The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1896-04-04

cefpt or 1t, and pushed on the Work OF
establishing themselves permanently,
holding to the treaty concessions and de-
flying Lobengula to abrogate them. On
the top Of this 1t was declared that it
could not maintain its territorial grant
unless it had Matabeleland also, and it
therefore coolly announced itself to be
the owner Of that rich territory.
Many Mashonaland landowners were
thereupon forced to give deeds Of their
acres, and more Of them were driven out
Of their country, and the Matabeles saw
that the same would be their fate Con-
f1icts between the company forces and
the Mashonas now became frequent; vii
lagos were bombarded. prisoners taken,
and often there was great slaughter on
both sides; and, If we are to believe the
half that is told, it was not always by
the British within the rules of war, but
was most often Of a character disgrace
full to the British arms and name.
Lobengula was called upon under his
treaty to send forces against the Ma
shonaland people and he did so, operat-
ing with accustomed cruelty, Of course.
Finally. DR.. Jameson ordered the Mata-
beles to clean out Mashonaland COM
pletely, and because they did not do it
rapidly enough to suit him, he followed
the Matabele force and slaughtered
them to nearly the last man, they not
making the slightest resistance, as they
had been ordered by Lobengula not to
resist or fire upon the whites.
Not long after, Alatebele fired a
warning shot on finding his possessions
invaded by Company police. Lobengula
tried to explains but the English would
not be satisfied, and prepared to as
sault the Matabeles on three sides at
once. The opportunity to open the war
OF conquest was too good to be missed.
At the very time that Lobengula was
being treated with about this matter,
armed English forces were invading his
territory on three sides. He sent his
aged brother and some other relatives
to counsel with the English.
While these ENJOYS were in the Brit
ish quarters they were seized and made
prisoners Gas was stated afterward, by
mistake of a subordinate) One of the
prisoners, seeing he was betrayed,
snatched a bayonet from a soldier and
resisted, whereupon as the ENJOYS fed
they were fired upon and killed, the old
man only being spared. Two more
peace messengers were sent by the
King, and they, too. were killed on ar
rival, and all the while the invading
troops were advancing
Message after message did the King
send, asking what complaint the British
made against him, and why they adj
vanced into his land. To these no re-
broke out indeed, and DR.. Jameson was
in its fore front The history of that
war in 1898 Is fresh in the memory Of
our readers. It is conceded that the
daring and fortitude Of the Matabelans
would do credit to any body Of men.
But Maxim and other machine guns
were too much for them, and they were
forced to retire from one position to an
other, each weaker than the former, and
finally Lobengula evacuated his Capital
and sent load Of gold to the invaders
in the hope to buy peace.
Then followed more fighting, in which
the British suffered severely. The best
authorities agree the barbarities of this
war exceeded those of any previous one
in South Africa, because the Char
tered Company was bent upon destroy
ing the Matabele Nation in order to
seize its lands. To all filibusters who
joined them the English promised 5000
booty, and this brought to their arms
many a freebooter. The order was to
give no quarter, so when prisoners We're
taken, after squeezing out Of them all
possible information about the opposing
forces Of Lobengula, they were taken
out and shot, as the cheapest way Of be-
ing rid Of them. This, In the name of
civilization.
After a battle the custom was to go
over the field and dispatch the wounded
savages. The Matabele regiments
fought with such desperation and pluck
during the war as to excite the admira-
ton Of their enemies, but Maxim guns
the Africans could not resist, and finally
the King and his people retreated up the
Zambesi, and early in 1894 Lobengula
died Of fever, an exile in strange land.
His people now came in in small bands
and surrendered, and they were as
signed to places where they were grant
ed the privilege Of living If they could;
Matabeleland was thrown open to the
world under British rule and taxation;
the filibusters got their land according
to promise, and the soldiers their share
extended, railroads projected and be-
gun, and Rhodes and Jameson turned
| their attention to schemes which we
may reasonably suppose included their
recent effort to capture the Transvaal
and annex it to the British Empire.
And thus does civilization establish its
camps and give praise to Almighty God
for the victories on which He is sup
posed to smile.
1t occurs to US that while Congress is
talking and talking, and not deciding