He
Had Become Unpopular Among The Black Tribes, Conquered By The Spear
But More Effectually Won By The Subsequent Wise And Just Government
Of His Father.
Strange rumours were afloat respecting the unseen Sekeletu; his
fingers were said to have grown like eagle's claws, and his face so
frightfully distorted that no one could recognize him.
Some had
begun to hint that he might not really be the son of the great
Sebituane, the founder of the nation, strong in battle, and wise in
the affairs of state. "In the days of the Great Lion" (Sebituane),
said his only sister, Moriantsiane's widow, whose husband Sekeletu
had killed, "we had chiefs and little chiefs and elders to carry on
the government, and the great chief, Sebituane, knew them all, and
everything they did, and the whole country was wisely ruled; but now
Sekeletu knows nothing of what his underlings do, and they care not
for him, and the Makololo power is fast passing away." {3}
The native doctors had given the case of Sekeletu up. They could not
cure him, and pronounced the disease incurable. An old doctress from
the Manyeti tribe had come to see what she could do for him, and on
her skill he now hung his last hopes. She allowed no one to see him,
except his mother and uncle, making entire seclusion from society an
essential condition of the much longed-for cure. He sent,
notwithstanding, for the Doctor; and on the following day we all
three were permitted to see him.
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