The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-13
~LOBENGULA'S CAREER
Story Of the Life of the Late
King of the Matabeles.
Beaten and Deserted, He Is Reported to
Have Died in the Bush-0nce the
Terror of South Africa.

LONDON, Feb. 12.-There has been no
confirmation as yet Of the report that Lo-
bengula, King of the Matabeles, who was
defeated and driven toward the Zambesi
river by the British South African Com
pany's forces, is dead, neither has the re-
port been denied. The last advices concern
ing Lobengula were TO the effect that he
had been deserted by his followers, and was
a fugitive in the bush, where he was suffer-
ing with govt.
The life and career of the African mon
arch makes an interesting story. Loben-
gula, King OF the Matabeles, was the son OF
Moselekatse. the founder and first king OF
that nation Moselekatse had been one OF
the chief generals in the army Of TChaka.
1.-The Zulu Attila,' but rebelled against him
In 1917. and fed with 10000 warriors to
M~ashonaland. which he conquered and
made his own. 1t was a pleasant country.
inhabited by 100000 peaceful pastoral folk.
among whom Moselekatse and his men
came as woNos la u sheepfold. They slew
the men and boys wholesale, sparing the
women only to make them their wives and
servants. Within a generation not more
than 10000 Mashonas remained alive. and
the Matabele Kingdom, as Moslekatse's
realm was known, had taken the place OF
the declining Zulu kingdom as the arbiter
of fate in all South Africa They bore their
sway down to the Orange river and up far
north of the Zambesl a military rule
scarcely less ruthless than that OF TChaka-
MoSelekatse died in 1868, and was succeed
ed by Lobengula, who proved himself a
worthy son Of such a sire; mighty IN war;
wise in council, but bloodthirsty and cruel
10 the utmost degree.
This savage monarch was born about
ceeded to the throne in isSS. Prior to as
Stunning the kingship he discarded the Euro
pean for the native dress as a sign 10 bis
puppet. He was distinguished for a mar
velous memory. and as things go In Alata-
beleland he was distinctly a man OF ad-
vanced ideas. His great aim was TO mold
the heterogeneous races In his army into a
united whole. with common customs and a
his name respected and his power felt
among his people by administering justice
firmly and impartially. His methods were
not such as civilized nations are accus-
toned to, but none the less he was a man
among his people in advance OF his age be
was very temperate, and was never known
to condescend to get into a passion. In all
his dealings his conduct was regulated by
a dignified self-possession. He removed from
his fathers capital, Mosega, and had his
court at Buluwayo, On an eminence COM
handing all the country round. 1t con,
sisted of an enormous kraal surrounded
by a double fence of strong tree stems and
contained the royal residence, cattle in
closures, smaller kraals for witchcraft
ceremonies, for the big officers OF the state
and royal ladies. Lobengula himself occu-
pied a house made or Tnud ana WOOQ,
erected for him by some European. Here
the great man slept on a dirty mattress on
the ground, watched over by his favorite
beer girl, a lady whose proportions, ike
those of her royal master, showed i'm an
eminent degree the fattening properties Of
the national beverage In one corner stood
from various hunters; in another sacks OF
corn and baskets OF tobacco. All state and
otner business was a1 81 On IA q Sman.reass
from govt and obesity, sat in a wheeled
chair. The ground was Uttered with filth
Clos at hand. wherewith the royal chef
prepared the choice pieces OF meat intended
for the Kin and any guests he he Wished "a, to
handed to her master his ~favorlte drink,
first having tasted ii herself. All reports
made. the messengers coming toward the
royal presence on hands and knees, shouting
the KingIy nue "a Al t = %hinnS % the ragsnf
commander in chief. rain and witch doctors,
the head indunas, etc. Never long In one
place, the king travelled in a wagon crswn
by ten black oxen from kraal to kraal. In
speeding cattle, in which he took the great
est pride, and transacting business.
A few years Lobengula acknowledged the
power and authority OF England. AID made
a treaty with the British South Africa
was established over the whole country.
This greatly changed the aspect or afIalrS.
British administrators took charge OF the
opened mines OF exceeding richness. King
Solomon. it was found. had not got al
the gold out; he had only scratched the
| surface of the deposits. Forts were soon
built and q police system organized, and
villages of English folk began TO grow
about the forts. The chief places thus
founded are Fort Victoria, Fort Salisbury.
Fort Charter, Fort Tuli and Fort TAFT.
The Mashonas. all that were left OF them.
were already under British protection. But
Lobengula either would not or could not
restrain the indunas and warriors OF his
army from their favorite occupation, har-
rying the MISUNDERSTANDING. plundering
and massacreing wholesale. Thus he was
brought last summer into collision with the
police OF the British South Africa Com
pany, and a little war broke out between
them. The British campaign was directed
by Mr.. Cecil Rhodes. the Cape Colony
Premier, and his lieutenant. DR.. Jameson.
administrator OF Mashonaland, both men or
extraordinary sagacity and energy. and It's
result was victory. Lobeiigula and his ar
mics were put 10 fight and his capital
taken. The only serious loss 10 the British
was the slaughter OF Capt. Alan Wilson
and his thirty-six comrades, who y~entired
too far ahead I'm their pursuit or the fugl-
tive king. and were cut OF from succor by