Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1892-12-22
RULER OF THE MArAseLes.
a Sh-foot African King Who Lords II
Over "a warIike Tribe.

Lionel Decle has paid a visit recent
~ to King Lo Bengula, the ruler of
the warlke Matabeles in South Africa.
he tells some interesting facts about
the potenta.e who is so greatly feared
ny all the tribes around him. He saws
he has formed a very complete collec-
! 0 OF the weapons of the Matabele.
which viii be sent to the T~rocadero
p,useum IN Paris. He had great trou-
Ole In making his collection of ~assepa;s
ard shields, because the king Furnishes
with death any of his subjects who sell
these objects. Imagine" Decle saws.
"a man six feet in height and uncom-
monty heavy. He must weigh Mt
least 2S0 pounds. His eyes. which are
always restless, protrude from their
sockets, and the lower lip of the enor-
nous mouth hangs down. In spite of
his bestial appearance he is a man of
very remarkable intelligence. He is
head and shoulders above most Afri-
~canNchiefs in ability and craftiness, and
he is certainly one of the most power
fal native rulers in Africa"
When Decie came within forty miles
OF the kings capital, Buluwayo, he
had'te send a messenger to obtain per-
mission! from the king to advance fur
Their into the-eountry. No person is
pei United without the kings direct
authorization to approach the capital.
Fifteen days elapsed before the per-
mission arrived.
"The Matabeles,n Decle saws. care
essentially a military race. The men
are all soldiers. Each village has a
regiment. The towns are of two sorts
those of the young regiments and
those OF the older regiments, which re-
ceive from the king the right to wear
the ring upon the head. These older
warriors have the right to marry, but
the young men composing the other
regiments are compelled to remain
single until they receive the kings
permission-to wear the ring. Some
times this permission is long deferred,
and shere are regiments that have
been IN the service twenty years whose
members have not yet been honored
with the ring, and consequently are
not permitted to have wives. The
arms are a sort of Ratchet, a number
OF assegais or short lances, and a shield
of ox-hide. At the head of each regi-
ment is an isduna, or chief, who has
jurisdiction over his town in time of
peace. Every year Lo Bengula sends
an imp, or army, to make a raid up
on one of his neighbors. Men, old
women and little children are put to
death. The young women and chill
dren who are able 10 march are i'm
prIsoned and reduced to slavery. They
form the booty of The warriors. The
cattle, which are the principal objects
OF the raids, are all taken to the king
and belong to him.
These raids are becoming fewer in
number now, owing to. the influx of
the whites into the surrounding our
try, who are blessed by the natives as
having been Instrumental in protect
ing them from the terrible invasions
OF their great enemy of Matabelelaud.
While on the way to the king Decle
visited n OF Lo Bengula's e~ighty-four
wives. Each wife has a town Of her
own. This particular royal lady de-
sired Decle to remain in her village
for a day 20 that she could become
well acquainted with him. She made
him many presents of food and had
two interviews with him, inquiring
all about his country and expressing
much establishment when she exam
med his watch, his revolver, and other
articles in his Equipment. He de-
scribes her as n woman of colossal pro-
portions, about 6 feet in height, and
enormously fat.