Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-01-28
FAMOUS WITCH DOCTOR.
Troublesome South African Native In
the Tolls at Inst.

Troublesome south African Native In
the Tolls ut Last.
The surrender and imprisonment at
Salisbury of Kngube, the notorious
witch doctor, or lion god, of the Mash
onas, which was announced recently,
is one of the most important episodes
of the tedious native war in Rhodesia,
and has contributed more than any Of
the events which have preceded 1t to
the entire pacification of that country.
Eighteen months ago hardly anyone
except the native commissioners knew
this Kpgube even by name, but during
this year much time and many valuable
lives have been sacrificed In futile IF.
forts tr effect his capture.
KagrSe, who is also known in Mash
onaland as Gumborishumba 0ion paw,
formerly had his headquarters near
Chiquaqua's kraal, some 80 miles from
Salisbury. Here he was well-known
for his success in the supernatural
business, and the natives used to flock
to him from all parts to consult him as
to deaths or sickness, or other events
occurring or impending In their fam
flies. lie was skillful manipulation of
the bones, or fortuhe-telling sticks,
which form part of the stock in trade
OF every witch doctor, and used to dis
pense nostrums or vend amulets to
ward off the evil eye, or to remove the
spells which were supposed TO be cast
over individuals by the spirits of de-
parted ancestors. He was also VEN
triloquist, and could make mysterious
voices issue at his pleasure from the
ground, from empty huts and from
the rocks and trees, so that it can be
readily understood that his reputation
among the Mashonas was as that of a
divine being, and that. by his practice
of trading on their credulous supersti-
tions, he speedily acquired great wealth
and enormous influence.
Like all his class, he was keen OBJ
server of natural phenomena, and was
able to reason on their probable re-
suits, thus he was able to predict the
arrival of the rinderpcst when Its raw
ages were only just beginning to be
heard Of, far away to the north Of the
| Zambesi river, and in the same far.
seeing manner to foretell the droughts
the locusts and other Affections which
depend On natural causes, attribut
ing them In all cases to the anger Of the
Great Spirit.
After the British occupation of Rhod
esia the power of Kagube, as of the
other witch doctors, began to slip away
His office of arbiter of local disputes
was usurped by the native commission
cr. Laws were passed prohibiting
some of the Mashona customs which
took their origin in witchcraft, such al
the killing of the newborn twins, arc
the very practice of witchcraft was
repressed wherever possible. Accord
inly Kagube cast about for opportu
mites of striking a blow in defense o
his rights and of reasserting his su
premacy, which he felt would soon tot
ter under the rule of the British govern
ment.
The change came soon after the out
break of the second Matabele war. Ii
Matabeleland the first months fight
ing was all in favor of the blacks, bu
when reenforcements came up and tn
British were able 10 take the field, dill
ferent complexion was put on affairs
and the continued reverses sustained b.
the natives induced their leader, tn
m'limo, man with the same .attri
butes of the lion god, or Mandora, o
the Mashonas, to send emissaries int
Mashonaland. with the view Of creatin!
diversion in the neighborhood, and S
OF harassing the English from anothe
quarter. He found willing coad
jutor in Kagube, who only wanted
favorable opportunity for "wiping out
the hated settlers, and thereupon tn
m'limo, with Kagube, the witch Nyand
from Mazoe, and few more made thei
headquarters in the Hartley district
and sent out messengers to all parts t
instigate the natives to rise agains
the whites at given signal. How tn
whites were massacred, and the na
Z ~