The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-02-10
THE MATABELE KING.

THE MATABELE KING.
Downfall Of Lubengula, the Blood
thirsty African.
Gsneral Rsjoicins Over the Terminatisa
Of 6arbarous aud One-stded War
fare In the bark Continent
Reign Of Terror.
The general satisfaction which has
been felt throughout South Africa at
the victory Of the Chartered COM
pany's forces Is caused mainly by the
fact that it will in all probability be,
SO far as Matabeleland is concerned.
the death blow to system Of blood
thirsty tyranny which has prevailed
from the time, over sixty years ago,
when the forces of Moselekatse, the
father of Lobengula, swept through
the country between the Orange, Vaal,
and Limpopo rivers, leaving a night
mare of desolation and death behind
them, and settled in the region now
known as Matabeleland. The country
through which this devastating army
marched was, says Theale, covered
with skeletons, and there was literally
no living being left behind"
From that time until the present,
says the Chicago Times, the Matabeles
have lived in the country from which
they are now being sousted, not by
their own toll, but by preying upon
the timid tribes which originally in
habited the land, and which have ever
since been compelled, under penalty
Of torture and death for the least delay
or unwillingness, to support their
ferocious taskmasters by periodical
tributes Of slaves, women, cattle, and
corn. That sixty years has been for
the Mashonas and Makalskas . reign
Of terror.
As illustrating the general prac-
tice Of the Matabeles for many
years past, Rev. Father Hartman, than
whom, owing to his long residence in
the country, few are more competent
to speak, testifies that it is the custom
of IN impi to approach unnoticed aud
unseen q Mashona kraal in the night.
At the first dawn Of the day the impi
raises its war cry, surrounds the un-
fortunate kraal, and slaughters al ex-
cept girls, children or those who arc
at for doing some useful work on the
home journey. =
Sometimes it happens that the Mata-
beles drive crowd Of Mashonas into
one Of their huts and set fire to It.
This, Father Hartman states, has been
going on for forty years and will not
stop till the Mashonas are extermi-
mated. Lobengula himself, with his
own hands, cut off the lips, nose, ears
and hands of q poor Mashona boy who
was falsely accused OF tasting the
kings beer.
Even since the occupation of the
by the whites similar raids
have been of frequent occurrence. In
the early part Of last year, for instance,
some fugitive Makalakas came into
Victoria asking for protection against
q large Matabeles impi which was
raiding md killing at Chibrs and other
kraals across the Tuli road. In May,
1892, Chenalfa and Cunye, Mashona
chiefs, reported that . large impi had
alta lied their kraals. killed manv of
their people and taken away their cat
tie and goats.
In July Of the same year, Lobengula
had fit Of jealously Of the regents,
Umhlaba and Sidhlohlo, and acting on
the kings instructions the Imbizo reg
lment demolished the unfortunate rc-
branch. In August, while Capt. Chap
lin was on an expedition to discover
and punish the natives who had inter
fered with the telegraph instruments
1t Nuanetsi, he heard on all sides COM
plants from the natives of raids by the
In October last three hundred Mata-
beles were raiding the Makalakas
the Nuanetsi and Lundi riv-
RS, killing men, women and children.
In November Lubengula sent large
lmpi to punish Chici, and about the
,ame time party of forty Matabeles
lrrived 1t Lo Magondi's kraal and
lsked him why he allowed the Eng
ish to dig for gold without the kings
cave.
After they had agreed to discuss tho
natter over in the morning, Lo Ma
yondi went to his hut, but about day
light next morning his dwelling was
by Matabeles, who called
Inn out, shot him and afterwards
tabled him. They then killed his two
,rothers and two boys and fired into
he women's hut, killing two Of tho
hief's wives On departing the Mata-
'eles took away with them eighty to
linety women and al the chiefs goats
nd sheep. ,
In March Of the present year large
databele impi came raiding down In
he direction of Palapye. and some
4 the fugitives who escaped them
cported the murder OF seyeraEindunas,
Lubengula's brother, Un-
ande. This recital Of horrors may con-
lude with reference TO the maseacre
I the Mashonas In the streets Of Vic-
oria in July last, the event which di-
ectly led to the present situation.
Colsmbis River Nsvigatioa.
The few steamboat men on the upper
oiumbia river in eastern Washington,
nd others acquainted with the stream,
xpress grave doubts of it's ever be-
oming safe and certain highway,
enthusiastic residents Of that
egion count much on its utilization as