ll his fierce pantomimic
dance it continues, and when he has ended it redoubles, then dies away,
but only to burst out again and again with unquenchable enthusiasm.

In order, probably, to give the warriors a brief breathing space,
another song is now set up, and it is marvellous the accuracy and
knowledge of melody with which the parts are sung, like a glee of catch,
the time being kept by a conductor, who rushes from rank to rank beating
time with a wand. Yet it is hardly like chanting, rather like a weird,
sobbing melody, with tones in it which range from the deepest bass to
the shrillest treble. It ends in a long sigh, and then follows a scene,
a tumult, a melee, which hardly admits of a description in words. The
warriors engage in a mimic combat, once more they charge, retreat,
conquer, and are defeated, all in turns. In front of them, exciting them
to new exertions, with word and gesture, undulate in a graceful dance
of their own the "intombis," the young beauties of the tribe, with green
branches in their hands, and all their store of savage finery glittering
on their shapely limbs. Some of these maidens are really handsome,
and round them again dance the children, armed with mimic spears and
shields. Wild as seems the confusion, through it all, even the moments
of highest excitement, some sort of rough order is maintained; more,
it would seem, by mutual sounds than by word of command or sense of
discipline.

Even a Zulu warrior must, sooner or later, grow weary, and at length
the signal is given for the dance to end. The companies are drawn up in
order again, and receive the praise and thanks of those in whose honour
they had been called together. To these compliments they reply in a
novel and imposing fashion. At a given signal each man begins to softly
tap his ox-hide shield with the handle of his spear, producing a sound
somewhat resembling the murmur of the distant sea. By slow degrees it
grows louder and louder, till at length it rolls and re-echoes from the
hills like thunder, and comes to its conclusion with a fierce, quick
rattle. This is the royal war-salute of the Zulus, and is but rarely
to be heard. One more sonorous salute with voice and hand, and then the
warriors disappear as they came, dropping swiftly and silently over the
brow of the hill in companies. In a few moments no sign or vestige
of dance or dancers remained, save, before our eyes, the well-trodden
ground, a few lingering girls laden w