Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 3, 1892.djvu/365

Rh general saw it, and he died. The chief called his magicians and said: "How is this? Did I not send you to the river to drive away the incanti?" They said, "Yes." He then told them that the general was dead, and shut them up in a house till they died. No one would go to the river. Then a doctor came from a far people on a visit, and, when he heard it, he said, "Show me where the incanti is." On being shown, he made medicine, and put it in the river where the incanti dwelt. Then there was a great noise and darkness, and no one ever saw that incanti again. The doctor married the chief's daughter and was a great man among that people. Several other legends illustrating the cunning of the incanti were told at the same time, but the above is a fair specimen of village talk after such an event as a sudden death or suicide.

To show how rapidly historical events become legendary among Africans, one has but to turn to the events of the early wars of the present century, and in regard to which much authentic history has been written.

I had often heard the phrase, "Like the coming of Nkele", before I understood its meaning, applied to anything long delayed, or which the speaker believed never would happen. Now Nkele—the left-handed—or more properly Makana, was perhaps the most remarkable man that Kaffirland has produced. In a land where the ruling caste is regarded as a sacred order, he rose from the ranks by sheer force of character and sterling merit to be the leader of one of the most powerful combinations that ever opposed the English in their progress eastwards from the Cape. During the early years of the second decade of the century he was the foremost man in Africa. He led his men against English troops supported by artillery, and only when the flower of his force were mown down did he retire from the conflict. When all was lost he voluntarily surrendered himself to the English commander, as he could thereby secure more favourable terms for his countrymen. He was tried, and sent as a prisoner of State to Robben Island in Table