The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-02
quarts. minine h,s taken place the

was broken of by the application Of cold water.
Even In the districts where small. round shafts
were dug to IA considerable depth and stopping
was done. Mr.. Brown could find nothing to In
dictate that the methods were essentially diff
terent from those in vogue at the present time
among the Ashantees of the Gold Coast.
Our author does not accept the theory that
the present aboriginal inhabitants Of Mashona-
land are the descendants OF the builders of the
zimbabwe. Those who advocate this hyrothe-
sis assume that the Asiatlc immigrants even
tually fused with the native populations. One
argument put forth in support Of this suppose
ton Ia the fact that the ~herringbone pattern.
followed in the ornamentation OF the ancient
ruins. 10 identical with that used by the people
now living In the country when they decorate
their implements and utensils. Mr.. Brown
holdsthat this identity counts for little. because
the chevron pattern Is common TO many primi-
tive races and is even found among tribes inhab-
itinR Islands In midocean. Another argument
urged in favor Of the hypothesis is the decided
Semitic cast OF features and the light skin that
are often observed among the Mashonas. Mr..
Brown comedies that II Is an admixture OF
Semitic blood which gives to the Bantu race
the thinner lips and narrower bridge Of the
nose that distinguish them from the pure me-
groes OF the West Coast. He submits. however.
that. in view OF the continual change OF habitat
among the African tribes. II is impossible to
determine whence came a given people. or
whittier IL has gone. in the course Of a few
centuries. to say nothing OF what might have
happened in 1900 or 5000 years.
According to Capt. Brabandt and Mr.. A. D.
Campbell. who. as our author informs us. have
had much to do with the management OF the
natives in Rhodesia. the present OCCUPANTS OF
Mashonaland migrated from far north OF the
70 Vn hnal ~rtklt- ~ 1A-N - ----z --l -.-
planted q race OF prehistoric miners called the
Amalosa. Mr.. Brown thinks that the latter
are more likely to have been the descendants
OF the builders Of the zlmbabwe. According
to tradition. the Amalosa were first subdued
and then oppressed by the Mashona people. A
few remnants still exist In some districts. but
they are looked upon by their conquerors as
belonging to a slave race. They are presumed.
nevertheless. to have been higher In intel. &C.
tual calibre and in the development OF their
arts than the present ruling tribe. Those ma
tives who were pointed out to our author as
Amalosa had more clearly cut features. and
seemed to possess much more natural shrewd-
ness than either the Mashona or Matebele.
There Is no doubt that mining was contin-
ued up to the time OF the advent OF the Mata-
beles from the south. This is proved by the
timbers and implements found In the deserted
shafts. The Mashonas may have learned tho
art OF mining either from the Amalosa or from
the Portuguese. who. there Is reason to believe.
worked extensively for gold in the districts ad-
joining the Upper Zambesi. There is. in other
words. q good deal Of foundation for Haggard's
story. King SoIomon's Mines" When. near
the close of the fifteenth century. the Portu-
guese rounded the Cape Of Good Hope and pur-
sued their course northward along the east
coast OF Africa. they found at what is now So
Gala n IA, g., l. "a. ii
by Arabs. who traded for gold with the natives
from the interior. There are records OF expedi-
tons undertaken for conquests far inland by
the Portuguese in the earlier centuries follow
ing the voyage OF Vasco de CANA and it is prob
able that they were at one time in possession OF
much OF the territory now known as Rhodesia.
1t is thought that they mined with slave labor.
and IL is possible that trading stations were
established by them In centres where gold dig
ging was carried on independently by the
native population. The author OF this book
directs attention TO the remains Of fort and
OF villas on the Angwa River lone OF the south
ern tributaries Of the Zambcsi). and to the
presence OF adobe buildings on the Umfuli
in Mashonaland. and to similar signs OF
Portuguese occupation in many other parts.
1t seems that, in excavatinG one OF the
zimbabwe ruins on the Filabusi River. far
in Matabeleland. a brecch-loading can
non was found, presumably OF Portuguese ORR
gin. Although no ruined Portuguese forts
have been thus far encountered AT that dis
lance inland. there seems to be no reason to
doubt that daring spirits penetrated to the in
most depths OF Africa in the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries. Just as the
~ Spanish explorers pushed into the unknown
regions Of the North American continent.
the Portuguese lost possession OF
fIa Dttt rv . Nth ~f thaI T-.-. Il - 81
driven from Manicaland about 1897. thus aban-
the gold fields to the aborigines.
The present natives of this region are Divided
into two classes, named respectively Mashona
and Matabele. The name Mashona Is a coined
word which is now applied to all the independ-
ent tribes. closely related in language and GUS
that occupy Eastern Rhodesia. Doubt
exists as to the origin OF the appellation. but
MIR. Brown accepts the explanation that it il a
OF a native term meaning filth or
the body. The Natabeles are said to have
first employed the word in contempt: later
it was adopted by the white men. and the ma
tlrcs. who arc among the most filthy creatures
on the face Of the earth. not only showed
no resentment. but willingly assumed the
name. hence 1t Is not unusual to hear them
speak OF themselves as Matswena. or Mashona.
The language OF these people Ia. it appears. al
"'o' ''Ni'iN"i w NiIut vi Soht vi tne ITlDeS
near Oar e. Saiaam. in the German East Coast
possessions. This fact helps to support the
theory that they have migrated from the north.
The history of the Mataheles is. compara-
lively, recent and well known. About seventy
years ago Chaka, King Of the Xulus. sent an
under n favorite General. called Mosill-
katse. on a raiding expedition against some
tribes. Mosilikatse captured large
herds OF cattle. but. upon his return. instead Of
giving the whole plumber to the King. as was
tho custom. he kent a fair portion Of the booty
for himself and COR his warriors. Chaka, en-
ragged at the audacity. despatched another army
to destroy the offender and his people. Mosili-
katse got the worst Of the battle which ensued.
and. to avoid compie'e humiliation, he fed
with his followers n"rthward. Lest he should no
pursued, he destroyed everything with which
he came In contact-Grain. cattle. men. wo-
men and children-leaving a wilderness be-
tween him and Zululand. He halted on the
Great Marco River. In what is at pres
ent the South African Republic. There he
lived for ten years. ravaging the surrounding
and STRENGTHENING his army by In