Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-10-09
MATABELELAMD.
a NOTABLE KING AND a NorA-
DLE PEOPLE.
An African Monarch OF Advanced
Ideas-How Justice Is Admins
tcrcd-.An Ox-Wagon For u
Home-A Rich Country.


The newest English acquisition In
South Africa (AIatabeleland) bids fair to
have an interesting history before it is
fully amalgamatcd into the Colonial
Empire. That it is an exceedingly val
liable territory there is no doubt, although
the climate will prove trying to Euro.
peaus., But its King is by all odds the
ablcst native African monarch since
T'Chaka, and its numerous inhabitants
are among the noblest and bravest of ali
the Katfir peoples.
King Lobcngula is really fine spcci-
men OF barbarian royalty. Hc is about
iiity-scvcn years old, of superb physical
proportions and Of digniiied and courtly
bearing. He never is seen in n passion, as
so many savage chieftains are, but when
either administering justice or meeting
foreign enjoys always preserves digni.
lied composure and calm, cool dcmeauor.
lie is extremely temperate, and altogether
absians from spirits; beer he drinks,
but when, rs it not uncommon, traders
make him present Of champagne, he
always gives it to his wives. His absti.
hence, however, does not save him from
Sout, from which he suffer; greatly. lie
is n man of liberal and advanced idels,
and possesses nc small degree of states.
manship. His subjects comprise number
Of tribes. whom he governs with rure
skill, doing wonders to make them all
one in interests, language, customs and
laws. His administration of Justice
would do credit to much more civilized
commonwealth. The great court con
sists Of Lobcngula himself and six of his
chief Indunas. Cases arc brought from
NIL parts of the country, end are i'm
partially tried and decided. The In
dumas act rs counsel for the parties and
take technical points with an ingenuity
which would do credit to Il British
Queens Counsel, aad debate the cases
with grcnt cagerncss. Indeed, in many
ways the Matabclc litigation is similar to
that OF England, for although the In
dumas iicrccly urge the claims of n client
while the case lasts, their differences dis
appear the moment the Kings decision
is given. During the tendency of u
case, moreover the Indunas keep relig-
iously away from the parties concerned
and their friends, but rs soon rs the case
is over they approach the successful or
defeated party rs if there had been no
dispute. The King very prudcntly
draws his assessors in turn from various
parts of the country, and does not allow
any set of men from long habit to be-
come his masters or too experience adj
viscrs.
The King lives mostly in big on
wagon. Before he succeeded to the
throne he wore European clothes, and
spent much of his time travelling about
the country with an English tcamster.
But since his accession he has re-
sumcd his native costume, and
makes his people do likewise. Still
he sticks to his oX-wagon, for which he
has given up all his other residences.
This is in some respects great convent
cnce to him, for it gives him IL travelling
Court ana capital. From time to time
he moves his headquarters, "nspanning"
his oxen and going oil without any warn
ing. If asked where he is going he re-
plies, 'Follow my wheel tracks and
see" This is probably partly policy to
prevent combinations against him and
partly early habit of imitation of his
father, who did the same before him.
He has seventy eight queens, of whom
ten are royal, but by none OF his royal
wives has the King any son, and it is
probable that when he dies there will be
fighting between the various sons OF the
other wives, each being supported by the
district from which his mother came.
The wives are scattered over the country
i'll the various kiaals, aud when royal
progress takes place the queens do not q,
with their lord, but await him Mt the
kraal TO which he Is going. Gubulawayo,
the capital, may be taken rs n specimen
OF large kraal. In the centre is the
Kings wagon and round it his wives
huts. all circular, built of mud bricks
and rooted with reeds. Round the CEN
trail cluster of huts is an open space OF
grass four hundred yards wide, and round
this space are the habitltions of warriors
said to number four thousand--and
their families; beyond these, again, is the
stockndc, which is several miles in length
Matabcleland, as already stated, is Il
rich country, but not healthy. 1t is
tropical in climate, and fevers abound.
The rains last for three months, and
during that time come down in tropical
torrents. For three weeks before the
rains the heat is intense, the thermomc
te. standing from 102 to 104 Fahrenheit
in the shade. Then for n month the
rain is quite continuous, and nothing
can be done; efter that again there is in
icrmittent rain for another two months
From the middle of January to the be.
| ginning of November no rain falls, and
the country depends entirely upon tn,
rivers, which, however. are numerou:
and constant. The soil is in place.
sandy, but is rich. and supplies thu
natives with all the Kaftir corn they re
| quirc, and with pasture for their Oxen
The missionaries, however, grow oranges
fruit, potatoes, wheat and other pro
ducts, and the land appears to be capa
bic of what is asked of it. The virgin
lard is studded with scrub and bush, no
too thick to be ridden through in any
part, but there is very little timber
Buck and birds are still to DO found
but big gone has been driven cntircl,