The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-17

Unlike Most Of Her Sex, This One "a
Proud Of Her Years.


England has Just taken captive a woman
who Il is claimed, is 300 years old. She is
Queen Majajie. the ruler Of tribe OF KAT
mrs. whose age is youched for by the re-
puted traditions OF her tribe and who has
been famous among the savages Of south-
ern Africa for her admitted great age.
Generations have spoken Of her as being
blessed with the gft Of perpetual life, and
her fame has extended throughout the I'M
civilized regions as far north as Egypt
While it Is not for a moment to be be-
lieyed that the woman could have reached
this marvellous age the English govern-
ment admits that It has, authoritativelv
traced the history Of Queen Maiajie's tribe
back for ITO years, during which time IL
has been under her rule Previous 10 thar
period no authentic records exist, but the
traditions of the Kafirs credit this queen
with having reigned many generations be-
fore.
A missionary the Rev Mr.. Rutter. who
has lived for twenty-five years among
these savages, has informed the British
government that his Investigations satisfy
him the queen has absolutely been the
head OF her tribe since 1880. and ne could
md no trace Of any previous ruler In
fact. the legends Of the people are identf-
fed entirely with the present queen and
make no mention OF any other head OF
their government.
The queen Is described by Englishnaen
who have seen her as of light copper color.
with frizzy wool on her head. She wears
a dress made Of tiger skins. which has a
large hood that usually covers her face.
There is suggestion Of She about this
savage queen, for II has been law of the
tribe that none should look upon her face
excepting her indunas and three women.
Her indunas are the generals and leaders
Of her army. and they number nfnety-two.
The head induna, or cOnnander in chief. is
named Jonas and he Is man OF consider
able age. supposed to be in the neighbour
hood Of 80. The other 'ninety-one are be-
tween the ages of 20 and 60, and all Of them
have been prominent in savage warfare.
The three women are remarkable from
the fact that they are freaks One Is ex-
ceedingly tall, another is unusually stout.
and the third wears a long beard. These
women occupy the position of advisers.
They ali live together In what is known
as the Sacred KraaI, the queen occupying
an apartment some thirty feet square-
while the three women are IN small rooms
opening into this.
Around this kraal are numberless
wooden images, representing every ma
ton Of Kafiirland and all sorts Of animals.
These images are beautifully and adroitly
carved from WOOD, 80 numerous are these
figures hat they form a veritabIt forest
about the kraal and winding paths are
made amoAg them leading up to the en-
trance. The images are colored SO that
they approach closely to the flesh tints
Of the different tribes. and they are made
the natural hight of the human beings rep
resented.
once a year the queen has been in the
habit Of personally supervising the slauef~
ter of 40 oxen. which ceremony constf-
tutes one OF the religious fetes of the
people. Even upon this occasion she Is not
seen. for she is carried by the indunas I'M
a covered chair to the place where the
ceremony occurs. She also was required
TO go at stated periods'to an enormous tree
in the forest which was known as the
medicine tree, and there, with certain GER
emoniec, the health Of her people was
guaranteed for the time being.
The English general who. tok POSSESSION
of the queens capital and OF her has per-
mltted the members Of the tribe to see her,
and they come with the greatest curdos-
ity and for many miles around to look
on the face of their ruler, one whom they
have been taught all their lives to con-
slider as a goddess The English show her
every attention, but Il is feared she will
not long survive.