ABSTRACT
THE early history of a cllaracter like Umzilikazi, Wll0 OIl accollnt of Ilis courage, sagacity, alld po,ver, luts beell called by SOllle the "Formidable Killg," "Napoleon of tIle Desert," and tIle "Lion of the Nortll, " 111Ust be attractive to tllose who take illterest in Soutil African affail's, and especially in South Africnn missions. Desirous of knowing the antecedellts of this far-famed heathen man, I ellquired of two men who had beell brought up near him, and wrote dOWll the substallce of what they said, "\vllich ,vas tIle following :-Umzilikazi was tIle SOIl of Ulnatjoballa, by tIle daughter of another chief. TIle child being born, and tIle lnother able to go about, according to the custom of tIle tribe, SOIIle of the lliider ciliefs (men ill whom lVlatjobana had perfect cOllfidellce) were sUIIIInoned to tIle royal lletllllet. Tllese Inell were told that tIle Ilame of tIle cIlild was Ulnzilikazi, and that lle was tIle lleir to the cilieftaillsilip-tilat they 11lUSt take a IlUlllbel' of cattle, \ivllicll would be sufficiellt for tIle prillce
and his mother to live upon, to her father's house, until the death of Umatjobana, at which time both should return, and Umzilikazi be made chief of the Amandebele. Umzilikazi, having grown up, and Umatjobana being dead, the former, according to the custom of the tribe at such times, was called, and at the same time, all the chief men of the Amandebele were summoned to appear in the royal kraal at the dawn of day. At the appointed time, when the head men were all seated in a circle in the kraal, each one with a shield in the left and a spear in the right hand, the prince made his appearance in the centre of them, and a voice from the royal hut was heard to say, "That is your king. HiB name is Umzilikazi, the son of Umatjobana.". The Amandebele chief, being only a young boy, the neighbouring chiefs, always ready to take advantage of any such opportunities to gain a few cattle and slaves, would naturally covet the little he might have. There are two different accounts of what happened upon his assuming his chieftainship. One is this-Tjaka, a very powerful, cruel, and greedy neighbouring chief, having heard of the brave Umatjobana's death, dispatched an army to attack the Amandebele in their unprepared state, who were easily defeated, spoiled of all they had, and made captives, with their young chief. Umzilikazi being a shrewd and expert young man, soon raised himself in the estimation of Tjaka, who made him commander-inchief of his army. Tjaka, coveting some one's cattle, sent Umzilikazi with a force against him, and the attack proving successful, numbers of cattle were
takell, allc1 bl'Ollgllt illtO the country of t.he great chief. Tjal{a, as tllese Zulu always do, expected tIle young man to give him tIle spoil, but tIle latter seems to have retained Inost of the cattle ill his own possession. Kllowing llOW attacIled to their leadel~ the soldiers ,vere, Tjaka was at a loss to kno,v wilat to do. He deterlnilled to wait a ,vhile to consideI', rathel~ tilan risk his OWll life. The plall ,vas, cautiously to get llold of tIle offellder and put llim to death. He therefore illvited tIle son of the gl~eat Umatjobana to pay hinl a visit, and pretellding to be very fOlld of tIle skilful ,varrior, lle slallglltered InallY oxell, and made a gl~eat feast. To tilis feast, most of the killg'S cOllfidallts were invited, to wilom lle disclosed his thougIlts alld plans, telling theln tlla.t in tIle evelling, wllell UllIZilikazi would be at the lneat-pots, and all llis friends defenceless alld off their gouard, tlley lnust be at once attacked and dispatched. The conspiracy, however, ,vas discovered by Umzilikazi, ,vho at once illformed his adllerelIts, and arranged to flee, ,vith all he Ilad, a little before tIle al)pointed time for llis murder. Tilus, rl'jaka ,vas goreatly disappoillted, alld Ulllzilil{a~i escaped, takillg ,vith llim Ilis people, sonle of Tjaka's o,vn soldiers, and as nlany cattle as he COllld.
