The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-04-16
QUEEN or THE MARoTsE.
A Woman Who ia. Killed slI Husband.

A Woman Who Has Killed STA Husbands
and T. Now Li,ing with the seventh.
This is picture OF an African queen.
and she is very important person 10
her way. Every explorer who has en-
tered the large country OF the Marotse
In the upper Zambesi Valley within
The past few years has told Of Queen
Mokwal This picture o, her is taken
from Dr. James Johnuon's capital
book. Reality Vs. Romance" lie met
the queen during his visit IN lSgi-s2.
and Capt A. s. n. Gibbons OF the Brit
ish arm, who Travelled Ia the Marotso
country last year. has given further de-
tails about this remarkable but not
particularly admirable woman. In DR..
Johnsion's picture o. her she appears
with twenty-five slave girls sitting In
half circle around her.
Queen Mokwai derives her import.
ance from an unwri,ien but tlme-hon-
ored Law Of her country. She IL the
eldest surviving sister o. the ruling
king and. according 20 the unwrltten
constitution. without her advice and
sanction her brother. King Lewan-
ika, Is debarrei from giving effect 10
any important measure. She holds the
veto power. and as she IL much more
determined character than her vaclllat.
Ink and pusilanlmous brother. abe IA
the real power In the great Maro,se
country. She lives AZ Nalolo. on the
Zambesl. about twenty miles below
Lalui. where the kIag resides and
when she visits the capital OF the king
dom she goes Ia state. When DIP
Johnston saw her she had come IN
sefula. near the capital. attended bv
$50 women. 20 be present at the mar.
riage Of the kings eldest son: and
there was a great flourish Of trumpets
when she and her rctlnue Of the rentler
sex came into view.
Whlle nothing can be done IN ALL
Important Affairs Of state without con.
sulting Queen MokVai. she rules su.
prcme In the minor. local Affairs OF her
own district Capt Gibbons saws that
she holds the power Of lie or death
over her subjects. She Is az liberty 20
we'd or dispose % a husband wheneyeg
she plo-ses, and she lives quite up 10
her opportunities IN these respects Ths
man she had honored By making him
her husband last year was No. : She
had killed all his predecessors ana
Il Il therefore a very preoarlous I'M.
deriaking 60 become the husband q,
Queen Mokwai No. 6 had earned ,or
himself the universal respect OF tho
people by his Kind and Just treatment
or all The people loved him ana thu
Qicen could not stand that. for zeal.
ousy and envy are the woman's lead
Ing passions. So she had him come "a
her hut 10 drink beer. and two vounv
men, armed with spears. were siaiiopc8
there with instructions 20 kil the poor
fellow when she gave the signal She
gave the sign, but the young men less
hard-hoariod than their mistress hest.
lated. With a curse on their cowariice
iho woman seized a Portuguese ssber
and ran her victim through. As me ION
she remarked eonlemptuously. "rbps
has a thorn been removed from by
nesh."
This metaphor seems 70 be generally
employed when the queen desires 10 |
announce the violent death OF another
Of her victims nr. Johnston saws ,hs,
on one occasion the Queen. after klu.
lng a man with her own hand sum. |
moncd her crier and ordered him 10 an.
nounoe TO the town that the oue,n
has had a thorn removed from her foot
this morning" he adds that Mokwars /
reign has been stained by many a cruel /
act Of murder and bloodshed. and shs l
aycngcs herself particularly on those |
who are the objects OF her Jealousy.
After spending much time In digging 1