The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-26
Lo BENaULA's NIECE WITH us.
Princess Mbikzi is a Member of the
Native African Choir, Now at Meri-

BY Telegraph to the Herald.

- AS-Na ANPA W bAAN AANA NANAr
Meriden, Conn, Nov. 6, 1S93.-One of
the most remarkable concert companies
appeared at the local opera house tonight,
and attracted an unusually large audi
ence. The company is known as the
Native African Choir, and represents
seven distinct tribes in Southern Africa
Amaxosa, Fingo, Cape Basuto, Tembo,
Baped and Zulu A number of them have
| friends and relatives who are now on the
warpath and facing English bayonets.
one OF the company is a niece of Lo
Bengula. chief of the Matabeles, who is
lighting the whites in NlaShonaland. Her
name IS MbikZi, meaning in English ''ugii-
ness" Although not able to talk English
to any, extent she understands the Ian
guage well, and through her interpreter
she told the following of her uncle and
his people:
My uncle, Lo Bengula, is a great fighter
and great chief. / only saw him on
rare occasions, and since | have been
among white people l now realize how
grotesquelY he adorned himself. Being
an awfully large man and very brutal we
all feared him. He has great and I'M
bounded influence over his people, who
are really a sbranch of the Zulus, aud
his word is law. He has $1,000 warriors
at his beck and call, many wives and in
Vulnerable CATTLE
What is his object in fighting this
timer was asked her
Il hardly know" she said Il under
stand he gets a part of $500 a mouth from
the British, but that does not sa tisfy him.
He and his people are really what you call
marauders and have always pillaged the
Mashonas, who have proven easy prey for
him. He would kill their old men, make
the young men captive, steal their women
and cattle and burn their villages. When
the chief of the Mashouas placed himself
and people under English protection Uncle
10 Bcngula saw that asprize was being
snatChed away from him and is now fight
ing them with the English at their back
He is spiteful and will fight. The place
where the fight is going onis wild and I'M
cultivated.
A PRINCESS OF SEVENTEEN.
''As for myself" she continued Il
think l am about II years old, have
a strong alto voice and am considered
a clever dancer. In my country we keep
no records of births and ! don't know
when my birthday is. Even Uncle
LO Bengula don't know his age, but think
he is about forty-fve. OF course. being
related to him, my social position would
be rather good in my home, and if a
chiefs son wanted me for wife he would
have to pay big price for me in cattle.
Mbikzi AMP, "Ugliness," here became
somewhat absorbed in thought and said
she could not talk further. Her inter
prefer Miss MaihomO Manye, in English,
Mother of Cattle" a buxom young
woman, speaks Kafir, BarntoR Hottentot,
1'ransvaal Dutch and good English. She
herself has relatives in Mashonaland who
are fighting Lo Bengula. J. II. Belmer,
the manager of the company, was present
during the interview and was much in
terested in the talk, and when in turn in
terviewed, said:
THE ENTERTAINMENT.
"The entertainment tonight was an ex-
cellent one and closed with realistic rep
resentation of cure of bewitchment by a
witch doctor The entire band, in ma
tive costume, chanted around the patient
who lay unconscious on the stage, gradu-
ally increasing their fervor until they
worked themselves to a frenzy. The
witch doctor suddenly pointed out one of
the party as the person who cast the
spell and demanded that he be slain. The
hOrrOr-5tricken wretch threw himself
from the stage to the orchestra circle.
pursued by the wildly shouting crowd of
savages headed by The hideous witch
doctor Part of the audience who had
become deeply enwrapped in the scene
edged toward the door when they left the
stage, but the victim ran through the
stage door and was despatched amid ago
nizing bowls behind the scenes. The
patient of course recovered and all was
serene once more. The sketch, however.
left a vivid impression on the minds of
the audience.