OBITUARY. 933 
‘“« The facts of the rumpus I will not rehearse, 
Or I never should get to the end of my verse ; 
Suffice it to say that the Shilliboree 
Made flight quite essential for Longer Billee. 
“T thought that alone with Natal I’d to do 
And laughed as the mountains with ease I got through ; 
But alas! the keen Cape-tes came forward with glee 
To aid in the capture of Longer Billee. 
‘« When in irons they brought us before the Great Chief, 
Both I and my son thought we had come to grief ; 
‘Mahlambule,’ I said, ‘ take your last leave of me,— 
They’ll string you up first, and then Longer Billee.’ 
“* What possessed that old muff, Benjy Pine I can’t say ; 
But he spared both our lives in the stupidest way : 
Had a headman of mine rebelled as did we, 
He'd been scragged precious quickly by Longer Billee. 
‘“‘ But before I was shipped to my charming retreat 
With a friend unsuspected I gladly did meet ; 
It was Dr. Colenso, his card sent to me, 
Humbly craving an audience of Longer Billee. 
“The Doctor palavered most pleasant indeed, 
And said that to England he purposed to speed ; 
The Queen and her Councillors there would he see 
And put everything straight for dear Longer Billee. 
« As soon as he’d gone—‘ Mahlambule,’ said I, 
‘What can make him in us take such interest high ?’ 
You remember dear dad, how some books he did write, 
About which all his brethren did wrangle and fight. 
‘“ Now, his maulings of Moses and popeuns at Paul 
Have ceased to attract any notice at all; 
He has gone in for what they call philanthropie, 
And will gain immense Kudos by Longer Billee. 
“ The event clearly proved Mahlambule was right, 
For as soon as Colenso’s ‘ Blue Book’ saw the light 
‘« Her Majesty’s Councillors thought it was wise 
To give in at once to the popular cries, 
And the Earl of Carnarvon wrote out spedilie 
To release that much injured chief, Longer Billee. 
‘“‘ Three cheers for Colenso! and long may he be 
A Bishop in partibus—no ea-parte ;— 
Of his debt to the Zulu he must be held free 
Since he bolstered the cause of his Longer Billee.” 
He did not hesitate to give the aid of his pen to the fallen and the 
