authority of the African bishops； so that he remained the legal bishop of Natal。 A schism ensued and the opposition orthodox party appointed a bishop of their own； Macrorie by name。
It always seemed to me somewhat illogical that Colenso should wish to remain in a Church of which he criticised the tes； on the principle that one should scarcely eat the bread and butter of those whom one attacks。 On the other hand the views that Colenso held forty years ago — which； by the way； were suggested to him by the extraordinarily acute questions put by Zulus whom we tried to convert to Christianity — are widespread today； even among clergymen。 He was in advance of his generation； and like others suffered for it； that is all。 If I remember right； one of the great causes of the animosity of the South African Episcopal Church against him was that he was said to look leniently upon the native practice of polygamy。 But here again there is much to be said on Colenso’s side。 Many people find it difficult to understand why it is more essentially immoral to marry several wives than to marry one； provided that they are married and； except for good reason of divorce； supported to their lives’ end。 Particularly can this be argued where natives are concerned whose very intricate laws of property and succession are closely interwoven with this custom of polygamy； to which the women are； or were； as devotedly attached as the men。
A Zulu woman does not as a rule wish to be obliged to bear all a man’s children or to do all the work of his household。 She likes to be one of a band of sisters （for； having each of them her separate little establishment； they seldom if ever quarrel） and to share in the dignity of being one of a numerous family。 Moreover their habit is； from the time that they find themselves with prospects of motherhood； to live apart from the husband until the child is weaned； say for two years； which law results in the production of a race that is physically splendid。 Further； polygamy absorbs all the women； practically none are left without husbands or fall into the immoral courses which are the scandal of civilised nations。 Such a thing as a “girl of the streets” is scarcely known among the raw Zulus。 If it were explained to these； for instance； that in this country alone we have nearly two million women who cannot possibly marry because there is no man to marry them； or fulfil their natural function of child…bearing without being called vile names； they would on their part think that state of affairs extremely wrong。 I remember a story of a well…educated Zulu who was told that the Christian law laid down that he must have but one wife。 He replied that he would like to study that law for himself； and； taking away a Bible； spent some months in reading it from end to end。 At last he returned to the missionary and said that he could find no such law therein； that； on the contrary； most of the great men in the Book appeared to have had many wives。 Oham； the brother of Cetewayo the Zulu king； made a somewhat similar reply。 He was a very powerful chief who desired to bee a Christian； and would naturally have brought many other converts with him。
“But；” said he； “these women whom you wish me to put away have been the panions of my life； and I refuse to cast them on the world in their age。”
So Oham remained a pagan； at least； that was the story I heard。
Another aspect of the case is that because of its attitude towards polygamy； as to the rights and wrongs of which I express no opinion who do but set out the other side of the argument； Christianity can scarcely hope to pete with Islam where the bulk of the natives of Africa are concerned。 Islam preaches a god and says； “You may keep your wives； but you must give up spirituous liquor。” Christianity also preaches a god but says； “You must put away all wives except one； but spirituous liquor is not forbidden。”
Among primitive peoples who are asked to abandon practices which their forefathers have followed for thousands of years； one can guess which line of reasoning is likely to be accepted； especially if they have e to the conclusion that intoxicating drink proves more injurious to the individual and the race than a plurality of wives。
Once of late years I made a speech at a big African missionary congress in London； in which I ventured to put forward these aspects of the case； or something like them。 There were； I think； five bishops on the platform； and I was rather astonished to find that out of the five two seemed to think them not devoid of sense。 The other three； however； differed strongly。
Colenso； I should add； was unpopular among many colonists； not on account of religious matters； but because he was so strong and； as they considered； so intemperate an advocate of the rights of natives。 I confess that here again I find myself more or less in sympathy with him。 White settlers； especially if they be not of the highest order； are too apt to hate； despise； and revile the aboriginal inhabitants among whom they find themselves。 Often this is because they fear them； or even more frequently because the coloured people； not needing to do so； will not work for them at a low rate of wage。 For example； th