Note 150 — VIII.

The Magistrate specially appointed to try the case, took a surprisingly lenient view of the matter. What had occurred was this: The Chiefs of the district were directed to bring their people to pay the poll tax. All, to begin with, were nervous and averse to paying until Sitshitshili came forward in the presence of the others and made his tribe pay, remarking, as he did so, that, having always obeyed the Government, he was not going to be afraid of doing so on that occasion. Other Chiefs then followed the example. Sigananda's people, of whom about 200 were present, declared they had no money and could not pay. When told that, as such was the case, they might go home, they "rushed up to the court-house fence brandishing their sticks, shouted out their tribal war-cry Yayize!" and began to dance in a defiant manner (giya) within the precincts of the court-house, action which at once terrified all the Native police, as bloodshed appeared to them to be imminent. No physical violence, however, occurred.