The call of the dark continent : a study in missionary progress, opportunity and urgency . sawthe military drill and training of Britishsoldiers, and when he became chief, insuccession to his father, he began to drillhis own warriors. When Dingiswayo died,his favourite officer, Tshaka, was chosen tosucceed him. The petty tribes were quicklywelded together into the powerful Zulunation. The army was thoroughly organ-ised, and, though armed only with skinshields and assegais, soon overcame thesurrounding tribes, which were withoutdiscipline and had no idea of militarytactics. Tshaka divided his t
The call of the dark continent : a study in missionary progress, opportunity and urgency . sawthe military drill and training of Britishsoldiers, and when he became chief, insuccession to his father, he began to drillhis own warriors. When Dingiswayo died,his favourite officer, Tshaka, was chosen tosucceed him. The petty tribes were quicklywelded together into the powerful Zulunation. The army was thoroughly organ-ised, and, though armed only with skinshields and assegais, soon overcame thesurrounding tribes, which were withoutdiscipline and had no idea of militarytactics. Tshaka divided his troops intotwenty-six regiments, each of which worea distinctive uniform (consisting chiefly ofskins and feathers). After a battle it wasthe kings custom to hold a review, andmen who had failed in their duty were atonce put to death. With despotic powerthe tyrant compelled instant obedience,and the very name of the AmaZulu becameterrible to the nations around. It has beenestimated that Tshaka destroyed 300 tribesand extended his power for five hundredmiles. At one time he had an army of. The People of the Dark Continent 61 100,000 warriors. The kings own childrenwere, by his orders, murdered soon afterthey were born. Men, women and childrenwere ruthlessly ordered to death for themost trivial offences. When at the summitof his power, Tshaka caused his own motherto be murdered ; and then, to show his grief at her death, caused fifteen girls tobe buried alive with her body, and ordereda general massacre over her grave, duringwhich, on the estimate of an English eye-witness, some 7,000 persons were Tshakas successors, Dingaan, Pandaand Cetewayo, this great military nationexerted a powerful influence—always forevil—over South-East Africa, and the Zulus,civil and military alike, were tyrannisedover by their kings. On one occasion, inorder to discourage marriage among thetroops, Cetewayo ordered all the marriage-able girls of the nation to be put to death,and this cruel
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisherlondonwesleyanmeth
