His sepulchre — the grand Matoppos loomed
Towering above his all unconscious head!
Crag called to Peak, as thunder crashed and boomed
Its throbbing requiem, clangorous and dread,
" A Kinsman comes for whom ye mountains wait
That ye may hold his rest inviolate!"
With purpose steadfast as the granite hills —
To whom his giant mind indeed was kin —
He clomb the steeps; since, there, Rhodesia's ills
Like carrion festered, those grim walls within.
'Twas there Red Murder had its foetid lair,
And sulked — a menace to the plains beneath —
A rabid wolf, the cub of Mad Despair,
With slavering jaws, and poisonous, rending teeth.
'Twas there the Matabele, desperate
And maddened with the rancour of defeat,
Waited the fiat of relentless Fate,
And held the passes to their last retreat.
To them unarmed he rode — the Great White Chief,
Feared and yet trusted by the savage clan,
Whose simple word won always their belief,
For when he spoke, then spoke indeed A MAN .
He knew that dauntless Courage was a King
To those fierce warriors — so gave them proof
Of his blood-brotherhood, and faced the ring
Of threat'ning assegais with mien aloof
And all-contemptuous — as though he said,
" What toys are these to which ye would appeal?
Am I a child that I should be afraid
Because I see the sunlight flash on steel?
" Tell me your wrongs, that I may set them right;
For this I come, a messenger of peace.
Why should I blench or tremble in affright?
These be my words: — Let all vain vapouring cease;
Such only serves with children and with maids —
No man is moved with brandishing of blades!"
Sekembo, Chief and orator, then told
In burning words — a glowing lava-tide —
Of slights and wrongs. Despair had made him bold,
And long-pent passion would not be denied!
" List ye, my Father! 'Twas for this we fought: —
They set Mashona dogs to track the spoor
Of Matabele lions — and we sought,
For this dire insult, vengeance swift and sure!
" List ye, my Father! 'Twas for this they took
Toll of our cattle in the Great Chief's name.
Small wonder that the mountain-lion shook
With bristling fury at so black a shame!"
" Content ye, Children! Rest from now content.
I pledge Rhodes" word your wrongs shall find redress.
Yet first ye shall, ere they have betterment,
Make full submission, and your faults confess!
" How dared ye slay the women of my race?
Were there not men enough for men to meet,
That ye should work yourselves such foul disgrace?
Are ye but dogs to spit upon and beat?"
From out the ring an old Induna strode,
Then cast a broken weapon at his feet,
As though he eased him of an irksome load,
And cried, " My Father! thus I peace entreat!"
As fall the hailstones from a lowering sky,
So kerrie, battle-axe, and ox-hide shield,
With throwing-spear and stabbing-assegai
Clanged clattering, to the cry — " We yield! we yield!"
And so with broken blades the pact was sealed!
Towering above his all unconscious head!
Crag called to Peak, as thunder crashed and boomed
Its throbbing requiem, clangorous and dread,
" A Kinsman comes for whom ye mountains wait
That ye may hold his rest inviolate!"
With purpose steadfast as the granite hills —
To whom his giant mind indeed was kin —
He clomb the steeps; since, there, Rhodesia's ills
Like carrion festered, those grim walls within.
'Twas there Red Murder had its foetid lair,
And sulked — a menace to the plains beneath —
A rabid wolf, the cub of Mad Despair,
With slavering jaws, and poisonous, rending teeth.
'Twas there the Matabele, desperate
And maddened with the rancour of defeat,
Waited the fiat of relentless Fate,
And held the passes to their last retreat.
To them unarmed he rode — the Great White Chief,
Feared and yet trusted by the savage clan,
Whose simple word won always their belief,
For when he spoke, then spoke indeed A MAN .
He knew that dauntless Courage was a King
To those fierce warriors — so gave them proof
Of his blood-brotherhood, and faced the ring
Of threat'ning assegais with mien aloof
And all-contemptuous — as though he said,
" What toys are these to which ye would appeal?
Am I a child that I should be afraid
Because I see the sunlight flash on steel?
" Tell me your wrongs, that I may set them right;
For this I come, a messenger of peace.
Why should I blench or tremble in affright?
These be my words: — Let all vain vapouring cease;
Such only serves with children and with maids —
No man is moved with brandishing of blades!"
Sekembo, Chief and orator, then told
In burning words — a glowing lava-tide —
Of slights and wrongs. Despair had made him bold,
And long-pent passion would not be denied!
" List ye, my Father! 'Twas for this we fought: —
They set Mashona dogs to track the spoor
Of Matabele lions — and we sought,
For this dire insult, vengeance swift and sure!
" List ye, my Father! 'Twas for this they took
Toll of our cattle in the Great Chief's name.
Small wonder that the mountain-lion shook
With bristling fury at so black a shame!"
" Content ye, Children! Rest from now content.
I pledge Rhodes" word your wrongs shall find redress.
Yet first ye shall, ere they have betterment,
Make full submission, and your faults confess!
" How dared ye slay the women of my race?
Were there not men enough for men to meet,
That ye should work yourselves such foul disgrace?
Are ye but dogs to spit upon and beat?"
From out the ring an old Induna strode,
Then cast a broken weapon at his feet,
As though he eased him of an irksome load,
And cried, " My Father! thus I peace entreat!"
As fall the hailstones from a lowering sky,
So kerrie, battle-axe, and ox-hide shield,
With throwing-spear and stabbing-assegai
Clanged clattering, to the cry — " We yield! we yield!"
And so with broken blades the pact was sealed!