The evening bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1887-1905, 1896-04-18
MOVE ON BULUWAYO.
Matabeles Expected to Attack
the Town.
BLOODY MASSACRE WILL FOLLOW

ouhureu ooiulers, Whhe tne mataDeio
Force VIII Number Fully Fifteen Thou
sand-Natives Massing Near the Town.
BULUwAYo, April 1S.-A feeling of
apprehension as to what the next step
of the revolving Matabeles will be per.
meates all circles here. INFORMATION
coming from the country around snakes
it certain that the natives are preparing
an offensive movement against this
place. The number of Matabeles report
ed gathering at points near by is suffi-
cient to appall the hearts of even ex-
perienced fighters. There is dread in
the minds of many that the place is in
danger of being overwhelmed by a rush
of hordes of Matabeles and the inhabit-
ants put to wholesale massacre.
The fear of treachery is added to the
apprehension of overwhelming num-
bers. Many indications point to con-
nivance with the war parties of sup
posed friendly nations. There are many
of the latter in the town itself, and no
white man feels sure how far he can
trust his dusky associates or servants.
On Wednesday evening three Dutch
scouts were sent out from here to secure
some definite and accurate information
of the position and movements of the
natives. What they found has served
little to relieve the anxiety and sus-
pense. They report that the Matabeles
are gathered like ants in a hill ON the
Umgusa river, only six miles north of
here.
That some treacherous plot is being
concocted is indicated by the fact that
native women are secreting European
clothes. The native men on the Neldt
wear the native costume, while most OF
those IN Buluwayo wear clothes ap-
preaching the European fashion. BY
attiring the native warriors i'll European
garments, the Matabeles hope that they
will be enabled to enter the town I'M
questioned
A Matabele "boy' has also been
caught stealing the badges and puggarie
belonging to the Rhodesia horse, and it
is believed that it was intended to use
these for purposes of disguise to further
some treacherous project for taking
,Buluwayo at disadvantage and killing
the inhabitants. 1t is plainly noticeable
that the natives in the town are becom-
ing as thick as bees. In ordinary times
the natives come and go i'll the town
without attracting attention. The ma
tive population is at all times a shifting
one, and a large number of the men
that make it up are not known individ-
ually to the white people of the town or
to the authorities The fact that the
natives in the town live apart from the
whites adds to the difficulty of identi-
flying those that belong in the town.
But there is little more confidence
felt in the natives who belong in the
town than in the hostile men who, it it
believed, are being surreptitiously in
troduced to aid from within when an
attack shall be made from without. 1t
looks now as though that might occur
at any time.
The roads by which communication
is had with the south, both the one to
Tuli and the one to Mafeking, are felt
to be in peril. There are undoubtedly
large numbers of hostile natives be-
tween Buluwayo and the settlements
to the south, some of them in open re-
volt.
The situation is felt to be most seri-
Gus and threatening. There is no deny
ing that the Matabeles have been stead
lily gathering together for weeks past
for the intention, apparently, of attack
ing Buluwayo. The recapture of Lo-
bengula's old capital from the British
would be fearful blow to paramount
power in South Africa" This is frankly
admitted, and yet the available force of
volunteers, etc., at Buluwayo is be-
lieved to be not much over 700 men.
Machine guns have, it is true, been hur-
ried to the front from the British flag
L. fle nYlynf ERln hnc
been converted into a strong lager, the
old police camp outside the town and
other points have been fortified; but it
would take many men and many OBJ
structions to withstand over 10, 900 fear
less Matabeles, especially if it is true
that they are being "aided and abetted
by Boer commandants and led by old
King Lobengula and his son.
Although the modern Buluwayo is
some slight distance away from the old
chief kraal or collection of huts which
composed the headquarters about two
years ago, of the ruler Of Matabeleland,
to the Matabeles it is sort of mecca, a
place that to their minds, they and no
body else should possess, and which, If
recaptured must certainly bring them
back their old historic glories. This
feeling has been steadily encouraged by
the agents of the Beers, who have every
where been preaching covertly but
effectively crusade against the Brit
ish. 1t is this crusade which is at the
bottom of all the trouble and it dates
from the time of DR.. Jameson's tilibus-
tering raid and the bad whipping add
ministered by the Beers to his free
hooters. To bring about the invasion
of the Transvaal, the territory of the
British South Africa company was de-
pleted of mounted police, arms and am
munition. These were all either cap
tured by the Beers and shipped out OF
the country, OF are now in the hands OF
the burghers. Here was the oppor'
tunity of the Boer leaders, and they
grasped it promptly and firmly.
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