The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-22

| region. Many substantial brick buildings
have arisen at Salisbury and Victoria. and good
weekly newspapers are printed in both settle
ments. The railroad from Beira. on the In
dian Ocean. is approaching the eastern from
tier. and the telegraph connects the settle
ments with Cape Town and Europe. Even the
war cloud that now lowers cannot obscure tho
bright future Of tho country.
To-day. however. the question must he set
tod and settled by war. whether white men
and civilization. or Lo Bengula and his horde
long the scouree Of South Africa. are to rule
the land. There Is only one answer: but war;
riors like tho Matabeles. who have never been
vanQuished in their long career OF boodshed
will never be convinced that they cannot lord
it over any race on earth urtil they learn by
bitter experience.
For more than fifty years tho Mashonas have
been the greatest sufferers from Matabele
raids 1t Is supposed that 100000 people
lived on these rich uplands when the Matabee
Zulus. led BY their great war chief Umziligazi.
came from the south and settled just west Of
them. Every part Of Mashonnland has been
overun scores Of times by the impis Of tho
Matsbeles in their raids for slaves and cattle.
Two-thirds Of the people have been exter-
minated and tho wonder is that Lo Bengula.
the King OF the Matabeles. ever consented
peacesbly to admit the whites into region
whose inhabitants he called his slaves Mr..
Selous believes that Lo Bengula did
not realize that determined effort was
about to be made to open up the coun-
try when. early In 1890. he accepted
large presents and subsidy from the
British South Africa Company. He says that
II the agents Of the company had returned to
Bulawayo. the Kings capital he would have
returned the presents and refused to have fur
Their dealings with them. But the company
was smart enough to throw it's first column
across the Llmpopo and advance with all CO.
lerity to the heart OF Mashonaland. and their
forts were built almost before Lo Bengula
knew OF tho invasion. There Is every reason
to believe that to-day Lo BenGula breads the
issue Of war; but despot as he Is, the united
hin into war against his better judg ment.
land in 1890. Lo BenguIa no onger sent his
impis on raids into that region. The regi-
land had always been thor most printable
men had been led eaptiys to Ha;hon "i and md
riched the military freebooters of the King.
The regions to the west were not so fertile and
more rapidly because it was known that tho
King was receiving subsidy from the white
Wsn IN Sy a Wa the fKEe nr iG up
Lo Bcngulh ordered his lmnls to seiZe all tho
SO y happened. one Sunday morning In
denly aroused by gunshotS and tho terrible
battle cry OF thousand Matabelcs who were
shooting down al h I'm men Y in the native settle:
bush. Tho Invaders were OIL with their booty
almost before the whites realized what had o.;
hundreds OF the hunted natives fed before the
mercless. sodiery to Fort Victoria, They, were
belle came into view. and insolenty demanded
that the fugitive Slaves Of our King" be
ropy N refused ana so the seers
Ing 10 Bengula's command. drove on lot OF
cattle belonging tothe whites; and Ii.appearod
burned. and indictlnQ untold ou'rages upon
their western journey, Tho morauders were
pursued By. by PARTY II 80 mounted men and
SG D Ja ins H0f Hdmin s of MAshona
land. at once demanded recompense for, the
murderous inyasion and the cattle stolen from
war fever IN Matabeleland was irrepressiblo.
L9 BsnGula 3, sent az answer answer which was re-
sent my impis against tho Alakal9ka to
punish them for stealing my cattle; ] shall
damage until Rhodes The maSaginG dirertoIr
OF the British South Africa Company ilrst ro-
turns to me the captiyesi their wives and chit |
tscted By the Victoria people, and had known !
what know now. | would have ordered my |
impis to take all they could lay their hands on |
belonging to the whites to recompense my |
self for the people and their property which |
are withheld from me-"
OF course the whites could not surrender the |
hundreds Of men. women and children who |
had fed to them for safety to be murdered by
the Natal eles. At the same time. the Cover
nor OF Cape Colony and the authorities OF the !
British South Africa Company were ordered |
by the Colonial Secretary in London to stand
strictly on the defensive; No aggressive move
ment would be approved hy the home Govern
ment, unless the whites were attacked.
But tho Matabele have. ever since. been bent
upon forcing the fight Lo BenGula declined