Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-25

had given him asceqdency over hundreds OF
chiefs, he and his kingdom would not have
been doomed, for the whites would gladly
have made HIM their allv. He chose in his
last months to treat them with treachery,
and he was trying to kill white man who
had been sent to him when bullet pierced
his heart
Msiri was the son of a Unyamwesi
trader and his youth was spent in his
fathers home, almost midway between the
Indian Ocean and Lake Tanganyika. Some
times his father took him hundreds of miles
10 the southwest, beyond the big lake, to
trade in the Garenganze country, among the
western headwaters of the Kongo. In his
early manhood his father sent HIM alone 10
to this country to buy ivory and slaves, and
it was then that he won the lasting graft
tude of Chief Sangs by helping him de-
stroy enemies who were sorely pressing the
chief
Made Reir to a King.
The aged ruler made the young man his
heir, aud not long after, upon the death of
Sanga, the young foreigner became the
ruler of Sanga, or Garenganze. Then Msiri
conceived the idea of making the Sanga
people the nucleus of great kingdom. He
permitted nothing to stand in the way of
his ambition. He put to death all who op-
posed him. The only ruler in Central At
rica who had guns, and who knew where to
replenish his stock of firearms, he was su-
perior to any combination against him.
One fear alone oppressed him. He
was dependent for munitions OF
war upon traders east of him. He
thought some dsv they might wish to ruin
ham and so would refuse to sell him fire.
arms He had heard that far to the west
was another sea coast which the whites Wis
tied. He sent a large expedition from the
center Of the continent in search of this
western coast. The party, heavy laden
with ivory, went west until they met Portu-
guese traders, who sold them guns and
powder Msiri had thus opened g new
trade route, and secured a new source of
firearms supply.
What Missionary Found Him.
So he went on conquering tribe after
tribe, until his country extended from the
hills dividing the Zambesi and the Kongo
water systems on the south to the Upemba
and Moero lakes on the north, and covered
all the country between the Luapula and
Lualaba headwaters of the Kongo A
large region beyond these limits was tribu-
tary to him, and paid heavy tribute in
ivorv His capital was Mukurru, which
means 'inhabited plain and the town is
one Of the largest in Central Africa. 1t is
a far DAYS walk across this populous GEN.
ter Gardens and fields stretch away for
miles, and hundreds of clusters OF huts are
scattered all over the district
Nine wears ago the Missionary Arnot
found Nsiri at the height of his power
The King gladly welcomed the solitary
white man who had come to live in his cap
itaL Arnot was the historian Of Msiri's
ualmv days, and the Missionary Crawford,
Of the Kings define and fall. Arnot says
in his "Garenganze" that the King had
hundreds Of wives, many of whom he en-
ployed as officers of State, and they were
responsible for the government OF large dis
tricts. All the ivory in the country be-
longed TO the King. Minor chiefs were ex-
pected to bring every tusk they secured to
Nsiri. They might keep for themselves
the rubber and slaves, but the man who re-
tanned tusk of ivory was put to death if
his sin found him out
His Policy Toward Women.
IF the Kongo Free State had known of
the existence Of this powerful empire when
the State was formed, in all probability it
States domain; for the policy of King
Leopold and his advisers was to leave out
side the State the powerful native rulers
vino were likely to give trouble. 1t was
this policy that gave to the Kongo State
its Remarkable southern boundary, the
empire OF Lunda being left outside. But
when the State was organized Garenganze
was not known, and so it was included
within the States territory. About two
wears ago the kongo State, hearing that
Msiri had given a friendly reception to the
white missionaries who had visited him,
decided to make its sovereignty over the
country effective, endeavoring at the same
time to keep on good terms with the King.
Msiri was then very well known, and his
great power and his kindness to the whites
had given Europeans 4 very favorable i'm
r7rassion of him, while thev were much
interested in the remarkable features Of his
government. Many women read with in
ferest OF the Garenganze country where
Nsiri had given unusual rights and priyi-
Ieres 10 their sex. He had not only given
many districts 10 his wives to govern, but
women were also allowed to attend the
courts and TO have a voice equal to that of
the men in suggesting the policy of the
State. MsirI was popular with the women
OF his country. He frowned upon wife
beaters Anv woman who was habitually
Illtreated by her husband was permitted by
the King to return to her father without
any compensation to the cruel husband,
even though he had paid the father heavy
dOwry.
How the Empire Fell
Mr.. Daniel Crawford, one of the later