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MATHLAPPS HUNTING DANCE, IN THE ZULU COUNTRY,
•• AVc met ill th« midst of tlio Zulu ground,
'Moiig the bills where Oic bufalucs' liaunla arc round ;
By valleys remote, where the oribi plsja,
Where the giiu, the gaielle, and the imrt^beest grate;
Away—away from the dwellings of men,
By the wiM deers' haunt, aad the buffiiloc!>' glcii:
And we joined ia tiie cliiisc of the uoble game,
Nor aakt'il cacli other of nation or name."
THEUE is a large military kraal in the Zulu couiitry, situated not far from tlie Eiigooi Mountains, which is occupied
by Mathlapi, an old warrior and a great captain of Chaka, the late king; Mathlapi is very rich in cattle and flocks,
and the numerous kraals surrounding bini arc mostly iuhabited by his people, still he, in his tuni, is tributary to
Umpanda, I passed two days ou a visit at Matblapi's kraal, dwelling m a hut which he set apart for the use of
myself, my young interpreter, and my three Kafir servants, who composed my party. To render our visit agreeable,
Mathlapi gave a grand hunting party, composed of about two hundred people from the surrounding kraals, who all
assembled at the residence of the Induna and held a dance previously to starting in search of the buffalo and the
various species of antelopes wliich abound in the- mimosa valleys, bordering on the Engooi hills. Mathlapi himself is
an herculean man, with a bloated countenance, arising from an immoderate use of his favourite beer " outchualla." After
the important ceremony of drinkmg " beer " with the chief was over, the hunting party sallied forth, armed with their
knob-kirris. shields, and hunting assagais, towards the low hills, scattered with mimosa bush, where the game was
suspected to lie. It was not long before the antelopes bounded forth, and as the timid creatures rushed wildly about,
not knowing in which direction to fly, they were surrounded by the huntsmen and quickly despatched with the assagai.
Numberless dogs accompanied the party and assisted in driving in the game. Every animal, wiien killed, was sent oii
to Mathlapi, who did not follow the huntsmen, but took a nearer direction, so as to meet them at other kraals, at
every one of which he rested, and regaled himself under the shade of a tree with his luxurious "beer" until he became
sadly iiitosicated. The hunters all met about every hour to perform the hunting dance, forming a doul)le row, advancing
and retreating with upraised kirris aud shields, shouting and singing in chorus, with the wUdest possible effect,
the leader of the datice facing them and beating time. To the right of the Plate are a group of the most important
of the visitors resting themselves along with Mathlapi, who has his beer-basket by his side. It is a custom amongst
these people foi- boys to lie upon the dead game, to preserve them from the supposed influence of witchcraft: we
obsen-ed the little naked lads, smeared and disfigured by the blood of the dead game, lying across them as snugly
as though they had been reposing on couches of down. After crossing the river in search of eland and buffalo, and
destroying as much game as was needed, Mathlapi and his guests returned to the kraal.