The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-05
AMONG THE BAsuros.
Magnificent Savages who CompIi-
cate EnGland's African Problem.
From the London News.

cross
the border, and if possible interview one
OF the chiefs. My opportunity came at
last. Our General decided to give his
weary men a few days rest, so getting
into the saddle at Willow Grange. I rode
to Ficksburg, and there crossed the River
Caiedon whose yellow waters, like an
orange ribbon, divide Basutoland from
the Free State. At this point the river
runs between steep banks, and when |
crossed it was about deep enough to kiss
my horses girths, though 1 could well
believe that in the food season it becomes
mosa formidable torrent An artificial
cutting has been made on both sides to
facilitate the passage of traders black
and white. but even there the ford is so
constituted that the Beers on the one
side and the blacks on the other could
successfully dispute the passage Of an
invading army with a mere handful of
men.
Once over the river one soon felt the
influence of Jonathan, the BLACK Prince -
The niggers, naked except for the loin
cloth staggered along with arms in
their hands, and srnned with insolent
familiarity into our faces. They may
have an intense respect and an unbound
ed love for the British-I have read scores
of times that they have-but / beg leave
TO doubt it. Physically speaking, they are
superb race OF men, these sable sub
jects of our Queen Their heads sit upon
their necks with a bold. defiant poise,
their threats arc full, round, and muscu-
lar their chests magnificent, broad and
deep, tapering swiftly towards the waist.
Their arms and legs are beautifully fash
Toned for strong. swift deeds. Strip an
ordinary white man and put him among
these black warriors. and he would look
like a human clothes rack They walk
with a quick springy step, and gave me
the impression that they could march at
the double for q week without firing.
Put they are at their best on horseback.
To see them bareback dash down the
side of a sheer cliff plunge into the
river, swim their horses over, and then
climb the opposite bank when the face
of the bank is like the face of a wall
is a sight worth travelling for to see.
What TO Do with the BasutOs.
There are many things in this world
that ] know nothing at all about, but l
do know a horseman when l see him,
for | was bred in a land where nine-tenths
Of the boys can ride. But nowhere have
seen a whole male population ride as
these Basuto warriors ride, and the best
use England can make of them is to
turn them into mounted infantry. Give
chem six months drill, and they will
be fit to face any troops in Europe !
never saw them do any fighting, but
they carry the lighting brand on every
lineament-the bold, keen eye, the prom
inent cheekbone, the hard-set mouth, the
massive jaw, the quivering nostrl, the
swing and sprirg of every movement,
all speak the fighting race.
And their women; what of them? From
the back of the head TO the back of the
heel you could place a lance shaft so
straight are they in their carriage. Their
dress is a bunch of feathers and the
third of a silk pocket handkerchief with
a copper ring around the ankle and an
other around the waist. They do most of
the daily toll, such as il is though
know of no peasant population i'm any
other part of the world who get a living
as easily as these folks. The men allow
the women to do most of the field labor
but when the grain is bagged the males
place 1t in single bags across the back
OF a pony and so take IL to market.
They walk beside the tiny little ponies
and balance the grain slung crosswise
on the animals back, and when the grain
has been sold or bartered they bound
on to their ponies and career madly home
ward each one trying to Guido his neigh
Dor in deeds of recklessness in the hope
maidens. They are mean in regard to
money or gifts, and know the intrinsic
value of things just as well as any peddler
in all England Judging the niger"
merely as a human being, irrespective
of sentiment color and so forth, l can
only say that in my estimation he and
his are far better off in every respect
than the average white laborer and his
family in England. These folk have
plenty to eat. little to do. and are very
Jolly. They would be perfectly happy If
they only had a sufficient number of
'Eitles and a large enough supply of am
munition to enable them to drive every
white man clean away from their
borders.
A BnsutO Bride.
When / arrived at Jonathan's village
that warrior was away with a band of
his village young men, so that ! could
not see him, though I saw his son at
wedding which was being held when 1
reached the scene. / was taken through
rows of naked, grinning savages, of
3 beth sexes, to be introduced 10 the bride
and bridegroom, whom l found TO be a
pair of mission converts. When l saw
the pair the shock nearly shook my boots
of The bride, fullblooded young negress,
was dressed in a beautiful white satin
dress, which fitted her as If it had been
fired at her out of a gun IL would not
meet in front by about three inches, and
the bodice was laced up by narrow bands
or red silk, like footballer's Jersey. In
her short, wholly hair she had pinned
a wreath of artificial orange blossoms,
which looked like diadem of snow on
midwinter mudheep. Down her broad
back there hung a great gauzy lace ven
big enough 10 make fly net for a COW
camel in Summer. 1t was not fixed on
to her dress, nor to her wreath, but was
tied on to two little kinky curls at each
side of her head by bright green ribbons,
offer a fashion of a prize filly of the
draught order az county fair Her hands
were encased in a pair of white kid
gloves, mans size. and pretty big man
at that, for she had a gentle little fist
that would have scared John l.. Sullivan
in his palmiest days.
When / was introduced to che newly
shackled matron she put one Of those
gloved hands into mine with a sinner
ing air of coyness that made me feel
cold all over. for that hand in the kid
glove reminded me of the day / took my
first lesson from Laurence Foley, Aus
tralia's champion boxer, and he had an
eight-ounce glove on (thank heaven) on
that occasion. In her right hand the
bride carried fan OF splendid ostrich
feathers, with which she brushed the
flies off the groom. 1t was vast enough
TO have brushed away a toy terrier, to
say nothing Of flies, but II looked toy
in that giant fist.
rr.ou, tV,o nurnEuu