first, by the
leaders of the chorus, the fierce thrilling chant of the war-song, taken
up by the ranks, gathered in strength with every repetition, soon rising
to a perfect roar of deep chest notes as the savages, rattling their
shields and weapons, threw themselves into the excitement of the thing,
beating time with the rhythmic thunder of their feet as the tread of one
man, turning themselves hither and thither, muscles quivering, eyeballs
rolling in the fierce frenzy of the stimulating exercise. The while the
women, squatted around against the palisade, were keeping up a high,
shrill accompaniment to the deep-throated roar of the warriors, but
never for a moment did that fierce, wild thrilling chant lose its rhythm
or degenerate into discord.

Ingonyama, with four or five _indunas_ stood at the upper end of the
kraal overlooking the ceremonies. The chief was arrayed in a war-shirt
of flowing hair. Over this he wore the magnificent lion's skin
purchased from Dawes. It was arranged in such wise that the grinning
open jaws crowned him as a head-dress, which, with the sweeping black
mane falling around his shoulders, and the skin and tail, trailing far
behind him on the ground, gave him a most formidable and ferocious
appearance, as of course he intended it should. In his hand he held a
short-handled, heavy battle-axe, and between his eyes was painted the
small red disk.

He took no notice of Dawes, as the latter rode up and dismounted.
Indeed his attention was occupied with other matters, for the dance had
ceased, and the warriors, forming up into companies, were marching up to
where he was seated with his attendants. Then halting before their
chief they began to sing, in long-drawn recitative, a series of strophes
in which he was hailed by every extravagant title, and endowed with
every attribute of wisdom and valour and ferocity. This being ended,
shields and weapons were raised aloft, and the companies, wheeling,
filed back into the central place, and falling into their crescent
formation took up the war-dance again with unabated vigour.

Ingonyama, not ill-pleased that his white "guest" should witness this
testimony to his power and influence, sank back into a sitting posture,
and motioned to the latter to follow his example. But Dawes pretended
not to notice the invitation, and remained standing. He did notice,
however, the shield-bearer holding the great white shield behind the
chief, which instance of