The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-03
ANECDOTES OF RHODES.

By DR.. w. L. Thompson
1 went to Africa as a member of the
East Central African Mission. From
Durham, Natal, the Rev. Mr.. Wilcox
and myself were directed to visit
Gazaland. Accordingly we set sail for
Beira. We found Mr. Rhodes on board
our steamer.
He was genial and entertaining COM
panion. Wearing the old SLOUGH hat he
affects, Mr.. Rhodes lounged on deck,
cracking jokes, airing his political opin-
ions, and taking drink when he liked.
He bewailed the fact that America and
England were not one in sentiment and
government, and prophesied that there
would some day be an alliance between
them.
ut is the greatest pity" he used to
say, that England and America are
separate; united they could dictate terms
to the rest of the world, and there would
be an end of wars There would be no
need of wars he drawled, with a half
humorous light in his eyes, IF England
and America were one and could have
everything they want"
He complained about how lazy he was.
1.-The reason 1 don't make speeches." he
said, lis because 1t Is too laborious-costs
too much exertion. l consider the Prince
of Wales an energetic man; he goes
around speeCh-making.
Mr. Rhodes learning that we were in
search of a site for our mission, gave us
the promise of 5000 acres of land, which
we now occupy, and which has been in
creased by grant from the South AFRICA
company to $4,000.
l brought out a map, and Mr.. Rhodes,
leaning over, made a cross upon 1t, say
ing That's the place for your station.
We did not realize how well he knew his
Africa, and did not take this off-hand
remark seriously, but after we had gone
over the country and had located our
mission we discovered that we had
chosen the site indicated by him.
After landing at Beira Mr.. Wilcox and
7 started UP the Pungwe in a boat. Mr.
Rhodes having preceded us by day OF
two On Oct / we camped with party
of his carriers and had a bad night or
it, with lions roaring all around US. Ihe
next night we caught up with the Rhodes
party and were invited to take tea with
Rhodes in his tent File was complaining
over the hardships of travel; said the
next time he started on a journey like
this he should send an advance party
ahead and have houses built, so that
when he came along he would have good
places to sleep in. He kept asking over
the question, 80 you heard lions, did
your"
Mr. Wilcox had bagged an antelope, and
next morning Mr.. Rhodes shared our
venison steak
II shot zebra" he said. Aimed at
the head and hit in the shoulder" he
added, disgustedly.
Mr.. Rhodes is not overeXacting in his
Diet, HE can eat blltong,' they say of
him in Rhodesia and Cape Colony. Bill
tong is hard test.
The natives hold him In awe He has
never shown fear of them. During the
late uprising he used to ride unarmed,
except for the little knobkerrie which
he always carries, among them in the
fastness of the Matopo hills, calling upon
them to surrender. Mr. Rhodes riding
around in shirt sleeves, belt trousers and
SLOUGH hat a la cowboy was a common
sight then in veldt and bush, as it is now.
During one of his absences in the late
Zulu uprising his beautiful country house
Grooteschurr, with its collection of curios
was burned. 1t has since been rebuilt
Somebody went to break the news gent
ly, and said:
'Mr. Rhodes I have bad news for you
What is it?'' asked the Colossus anx-
iously.
'Grooteschurr is burned up
Oh said Mr.. Rhodes, lis that all?
I thought you were going to tell me that
jameson was worse" Jameson was in
prison and sick.
A bad thing-a very bad thing-about
Mr.. Rhodes is that he has wanted to es-
tablish line of canteens through Kama's
country. This Bechuana chief, who has
made so many struggles to save his people
from the scourge of civilization, protested
to England against it, and so far he
has come forth victor over Mr.. Rhodes.
Mr.. Rhodes says he wants the canteen for
the accommodation of the whites; he
thinks it would be a great thing in a
business way to have canteens through
out RhodeSia