The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-08-04
LOBENGULA'S VIEWS.
The Matabele warrior, Now In London
Says He Is Happy


The Matabele warrior, Now In London
| Says He Is Happy.
! In my own country was one day the
kings favorite son, and the next COM
mon 'colored man. dogged by the
| Transvaal Government for walking on
a sidewalk in Pretoria without having
first asked pei mission"
The words were uttered in softliquid
voice, and accompanied by smile,
showing two rows Of white teeth which
even prince might envy.
My own country is good. but in the
land of the umlunga (white mani I am
quite jabula (happy)."
Again the smile and again the geam
OF dazzling teeth, and there remained
on the expressive face of Prince Loben-
gula look which might have been
either smouldering of resentful bitter
ness or philosophical and half-primi-
tive contentment.
The towering Matabele warrior, in his
picturesque war garb, stared silently
into space for second and then
laughed,
What does it matter?" asked the son
of one of our most powerful enemies
conquered in late times. II might one
day have ruled in South Africa as king.
When my father fell I lived by tend
ing oxen on the roadside for the Dutch.
In London I am jabula (happy)."
The repetition was made abruptly, az
If the change Of subject afforded Prince
Lobengula a theme upon which he
would rather dwell than upon the loss
of his country
Suddenly, with the inevitable smile,
he made the remark:
IF my father had known the size of
Great Queens land he would not have
fought. He thought England little
floating island
The question as to whether the kings
advisers had not given him some idea
of the vastness of England and the
British population made Prince Loben-
gula's eyes travel, with another flash Of
white teeth, toward the ceiling.
Devils talk he said quietly. He
wouldn't believe it, When I arrived in
England, my first thought was that the
whole world was full of white men, and
that they had all come to London. to
meet me.
when l got used to the people, the |
chief thing that bothered me was the
houses. They were so black and so high. |
We build better in my country, close toI
the ground, so that if hut falls it |
hasn't far to go.
Later on, when / tried to find out
where all the white men in London
SLEPT, I understood better. Now
Clearly the problem of London's over
traffic had given the prince almost as
much worry as it affords the London
G. C.,afor he shook his head with a look
of bewilderment.
Il think" he said, some day all peo-
pie in the Great City will sleep under the
land because there is no room on top"
The princes soft, dreamy voice had
no suggestion of humor in it, Any
other solution of the difficulty he
fiouted as devils talk" What else
could people do when the land became
too full to hold them but resort to
state of underground existence?
1t is Lobengula's firm conviction that
London is destined beyond all question
OF doubt to become a vast city buried
in the bowels of the earth, for want of
space to remain above ground
The prince talks gracefully and fasci-
natingly, whether on the subject of his
own country and the present strained
outlook of affairs In South Africa. or
some aspect of the great white man at
home which has occurred to him.
His quaint English picked up before
his fathers downfall. is dignified and
elegant, while his air is a mixture Of
lordly magnificence and childish sim
plicity that is full of charm.
He displays In his dress an almost
nordinate love for jewelry, a trait
which since the arrival of the Matabele
nobleman in London several women
have discovered and encouraged by
which he proudly crowds
Upon his person when dressed In full
war paint--almost the only vanity in
Which he INDUCES. -London Daily Mail
q a~