KING CETEWAYO IN 1868.

Kumara Times, Issue 800, 24 April 1879, Page 4

KING CETEWAYO IN 1868.

The late Mr David Leslie, a young Scotsman, who spent a considerable time in Zulnland, gives in his book, “ Among the Zulus and Amatongas,” the following account of Cetewayo, who at the time of the traveller’s visit (1868), acted as Regent” to his father, King Handa: — After the reception ceremonial was over, I went and had soma conversation with Cetewayo. He is evidently “native and to the manner born,” as a first-rate ruler of the Zulus, and they thoroughly understand and appreciate these qualities in him. But beyond a fondness for guns, of which he knows the power, he seems to have no wish to improve, or, in other words, to learn anything from the whites. It is, however, pride perhaps which prevents him, his invariable answer tp any suggestion of this nature being, “ It is not our custom—we are Kings of the Zulu” (“Zulu” in the native parlance means “ the heavens.”) Any attempt, therefore, to improve this “heavenly” state he thinks a work of supererogation. He is kind to the whites, both from his natural disposition, and because he is acute enough to see that any quarrel with them would be ruinous to him. In person he is a goodrlooking, tall, powerful man, but he is developing the characteristic of all Ensensengakon’s progeny—terrible fatness •—especially,about the hips and legs ; and he has, in common with all Panda’s children, small hands and feet—the mark of good birth. He remained at the capital but one night, and then left for the. headquarters of his own regiment, “ Toolwan.” Nodwengo, the capital, lies in the northern end of an amphitheatre, about eight miles in diameter. The surrounding hills are very beautiful—partly green and partly covered with mimosa trees, and broken up here and there into precipices. The White Umvelose river runs through the centre, and smaller streams interest the area in all directions The consequence is that from its situation it is very hot in summer, while from the plenteousness of water it is very cold in winter. The kraal itself contains, I should think, about five hundred huts. I have not counted them, but judge by the comparison with the Escepene. While at Cetewayo’s I could not help admiring how thoroughly he had made himself acquainted with his people from all parts of the country. I should think that in nine days at least, two hundred different headmen came on all sorts of business, each one of whom he greeted by name, and inquired into their special circumstances ; and they left him evidently highly satisfied with his urbanity and condescension. He has decreed that in future no one except whites shall be killed in the Zulu country. _ What have hitherto been capital crimes are now punishable with the loss of one or both eyes, and for this purpose a knife and fork have been provided—the one to cut the nerves, the other to pick out the eye.