The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-11-04

THEIR MANNERS AS DESCRIBED
BN A SOUTH AFRICAN.
Great Army Notwithstanding
the OmeDs


Great Army Rcvicw-Consuitins
the OmeDs.
The excitement in England over the
war in South Africa was intense. The
English newspapers have been full of ac-
counts and descriptions of the Matabele
people and customs, and the illustrated
papers follow the rest and give numerous
pictures characteristic of the country and
IT'S inhabitants. A "South African
Pioneer has been giving his experiences
to the London Daily Graphic.
From his account il appears that King
Lobengula is in the habit of consulting
the "omens" before going to war or
making raids. His chief medicine man
is the yarn spinner. In big bowl are
the entrails of some slaughtered animal.
The soothsayer, in fantastic robes
sometimes the robe is an old European
quilt or dilapidated English army
blanket-kneels before this and, like
other humbugs of his class all over
the world and in all ages, looks wise,
mumbles incantations and tells his royal
dupe what he thinks will be the result
of the contemplated action. These med
icine men are, as rule. very shrewd, and
know all that is going on in the country
a-d seldom make big blunder.
Here is the Pioneers" storyssof n
review at the great military krsal Gulu-
luw .yo:
"Early in the morning all the English
at the station walked up to the Kings
kraal TO see about as novel a sight as
could be witnessed in any part of the
world. The Kings private residence,
which comprises number of buildings,
several of them built in European fashion,
are enclosed together with his private
cattle kraal, In strong stockade of
about two acres, leaving an open space
of great extent between Lobengula's en-
campment and the native huts. There
are several thousand of these closely
packed together. On arriving near the
Kings entrance we found the King, as
usual, in CLOSE consultation over a dead
OK, with two of his medicine doctors and
a rainmaker. The different regiments
formed an immense circle, eight and ten
deep, about four thousand in all. They
were dressed in their war dress of black
ostrich feathers, profusion of these
hanging over their shoulders. Wildcats
and tigers tails reaching to the ground
clothed their loins, and they had no
other skin ornaments. OF course all
carried shields, assegais aud knobkerries.
They were divided into regiments, each
sixty strong the whole forming very
picturesque and novel sight.
"For some time the men remained
mute, not a sound being heard, but oc-
casionally they would burst forth with a
war song in their deep bass voices, keep
ing time by stamping on the ground
with their feet and striking their shields
with their assegais. The effect was i'm
posing. Occasionally one or two would
come out into the center and go through
the performance of fighting the enemy,
now advancing, now rctreating, now in
close combat, making as many stabs as if
they were killing foe. Others then
came out and went through the same
performance, jumping high into the air,
and striking the shields with both ends
OF their short stabbing assegais, all this
in the air before touching the ground,
the sprinter knocking his knees and feet
together. Then came the Kings wives
old and young, and all the young royal
daughters wearing black goatskin kits
down TO the knees. They were dressed
out with yellow handkerchiefs, tie
royal color, with a profusion of many
colored beads, colored ribbons, with long
sashes of broad yellow ribbons round
their shoulders. They advanced into
the arena with slow, measured step,
keeping excellent time, chanting native
songs, after which they returned and re-
tired. All this time the King was not
to be seen. He was in the cattle kraal
with his medicine men. After they had
at length consulted over the intestines
the chief medicine doctor, enveloped in
long oxtails that completely concealed
his tall figure and wearing little jockey
cap with fur in front and long crane
feather, marched up and down in the
center of the enclosure singing the
Kings praise.
"Then came forth the King himself.
Lobengula had on his towering head
dress of black ostrich feathers and an
immense cape of the same and kilt of
wild cats tails. He carried an asscgai.
He advanced with slow, measured step
into the centre of the arena, his sister
Nina by his side--a lady as fat and cor
ds utI DIOIucI-uTes5cu III u lOUB
kilt, a profusion of yellow kerchiefs,
ribbons, gold chain and watch, and
blue jay feathers in her woody hair.
Then the five royal daughters began TO
chant native tunes, advancing twos and
threes at time and again retreating in
the same order. The warriors followed
and began singing their war songs,
keeping time with their feet. The scene
soon became quite exciting
"At length the King called for silence
and the order was given for each regi
ment to march out onto the open plain
and have a sham fight. Each regiment
was commanded by the chief induna,
the KiVg being attended by his own
particular regiment as body guard. The
dress and shields of these were all
black, each soldier not less than six
feet.
A DEADLY CAREER.