1 86 THROUGH GASA LAND. 



over to the witch doctoresses for sacrifice after they 

 have been permitted to gaze upon her lustrous 

 beauty. Time has no effect upon her ; her propor- 

 tions are to-day as magnificent and grand as they 

 were at the time of her advent, and the superb 

 beauty of her features and hair have in no way 

 diminished. 



Of course this extraordinary romance is a fiction 

 of the witch doctors, and is zealously disseminated 

 to increase the belief of the Zulu people in their 

 mysterious powers. That Sunday fully credited what 

 he narrated was evident, so by neither change of 

 countenance, nor movement did I indicate a doubt 

 in the truth of his story. In after years I had an 

 opportunity of discovering the grounds from which 

 this strange fiction arose. 



The copje, the scene of last night's disturbance, 

 was visited soon after sunrise. There was enough 

 hair lying about, yes, and blood with it, to indicate 

 that no contemptible struggle had taken place. It 

 seems to be inherent to all the cats, that when the 

 sexes come together they have these desperate en- 

 counters. Possibly it is to test the superior courage 

 and strength of the male ; if so he has frequently to 

 buy his bride dearly. 



Although the panther never reaches anything 

 like the size of the lion, it is quite as dangerous an 

 animal, if not more so, to encounter, from its superior 

 activity ; the facility with which it also climbs trees 



