The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1879-09-30 00:00:00

_
ROBERT KNIGHT.
&Mennen Office, 332, Strand. September 22.

ZULTYLLND.•

THE EX-KING CETEWAYO.

Mr. F. W. Chemin writes on September Ord to the
Times :—ln your leading article this morning, on the
projected settlement of the Zulu question, you express an
opinion as to the treatment which Cetewayo ii entitled to
receive at our hands, which, I sin sure, will meet with the
unqualified approval of the great majority of your readers.
At the same time, you refer to the cruelties of Getaway°
and of the military system of Government which he had
inherited—not established—in Zululand. Notwithstand-
ing the sensational stories which have figured in the
despatches of the author of the war, as well as in the
columns of colonial newspapers, I will venture to assert
that all along the conduct of the King has been subjected
to great, and in some cases, I fear, to intentional misrepre-
sentation. I believe that Cetewayo's great fault has been
that he did not like the missionaries; but in view of the
great seal which Incas of these gentlemen have displayed
in supporting a war which has killed many thoutands of
the people whom they were sent to convert, perhaps his
dislike of them was not altogether unreasonable
It will be remembered that after Sir Bartle Frere arrived
in Natal the most alarming rumours as to Cetewaye's
proceedings and intentions were circulated in that colony.
The Esti of Pembroke has kindly meet to the Aborigines
Protection Society a letter which has been addressed to
him by Mr. C. F. Barker, of Little Irmhlanga, Natal.
The following extract from it conclusively ahows how
grossly Cetewayo was calumniated at the tune when the
public, both in South Africa and in this country, were led
te believe that he meditated an attack on the colony of
Natal. Mr. Barker writes :—" When Sir Bartle Frere
visited Natal, I happened to be in Zululand, and was in
the royal kraal, accompanied by two traders, whose
wagon I was more or lees occupying. At that time
fearful reports were circulated about the doings in
Zululand. Colonists said it was unsafe for any white
man to go into the country—death would be sure to be the
consequence. I went in at that time and made a walking
tour, accompanied by a black servant, to the Emhlabslini
(Ulundi), the royal kraaL I was treated very kindly at
each and every kraal I passed. !could not speak the Zulu
language, but understood a little. When I arrived at the
King's, I was still more hospitably treated. Everything
wee as peaceful as could be, while all the warlike pre-
paratione were going on in Nata/ Cetewayo could not
understand the movements of the English. Ile inquired
what they meant, who they were going to fight with,
/sc. ; and was told that he was not to feel uneasy, as our
stationing troops around him was for no purpose of war.
It was done in order to make the colonists feel themselves
secure. Then came the ultimatum, and greater indignity
could not have been offered than was offered to Cetawayo
great men. They were spoken to like dogs and insulted by
the colonists present. About this time a shell was fired
from the fort on this aide of the Tugela into Zululand. The
King was informed of this, and said that, ' hail one of the
, young men, even ins boyish way, fired his gun across the
Tugela, the Colonial Government would have required a
very heavy fine from bins ' (the King); but, added he,
' they want to force me into • war. I do not want to fight,
and my prople shall certainly not strike the first blow or
give the tint shot.' A day before the ultimatums was up
the troops fired shells several times across at some
unoffendi rig Zulus. who had come near the river either to
watch or look at their mealie gardens. By this little act
our troops kibed one Kaffir. I WM present and saw it all."
Mr. Barker's statement as to the pacific temper of the King
at the time of these occurrences Is strongly supported by
a European resident at Uludni who has lately bees in
personal communication with me. I desire to .ad that the
society with which I am conneetal, has received much other
testimony tending to show the premeditatel and aggressive
character of the war into which the nation was so reluc-
tantly dragged.

ARRIVAL OF CETEIVAXO AT SIMON'S
Bey
. _ _ _

Cetewayo arrived at Simon 's Bay September 9th, in
the steamer Natal, which was escorted by }LM.i.
Forester. He will be detained in the Castle at Cape-
town pending instructions from England.
Otticial despatches have been reciveed at the War
Office, from Sir Garnet Wolseley at Conference Hill,
under date September 8. The General says :—" All
chiefs appointed by me have now signed terms of
aeceptance.except two, whom I expect here to-morrow.
Makuluai district has been thoroughly patrolled, and
is reported all quiet. Baker Russell has buried all the
bodies left at Zlobeine, including remains of Captain
Burton and Colonel Weatherly. Cetewayo em.
barked at Port Durnford on 4th inst. for Capetown.
All supplies are being cleared out of Zululand.
Cetewayo is, though still in the prime of life, corpu-
lent to a degree, and wholly unaccustomed to the
saddle. Besides which, he was accompanied in his
flight by devoted women and probably children, as
well as devoted men. From a telegram to • oontem-
porary we learn that the party which fell into the
hands of Major ?darter originally numbered 23, five
being women. On the way through the bu.M at night
11 of the prisoners tried to escape. Six succeeded in
the attempt, and five were shot. The incident is
greatly to be deplored. The King himself is now on
his way to Maritsburg by way of the fatal field of
Isandhlwana, where there are now to be seen h appily
no longer any traces of the fray which raged around
that memorable hill in the early days of the present
er. The quoition now in everybody's mouth is
"What will they do with him r. The idea that Sir
Garnet Wolaeley has any plan with regard to the
King, except to keep him in safe custody, is but idle
conjecture. Whether rightly or wrongly, it is gene-
rally considered that, however it may be when be is
no longer King in his old dominions, there can be no
certain pesos with Cetewayo restored to his former
dignities. Hie party, we may take it as granted, la
eliminated from the peace, and to the end of hia days
he will remain a prisoner of the State. It remain.
only to determine upon his future place of residence,
and that is not likely to be within easy reach of the
Tugela. Buckingham Palace, St. Helena, Robben
Island, the Cape Plata, all have been suggested, but
we can pretend to no information on the subject. The
general opinion is in accordance with the general
desire that he will be treated with all the considera-
tion which is due to the Lawful head of a brave
nation whose quarrel with the white man was not of
his own seeking.