"Child of Storm"
This is another Allan Quatermain story. It commences in 1854, when Quatermain, with the permission of King Panda, is hunting in Zululand. He is accompanied by the Kaffir Sikauli (or Scowl, as he is generally known), of mixed origins - half Hottentot. His companions included the Zulu chief Saduko, son of Matiwane, of the Amangwane, of which he was hereditary chief. However, his parents had been killed when he was 10 by Bangu, at the instigation of Dingaan, then King of the Zulus, and he was saved and reared by the wizard Zikali (of the Dwandwe royal line deposed by the Senzangakona), doubtless for his own purposes. Saduko was therefore of little worth ("no hoof of kine"), though a chief by birth. However he loved Mameena, daughter of the elderly and vain Umbezi, a headman of the Umdwandwe. He hoped to offer Umbezi the 100 cattle he asked for as the bride price - once he had acquired them. He asks Allan Quatermain to accompany him on a hunting expedition so that he may earn a gun. Quatermain agrees, though it is understood that Saduko would seek Zikali's leave first for his planned expedition against Bangu.
Quatermain meets the wizard Zikali for the first time, in his home in the Black Kloof. Zikali makes various prophecies, of which he takes little note (or so he claims) - "only weak-headed superstitious idiots would put the slightest faith in the drivelling nonsense of deceiving or self-deceived Kafir medicine men". In particular Zikali warns Quatermain to beware of Mameena, and that he would meet with an accident from a buffalo with a split horn.
The party - comprising Quatermain, Scowl, Saduko, Umbezi, some of Quatermain's hunters and Umbezi's men - go hunting. Some 200-300 buffalo move into a narrow cleft near where they are camped. Umbezi, who is a keen sportsman, wants to attack them - motivated largely by a recent request from Panda for many war shields, and by his recent success in killing an elephant. Some of Umbezi's men, instructed to beat the buffalo's through the cleft, instead fire the reeds, causing a stampede. Umbezi is tossed onto a rock, Scowl climbs a tree (where he is savaged by an eagle), and Quatermain shoots at a buffalo which attacks him. He just has time to notice that it has a cleft horn such as Zikali prophecised, before he is pushed into the bed of a river. The buffalo tries to gore him, and starts kneading him into the mud. He awoke in Umbezi's hut with some cracked ribs. Scowl and Saduko had killed the buffalo, and they had carried him home. Their meat, skins, and ivory, the produce of a successful hunt, were all destroyed by the fire lit by Umbezi's men. As Quatermain notes, Scowl "although no hero in daily life, imperils himself from shear, dog-like fidelity to a master who had given him many hard words and sometimes a flogging in punishment for drunkenness".
Quatermain sees Mameena for the first time (dressed only in a little bead apron and a single string of large blue pearls about her throat). She nurses him until he recovers his strength - as a favoured daughter she doesn't do any field work or even household work, as her "place was to be the ornament and, I may add, the advertisement of her father's kraal". Umbezi has rejected Saduko's suit, and wants 125 cattle. Saduko tells Quatermain that he plans to kill Bangu, and reclaim his cattle (he already has that of Panda, who secretly wishes to rid himself of Bangu). Mameena however declares she loves Quatermain, though he suspects that her real love is for herself and power. She offers to make him king in Zululand in ten years - though doesn't say how. He replies that he sought no throne, and that "I will not make war among a people who have entertained me hospitably, or plot the downfall of their Great Ones". Quatermain, now recovered, is about to trek when Masapo, chief of the Amansoni, arrived at Umbezi's kraal. He is a rival suitor for Mameena. Umbezi wants Quatermain to get him guns, so that he may fight against Panda. Quatermain is reluctant, but agrees to get him some guns for his own protection.
Saduko insults Masapo, and they quarrel. Quatermain reluctantly follows to the north, to attack Bangu. They meet 300 survivors of the Amangwane, who acknowledge Saduko as chief, led by Tshoza, Saduko's uncle. Maputa, Panda's induna, arrives with a token from the king - a box of Calomel pills. He confirms to Quatermain that it is Panda's wish that Saduko "eat up" Bangu, but that he doesn't want to be associated for reasons of policy.
Quatermain and company ambush Bangu's men in a narrow cleft, after seizing the cattle. One of Quatermain's own hunters is killed, after asking him "Chief, have I done well?" Saduko killed Bangu is single battle. They return to Umbezi's kraal with the cattle, but discover (to Saduko's mortification and fury) that Mameena is already married to Masapo.
They go to Nordwengu, Panda's Great Place, where the king congratulates Saduko, and rewards him by giving him his daughter Nandie as a wife. No bride price (lobola) is required, and Saduko is made chief of the Amakoba and Amangwanr, allowed to wear the head-ring (kehla), and given a place on the council. This causes an argument between the princes Cetewayo and Umbelazi which has long been developing.
A year later Quatermain is again at Umbezi's kraal, whence he has trekked to deliver the guns he has promised Umbezi, and receive the ivory he was promised in payment. He hears that Mameena hates her husband Masapo, and is yet to have a child. He meets Memeena in the Black Kloof (haunted by imihovu, spectres raised from the dead by wizards), where she has been visiting Zikali. She tells Quatermain (for, as she tells him, she can have no secrets from him) that she is unhappy, doomed to misery, and that she had wanted to tempt him to run away with her. She wouldn't do so, however, because he was the only man she ever liked, and didn't want to catch him in her unlucky web.
Saduko has prospered under the patronage of Panda - but he is widely regarded as an upstart. Nandie has a son. Mameena and Masapo meet with Saduko and Nandie, and talk. Masapo accidently knocks Nandie over, causing the child to fall to the ground. Saduko strikes Masapo, reviving their feud, which is quickly quenched (and they are apparently reconciled). Quatermain spots Mameena and Saduko together in the lightning, but decides it better to not say anything to either Nandie or Masapo.
A number of people fall sick in the vacinity of Masapo's kraal, including Saduko himself. Saduko recovers - though some die - and a thanksgiving feast is held. All the men drink much beer, and Masapo snatches up Nandie's child to kiss it. The next day it is seriously ill. Quatermain is called, but it dies before he can take any effective steps. Masapo is accused of killing it by poisoning or witchcraft, and is tried by a court of councillors - presided over by Panda himself, since the child was his grandson. The court couldn't convict since it lacked evidence - something which wouldn't have mattered inn Chaka's day, when suspicion was enough. They sought witch trial (umhlahlo) by a doctor (Nyanga) who knew nothing of the case. In the meanwhile it was sub judice - Zila (something to not be talked about).
The Nyanga turns out to be none other than Zikali, who is surprised at being asked for his assistance in such a minor matter as the death of a child. He offers to tell Panda how long he would live, or which of the princes would succeed him. Though these things were not without interest to the common people watching proceedings, the Great Ones do not want to know. For a fee of ten cattle Zikali uses dust to divine. He smelt out Masapo - or rather the House of Masapo (initially asking that Mameena be searched). A medicine is found on Masapo - he claims it is a dye used to stain his nails. This is tried on a stray dog, which dies after displaying symptoms similar to those exhibited by the child - and by Saduko before him.Masapo is condemmned, and is killed, though not before he tries to reach Quatermain (blaming Mameena).
Mameena becomes Saduko's second wife.
Eighteen months later (1856) Quatermain meets Mameena near Umbezi's kraal. Nandie now has another son - and Mameena remains childless. Nandie and Mameena always argue, making Saduko's life miserable. The prince Umbelazi is coming to the kraal, ostensibly on business, but really to organise his faction (the Isgqosa), which is opposed to that of Cetewayo, the Usutu. Quatermain does not like the way events are unfolding, but he remains, awaiting some cattle he is owed. The prince Umbelazi sees the intomi Mameena, with whom he is smitten. Although told that she is no intombi (unmarried girl) but the second wife of his principle ally Saduko, he pursues her. She is not averse, since she is always willing to give up one place for a greater. She runs off with the prince, causing Saduko to rename her "O-we-Zulu", or "Storm-Child", for her wayward nature.
Some six months later, when Quatermain is visiting Nordwengu, a fight breaks out between two regiments, adherents of the two princes. A civil war is inevitable. Saduko asks Quatermain to look after Mameena if he can. He (Quatermain) cannot leave the area because he cattle are stolen by Cetewayo's party, who identify him with Umbelazi's faction. Panda asks Quatermain to take a regiment of household troops (the Amawamde) and watch the coming battle - and aid Umbelazi (his favoured son) if necessary. The opposing forces line up on the banks of the Tugela river, at Endondakusuka. The Amawamde, 4,000 men over 50, and some 300-400 lads in the commissariat (mat and cooking vessel bearers, and herdsmen), were under the command of Maputa, the old induna and general. They give the Ingoma, or national chant, roughly transcribed by Quatermain as follows:
Loud on their lips is lying,
red are their eyes with hate;
Rebels their King defying,
Lo! Where our impis wait
There shall be dead and dying,
Vengeance insatiate!
Quatermain meets John Dunn, who with a small party of police and soldiers has been sent by the Government in Natal to try to negotiate peace. But as Quatermain says, "Quen deus vult perdere prius dementat" ("Whom God wishes to destroy, He first makes mad").
Cetewayo's army, at 20,000-30,000 strong, outnumbers that of Umbelazi. Of the three principle generals of Cetewayo, one is a Boer, Groening. Battle is joined. Umbelazi is clearly the weaker party, but all is lost when Saduko suddenly defects to Cetewayo with three regiments. A messenger from Umbelazi asks Quatermain to delay Cetewayo sufficiently long to allow him to withdraw across the river into Natal. The Amawamde advance to give succour to Umbelazi's army. As they do so, Maputo asks Quatermain to shoot a particularly offensive officer in Cetewayo's ranks. He obliges, though it is a long shot. As Maputo says, "Oh, what a beautiful shot! It will be something to think of when I am an idhlozi, a snake spirit, crawling about my own kraal". The regiment advances to meet the hordes of Cetewayo, and destroy three regiments of the enemy before they are overwhelmed. Quatermain's horse is injured and bolts, carrying himself and Scowl (who hangs on to the stirrups) out of the battlefield.
Quatermain comes across Saduko and Umbelazi fighting on the riverbank, while the Usutu were busy massacring fugitives and camp-followers from Umbelazi's army. Although wounded himself - and unarmed - he tries to interfere. Umbelazi falls on his own spear (uttering his battle cry of "Laba! Laba!").
Izimbongi - professional praisers - shout out the greatness of Cetewayo, "Eater-up-of the-Earth", and yell out the names of the great ones killed - including six sons of Panda. They lay out the distinguished dead, "as game is laid out at the end of a day's shooting in England". Quatermain tells Cetewayo that Umbelazi died of a broken heart upon a rock above the river - and doesn't mention Saduko's role. Umbezi arrives, claiming he himself has killed Umbelazi. Cetewayo doesn't like talk of the killing of princes, so replies "take him away". Cetewayo is now the real ruler of Zululand, though his father is still king in name. Cetewayo even puts to death one of his mothers, as a witch.
Saduko, though his sudden defection gave Cetewayo victory, is tried for stirring up war, and treachery (to Umbelazi). He pleads not guilty, claiming he deserted Umbelazi purely because he wanted to be on the winning side. Nandie denied this, claiming that he wished to be revenged on Umbelazi for taking Mameena from him. Panda deferred the trial.
Mameena is now tried, for poisoning the child, deserting Saduko, and causing Umbelazi to make war. Panda wanted the second charge only heard, because he didn't want other matters stirred up. However, Nandie called a witness, Nahona, a servant, who saw Mameena placing some powder in Nandie's hut, on the place used by the child. The muti (medicine) was later recovered, and is exhibited by Nandie. Zikali is called to identify it - it is poison which is partiucularly deadly to children. Mameena's guilt and doom is now all but certain. However, Saduko now claims that Mameena acted on his orders throughout. Zikali however proves that Saduko was bewitched by Mameena, and that this was false. Her doom assured, Mameena asked Quatermain to kiss her, as she had made him promise he would do if she requested that he should do so. In kissing him she takes poison, and dies before the slayers can execute the sentence of the court.
Zikali later explains privately to Quatermain that his plots led to Mameena's death, but that she has achieved all that he hoped for. Saduko is exiled - accompanied by the loyal, mild and uncomplaining princess Nandie and their child.
Five years later Quatermain is visiting the Umvoti district of Natal. He discovers that the headman of a local kraal is none other than Tshoza, Saduko's uncle (now old indeed). Saduko himself lives there, with Nandie. He is now known as Saduko the Mad, and is said to be dying, haunted by Umbelazi (who had promised, as they fought on the banks of the river Tugela, that "I will haunt you while you live, and when you cease to live, oh! then shall we meet again"). Saduko is now "nothing but a living skeleton." He fell dead, calling upon Mameena, who he said he say talking to Umbelazi, saying that she loved someone other than Saduko - someone whose name the dying man doesn't utter, but which seems to surprise him. Nandie wonders aloud who it could be, but looks at Quatermain.
As for the latter, "I made no answer, for at that moment I heard a very curious sound, which seemed to me to proceed from somewhere above the hut. Of what did it remind me? Ah! I knew. It was like the sound of the dreadful laughter of Zikali, Opener-of-Roads - Zikali, the "thing-that-should-never-have-been-born". Doubtless, however, it was only the cry of some storm-driven bird, or perhaps, it was an hyena that laughed - an hyena that scented death."
This novel is the second in the trilogy which recount the collapse of the Zulu kingdom, a collapse engineered (in these fictionalised accounts of real events) by Zikali. The first book is "Marie", and the third, "Finished". All involve Allan Quatermain.
It has stronger supernatural elements, and the role played by the Zulu protagonists are more central to the story than in "Marie". Zikali is really the main character, as he is in "Finished", but in some ways the most memorable is Mameena. As usual Haggard likes to have a strong female lead, and Mameena certainly provides that. But unlike some of his other dominant women, Mameena is far from flawless. Indeed, she is a true female fatale - though she herself is her own final victim. Mameena appears again - as a spirit - in later stories.