SOUTHERN AFRICA. 89 



had now subdued all the tribes, and laid waste the whole 

 countiy, from the southern and western provinces lying* 

 about Delag'oa Bay, as far as the nation of the Amaponda, 

 two hundred miles south-west of Natal, and had beg-un to 

 contemplate an attack on some of the frontier tribes. He, 

 hoAvever, manifested the g'reatest apprehension of coming* 

 into collision with the white people, whose hostilities he was 

 avowedly afraid to excite, and to whom, in his own country, 

 he was hospitable from motives of prudence — and this con- 

 sideration alone had restrained him from attacking* those 

 tribes that had thrown themselves under the protection of 

 the Cape Government. Death arrested his merciless and 

 ambitious career. He fell, as he deserved, by the hand of 

 his own subjects, and by none was his fate mourned. 



The assassination of Chaka had long* been meditated by 

 his brother Ding*aan, and the diabolical massacre just detailed 

 hastened the execution of his desig*n. The t3Tant was sitting* 

 one evening* after sunset, with one or two of his principal 

 chiefs, admirino" the vast droves of sleek cattle returnino- to 

 the kraal from pasture, and probabty contemplating* the nmr- 

 der of innocent being-s, when he was startled by the audacity 

 and unwonted demeanour of Boper, his principal attendant, 

 who approached him A^ith a spear used for slaug'htering* 

 oxen, and in an authoritative tone demanded of the old chief- 

 tains, who A\Tre humiliating* themselves in the royal presence, 

 "what they meant by pestering* the king* with falsehoods and 

 accusations?" An effort was immediately made on the part 

 of the exasperated warriors to secure the traitor ; and at the 

 moment Umslung'ani and Ding*aan, the two elder brothers 

 of the despot, stealing* unperceived behind him, buried their 

 assag'ais in his back. Chaka was enveloped in a blanket, 

 which he instantly cast off, making" an ineffectual attempt 

 to escape that death to which his odious decrees had con- 

 signed so many of his unoffending* and loyal subjects. Being* 



