Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-09-17
} A SALVATION BOOM /;
EA in MATABELELAND ;
BY FRANK NORRIS ,
Copyright, 1902, by Frank Norris /

b~o>o<e>e<e<eo<e<o<o<o>o<6
|MY THINK the story should be
(Al set down in this place be-
|d9NaoI cause 1t is curious and worth
its ink and because it shows
what strange manner Of men are the
AIatabele-the music mad, magnificent,
brave, unspeakably cruel Matabele.
Ingodusi, who first told it, was an
induna in Lobengula's pet regiment, or
impi, which afterward came to be the
great Imbezzu impi. Since the tale is
from such high authority, think it
must be true.
Ingodusi is a ring man and head
induna and can have more than one
wife and can speak his thoughts aloud
in the kings indaba.
1t happened when Ingodusi was
nineteen years old and was undergoing
Mahunda with about hundred other
young Matabele away up in the heart
Of Matabeleland. somewhere between
Inyungo and the Umfuli river.
By some fearful mischance, at the
very height of the Mahunda indaba,
Otto Marks trekked full upon 1t. But
the matter must be told from Otto's
point of view.
Otto was sergeant in the Salvation
Army. He came from Toledo, O., to
Mafeking, in Bechuanaland, which was
then as far north as the railroad went.
Otto used to play the little organ every
evening at the gatherings in the Sal
walton barracks at Mafeking until his
superior officer decided to boom saliva
ton in that mysterious wilderness Of
South Africa known indiscriminately
as ''up country" or Charterland or
Rhodesia or AIatabeleland.
Otto Marks started up in April be-
fore the rains were done with trans
port rider named West and little mig
ger voorlooper, a ten-year-old Zulu
boy.
Eighteen bullocks were spanned into
their wagon, but their load was made
up chiefly Of two parlor organs from
Boston that were to help outfit the bar.
racks in some up country settlement.
That was strange sight-the eight.
cen lean Basuta bullocks, very slow
paced, led by the little Zulu voorlooper,
and the big, strange Transvaal wagon,
loaded only with these two boxed up
organs, the name of the Boston firm
| stenciled on the outside of the boards
For two months Otto trekked stead
fly northward, singing hymns upon oc
casion and on Sundays spanning Out
all day long. At times he tried to re
vive the spirit of righteousness in his
transport rider, West, who blasphemed
the bullocks hourly in more ways than
you would believe possible, and at
times he would try to convert the little
voorlooper.
The little Zulu was stunned and be-
wildered by Otto Marks clamor, but
Otto's swinging revival songs with
their tambourine accompaniment sent
him into frenzy Of delight, and hi
would invariably set to dancing, shak
ing his fists with vague and iuriou.
gestures.
After two months they were stopped
by the Umnyati river, which was il
food, and were obliged to make a long
cross country detour, with the line Of
telegraph poles as their guide.
The huge wagon lurched down int
the bed Of the SLUT, plowed across
through the scattered powders ant
took the rising slope Of the opposite
bank with the heave and crash of .
stranding galley. West dashed at tn,
wheel bullocks with the sjambok O.
rhinoceros hide and then swore in Be
chuana at the little voorlooper becaus,
he was not prodding on the lead bull
locks, but was standing motionless a
the head of the span, his hands dan
Cling ut his sides, staring stupid.
across the bush. He was dumb will
terror.
The wagon slipped backward int
the bed of the SLUT, and the bullock
fell into confusion as the yoorloope
came running back along the span
waving his arms wildly.
AS was said before, Otto Marks ha
trekked full upon an impi Of Matabele
doing Mahunda, and when that hap
pens to white man he were best d
himself to death as swiftly as he may
for swift death, even If it be the kin,
that lies in the crook of ones forefir
ger, is better than the kind that come
slowly and in the midst of thick smok
and screams and horrid twistings O
the body. But Otto did not know this
and West, who should have known II
chose to think that they might eve
then escape.
Otto climbed down from the wagon
and he and West ran up the bank o
the SLUT and looked out far across tn
bush and saw the Matabele comm,
down on them slowly in two long lines
but West observed that they advance,
with regular cadenced movemen
and that many of them staggered IL
the ranks, sometimes Keeling almos
to the ground.
Drunk" he exclaimed; "drunk wit
cape smoke; blind drunk and dancing
I've seen these niggers before. w
may get off, but, oh, it's chance
Pray your God for miracle now, OFT
Marks, for there's little short of it &c
Ing to get us clear Of here. Drunk an
dancing" he repeated. Eyes, It's GU
only chance. Quick now, off with th
case Of that melodeonv'
Otto obeyed, at first stupidity and BIZ
numbed with fear; then, as West
crazy expedient flashed upon him, wit
an excess Of frenzy tearing wildly a
the stubborn boards, prying them u
with his hunting knife. wrenchin
them away with q strength that wa
born of the moment
i