The White Hecatomb, and Other Stories. W. C. Scully

one of Songoza’s Indunas. His arrival occasioned some surprise, and in response to an inquiry, he stated that he was carrying a message from Songoza to the bride’s father. Just then, having caught Pandule’s eye, he made a quick movement with his lips, and dropped his gaze. After this, Rali stood up and walked a short distance away to collect some fire-wood. Xosa followed him, and said in a whisper:

      “Manolie is dead, and Kèlè has been ‘smelt out;’ Songoza has sent me to tell you and the others to kill him.”

      Rali, having in mind Kèlè’s great strength and courage, replied:

      “Son of my father, how can we do it? He has his shield, spear, and club, and some of us will surely die. Why did not the chief send a larger party?”

      “I do not know,” replied Xosa, “but the order is that he is to be killed at once before he returns over the border to within reach of the hand of the Government.”

      “What plan do you think will be best?” asked Rali. “A blow from a club would not be safe, for his hair is thick and his head-ring is heavy and strong.”

      “Nevertheless, the club is the best,” replied Xosa; “one can stand behind him as he leans over the fire, and strike him just over and in front of the ear below the head-ring, where the bone is thin.”

      Then they walked back to the fire with the wood, meaning to tell Pandule and Sogogo as soon as an opportunity should offer.

      Just afterwards Kèlè stood up and walked away, leaving his weapons behind. Then Pandule and Sogogo were told. They were much astonished; all knew that Kèlè was innocent. They discussed the best mode of killing him. Pandule was very much against using the club, for fear of an unskilful blow. Sogogo was a strong man and an expert fighter. So it was finally decided that the spear should be the weapon, clubs (amabunguza) being kept in readiness in case they should be required. Xosa refused to help in the killing by using any weapon. He was not a strong man, and he said that the chief had only told him to convey a message to the others.

      After a short time Kèlè returned, and again took his seat by the fire, sitting on his heels. Sogogo stood up, yawned, stretched himself, and took up his spear, which he pretended to sharpen on a stone. Pandule and Rali also stood up. They took their clubs and began comparing them, pretending to dispute as to the respective weights and workmanship. Xosa then moved from where he was, and sat opposite Kèlè. These two were now sitting with the fire and the pot of meat between them.

      Then Pandule remarked that the meat must now be sufficiently cooked. Sogogo continued: “You, Kèlè and Xosa, lift the pot from the fire so that we can eat, and then proceed on our journey.”

      Rali added:

      “Do not try and lift it by yourself, Xosa, for you are not strong enough.”

      Xosa thereupon seized the pot by the rim on one side with both hands, and Kèlè bent forward and did likewise. Then Sogogo, who stood ready, with his right hand towards Kèlè’s back, plunged the spear into Kèlè’s left side just below the arm-pit. Kèlè gave a roar and sprang up, but Rali and Pandule struck him at the same time on the head and neck with their clubs. He fell dead across the fire.

      They then took the body and dragged it for a short distance down the hill to a point where there were some large rocks. After this they returned to the fire, and found Xosa busy cleaning the meat which, on account of the overturning of the pot, was full of ashes.

      Songoza sent a present of two oxen to the chief of the Unondaba with an apology for having soiled the earth of his territory with the blood of a wizard, and excusing himself on the ground that the unreasonableness of the laws imposed by the white man prevented him from administering justice in his own country. The Unondaba chief sent a message in reply, to the effect that he fully approved of his brother’s action, and sympathised in the inconvenience caused by the vexatious restrictions imposed by European government. He added that the Unondaba territory was always at Songoza’s disposal for similar operations.

      Old Dogolwana and his wife were nearly mad with grief at Kèlè’s death. It was the thought of their responsibility in respect of little Gqomisa that brought them to a condition of outward reasonableness. Kèlè’s widow and her little baby son came to dwell with the old people, and a deadly revenge was sworn against the murderers of Kèlè.

      The Plot

      After Kèlè’s death old Dogolwana redoubled his care of little Gqomisa. He and Notemba hardly ever let the child out of their sight. Every night the little one’s mat was unrolled between that of his protector and the wall of the hut. Three of Dogolwana’s grandsons—lads between twelve and sixteen years of age—looked after the cattle. Another widowed daughter-in-law, with the widow of Kèlè, cultivated the maize-field.

      Dogolwana was obliged to dissemble his hatred of Songoza, who, however, disclaimed all complicity in the killing of Kèlè, and often visited the late chief’s “great place.” No native, even under the Government, could afford to defy the paramount chief. Dogolwana brooded over his intended vengeance with deadly persistency. What form that vengeance was to take, he had not been able to decide, but revenged he would be, so he chewed the cud of implacable resentment, and bided his time.

      Philip, the educated half-brother of little Gqomisa, often visited the “great place,” and he, as much as Songoza, was hated and feared by old Dogolwana. Philip was a cold-natured, cunning man. He had dwelt, ever since his father’s death, at the kraal of Songoza, who was completely under his influence.

      The herd of black cattle, which numbered several hundred head, was ever in the mind of Songoza, and Philip was continually reminding him that only the life of little Gqomisa stood between him and his possession. Songoza was poor—his former wealth squandered in purchasing fresh wives. He already possessed upwards of twenty, for he endeavoured to add every handsome girl he saw to his harem. In his sinister mind, acted on by the evil influences of Philip, the wish for the little boy’s death soon ripened into a murderous resolve.

      Songoza’s chief wife Mahlokoza, a woman of considerable force of character, was the only one of his wives who possessed any influence over him, and her son Umkilwa, a boy of about seven years of age, was the only being who inspired him with anything like affection. In his way, Songoza loved this boy, who already gave evidence of possessing a somewhat brutal nature.

      Mahlokoza and Philip between them hatched out a plot against little Gqomisa, and after all the details had been worked out, Songoza was taken into their confidence. His stupidity would have rendered him useless in the preliminary stages of the conspiracy.

      About six months after Umsoala’s death, in the winter, Mahlokoza’s second son, a child of three years of age, sickened and nearly died. As the child recovered, Mahlokoza herself became ill, and the witch-doctor was sent for. After the exercise of most powerful incantations he announced that the sufferers had not been bewitched by any being of flesh, but that some evilly-disposed, disembodied spirits, who held a spite against the “great house,” were plaguing them. There existed, he officially declared to a large assemblage, one, and only one, possible remedy. The chief must transfer his great wife and her children to the “great place” of his late father, and there cause to be slaughtered by him (the witch-doctor) a young black bull from the herd. This sacrifice would attract the “imishologu,” or ancestral spirits, who would rally round the “great house,” and drive away the inimical ghosts.

      Old Dogolwana was obliged to agree to this, and even to assist at the ceremonial, knowing as he full well did that some treachery was afoot against little Gqomisa. Mahlokoza, after she and her children had been sprinkled with the blood of the bull, declared herself much better, and began making preparations for returning home at once. However, the function was not yet at an end. The witch-doctor went through some further most elaborate ritual, and then fell into a trance. On awakening he declared to have again received a communication from the spirits dwelling in the unseen, this time to the effect that the great wife and her children were required to remain at the late chief’s “great place” for at least two weeks, at the end of which period the evil ones,