The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-12-24
CALL ON AN AFRICAN MONARCH
Social Event Among the Inhabitants of
Mashona1and.
Especial Correspondence.

| A Social Event Among the IDnab1tants OF
Mashonaland.
Especial correspondence
| CENTRAL PANHALANGA CAMP, near
Umtal, Mashonaland, S. Africa, Octo-
Der I2.-"Now is the winter of our dis
content made glorious SUMNER" and
soon, too soon shall we, benefciaries of
a reversed and distorted calendar, be
revealing in the moist delights of an
African rainy season. To us cultured
bipeds who derive our sustenance
chiefly from the timed " army ration
this approach of prolonged if +" gentle
rain from heaven" is not exactly an
occasion of boistrous thanksgiving,
but each appearance OF cloud but the
size of a mans hand constrains the
bucolic Kaffir to call together his
friends and neighbors, that with suf-
ficient chantings, hoWlings and tom
tomings and an APPALLING consumption
of Kaffr beer or doora they may testify
with him to some one OF several of
their numerous gods their appreciation
of the possible benefits to come. These
solemn ceremonies are termed "beanos"
by the irreverent and slangy Anglo
Saxon and a matinee performance of a
full fledged and vigorous beano" /
enjoyed the pleasure of witnessing last
Saturday afternoon. Returning from
round of observations with the
theodolite several miles from camp, /
was attracted by more than usually
full chorused anthem of thanksgiving
proceeding from what my carrier boys
informed me was the kraal or the
village of Uquaniqua, Queen Induna,
petty chief, so informally invited my
self to " Her Majesty's drawing room. !"
| approached the center of disturbance
to be greeted on my appearance by
that swift decending silence and fur
tive, but comprehensive scrutiny said
to be so trying to the nerves of new
beauty at an evening party upon en-
tering a dressing roomtul of chattering
| femininity. However, it i'll becomes a
patriotic American citizen to find him
self abashed in the presence of royalty,
so with my most courteous air ] tossed
Her Majesty silver half crown piece
and intimated that | should be pleased
!, to witness a continuation of the Obse-
ques. This by royal proclamation
| was ordered after a poiiUUry protIered
and as politely declined turn at the
loving cup-a particularly grimy ap-
pearing calabash of doora. During
the preliminary process Of warming up
to seemly pitch of religious or at
least spirituous fervor l seized the
opportunity of observing a few details
of the picture before the pace should
wax too hot for my tea shattered
nerves and civilization sensitised
tympanum.
The kraal was situated on a hillside
in a struggling grove of lOQuot trees
and surrounded on all sides beyond
this fringe of trees by dense rampant
of jungle grass and briars, pierced in
places by the narrow Kaffir paths,
which from any eminence appear TO
seam the face OF all African creation.
| The huts or kias-about a dozen in
number and grouped in haphazard,
disorderly fashion-resemble each
the other as closely as do dice in q
shaker, the queens palace differing
only from the abodes of her nobility in
that it appeared q degree less filthy
and the goats and fowls here were
denied the entree which they evidently
enjoyed of the sanctorums Of some of
| the best families"
Here on the royal plaza were grouped
in seml-circle tho queens household
with some privileged neignboring
gentry and their families, q g0odly
company of some fifty scantily attired
black enthusiasts, praising some deity
or other with song and much imbibing
for the rain which is to come and make
their meales grow. The queen seated
in state upon gin case seemed to di-
vide her attention as equally as posi-
Bile between the flowing bowl and a
shrill voiced abuse Or encouragement
(I could not quite make out which) of
Cue fOyai MILITARY DdAu, conSISGIuS VI
two very hard worked elders of the
village, who thumped earnestly upt n
tom-toms made of followed tree
trunks, over the ends of which had
been tightly stretched pieces of goat
skin. All of the happy company ex-
cepting picinins were sufficiently in
toXicated, but your really untutored
savage never attains to that refine
menu of his more highly civilized
brother, purely bestial drunk, and