Chap. XIII.] SOUTHERN AFRICA. 103 



the trembling subject at the mercy of a despotic 

 monarch, whose nod may consign him, innocent or 

 guihy, to a lingering or instant death. One that 

 may compel the agonizing father to butcher his un- 

 offending child — brother to execute brother — the 

 husband to impale his wife — and the son to become 

 the inhuman nuitilator of her that gave him birth ! 

 The ties of consanguinity availed nothing with this 

 inluuiian tyrant. A sign given by the fatal pointing 

 of his blood-stainedfinger, or the terrible declination 

 of his head, must be promptly obeyed ; and if, after 

 the perpetration of the revohing deed, the feelings 

 of violated nature should predominate, and manifest 

 themselves to this fiend in liuman form, the party 

 was ordered for instant dispatch, either by impale- 

 ment, by liaving the neck twisted, or being stoned 

 or beaten to death wiih sticks. The kith and kin of 

 the wretched victim likewise shared his fate ; his 

 property being also seized and distributed amongst 

 the warriors. Neither was any reason assigned for 

 tlie murderous decree, until it was too late to recal 

 the fiat of execution ; the devoted subject frequently 

 thanking his savage monarch whilst he was under- 

 going the sentence that had been thus iniquitously 

 passed upon him. 



To this enviable state of things, there succeeded 

 a dreadful lull, which may fitly be compared to that 

 which intervenes between the first and last shock of 

 an earthquake — when all are in consternation, 

 fearing that the next moment they may be swallowed 

 during the devastating convulsion. This pause from 



