Sandilli himself was leading
it, and he stopped for a minute in order to welcome the visitor. 'Then he
went on, more merrily than ever,' Sir George described, 'in order that I
might witness how well he could dance. He wished to impress me, to show
me that here was a chief, strong, agile, graceful, a Kaffir of true
kingly parts. The natives were grouped in a great circle, and the ground
almost shook while they danced. They sang as they leapt about, and what
they sang was "It burns! It burns! It burns!" until you could almost feel
the glow of fire about you. They were, in imagination, burning the kraals
of some other tribe with whom they had a quarrel. "It burns! It burns! It
burns!" I can hear them still, and realise how easily, in such a
condition, they could have been led to do anything. It was fanaticism a-
brew.'
The dance over, there followed business with Sandilli. He made certain
requests, with which the Governor was not able to agree. It was necessary
to reserve them, but this must be done in such a manner that Sandilli
would not be offended.
'You know,' Sir George enjoined him, 'that a child born into the world is
long before it can distinguish its parents from other persons, and longer
still before it can distinguish friends from foes. As yet, I am almost a
new-born child in this country, and can answer no matter hurriedly.
Pages:
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160