The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-21

A Cats Mas s-ohinE = ripe Dtsarv>s =
Crowd or Anery tssvpses.

|
nv 3. a. ANDERSON.
COPYRIGHT 1885, by s. s. Mcclure, LfnRedO
| In the year 1868 | was at Molapololo. the chief
town Of seohlle King Of the Bakwana tribe Of
the Bechuana family. The situation Of this
| town is so romantic. situated amid tall, perpen-
| dicular hills of red sandstone that had been
! lettering here for some little time exploring the
! country enjoying the society OF Mr.. Price, the
missionary, or drinking Kappc beer with the
| King. Mr. II. shelton. who kept large store
here, alec offered me hospitality, so that had a
/ prolonged period Of enjoyment. But inactivity
| Is liable to become irsoine, and the arrival Of
| trader bound for Mangwato with n cargo Of
| Cape brandy decided me to travel with him.
| Mangwato is l3I miles north northeast OF
| Molapololo, and. ut The time AIN writing twas
! the capital Of Machin chief of the Bakalihari
| tribe of the Bechranas. Not long before
| visited the town. Machin had driven his brother
Sckomo from the sovereignty. The country has
! recently become known to English readers
through the aid which Khama, who succeeded
| Machin, rendered Mashona settlers in the war
against 10 Bengula.
The journey from Molapololo took fourteen
days to accomplish but 1t lay through very
pretty wooded region where big game was
abundant, 70 that we had plenty OF shooting.
Wlldebeest, koodoC. and giraffe all fell to
our guns. and the nightly visit of lions,
which kept the camp constantly On the qui
vive gave us lively time. II was o'clock in
the afternoon when we arrived at our destination
and outspanncd on the outskirts OF the thickly
populated town OF some 1".0OO Inhabitants.
News soon got abruad that the trader was loaded
up with brandy, and the st0rckeepers, some
fourteen in ALL came fockinv out of the station
to make purchases Conviviality was the order
of the day but unfortunately neither native nor
European was wise enough TO distinguish the
boundary line between moderation and excess,
so that before night set in nearly all had in
dulged too freely and few continued the orgy
until the small hours of the morning. As i'll
luck would have II, the Rev Mr.. Mckenzie
and his family had only left the day
previous for England, and, rs there was nobody
to act for him In his absence, we were
left without guiding hand in perilous emcr-
gency. II must be understood that the native
population ut the time am writing OF was far
less civilized than II IL at present under Kha-
mas enlightened rule; fierce and savage pas
slons easily aroused. and were with din.
Guilty assuaged without terrible boodshed.
When went to bed that night little dreamed
that a dangerous crisis being prepared by
the foolhardiness OF two or three reckless to-
pcrs. As It was, my peaceful sleep was rudcly
broken at daylight by the sudden outbreak OF a
tremendous uproar, resounding from one end OF
the town to the other. One huge wave OF indg-
nation crashed into my ears with terrifying eff
feet, aud the cang of assagai and the rat
tie of knODkerries on shields told me
only too surely that Machin's warri-
were up in arms and bent on
ruthless slaughter. Hastily arraying myself in
n scanty costume. jumped from the wagon and
saw my driver and two Kaffr boys standing
trembling with fright. and uncertain what to do
to insure the safety OF their own shihs At this
StrOin boul "a Manpyyatp trada- nd "a
Swcdo by nationality. came rushing into my
camp to tell me that the chief had given orders
that every white man tn be killed The
news was not conducive TO producing good APP
petite for breakfast. hut could hardly believe
IL. ms Machin had hitherto been very good
friend to the traders and others visiting his
country and consequently expressed my in
crcdulity.
~ have no time to waste in argument" said
the trader. You must come up to my store. for
II you remain here In the open you will be mas
sacred to dead certainty. Come back with me
at once. for the road will be closed against us
in ten minutes"
e. But what Il the reason for this sudden fren-
zy on the part OF Machin ?" I asked.
Fitzgerald is the man who has caused II.
After drinking himself idotlc through the night
he took ii into his head to kill q pig this morn
ing. Then an idea passed through his crazcd
cution. lie cut a leg Off the pig and marched
with II straight to the kolla or enclosure, where
the King was sitting in council with his chiefs.
He advanced direct to Machin, and. thrusting
the pork under his nose, asked him IL lie likea
the smel!"
ut was foolish and nsulting." ! exclaimed
But 1t was not bad enough 10 warrant Machin
10 issue orders for our determination"
"Ah. you do not know that the Bakalikari
have an even stronger aversion 10 pork than the !
most orthodox jew" said Strombom.
THAT alters the case" answered dolefully. |
:" 1t seems that our plight is all but desperate" |
And that is Fitzgersld's condition also" |
continued Strombom. THE Indians did not |
allow the OUTRAGE to pass unpublished. They |
beating that he T. almost at the point Of death"
Poor heGgar:' could not help calculating;
i!or. Your wagon certainly will be looted. but |
that is nothing compared with losing your life"
clusion that should stand as much chance here
a. anywhere, so announced my determination Of !
sS ~ aaT NV TesoHe and rsfd
When he saw was obstinate, hurried away 10 |
harricadc himself in his store. q proceeding !
Fortunately, in 1888 the natives possessed no |
firearms; they held them IN mortal dread, and |
scarcely one coald be found fearless enough TO
face q loaded rife. The stOrekeepers knew this,
and behind their barricades were enabled TO
keep the foe at bay for many hours by penti-
full display Of every shooting weapon they pos
sessed The fimsy material OF which the
Bechuana huts were constructed and the close |
manner in which they were huddled together
also gave the traders another advantage, for the
natives did not dare to fire. the stores for fear |
OF setting the whole town in blaze. Had |
they allowed passion 10 overcome prudence |
not "A single hut would have been saved, and the |
white men would have been roasted alive. The ,
enemy WIS mad at being haned by mere hand
full of men, who simply maintained their posi-
tiOns by showing the deadly CLEAN Of their rifle |
barrels whenever a disposition was shown ot
rushing The frail defences. Thus the day wore
on without n single shot being fired. and to this I
sci T. possession an the part OF the traders | am
convinced owe my life, for had any of the
natives been killed my life would not have been
worth five minutes purchase.
When StrOmbOm left me TO my own devices |
felt annoyed at having refused his offer Of pro-
lection, for the first maTauding party might .
make short work Of me with their assegais.
What chance could | possibly have now that
their blood is upf twas sheer madness which I
had mDted tO estimate my and