Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-11
The Ruler of Mashonaland Visited by
Methodist Bishop.
PROUD old BARBARIAN IN AFRICA
Peculiar People Found on the
Dark Continent.
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS

Shortly before the return recently to this
country from Africa OF Bisnop Hartzell of
the Methodist Episcopal Church he and a
number of persons who accompanied him
paid visit to the ruler of Mashonaland.
a part of the dark continent OF which little
is known to the outside world. At the re-
quest of a reporter of The Star an eyewit-
ness related the following incidents of the
call referred to:
One of the most interesting experiences
/ had while In South Africa, said the party
referred to. was a visit to King Mtsa, ma
tive ruler of Mashonaland. Mtsa is proud
old barbarian, who boasts that In his coun-
try none is god but he. and it is well to
have his good will before beginning an I'M
dertaking In his domain. In former days
he was greatly feared because of his cruel
ty, but during the last five years his power
has been somewhat weakened Neverthe-
less. it Is wise to gain his friendship by
paying him occasional visit and making
presents At sunrise one morning last fall
our party, consisting of Bishop and Mrs.
Hartzell Mrs. Arndt and myself, OF the
old Umtali Industrial Mission. started for
his kraal in an OK wagon. A Boer named
Balkan drove the oxen and four native
boys helped in various ways. We reached
the kraal, twelve miles distant, at ) pm
and "outspanned" at the foot of the kopje.
Mashonaland is extremely mountainous
and broken. says the narrator. and 1t Is
customary for the natives to build their
kraa!s upon the submits of the kopjes.
This is done for protection against wild
beasts and malarial fever and also offers
better means of defense against hoSthe
tribes. Mtsa's kraal Is situated on such an
eminence at an altitude of probably 5.oO
feet. The approach is up rough slope COW
cred with enormous granite boulders. The
path winds In a most devious manner. and
were it not well trodden and worn one
could easily lose 1t.
Arrival Announced.
As we moved up to the higher portions OF
the kopje our approach became known to
the native sentlnels. who leaped upon
boulders and signaled those above by loud
hallooing and waving OF their battle axes
In this manner the news of our arrival was
passed up to the kraal. They did not at
tempt to modest us, but simply disappeared
among the rocks. No doubt they were in
hiding close by. carefully noting us with
savage curiosity passed by. About
two-thirds of the way up we rested in
cool. shaded nook Bananas, cress and nu-
merous other kinds of vegetation were
growing here. and from under the mountain
side a clear spring dubbed forth, making
the spot most attractive.
From above came the babble and hubbub
of hundreds of natives. Continuing our
elm. We soon reached large. level. rocky
floor. several acres in extent. Numerous
huts. built OF poles and grass, were scat
tered about, but no people could be seen.
This a surprise to u.s. for the voices
had seemed to come from this place. We
remembered, however having heard of the
custom of natives hiding upon the approach
of strangers, and concluded that this was
what had happened They remained hidden
until convinced of our frendliness. The abb
sence of firearms and the bishops genial
face reassured them, and they came out in
twos and threes until the place was alive
The men had gone away on various errands
and nr,Ix ha fld ratr cha md 1nrs
remained to protect the women and chill
dren. The women were somewhat shy. but
the children seemed full of fun, and began
dancing. laughing and clapping their hands
in regular time. This latter is sign Of
goodwill and welcome.
1t was strange place to be In. Here
was the native African in his wild state.
with his own language and customs, his
primitive hut and mode of life and his i'm
plements Of various sorts-agriculture. war
fare. etc.-simply the repetition of count
less generations gone before. No advance
and ambition for anything more than
those things which contributed to their
most ordinary needs in life. Most of them
were a happy lot Of adult children, who
reasoned from their immediate surround
ings. They knew little of any other world
than that bounded by their own horizon.
and regarded the white man with simple
curiosity knowing nothing of his antece
dents. They are good examples of how iSo-
lation will simplify an already primitive
people.
The Greetings.
AS we strolled about the kraal a mob of
children followed US and from behind huts
and powders women ventured to peek at us.
When discovered, they would Immediately
disappear. We came upon one woman with
snow-white hair. and skin so wrinkled.
rough and dry that We concluded she must
be very old. Her sight was gone and
she turned her withered face up to us we
wondered how many acts of heartless cru
city and brutal slaughter she had Witness
ed during her lifetime. Doubtless many:
for We had just seen the rock where Mtsa
has his victims brains dashed out, and this
is only one of many forms Of punishment
and death.
Chimbadzoe. Mtsa's favorite son, came
down from the royal section of the kraal
and Informed us. through an educated Zu-
lu. named Mtobi. that Mtsa himself would
be down directly and meet US in the coun-
ell hut and hold indaba, or conference.
After Conducting US thither, Chimbadzoe
left and returned to the king. We got
down on our faces and crawled into the
hut through the low doorway, and were
followed by some natives. 1t all seemed
ridiculous to us, but the natives observed
the utmost solennity and decorum. so We
said nothing. Once inside, we found
rather spacious circular hard dirt floor.
which was partly covered with kaffir reed
mats. The walls were built of stakes driven
close together into the ground and daubed
up with clay. They stood about four feet
built Of poles and grass. The structure
seemed wonderfully strong and durable,
considering the materials used
King and His Successor.
Seating ourselves In a semicircle around
one side, we waited in silence By and by
the king came, followed by his son and sue
cessor. Chimbadzoe: also number Of coun-
cllors and other important personages
about the kraal They crawied into the hut
and took their places on the side opposite
u.s. sitting on the floor. Mtsa himself hon
ored us by graveiy and silently shaking
hands with each white person. after which
he squatted down against a huge jar filled
with beans. His attire consisted of white
limbo or cheese cloth, draped about his
body in a picturesque manner. and an old
felt hat. with eagle feathers stuck into the
band. Copper and brass ornaments of va
rious kinds adorned his ankles and wrists
while about his neck were strings Of colored
beads The only thing about him at all
kingly was his tall fine physique, his clear
sharp eye and decisive way.
Several moments of perfect silence fol-
lowed the handshake. when the chief coun-
cillor, who sat al Mtsa's feet, reverentIy and
solemniy began low. measured clapping.
The other natives Joined him. and this con-