80 EXrEDITION INTO 



ill the field well worthy the imitation of his followers ; and 

 whilst his ferocity kept his people in al)ject awe, dauntless 

 intre})idity rendered him the terror of his opponents. Having- 

 once entered upon hostilities ag-ainst a native power, his whole 

 soul and energies were irrevocably bent on its extermination. 

 Mercy was never for a moment an inmate of his bosom, 

 and nothing- short of rivers of blood, caused by the most 

 lavish sacrifice of human life, was capable of gratifying- his 

 monstrous appetite. Partaking- of this taste, his warriors 

 were ever eag-er for battle, and shouted for war from their 

 love of plunder. The inag-ic of his name gained for tliein 

 even more renown than their actual prowess in arms, which 

 nevertheless was rendered desperately reckless by the alter- 

 native he extended to them, of either returning- victorious to 

 participate in the spoils they won, or being- condemned to a 

 cruel and immediate death for alleged cowardice. 



Chaka's army amounting- altogether to near one hundred 

 thousand men, fifty thousand were marshalled into reg-iments, 

 and held in constant readiness for battle. These were 

 formed into three divisions, called Umhalahalc, or the invin- 

 cMeSyUmbooIdllo, or the slaughterers, and Toogooso, or the 

 hide-aways ; a portion of each being- incorporated with every 

 force that took the field. Each regiment A^'as disting-uished 

 by shields of a different colour, the great Avarriors having- 

 white ox-hides, with one or two black spots ; the young- sol- 

 diers, black ; and those who possessed wives, and were hence 

 denominated Umfaundas, or inferiors, red. Individuals dis- 

 tinguishing- themselves in battle, received a badg-e of nobility, 

 and were honoured with, a title, by which they were ever 

 afterwards accosted. 



Having- thus organized his army, the despot next intro- 

 duced a totally new system of discipline. The slender javelins 

 hitherto employed for throwing-, were abolished, and their use 

 interdicted on pain of death ; a sing'le stabbing- si)ear of 



