A WONDERFUL TALE. 1 85 



During a terrible storm which took place all over 

 Zululand, just previous to Mossuluketsi's secession 

 from his country, several years ago, a white woman, 

 with three attendants of the same colour, descended 

 into the king's camp from the blackest thunderclouds, 

 and in the midst of a terrific storm. Immediately 

 after the stranger's arrival one of the attendants 

 was sacrificed by the others, after which the lady 

 commanded the storm to cease, when instantly the 

 sun broke forth in all his glory. After a time this 

 female's attendants wished to return to their own 

 world. Their request being granted, they proceeded 

 to the Umphilosi river, washed themselves in its 

 waters, and dissolved — Sunday explaining, " the 

 same as your sugar and salt " — when bubbles of air 

 rose to the surface of the stream, floated down its 

 current, and burst when in the full glare of the 

 noonday sun. At this the new arrival blessed her- 

 self, and announced with joy that her comrades had 

 departed for their own home. This woman still 

 dwells with them in a krantz among the mountains 

 beyond the Zambesi, attended by six Zulu virgins 

 and a host of female witch doctors. To cleanse her- 

 self she uses fire as we would water, which is never 

 allowed to become extinguished — in fact, fire plays 

 the part in her toilet that water does in ours. This 

 mysterious woman never eats, sleep is the same to 

 her as food, and any of the male sex that attempt to 

 intrude themselves upon her seclusion are handed 



