Adventure Magazine Cover — page 143: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Battle of the Impis— “ After sunrise bid all the women to come to the cattle-place. I have something to - tell them,’’ commanded the’chief. As the sun rose, it revealed line after line of warriors in full fighting regalia, squatting behind enormous battle-shields. They were all veterans. As their chief neared, they sprang to their feet and greeted him with a loud— ce A—wul” - The chief waved his hand at the impi— regiment—bidding them go to the trench, turned on his heels and went to the cattle- corral, where the women and girls were awaiting him. ~ ‘A man is a man,” he said, “a woman is a woman. When a man wants to gain strength he goes among other men. It is not good for women to see their men receive strength; therefore you will go to the forest for two nights and two days. On the third night at the time when sleep is heaviest we men shall be awaiting you. Go in peace!’ As the women and girls trooped out of the gate the chief strode away to supervise the work of the warriors, The clanging thud of a hammer on raw metal and the snort of several bellows filled the air. Some boys, squatting around the pile of hides, were cutting them into shape for shields; others were bending and testing those already made. The chief walked about silently, never in a hurry, watching each operation. His long slim form seemed to be everywhere, spurring on the work. The golden twilight turned to a blue- domed canopy studded with bright jewels. The clash of steel on stone rose above all other sounds and was the night’s snore— there was to be no sleep for any of them. MIDDAY—a scorching sun! The kraal was surrounded by a = force of four thousand warriors, - Each carried long war-shields and spears. The veterans proudly wore their head- dress of long blue feathers. Each man wore charms and silently awaited the ceremony of purification, administration of the sacred oath and retention. Five bulls were led into the circle by one of the lean-faced witch-doctors. A stal- wart warrior came forward, a hammer in his hand. Swinging it in a mighty arc, he killed one of the beasts with a blow on its forehead. ‘The witch-doctors dropped on the ox almost before it had ceased struggling and, cutting out its gall bag, carried it to 2 : a fire where a small pot rested and there mixed it with other ingredients. Thesmall pot was taken off the fire after a little while = and green shrubs piled on to the fire. sothat a dense cloudy smoke filled the air. The warriors in the front line put down 3s eo: their shields, spears and knobkerries and _ took off their loin cloths. Atasignfrom <«— one of the witch-doctors two of the men stepped forward and, walking into the sacred cloud of smoke, came out on the other side of the fire. Their eyes smarted, and tears ran down their cheeks. At the command from another witch-doctor the two men bent down and filled a calabash with medicine from the pot and drank it.- Then they hurried away to the trench, flung themselves down and vomited noisily. No sooner were these two cleansed out than two more warriors rushed out, and in a little while the trench swarmed with men, all vomiting noisily. The day reached its close. Midnight—the stars twinkled above. A : = dull-red light glowed through the curtain of gray smoke; men passed hither and thither! The thud of a hard substante against solid bone! The death moan ofa dying ¢ ox! The clinking of knives! _ The gray dawn stole on the scene. The warriors were sprawled about in confused = heaps.. The boy cattle-herders moved about restlessly, yet dared not leave. stern eyes of the chief were watching them. All solid matter had been cleansed out of a - | them, but the rule is that all liquid matter shall be retained until the word is given by the chief witch-doctor. : As the sun rose the air was shattered by the crashing sound of war-drums. They were throbbing out. the command for all warriors to stay clear of the kraal until = ‘next morning. = “You have passed through the - smoke ee that will protect from all harm,” said the = witch-doctor. “The bitter medicine you drank is the bitter sharpness of your enemies’ _ spears. You have vomited all that is old, and now youcan benew. Eat your fill, and drink what you will. I have spoken.” . The young boys scampered away with shouts of joy. The warriors leaped to their feet and with a mighty yell carved off mighty hunks of meat from the dead oxen. Dozens of fires were blazing, and shortly the smell of roasting meat filled the air. - ¥ . . oe am “a <i> * he ae ~ ‘ ee - c ' ~ 2 ae ’ ~ ae P a The : = ~. 7 ~ . a Se > > CONMIGO