The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-08-18

" AIN NMANANA AAAih - AAA'
CIfKA0 Matabeles. In the
|CSA land OF his fathers.
OoSJA, lie received the
unanimous homage
Of all the chiefs and the assembled
people.
II was a wonderful and fearful cere-
mony. The cable tells US that no de-
tail was omitted to make II impressive
and We know from accounts OF the last
Matabele coronation what that means.
One OF the most interesting parts OF the
ceremony Ia that In which the king,
seated on his OK. is assaulted by the
snake prophets and the dancing giants.
The new king IL the son Of Loben-
gula. the craftiest and bravest monarch
the Matabeles ever had lie fought
with desperate valor against the ma.
chine guns and other deadly weapons
Of DR.. Jameson's followers. and. as Is
not surprising. was finally vanqulshed.
The Matabeles have now risen again
In revolt against the white invaders.
and they have accepted their late kings
son as their leader This Is Of great
Importance 20 the whites. because a
struggle among the chiefs for the lead
ership would have weakened the Mata.
beles. They are now united under one
king. and II he shows military capao-
ity. II Is feared that they will make
long and hard fight
Nyamanda went to the Matoppo hills
TO be crowned. The ceremony partook
OF the nature OF a coronation and
declaration OF war. Practically the
whole Matabele people we're there. d.
vlded into regiments. or impis. with
their chiefs leading them.
Nyamanda Is six feet high, and.
though young, already weighs over 200
pounds. Weight Is an attribute OF SOW
erelgnty among the Matabeles.
Al the coronation the king takes his
scat In a chair on the crown OF small
hill. The chief medicine men surround
him. and a slave holds a shield as tall
as a man over his head. Close al hand
Is large vessel containing native beer.
with which his majesty refreshes him
self after arduous parts Of the ceremo-
NAL.
The kings headdross consists OF the
whole breast Of a crane. from which
the feathers fall down AZ the sides and
point downward.
He wears an apron Of leopards' tails
and his knees and ankles arc covered
with tufts Of long hair Of the grea,
goat His councillors are similarly but
more quietly attlred.
The men are drawn up in regiments
divided into two classes-those OF the
men and those Of the boys. They ar,
In full war dress. the principal features
OF which are long shield. an assegnl
and some feathers. The women stant
humbly apart.
The chiefs address the king and tel
him that he Is stronger than an Gle
plant and more oomely than an ante
lope; that he will eat all his enemies
and that they will die for him will
,heerfulness.
The chiefs emphasize their remark
BY bowling their heads 10 the dust. Tn
assembled people follow their example
After that they all rap their assegal
on their shields. making a deafeninl
din. The king Is then consecrated b.
the prophets. who have been tralne
for their sacred calling by passing thel
lives among human skulls and deadi
snakes. The prophet always carrie
one OF these reptiles about his necl
The king Is also saluted by the glantl
who execute a mysterious dance befor
him. These giants are men incloscd 4
a wicker framework shaped like a hu
man form. The face Is OF monkc
skin. with eyes. mouth. nose. and ear
carved In Il, and the giants legs an
stills on which the hidden man dance
with much skin.
After this the king mounts hi
trained bull and reviews his regiment
and his people, The prophets and pol
,icians accompany him. oxecutin
strange antics. and the soldiers rattl
their assegais on their shields.
a great ox-killing festival follow
The king points with his spear to cac
animal he wishes killed. and a warrlc
leaps forward and kills Il with HI
stabblng assegai. The people becom
maddencd with enthusiasm at the slgi
Of the blood and the dying animal
From time TO time a chamborlai
hands the beer 10 his majesty.
Their q bull Of known forocity Is !,
loose and young warriors rush forWar
to kill Il with their naked hands SON
Of them are sure to die In the attemp
but they accomplish the kings plea
ure SO reckless OF death and so obed
ont to their king are these savage wal
: riors that they have been known ;
. attack, without arms. a lion.
Finally the regiments march past u
I king. each soldier lowering his asseEl
and shield as he passes the monarC
on his bullock The veteran soldio
! carry white shields and their hair
] bound 10 iron rings on the top Of the
, heads. These rings are useful In q
attachment Of the tcath6rcd headdrcs
and also as receptaeles for tohacc
} grease, and provisions The boys.
2 young soldiers, carry black shields. q;
have no head rings.