SOUTHERN AFRICA. 85 



CHAPTER XIII. 



HISTORY OF CHAKA^ CONCLUDED. 



Death ever reigried without a rival over the extensi\e do- 

 minions of Chaka^ ahke during* the intervals of peace^ as 

 in the time of war ; the unexampled cruelties practised by 

 the despot^ and the plausible reasons assigned for their 

 perpetration^ being" withal the surest means of governing* 

 his oppressed and wondering* subjects. The nation were in 

 the universal belief that their monarch dealt in necromanc}', 

 and held converse with the spirits of his forefathers ; and so 

 ably did he support this character, as to leave no doubt in 

 their superstitious minds, that he possessed the power of 

 reading their inmost thoughts, and of Ijeholding their most 

 secret actions ; thus striking* terror into them by his seeming* 

 unearthly power, and effectual^ checking any disposition 

 to revolt ao-ainst his inhuman decrees. 



Having- completed the re-organization of the arm}^ — 

 elected rulers — abolished old laws — and enacted new ones — 

 Chaka finally succeeded in establishing that which may with 

 strict propriety be termed a Zooloocratical form of govern- 

 ment. It is one that defies description or detail, and which 

 neither can be comprehended nor digested ; that affords 

 protection to no living creature, and places the trembling 

 subject at the mercy of a despotic monarch, whose nod may 

 consign him, innocent or guilty, to a lingering or instant 

 death. One that may compel the ag'onizing* father to 

 butcher his unoffending* child — brother to execute brother — 

 the husband to impole his wife — and the son to become the 



