The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-17

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manner that would be calculated to
win their love, but on at least one
III occnsfon the British fought and died
1br the BoerA and II WAS tho memory 81
this deed. moro than any other contribute
Ing cause. that caused the Beers to relin-
Qulsh their claim to Natal.
II was In 1871 that Lord Glenele. the Brit
1sh secretary Of state Tor the colonies. an
nounced that his government would not Ct.
tempt TO exercise sovereignty over the lana
lying east OF the Draakensberk, now Known
~ Natal. When the Boers learned Of tniss
and indignant at what they termed BRITISH
oppression, they determined to leave the
coast lands. trek into the interior and es-
tablish government Of their own. Despite
the efforts to restrain them, they crossed
the mountains and In tho latter part OF the
year appeared ON the plains beyond. MOI
satisfied with the statement reputed to Loro
Glenelg. they deemed 1t safer to obtain
cession OF such land as they desired from
the native chiefs.
The Boer caravans had already scattered
out over rather q wide area, but the lead
ers OF the movement, with Pet Retief AZ
their head. were encamped near the cap
otal Of the great native chief. Dinsaan:
the paramount chief Of the Zulus. and
with him they at once commenced negoti-
ations for the cession Of strip Of land.
Dingaan received them very cordially and
promised them whatever land they desired
n they would secure for him some cattle
stolen by neighboring tribe. This condi-
at once organized an expedition against the
black men with most successful results.
They recovered all the cattle, and, In ad-
dition, about 100 horses, some guns and
other property belonging to the zulus
which had been stolen at previous times.
In january. 1883 Piet Retiaf, accompan-
fed BY seventy Of the leading spirits among
the Beers and some thirty black servants.
rode in state to the capital OF Dingran to
return to him the cattle ana other property
they had recovered Dingaan received
them with every manifestation OF great
Joy, and insisted upon them remaining as
his guests while great festivities were held
10 celebrate the return OF the stolen prop
rty. The festivities continued for days,
and the Dutehmen were treated as guests
Of honor. On the 9Th Of February the.
festivities came to I'm end, Dingaan
signed a. treaty with Reticf ceding to the
Moers all the land now occupied by the
coiany CT Nata.
On the afternoon OF the day on which the
treaty was signed Dingaan asked the Boz
crs 10 attend great feast to be held In
his cwn kraa, thai evening. Fearing TO
offend the natives. the Beers accepted the
invitation. but wien they attempted to
enter the kraa! with their arms In their
hands Dingaan objected and asked them
to leave the weapons outside. The Beers
dctEurred at first but bingham told them
arms were out Of place at such gather
Ing and showed them that all the guests
were devoid of weapons, so the Beers.
since they believed Dingaan's friendship
for them was sincere, stacked their arms
at the gate and went In to the feast. While
the fcas,ins was at Its height Dinsaan
aroso and gave the signal that turned
It into carnival OF death. A thousand
warriors fen upon the handful Of Beers.
and before they had scarcely thought OF
danger their blood was turning to . deep
err trt the tiswin Of which they had but
q moment before been drinking.
Before dawn Zulu impi was marching
across the Plain to the B0er encampment
and the Beers rose from their beds az the
sun gided the skies only to fan beneath the
on-rush OF a Zulu army. Men, women and
children were hutchered, and all the Beers
on the pain would doubtless have fallen
quite as easily had 1t not been for the provi-
dental escape of two young Beers who
carried warning Of the Zulus' treachery to
their people. When the Zulus came they
were prepared fer them. Over 800 persons
were slain by the natives In the first laager,
and its location Is still called "Weenen.'. or +
place Of tears. by the Beers. great mound
of stones marks the spot. for never, Boer
passes the place but what he losses stone
upon the mound in memory of his ances-
tors who fell in Dingaan's uprising.
Although the Beers were able to hold QUE
against the zulus In their laagers, every
white person in Natal who had not found
refuge in them fell victim TO Dingaan's
warriors. M
when the news OF the uprising reached
the coast region. the British colonists at
once organized an expedition TO go to the
aid OF the Beers. Nearly every able-hodied
man In the communities along the coast
volunteered. and the expedition started
from Port Natal to rescue those with whom !
they had been engaged In q fierce quarrel
only few months before. The Zulus had
already crossed the Draakensberg. how
ever, and in defile near the present town
OF Durham, the British were ambushed and
massacred to a man. OF the hundreds In
that expedition not man escaped. WITH
out wasting any time. for fear that the
British at Port Natal would be warned. as
were the Dutch on the plains. Dinsaan
hurried on to that settlement and so rapid
was his march that the European women
end children had barely time to take refuge
on some ships in the harbor before the
Zulus appeared. Port Natal and the entire
coast region were burned and the natives
massacred before this treachsrous chief
deemed his visit at an end In September
he retired beyond the mountains to renew
his assaults upon the Beers.
The Beers had been laagered now for
nearly year, and many of the laagers
were In desperate straits for food and
water. as the season had been very dry
"A party of $50 Beers men, women and
children, had moved to find supply of
water and approached within about fifteen
miles of Dingaan's capital without being
aware of 1t. When Dingaan returned and
found them there he determined to crush
this handful at one blow. He summoned
warriors from far and near. and early in
December had mustered a force of nearly