[ p L ^ i T i i m o
SOJ.DIERS OF KING PANDA'S AKMY.
THE Zulu army is composed of twenty-six regiraents, each distiuguished by their costume and the colour of their
shields: they are quartered in the " ekanda," or barrack-towns, when not engaged in active service.
Each regiment is commanded by a captain, or " Induna-e-nkholu;" a lieutenant, or " 'Ngenana; " and a sub-lieutenant,
or " 'Ngenadzana." As regards the names of these regimeuts, they all have significations more or less cui'ious; for example,
that of Omobapankue (the 1st) means panlher-catcher. They say that some years ago, a panther having deyonred one
of the king's young shepherds, a detachment of this regiment was sent to take the animal: the feat was accomplished,
and the savage beast brought alive before King Chaka, who ordered it to be thrust thi'ough with an assagai. The
4th, Mokokouthlafu, signifies elephant's hide. Tlie 26th is the body-guard of the king; summer and winter they sleep
around the " issigothlo," or harem, of the monarch without a shred of clothing.
Tlie Plate represents the full dress of two of the young regiments of King Panda's army. The regiment of
Indabagoombi, or Indabakaumbi, is one that has only lately been raised, and is a favourite one with his Zulu majesty.
Their head-quarters are at the great kraal of Indabagoombi, only recently erected: at the period of my visit it was not
qnite completed, several of the dwellings in the " issigothlo" being unfinished. Tliis kraal is situated in an almost inaccessible
position amongst the Black Tiger Mountains, not far from the White Umvelozi lliver, that falls into the Indian Ocean
at St. Lucia Bay.
The hcad-dj-ess of this regiment is very rich, being formed of ostrich-feathers and the long tail plumes of the Stanley
crane. The lappets over the ears and behind the head are leopard-skin, ornamented with tufts of the scarlet brea.st
feathei-s of the weaver-bird. Tails of cattle stream from the shoulders, arras, and knees, and the broad shields and
assagais complete this truly savage and imposing costume.
The soldiers of the Isangu Regiment are also young men : their head-dress consists of a grotesque fillet of white
ox-hide, -with lappets of the same of a red colour; on the back of the head is a shaved ball of eagle or bustard feathere,
and two bunches of tlie long tail-plumes of the Kafir-finch, form graceful oroaments as they float in the air.
The Zulus are excellent travellers on foot: they possess no horses like the Kafirs on the frontier of the Cape Colony,
and it is but very seldom that pack-oxen are to he seen amongst them, which ai-e so much used by the Bechuanas and
Korannas to the westward. "When a Zulu starts on a journey, he takes with him his shield and assagais, and decorating
his head with a tuft of ha^vk or lowry feathers, he sets off with a light and boimding step, and it is i
circumstance for him to accomphsh a distance of sixty miles withni twelve houre.