The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-31
MASSACRE OF BLACK MEN.
Interesting and Impartial View OF
the Mntabele King LobenguIa.

New York Herald.
An interview with q colonist named Davis
In reference 10 the Matabele raid at Fort
Victoria and alleged atrocities committed
by the British was recently published In
the Pretoria Press. Davis Is well known
In Natal and in the Congo Free State. He
went TO Mashonaland In January. hoping TO
make fortune in farming. but becoming
disgusted he abandoned the property and re-
turned TO Pretoria in September
IN reference 10 the Matabee raid at Fort
Victoria, Mr. Davis declared that the yarns
about Mashanas being assegaied In the
streets were unfounded The lmpi he said.
never entered the town. but Dr. Jameson
summoned the Matabele head men. who
We're defer entail, while DR.. jameson HIM
self brusquely gave them an hour in which
to cross the Matabele border. thirty miles
distant. Mr.. Davis thus describes the pur-
suit:
I've overlook the Impi seven miles from
Victoria They were going on at a jog trot
and were unmounted Or. jameson ordered
down the Matabeles like rabbits: shooting
indiscriminately the dead, dying and wound
ed Ed, Twenty-hve OF the Matabeles were
killed Each body contained enough bullets
to Kill a dozen.
The Matabeles. never turned when we
opened fire on them Only one an Old man,
hied return shot. and he was immedi,
ately Drained Another Maxabele was
bI aimed with gunstock, which was smashed
In the blow. II was sickening work. yet
cheered as though we had won second
Waterloo"
view OF Reviews is an impartial character
sketch of that now very interesting per-
sonage, King Lobengula. The following arc
some extracts from the article:
Word pictures enable US to form a toll
erably clear conception OF Lobengula. He
is now an enormously fat old man OF sixty
years of age. His height is not more than
nve feet eleven inches, but owing 10 his
excessive stoutness he seems TO be shorter
than he is in reality. When Lobengula sits
on MS biscuit box receiving his visitors nc
rests his hands upon his thighs. which are
almost covered by the protuOerant pauncn.
notwithstanding his corpulence he is not
without dignity
whether or not the present crisis re-
suits In war or Is once more tided over,
the situation is intensely interesting. OF all
the savage rulers of our day there is none
who stands forth so picturesquely nude as
the King OF the Matabeles. He has all the
greatness as well as the grossness OF the
savage And yet savage though he is, we
never forget for moment that he is a
man, and very human man, and human
l ~ nolning so much as being at the mercy
OF circumstances over which he Is supposed
10 nave supreme control. If the present
strained relations between the two races
on on the Masnonaland frontier should result
In war. IL is almost certain that the result
Will nave been brought about not bv the
VIII or Lobengula, but by the obligation to
which sovereigns even in Africa are sub
yect-tnat or deferring to public opinion az
Ieast 10 That section of their subjects who
are artlcuIate enough 70 make themselves
heard. Lobengula is old and wise: his fight
ing men are young and unwise under the
run sway OF the hereditary instinct which
leads them TO regard the shedding OF blood
as the law of their being.
In MS kraal az Bulawayo sits Lobenr1i-
IA chailng in his heart alike at the folly OF
lhe white intruders and the headstrong i'm
patience OF his warriors surrounded NV in
dumas and taking counsel with his y-itch
doctors as to the spells which should be
cast ana the magic which should be used
10 prevent the catastrophe which might
oyerwhem the Matabele Kingdom I'm ruin
nme nave our Lobengula much nearer home.
Inc MARQUIS OF Ripon, in the Colonial Of
nee: surrounded by his indunas, casts no
spells and weaves no incantations. but he
Is troubled at heart. and consulss from
time to time the printed sheets on which
are woven the spells of the Journalists who
may be regarded az the witch doctors and
WIZARDS OF our more advanced ciyiliza ton
he holds back with strong hand the dogs
or war, who are straining at the leash in
Africa. We may depend upon IL that IL
Lord Ripon and Lobengula could have their
way there would be no war. But the mas
tiers OF the situation are at the front and
not at the capitals, and the fateful word,
IL II is spoken, Will not fall from the l.ps
Rhodes. and on the Matabele side some
rasn induna may not unlikely afford the
big white chief an opportunity OF taking the
law into his own hands.
Iobengula smokes constantly, smoking
great quantities of Boer tobacco. In fact,
ne may be said 10 live on beef. beer and
tobacco. Although he drinks quantities OF
beer he takes no spirits. and all the cham
payne which is given him he hands over TO
his wives. of whom he has comparatively
few"
by the way, King Khama, the ruler of a
large district in Bechuanaland adjoining
Matabeleand, will not permit any sprftu-
GUS liquors TO be sold in his country
'Lobengula is said TO take four new
wives every year. but IN reality he has
only ten wives and about eighty concu-
bines. AS his father, Moselekatse. Is said
to have had five hundred. Lobengula may
be said TO have made considerable progress
toward monogamy X = a curious fact
and the next king Of Matabeleland will
have to be taken from among the sons OF
the concubines. When he is sitting I'm his
sanctum drinking beer he usually has five
or six Of his favorite wives sitting I'm front
of him. When he is making a progress
throughout the kingdom he dispenses with
the difficulty OF having 10 carry about
with him his harem by stationing squads
of wives in various parts OF the country.
They are so distributed that he cannot turn
up in any place without having a certain
number of wives waiting for him."