, 1893-09-27

mig AO-D0nSuIa ndS UoComo oUoP'
cious of the whites since the south African
Republic fixed it's boundaries and the BRITISH
took possession of Bechuanaland. The first
Of these measures stopped his raids towards
the south and the second those towards the
west. At a later period, when theRoyal Char
tered South African Company took energetic
action in the field of local politics, many per-
sons who knew the King thought he would
not submit to a pacific settlement. BY giving
in on this occasion, however, he proved him.
self to be a clever politician.
The news which I brought south on re-
turning from my second trip to the interior
as to the great wealth in cattle of the Ma
81 .kulumbo tribes, reached the Kings ears
and he directed his next expedition against
this people, crossing the Zambesi for the pur-
pose. That RAID was a success. and LO-
Bengula having thus discovered fresh fields
and pastures new, In c0nnexion with which he
considered the English. COMPANY no obstacle.
showed a disposition to meet the overtures
Of the latter. In addition to this his fear Of
the Dutch constituted a further inducement to
come to an understanding with the English.
1t was an open secret that for years the Beers
had been making preparations for l%mmigrat-
ing towards the north and northeast. Their
most experienced men had, In the course OF
their hunting expeditions, visited the Ma-Ata-
belle and Ma Shona countries and considered
them suitable for settlement. King Lo-Ben-
gula, knowing the bravery and courage of
the BoeIs in their fights with wild beasts,
and further that they were the best marks
men in South Africa, decided against the noisy
opposition of the young soldiers in his army
that the best policy was to come to an under
standing with the company.
m E 40 - 49, - 4 f,1.
ties have disturbed the peace of the Limpopo
is due to the prudence Of the King and The
sound policy and vigilance Of the Royal
Chartered Company. Whether the King as
he grows older will be able to yestrain the
reckle8sness Of his men remains to be seen
The growing immigration to the possessions
of the Royal Chartered Company ami the
annexation of the Barotse revived the Kings
suspicious Of the English, and seriously dis
pleased him as opposing a new obstacle III
the way Of his raids to the nor tn Of the
Zambesi
S&uer or later the Ma-Atabele question
will assume an acute phase 1t is not to be
imagined that warriors such as these, who
look upon all forms of work as degrading,
viii readily settle down to husbandry or
become peaceful neighbours for the surround.
ing natives and white settlers. ! Am quite
convinced, whatever may be said to the
contrary, that these Ma-Atabeles have been
for years past on the alert watching for an
opportunity to fight the whites. How other
wise Is The recent attack in the neighbour
Lood OF Fort Victoria to be explained? It is
impossible to believe that they were strangers
III the locality in which this attack was made.
1t is a question weather the King really
means to fight, or whether the recent exploits
were due to the reoklessness of his men. We
shall have reason to be thankful if the latter
proves to be the case; but even if compensa-
ton should be given by Lo-Bengula, that
will not dispose of the Ma-Atabtle question,
nor will it quiet the spirits of the Ma-Atabele
warriors. Quite the contrary. If the King
means to fight, then the raid must be regard
ed as a man@uvre for the purpose of coming
closer to Fort Victoria, and of learning some-
thing Of the mode of fighting and behaviour
in action OF the mountedIpolioe who constitute
the army Of the Royal Chartered Company.
1t is we'll known to every student of South
African history that many sham fights
arranged betwe n the northern and southern
Zulus with the consent of their kings have
ended by becoming real battles and leading
to great loss of life. This last raid clearly
shows that the Ma-Atabeles are as dangerous
as ever, and that the company will conse.
quently have to increase its vigilance. The
second official despatch respecting it claimed
fIn nvnSAo~o4~A AL