The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-10-15


ward into the mountain country now
called Basutoland, and here the Bas-
uto Kingdom was built up out OF fugi-
tive clans by the famous Chief Mos
hesh.
What is now Natal and nearly all
that part of the country which Is now
the Orange Free state. with part Of
the Transvaal, was denuded OF lnhabi-
tants. and many emigrants from Cape
Colony established themselves there,
The power OF the chief was not the
same in the various tribes, Among the
zulus. whose organization was entie-
ly military, he was despot; among
the Bechuana tribes and the Basutos
he deferred to the sentiment Of the
people. Even such able men," says
Bryce. "as the Basuto Moshesh and the
Beohuana Khama had often to bend
to the wish Of their subjects. 1t was in
cattle that the wealth. of a chief or a
rich man lay, and cattle, being the
common measure OF value, served as
currency. as they serve stlll among the
remote tribes which have not learned
TO use British coin. Polygamy was
practiced by all who could AFFORD Il,
the wife being purchased from her
father with cattle, more or fewer ac-
cording to her rank This practice.
called lobolo. stlll prevails, The ordi-
nary Witt was a slave, being required
to do all u the tillage and most OF the
other work. except that about the cat
tie. which. being honorable. was per-
formed by the men"
Historians agrse that the British
army has never encountered a more
daring enemy than the black man OF
Africa. Nine wars were needed to sub
jugate the Kafilrs of the southern
coast. although they had no firearms
until recently. In their battles with
the Beers they were destroyed by the
fire Of horsenen riding M. delivering a
volley and riding of before assegia
could reach them, and In the great war
with Cetewayo in 1879 they fought in
the open and were moved down by the
British volleys; and In 1898 the Mata-
belle perished in the same way under
the ire Of rihemen and Maxim guns
sheltered behind laager OF wagons,
The Kaffirs are religious, but their
religion and that OF their ancestors
did not mean the worship OF any deity,
nor had It any moral significance.
They believe In spirits-spirits OF the
river, the mountain. the woods, etc
and In the ghosts OF the dead, and
they have ceremonies where they wcr-
ship these ghosts. The ghosts always
dwell at the spot where the body is
buried. and the graves are therefore
the places where offerings are made,
which take all forms except human
sacrifice.
Powerful men among the natives
have been taken to England to show
them how superior the Europeans are
TO the savages and how fruitless op-
position to the whites must be. but
even men like Lobengula, who visited
England in 1891, were powerless in that
direction, and despite Lobengula's ex-
perience the young warriors clamored
for war In 1898 and were sure that the
Matabele could wipe out the white In
truders.
A keen observer writing on the subject
on the subject OF the native element in
case Of war says:
Supposing that the Beers OF the
Transvaal were massed in commanders
near the border, and that from the Free
State large numbers OF men were with
drawn. What would these two facts
mean for the Transvaal natives, the
SwaZis and the Basutos? The Trans
vaal natives would rise, and the war
loving SwaZis, who resent Boer In
reference In their country and hold
the Boer in contempt. make no secret
of shaking of forever the lordlng over
them Of Joubert and his men. t.
SwaZis will invade the Trdnsvaal the
moment the British troops cross the
Transvaal border.
For years the Free State farmers
have been haunted by the fear of the
Rasutos. The Basutos have long stand
ing grievances against the Free State,
which they intend TO wipe out. They
are determined to repossess the con-
nuered territory which the Free state
by false means was allowed to steal
from them. The Basutos' intentions
have been for long known.
Let the bughers Of the Free state
ioiu forces with the Transvaal, and the
Basutos will sweep their country from
the Orange river to the Vaal.
Aside from the natural hatred for the
whites. the Basutos have private
grievance which may influence their
action as to the present time. The
English government has given notice
that IN additional hut tax Of R1 will
he imposed in their district, and addi-
tional tax means additional hatred.
Whether the opposition would extend
to all whites, or whether It would be
directed against the British alone, is a
question which time only can deter
mine: but the fear that a war between
England and the Beers may result In a
general uprising Of natives against the
whites seems to have foundation
! enough to merit consideration.
BOERS' BATTLE PSALM