The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-04-29
ARE CLOSING IN.
MatabsIes Gradually Getting the
Best Of the Situation.
BuLU8aYO IS IN GREAT PERL

In tlle 1iclieged city Anerealtll -. 9-s-
Under Arms and wen SupPlisa 1Iith
Rapid Fire Guns-Rslisfo Or 1aluWnyo
the Main Polnt ofIntsre.t.
Copyright ias. by tho Associated Pressl
CAPE TOWN, April 2s-The dis-
patches which fltered through from
5uluwayo yesterday increased the fqel-
ing Of anxiety felt here regarding the
fate OF the besleged town. According
to the latest adyices the circle Of fierce
warriors behind the mound fortihca-
lions had again been drawn closer 70
BuluWayo, and az the same time e1-
tended
The band OF q few hundred inS1rgent
natives In the Matopho hills, reported
In arms only about q month ago, has
Increased until fully 10000 men are op-
Grating against BuluWayo alone ana
some 10000 hoatiies are under arms and
their number II increasing daily.
Every day the circle draws closer
around BuluWayo, and every hour adds
TO the confidence and number OF the
Matnbeies, who seem to have supreme
contempt for the Britlsh, feeling that
has not been lessened by the inehec-
tlveness OF the three sortles made by
Y the little garrison Of Buluwayo
The enemy is kept plentifully sup
piled with cattle, and, It is believed,
with ammunition. These supplies arc
sent our from the Matoppo hills, the
Matabele headquarters, and It 10 said
that over 5000 head OF cattle have
L., NsaeN
different directions, The hillS them
selves, It is added, are being fortified by
the lnsurgent force holding them 80
that, should Buluwayo be relieved and
the British be able TO resume the oiten-
sive, the natives win have a stronghold
10 fall back upon and there make q long
stand against the chartered eompany'a
forces.
If this report is correct. and there
seems no reason to doubt Il, the British
will not see the end OF the MRtabeie war
for many months to come and much
blood may be shed on both sides befoFe
order is finally restored.
But the MatAbeleB may be able to
hold out or harrass the British until
the great struggle, which cannot long
be delayed, commences in South Africa,
and nobody can predict what the even-
tual outcome Will be. The Beers dream
OF United States Of South Africa and
they are bold enough to say that the
realization Of this dream is among the
probabilities Of the near future, In any
case, the work OF arming and fortifying
in the Transvaal, and also. TO some de-
gree, in the Orange Free State, is going
steadily on, and the slow but SURE pol
Icy OF President Kruger, said to be do
NokaH fRRFy, TQas.lIy, ID ha1nfp T1taFlflRn
lentlessly night and day,
The BoeFs' Array.
The Boers already have small army
under arms, well supplied with rapid.
fire guns and ammunition. in the vicin-
ity OF Lichtenburg, where It Is reported
fortified camp Is being constructed,
This iocation is admirably selected for
a strategic movement calculated to cut
OF the British IN Mataheleland,
Khamaland and Bechuanaland from
communication with Cape Colony, and
this, It is understood, will be done In
the evItt OF serious complications. The
Beers would promptly occupy MAZE
king from the camp near LlchtenburB,
which Ia only a short Instance from the
present British huse OF operations for
the relief OF Buluwayo. OF course, the
occupation, poEsIbly by purchase from
Portugal. OF Delagoa bay, by the Brit
lBh. would follow But, 1t Is believed
that the British advance into the
TransvRal from that direction would
not be the easy task it-might have been
some six months ago. EortlncationS, Il
Is understood. have already been
planned or erected, and further steps in
the same direction arc in progress.
At present the relief OF Bnluwayo 70
the thRin point OF interest, and a dis
patch from Bul1wRyo yesterday even>
ing said that Dawson's troop was start
Ing for fort situated six miles along
the TALL road, with the object Of guard
ing The telegraph line anu keeping the
road clear for the relief corps on Its way
through King Rhama's country, by ar
rangement with the latter, who iB par
ticularly friendly to the British. having
only recen..y returned from visit TO
England, where he was treated with
great distinction, wore q high hat and
Prince Albert coat hobnobbed with the
prince OF, Wales and actually rode to
the hounds
Another dispatch from Buluwnyo
says that a coach, laden with arms and
ammunition, reached Buluwayo yester-
Gay from the SOuth.
Earl Grey. one OF the administrators
OF the territory OF the British Chartered
Company, Is expected to arrive at Bu-
luwdyo to-day with a strong escort OF
troopers.
It is now announced that Sekombi.
one of Lobengulas leading chiefs, was
among the killed during the fighting
about the umbuEa river, which fol-
lowed the second sortle OF the British,
when about 800 natives were slain.
Late last evning It was reported here
that there had been further and severe
fighting about BuluwRyo and that the
Mhtntcles were defeated with great
loss. Up 10 the time OF filing this dis
patch no particulars had reached here
and tho belief was expressed that pos
slbly the report was an echo OF the re-
cent lighting
The Mntabeles to the west OF the town
have been heHVily reinforced from the
southwest-a region which has been re-
garded as friendly to the whites.
IL has been learned In Buluwayo that
the native god. M. Limo. has promised
the Mntabeles Through what medium
is not known that all the horses In Bu-
luwnyo will be killed Tonight A
AIatabele spy has been caught attcmpt-
Ing to enter the lRager. II Is supposed
that his Intention was 10 hamstrlng the
horses in accordance with NJ. LIMOS
proiniseA
Another Rsport.
LONDON. Apri, 2s.-The Times cor
respondent asserts lAat the Matnbeies
arc retiring towards the hills and they