Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-04
PONDOLAND.
An African Region Where Black is the |
Fashionable Color.

.
Fashionable Color.
A correspondent Of the London Gto6e
writes: am one Of the very few white
people that have ever visited Pondoand.
! have lately returned from that country,
aud possibly some Of ny experiences may
| be found interesting.
Pondoland is a fertile district north
east of the Transkei, and lying due south
of Natal. 1t is now under the protectorate
OF Cape Colony. The reasons for this new
protectorate are obvious. In the first
place, by establishing it. we have COM
pleted the half circle OF British colony
which now extends in unbroken success
sion between Cape Town and Natal, thus
making us virtual protectors Of the whole
seaboard and ports between these two
points. In the second place, we have
kept out other natiOns-the German and
the Dutch, for instance-who have tor
some time cast a longing eye upon the fer
tile plains OF Poudoland.
The present Chief Paramount-that is
the style and title of the King Of the
PondOs-is UmqUikela. small but we'll
made man of about 30 years Of age. He
looks somewhat older, but this is probably
on account Of the shocks that he periodI-
cally gives to his constitution by drink
ing to excess. This monarch has lately
issued a proclamation, which came into
force in October of last year, by which he
has decreed that All transport between the
port OF st. Johns river and the interior
should pay a prohibtory tax Of $50 a
wagon. This was doubtless in retaliation
for the previous annexation Ofthe port of
st. Johns river in 1888, contrary 70
Umquikela's wishes, ana in defiance of
treaty made in lS44 with his predecessor,
Fakar The effect Of this proclamation
has been to stop the importation Of goods
at st. Johns river settlement, which eX-
tends for about twenty miles to the north
east bank of st. Johns river. The POndOs
are a rich nation so far as cattle is con-
cerned, and their country allows them to
grow mealies and corn and tObacCOin pro-
fusion without much trouble and labor.
POndOland il very mountainous, and at
the same time extremely well watered.
The sea shore is covered with brush and
forest The principal trade of the country
enters POudOland across the River UNI
tumvuna from Natal, or by way Of Um-
tata from King Williams Town through
southeast. The exports of Pondoland are
principally hides, horn, and cattle. The
traders OF the country have been hitherto
outlaws and other adventurous persons
who have chosen TO reside beyond British
jurisdiction. In many cases they have
exercised a wise discretion.
The POndO men lead very lazy lives.
They scarcely ever do any work. They
leave to the women the cultivation Of the
mealie gardens and the hewing of wood
aud drawing OF water. To the boys they
leave the herding of the cattle. Ii is diff
cult to say what they do but lie, and
steal and cheat, and in sufficiently
formidable numbers (reudering resistance
imposslbe) attack a store, carry off the
goods Of the unhappy storekeeper. and
murder him if he protests too vehemently
at the loss of his blankets and rum. They
are an amiable race altogether. PoudO-
land contains plants OF valuable medl-
cinal properties, and the number OF pol
sons in the country is very large. The
PondO does not scruple to make use Of the
latter whenever occasion requires an OBJ
lectionable person to be quietly "re-
moved" The grass, or veldt, of the
country is, as a rule, too ricn for sheep,
but is admirably suited to cattle aud
horses, which are very numerous. There
are very few Beers. if any, in the country,
most OF the traders being British or
Griqua half-castes. Umquikela, who is
half his time fuddled with drink, has lost
his influence with the rest OF the chiefs in
the country. Tribal wars are frequent,
and the power of the Paramount Cnief is
but very partially recognized, even in his
own neighborhOOd. Justice is cOnse-
quently perfectly out of the question,
there being no one to administer 1t, and
no one to execute it.