The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-12-19
How Mnshesli Made War.

In Southeastern Africa there is n
country called Basuto. Its natives are
Kai1irs, supposed to be of mixed Arab
and Negro blood, and they have wrought
out for themselves quite fair sort of
pastoral civilization. They are warlike
when pressed by enemies, but are gene
rous in peace, and sometimes even mag
unanimous toward beaten foe. The
missionaries tell us that they are never
wantonly cruel even in warfare, and that
their truthfulness is absolutely perfect
In the year 1920 the Zulus from Natal,
cuveting the vast herds of the Basuto,
invaded the country in overwhelming
force. A fierce struggle ensued, the
Basuto fighting for home and country
against heavy odds, and holding their
own fairly. under the command Of their
intrepid chief, until the ferocious Hot
tentot tribe of Korannans, seeing an sp.
portunity for rich plunder, also invaded
the country, carrying devastation with
them wherever they went. Many of the
Basuto fled to Cape Colony and other
countries and many Others hid them
selves in the mountains. The young
chief was overborne but not disheartened.
Retiring, with a mere handful of follow
ers, to his native m 3untain, Thaba- Bosi-
on, he continued to wage a desultory
warfare upon his enemies, making cattle
raids now and then, and striking a blow
wherever he could discover an exposed
point. Here he rallied as many of his
fugitive followers as he could, until af-
ter several years of guerrilla fighting
he was able to muster respectable force
for the defence of the last stronghold
left him. On one occasion he was de-
feated in battle and left with but four
followers in the midst of his enemies
who at once raised the cry of victory.
With Napoleonic bravado, the chief
walked up to the ranks of his enemies
and cried out loftily, " It is not thus that
kings die. Make way for the king w and
the soldiers, astonished out of their wits
obeyed the command so authoritatively
given, and suffered the daring chief to
escape. When he had strengthened him
self in his mountain fastness sufficiently
to make his descents felt, he adroitly
turned every dispute among his enemies
to his own advantage, and succeeded in
making separate peace with several of
the tribes. He was still greatly outnum-
bered, however, and could only wait un-
til his foes should be harassed into an
attack upon his mountain fortress. FL
nally the Zulus, weary of his continual
descents upon their eutposts, determined
ty carry the mountain by storm, and to
possess the country in peace. Their only
road was narrow one up the side of
the precipitous hill, and when their
column neared the top. the Basuto, who
had prepared themselves in advance,
launched great masses of rock, which,
gathering force as thev rolled down the
mountain. crushed everything. before
them and swept the entire column of
beeiegers from the face Of the hill. On
the following day the attack was renew
ed with a precisely similar result, and at
nightfall the Zulus found Themselves not
only unable to attack again, but actually
too much weakened to stand against any
descent which the mountaineers might
choose to make. They therefore ut once
took up their line of march for their own
country. As they were retreating in
halls starved condition through the dis.
tricts laid waste by the war, they were
overtaken by q Basuto warrior, driving
a number of fat oxen, "Moshesh salutes
you, and supposing that hunger brought
you into this country, he sends you these
cattle on your way home"
Some years later, when some one asked
a Zulus ambassador at Cane Town if he
knew Moshesh, he replied: know
him? Yes. He is the man who rolled
rocks on our heads and then sent US oxen
fnr foo,lr