The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-04-20
WHITES ARE IN PERIL
suluwayo Likely To Be Taken
by Matabeles.
NATIVE WARRIORS WELL. ARMED.

Large Numbers OF MstabIes Presumed Ts
Be Friendiies Hav. Entsred tn. rvv~
and Are Expected to Riss and strike ~
the British 10 Soon ~ the MstsbsIe War
riors Are Heard Outside the Liuss of
Dofense-A Grave situation.
CAPE Town, April eo.--[Copyrlghtsd
1896 by Associated Press. mo official
statement from any source 10 worth con-
sidering for moment II IL takes the
ground that Buluwsyo Is not In danger.
buiuwayois Is in the greatest danger; In
TACT, the town may now be in the hands
OF the Matabeles and one of the must ter.
npie massacres on record may have 90
curred. The latest sdyices received hcrs
from Buluwnyo have greatly increased
the anxiety felt for the safety Of that
place. Military men, scouts, Dutchmen
and Englishmen, civilians Of all classes,
veteran troopers and government officials
concur In che statement that the governor
OF Cape Colony Sir Hercules Robinson.
has not been told the truth n he has mott.
ned the home government that Buluwayo
Is In no danger. II 10 evident 10 every
body here that the British at Buiu wsyo
are In most critical condition.
Weak In Numbera
The chief point OF their weakness 10 In
numbers aud the immensity Of the hordea
OF Matabeles gathering for the attack.
Then. again, large numbers Of Mstabelss,
presumed to be friendlies have by some
excuse or other succeeded In cntering The
town, and it Is we'll known thst they have
planned to rise and strike ut the British
rs soon a. the wsrrors OF the Matabeles
are heard outside the lines of defense.
Most Of tho Matabeles In Buluwayo "a
there by pretending To be seeking the
protection Of the whites. and the latter
were foolish enough W fall into the trap.
These Matabeles are armed and an out.
break must soon occur. IL has been stated
that Buluwayo is hold by 1000 men; this
Is not correct As stated In these dis
patches the number Of fighting men at
Buluwayo Is under 800 aud OF this spasii
number, compared with the 5000 MAta-
beles In the vicinity Of the town. 500 are
reported to have been dispatched TO hold
Mangwe pass, which 10 steep defile, with
angular turnings and can lle rendered inn
pregnable.
A Formidable Impi
Other dispatches, however, announce
that strong force OF the remaining 900
whites intended 10 leave Buluwayo Fri-
day mornings ~ sttsck MatabsIe impi,
composed OF Lobengula's crack Imbezu
regiment from which the, native police,
who have been shown to have started the
the rebellion, were recruited. This impi
Il looked upon ~ being the most for,uAds-
ble In or about Mntahelelandl In point of
numbers and -~ffic;cncy. TAsse warriors
have been secretly profiting for somo
time by the drill and tactics Of polioe do
serters, and as the latter took with Shom
their arms and ammunition and ~ the
other arms and ammunition they could
lay their hands on, the Imbczn regiment
always most formidable is likely 20 prove
more than match for the small British
force. In fact. nobody here can under-
stand the rashness OF such sortio being
permitted, and IL Is feared that tho awful
mistake Of Isandula may be repeated.
May Is Ambushed.
The British may be entioed into the
bush by q feint, and while they are there
engaged with overwhelming numbers
the main body OF the Ms.abele army
may be hurled against Buluwayo and
sweep over IL In spite OF the defensss and
the rapid firing guns ready to receive ths
enemy. Besides, as already stated, the
attack OF the Matabcles from the outside
Is more than likely to b. assisted by ris-
ing OF the Matabelcs inside the fortinco-
tions. This has been anticipated and
guarded against as far ~ possible, but
people here predict n great disaster IL the
slim British force opposing she $1,000
Matabeles Is allowed TO divide itself and
engage in a sortie against the enemy.
The great trouble at Buluwnyo seems to
be that the majority OF the leaders are
dashing, dare devil men, who are prone
TO engage the enemy nrst and estimate
his numbers later, generally too late.