Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1892-01-16

So Q hing About the Africans MO
Vanquished n German Army.
Some weeks ago came the news Of 4
terrible disaster to the expedition which
Captain Won ZeIewski recently led into
the interior of German East Africa. lie
had with him about J. 90 men. When
about $50 miles in the interior, in the
country of the Wahehe. he was attacked
by that savage tribe. He and nine OF his
white officers were killed or are missing.
Only two of his officers escaped to the
coast. The Germans fell into an am.
bush. and were att ked by oveTwheIm.
ing numbers. Many members of the ex-
petition were taken captive, and it is be-
lieved that at least 800 of them were
killed, while about 300 returned to the
coast. A battle SO costly in loss of men
has never before been fought between
the whites and natives OF equatorial
Africa.
1t may be interesting to know some.
thing of the natives who have inflicted
such a terrible reverse upon the whites.
The plateau country of Uhehe begina
about 200 miles southwest of Bagamoyo
and about $50 miles northeast of Lake
Nyassa. Along the upper waters of the
Ruff River, which is here known as the
Ruaha, the country is surrounded By
mountains, through which it is difficult
to march. About all we know of Uhelc
Is derived from the writings of Joseph
Thompson, who was the first white man
to pass through this country. He made
nearly 20 years before passed through q
corner of the country and formed yer;
unfavorable opinion of the natives.
Thompson gave more Hattering account:
of the Wahehe.
He said they are rather good looking
lot OF negroes, light in color, with fine
muscular figures. Their arms at that
time consisted of assegais, a stabbln.
spear, and weapon that was between a
blllhook and an axe. 1t is said, how
ever, that they have since obtained good
firearms from the Portuguese and this is
the reason, doubtless, they were able So
overwhelmingly to defeat the German
expedition. They are pastoral race,
depend largely on their cattle for food,
and the men never condescend to wur;
in the fields. Thompson said not a single
article was stolen from him, though the
natives did not receive him in a very
friendly manner, and he had difficulty i'll
buying food from them.
The history of this tribe illustrates in &
curious manner with what rapidly Cen.
trail African people sometimes grow from
feebeness to power in few years.
twenty-five years ago the Wahehe Were
not at all known for proves or super.
iority over other tribes. Then chiat
named Machinga rose among them, who
by his bravery and energy, vastly ex-
tended the dominion and Importance Of
his tribe Burning with ambition to
gain greater power and wealth, he deter
mined to wrest the country of Urori from
the hands of the great and powerful
chief Merpre. He had such influence
over his subjects that they were ready to
follow wherever he led. 1t is not neces-
sary here to tell the story of his long
campaigns against the people to the
west and southwest In every engage
ment the Wahehe were victorious. Viii
lagos were burned and cattle seized, and
like an irresistible wave the natives
swept across the plateau, devastating the
entire country. Finally Mactinga ex-
tended his power clear to Lake Nyassa.
All the tribes he met We're in subsection
to him.
Within the past few years, since the
murder of this great chief by one of his
subordinates. who coveted his power,
some of the tribes who surrendered their
independence to Machnga have recovered
their former territory, and the impor.
lance or the Wallehe is thus considerably
reduced, though they are still very
powerful people.
1t is said that Germany will start an
expedition to punish these warlike ma
tives. 1t is a curious fact that events
seem to demonstrate that small and COM
paratively weak parties of travellers get
along in inner Africa more safely than
large and finely armed bodies. The big
expeditions of Germany in both west and
east Africa, and of the French under
Crampel, north of the Congo, have been
terribly defeated. and the bloody record
of the past 10 months has never before
been equaled in the history of African
exploration.