Incwadi Yami; or, twenty years' personal experience in South AfricaMatthews, J. W. (Josiah Wright)
History
Incwadi Yami; or, twenty years' personal experience in South Africa
Matthews, J. W. (Josiah Wright)
Diamond mines and mining -- South Africa; South Africa -- Description and travel
On one occasion being accompanied by Mr. Saul Solomon, M. L. A. (and
“negrophilist” as he was by some called on account of his sympathy with
and advocacy of the rights of the native, but a man and politician who
had the welfare of his country as much at heart as the welfare of the
native), we found on our arrival at Oude Molen that the interpreter was
taking a walk, and a messenger was dispatched to call him. The king
having evidently arranged himself to receive us, and growing impatient
with the delay, came to the door and asked why we did not enter, my wife
(who could speak Zulu) replied, “we are waiting for the interpreter.”
Cetywayo answered, “what need for that when you can speak as well
yourself,” and he insisted upon our entering then and there. Fortunately
the interpreter arrived almost at once, and we did not run the risk of
breaking any rule applying to visitors. Amongst other items of news we
asked Cetywayo if he had learned from the newspapers (which he had
translated to him every morning) that Mr. John Robinson (whom Cetywayo
knew as a great supporter of Sir Bartle Frere) had been defeated in the
election for the Natal legislative council, where he had held a seat for
many years, when without speaking but uttering a soft pleased “Ah!” he
shut his eyes, his face beamed, and passing his hand slowly across his
mouth from one ear to the other, he gently drew in his breath as if
drinking a long draught of some divine nectar. The news evidently gave
him intense delight, and repeatedly jerking his thumb up and down he
feelingly exclaimed: “What had I done to this man to make him my enemy,
I have never even seen him?” and waxing warmer, he added: “Yes, Sir
Bartle Frere is _down_ and John Robinson is _down_ too.”
We were told that Cetywayo enjoyed such visits as these, being a break
in the monotony of his life. He was saved from vulgar curiosity by the
government not allowing any one to visit him without a special permit.
We found the women comprised in the household a great contrast to the
quiet dignity of the king and his attendant chiefs; entering the room
where they were at work making grass strainers and bead ornaments, they
assailed us in loud, shrill voices, offering their wares for sale as if
nothing more serious were on hand, being as keen to drive a good bargain
as any professional peddler—it had not taken them long to learn the
value of “filthy lucre.”
Walking on a few hundred yards we came next to the abode of a man who
eight years before had set Natal in a blaze, had aroused the chivalrous
feelings of its unswerving bishop, and had been the cause of its
lieutenant governor’s recall!
Langibalele, or “the bright shining sun,” the cause of all this, we
found sitting on the trunk of a tree at the side of a brick-built
cottage, shading himself from the sun. Of middle height, blear-eyed,
old, decrepit and almost in rags, he formed a sorry contrast to the
dignified majesty of Cetywayo, whom we had just left.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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