Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-14
ESCAPE OF BAMBAATA.
SITUATION ONE OF INCREASING
GRAVITY IN zULULAND.
Special cahlsgram to The star.

Special Cahlegram to The Star.
JOHANNESBURG. May 1.-THE situa-
ton created BY the successful escape of the
rebel chief Bambaata from his own To-
cation near Greytown. In the Nkandhla dis
trfct OF Zuiuiand, is undoubtedly becoming
one OF increasing. gravity. owing to the ac-
tor of the Zulu chiefs in that vicinity.
There are minor differences of details be-
tween the various reports transmitted from
Natal, but 1t is apparent that at least two
chiefs OF authority siganamdi and NDubi
have fatty refused to cooperate with the
authorities in their endeavors to capture
| Rambaata and his followers.
Even more serious are the reports that
these chiefs actively helped Bambaata In
his fight after he crossed tile TugeIa and
that they have threatened HASH, a minor
but loyal chief. with the wipines out OF him
self and his tribe unless he joins in their
Pans which, according to Hashi. include q
deliberate attack upon Nkandhla and Es-
howe. Eiganamdi has long been suspected
OF harboring refugees in the dense Tickets
of the Nkandhla forest. He Is said to be a
ceEtenarian and an associate not only OF
Cetowayo, but even of Dingaan the fero-
cious tyrant whom the Beers defeated sew
enty wears ago. He is one OF the old school
of Zulu warriors. and it Is believed that he
feels that If his end is to come soon he
might as we'll die fighting the white man as
In any other direction
That the trouble has so far extended be-
yond the chiefs mentioned there Is no EVIL
dence. report from Melmoth declares
that the Zuius of that district are holding a
large meeting of armed natives at place
called M Vomba. The white population
have gone into lager at Nkandhla, Eshowe
and Melmoth
Native Troubles in South Africa.
The native troubles in the South African
colonies generally looked upon In much
the same way as the appearance of a few
cases of cholera in a home city are regard
ed Beyond the widespread Kaffir dscon-
tent that has existed for considerable
time. there is nothing in the situation to
cause very gloomy outlook at present. but
at the same time 1t cannot be denied that
there are elements that do not bode we'll
for the future. For instance every one in
the colonies has looked upon Dinizulu as a
rock of loyalty. whereas now 1t begins to
appear that he cannot be depended upon.
The Zuus general thing respect Ijini-
zulu as rock of loyalty to their ancient
customs and religions and 1t can readily be
seen that in a period of storm and stress
he is more likely to climb down on the ma
tive side of the fence than the English side.
Reports to the effect that there Is con-
siderable indignation over the fact that the
authorities have burned native churches
show that the situation is not understood
The churches in question are not sacred
buildings, but native political meeting
places, where the dangerous doctrines of
Ethiopianism are preached They are con-
Quoted by the Ethiopian missionaries, and
the creed preached in them is that the
white man must go and the black must be
handed back his country. White men are
not allowed to enter when the services are
under way. and the natives refuse to per-
nit white missionaries to preach in the
huts. The future existence of the European
in South Africa is believed to be dependent
upon the roofing out of Ethiopianism, and
hnG h1Gf fa1 f11of he
destruction of miscalled churches.
Not as Reported.
However, ST. Paul's Church at Durham
was not burned down in this way has
been reported. In fact, there is a strong
suspicion that natives started the fire which
broke out about o'clock In the morning
The church was one of the oldest in South
Africa contained the memorial to the
plucky Dick King. whose name will be re-
membered as long as Durham lasts. The
Dick King cabinet was smashed. and there
is evidence that the building was looted be-
fore it was fired. Nothing escaped total
ruin. and the church is loss, not to Dur
ban alone, but to the colony
Mr.. SHUTS, the Boer leader. in an address
at Pretoria recently declared that the ques-
ton of British supremacy in South Africa
was not point at issue in the existing con-
troversy. 1t is claimed that by denouncing
the native labor association and advocating
a return to the old system of touting he has
offered a direct bribe to all unemployables.
The system of touting required every mine
owner to employ touts to bring in Kaffirs
for the mine belonging to him. These touts,
may well be imagined, were often men
who were good for nothing else. AS they
were always bidding against one another,
their methods were at once costly to the
mines and demoraliZing to the natives.
That bad system was finally abolished and
the Native Labor Association took Its place.
The Native Labor Association keeps its
agents under control and offers them no
inducement to resort to the more dubious
methods of competition. The native labor
ers 1t recruits are apportioned to the differ
ent mines according to recognized rules.