28 THli AiMAZL'LU NATION.
a village, no millc is diaiiik, nor are the cattle milked ou that day; the immediate relatives of the deceased relinquish
their usual food, and subsist upon wild roots till the next new moon.
Erei-y Zulu pays the greatest revereace to a serpent, should he meet one, as he imagines that in it he beholds the
spirit of one of his ancestore, who has appeared to him under that form; should the serpent be found in a hut, though
of the most venomous species, it is either driven out with the greatest gentleness, or food is presented to it by way of
an oblation.
The Zulus believe in an fncosi peziila. or great hiduva* above, who inilueiices the actions of men. They also believe
in the transmigration of souls,—the body being annihilated by death, but the breath, or spirit, they conceive passes into
a snalce (issitata), or it animates a buffalo or hippopotamas. They also have the following tradition,—that a spirit
called " VHleuangi" oi' " fii-st appearer," created another gi'eat power called " Kniiiktdioana." who once visited this earth
to " publish the news," and to separate the coloui-a and sexes of the human race. During the visit of Kulukuhvana two
messages were sent by Villenangi; the first by a chameleon, annoimcing that men were not to die; the second by a lizard,
with a contrary decision. The sequel of the story is, that the liMvd ran fastest, and the fatal message was delivered
first: on the negligent and sluggish chameleon they heap all manner of odium.
At their marriage ceremonies there is a great deal of dancing and beer-driiiking; an ox is slaughtered, and the inhabitants
fi-om the s\irroundiug kraals hasten in their dancing dresses to partake of the festivity, Then comes the iiigasiso,
or washing with beads. Tlie bi-ide and hridegi'oom assemble with their friends around a calabash of water, and a basket
of beads is set before them: the beads are then put into the calabash aud presented to the bride, who pours a little of
the water on the bridegroom's hand, and also on those of her fiiends around, who extend them for the puipose: when
all the water is gone, a similar ceremony having been performed by the biidegroom, the bride throws the beads at the feet
of her lord, and the party scramble for them. ITien comes the payment iu cattle, which averages from four to ten cows;
the daughtei-s of some oi" the great indimas will at times realise as many as fifty or one hundred head of cattle, Polygamy
is constant amongst all the Kafir tribes, and the number of a man's wives generally depends upon the means he has of
obtaining them. The monarch boasts of his three hundred wives, besides concubines and dancing-girls; whilst the poor
herdsman toils long before he is able to purchase his partner for life. There is a custom among the frontier Kafii-s of
presenting a broom, a grinding-stone, and a wooden bowl to the bride-elect; and to the bridegroom some assagais and an
axe, each significant of their calling: they are exhorted by the old people, when the presentation takes place, to habits of
industry and good order.
• Indnnfi U tlic term for " b diief:" wnsi memis kins."