New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-26
BRITAIN'S LATEST SEIZURE
PONDOLAND. WHERE EVERY PROspEc.,
PLEASES AND ONLY MAN IS VILE.
PLEASES .

Mr. Rhodes's imperial policy has gained ano,b..
important step. Formal announcement Il made a,
the annexation OF Pondoand to the British doma,.
in South Africa Sir Henry Loch the Cane Gov
ernor himself making It, 1t high time Far
eight years the country has been under a so-caled
proectorate which neither gave it peace Britain
honor. One The most charming regions in thu
world, 1t has been one of the most lawess II,
name being O byword in all South Africa Whls
the fierce. fighting Cape Kaffirs-the Amakosa and
others-have. ever since the war OF 1878. been
settling down under firm and admirable rule the
Pondos have been eft entirely to their own de.
vices Tribal fights. murderous "smel,ings out" for
witchcraft. ard other denominations. have gone un-
checked for years past and the whole country. per-
haps the richest fertile and most beautiful In
all South Africa, has been In chronic state Of
disorder and terror.
This region lies in the extreme southeast q
the Transkei territories. which now beong to Cana
Colony and has for Its eastern neighbor Natal
The rivers Umtata and Umtamvuna form It's actual
western and eastern boundaries. To the north lies
the native territory Of East Griqualand now an
integral part of the Cape Colony, while upon the
west and the Rar SSqnrie. Of Bonn
Colony-help 70 hem the Pondos In Why Pondo-
land Itself has SO long escaped annexatlon to Cape
fahom. A policy OF drift and some considerations
now area e OF some s sauare miles and ai nas
population OF 100000 few white men. traders and
others, dwell IN the territory, or WnOE, up 70 the
present. It may be said that, what with raidng
stock-stealing and general lawlessness they have
had very poor time OF 1t. The Natal colonists
living near the Eastern Pondo border have for
years also suffered from the same causes.
Pondoland II described by all who have visited
II az a country of wondrous natural beauty. Stop
ing down gradually from the great mountain chain
Il Is intersected by running streams. and full OF
rich up,ands. undulating pains and fertile val
leys. which afford some of the finest pastoral and
agricultural 'ands In Africa. Jagged and thickly
pushed mountains OF the most picturesque and fan
tastic forms In the upper part Of the country;
magnificent waterfalls dense grass and subtropicai
vegetation, and belts OF fine timber add greatly 70
the beauty OF the land. Every where Re
found native kraa,s plenty of grain and tobacco
very excellent tobacco IL Is. too-and herds OF fat
cattle. Sheep and goats thrive and mutlp.y In the
sweet grassy uplands. Cotton sugar and tobacco.
Pondos. are all well adapted for cultivation along
the coast. Three fine rIvers-the Umtata. the I'm.
tnmvuna, and the Tm7imvubu ST. John s-run
through the country. The mouth OF the UmZn.
vubu. the gates OF st Johns. as they called.
are justly famed as Offering one OF the most mag.
nifcent bits of scenery in the world. The COM
bination OF towering mountain walls. dense sub
tropical bush and vegetation. and vast and g,o-
rous waterscape is certainly unrivaled In Southern
Africa. Among many waterfalls the Tstza falls
on the road from tmtata 10 kOksta1t In East Gri-
quaand are peculiarly remarkable. Here the
pierces large pain. and then suddenly crashes
over sheer precpice. the lip OF chasm 80 yards
wide. In A descent Of 375 feet. In food time. this
torrent, with It's mighty volume OF water and In
mense depth Of fall. has effect OF the submest
grandeur: at any time IL Is worth long Journey
Pondo.and has lain almost unnotced by the white