The herald., 1896-08-24
AFFAIRS IN SOUTH AFRICA
Rhodes Matabele Mission a
Decided Success
THE NATIVES HAVE YIELDED
And the War Is Considered at an
End
Brief Review Of the War and Of the
Causes Which Brought
1t About
Associated Press Special Wire


BULUWAYO, Aug. 23-The mission
of Hon. Cecil Rhodes to the Matabeles
is reported to be a pronounced success.
The natives have yielded and the war
Is considered at an end. Cecil Rhodes
inspired the confidence of the Matabele
chiefs by going among them unarmed
The chiefs complained that i'll usage by
the native police provoked the rebellion
and Rhodes promised them that reforms
In this respect would be inaugurated at
once. Earl Gray, who was appointed to
administer the affairs within the juris-
diction of the British South Africa COM
pany, believes that the surrender of the
natives was practically Unconditional.
I'll e war with the Matabeies, which
began in S.utn Africa early in tl.ic
year, in many respects resembled the
early Indian wars in America. Several
hundred settlers in the sparsely set
tied portions of Matabeleland were mur-
dered by the natives. The survivors in
the country districts quickly gathered
in the towns and lines of defense were
thrown up, while the existing fortifica-
tions were garrisoned as strongly as
possible. The natives were at first COM
manded by a son of the late King Lo-
bengula. To the number of 10000 they
gathered on the hills around Bulowayo
the principal town. To a considerable
extent they were actuated by sort of
religious frenzy, but other causes were
said to have combined to bring about
the trouble. Chief among these were
the wrong doings of the native police
and the imposition by the South African
Chartered company Of a hut tax on the
$4,000 huts of the natives in Matabele-
land. The tax the natives sternly re-
sisted for many months but the Char
tered company insisted upon this reve-
nue. being collected, and refused to make
any exceptions. 1t was not until Cecil
Rhodes at this late time, to some extent
under cloud because of his alleged con-
nection with the raid into the Transvaal
conducted by DR.. Jameson, came to the
rescue and started from Rhodesia with
an armed force, that the backbone of
the rebellion was broken. Buluwayo
itself was for time threatened with
annihilation by the blacks, but owing to
the brave defense Of its citizens and
the timely advance Of the column of
Rhodes, the state of siege which prac-
tically existed was broken and the Mat
abeles were gradually forced back from
the hills surrounding the metropolis of
Matabeleland to their old resorts in the
parts of the country not occupied by
Europeans.
THE TERMS OF PEACE.
LONDON. Aug. 23.-Acording to spe-
cial dispatches from Buluwayo received
by the London papers the Matabele
chiefs promised not to fight the English
forces provided Cecil Rhodes would
agree to remain in the country and care
rloval Of prominent government Off
cial, whose conduct they complained of
bitterly. Cecil Rhodes replied, telling
them that the official referred to had al
ready left the government service. He
then asked the chiefs whether they were
for peace or war. Secumbo, the leading
chief, laid his gun and assegai before
Mr.. Rhodes and signified that they were
in favor of peace Cecil Rhodes promised
to spare their lives. but said-that the
surrender must be unconditional At the
conclusion of the conference Secumbo
Grid go in peace my father, greatest of
chiefs" After describing the scene Ce-
Gil Rhodes is reported to have said:
1T was to make my life worth living"
Two of the chiefs were brothers of
Lobengula, the Matabele king, who was
said to have been killed at the close of
the Matabele war in 1894.