244 Report S.A.A. Advancement of Science. 



was her slave. Consequently, according to this custom all the chiefs 

 were closely related to each other. Modjadje distributed these 

 numerous wives amongst her men. From time to time she also 

 arranged great drinking-bouts at the chief kraal, at which her 

 favourite men had free intercourse with her wives. The children of 

 these were considered as Modjadje's children. To these women 

 Modjadje was brutal to the last degree. She used to beat them with 

 an iron rod, and found her principal satisfaction and delight in 

 homicide. 



Referring to her, the natives used this proverb : " She is like a 

 cooked pumpkin," i.e., the exterior is cold, the interior glowing. So 

 she was able to talk with a great show of friendliness to a person 

 whose death she had already in view. This snake-like manner was 

 also adopted by her chiefs. She never appeared in person in a 

 meeting of the council, but communicated her views only by means 

 of her chancellor. It was not allowed to any one of her indunas, not 

 even to her chancellor, to approach her when clothed under penalty 

 of death. I once noticed myself how much her chancellor was 

 worried by having to take off and put on his rather thread-bare shirt 

 when going to and coming from the queen. About ten steps from 

 Her Majesty everyone had to creep, and this in a most doglike way. 

 No contradiction was permitted, and every disobedience punished by 

 death. 



On account of her seclusion the oddest sayings arose. Rider 

 Haggard's well-known Romance, entitled " She," treats of 

 Modjadje. The Boers did not credit the existence of Modjadje 

 The different tribes conceived the most horrible idea of her personality 

 and manner of life. So it was supposed that her body was quite 

 different from that of other human beings ; that she was endowed with 

 four breasts, long hair, and many other strange qualities. Her 

 seclusion is said to have started with the following event. About 50 

 years ago a bastard appeared in Northern Transvaal, who pretended 

 to be the son of the god Ralevimbo, and who roved about the resi- 

 dences of the great chiefs with a rifle and numerous followers. As 

 tribute he demanded their daughters for wives, in which attempt he 

 was partially successful. So one day he came to Modjadje with his 

 retinue, and demanded to marry the young queen. Terribly fright- 

 ened about this, the natives gave him as much beer as he wanted, till 

 he was completely intoxicated ; then they retired and left him. 

 Meanwhile the queen had fled into a cavern. After that time she 

 would not see any white face. To the white authority her sister, who 

 resembled her in a most striking manner, was represented in her stead. 

 This sister must have been beautiful in her youth : tall and slender, 

 with a pointed nose, dark-blue eyes, and a light colour. Modjadje is 

 said to have been still more beautiful. 



In war-time every chief had to lead his chosen men to the chief 

 kraal, where they were made fit for war by a witch-doctor, so that no 

 bullet might do them any harm. In addition to this, everyone could 

 at any time get a packet of medicine by paying for it, as a remedy 

 against ghosts. This medicine consists of a powder, which was blown 

 towards the ghosts. 



