Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1888-03-10 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

TERRIBLE STORY FROM AFRICA.  A correspondent of the Manchester Guardian at Lake Nyassa sends to that journal a letter, dated the 10th of December last, describing some terrible atrocities by Arabs in that region. Within the past three years there have, he says, been taking place in East and Central Africa certain movements, possibly not generally known, but which should engage the serious attention of all interested in those regions, whether their interests lay in the Congo Free State, in the new English or German "spheres of influence" in East Africa, or in any one or all of the chain of missions that have been established on the great lakes of Central Africa. These movements are, he thinks, most briefly and best described by the words, 'the later Arab invasion of East Central Africa." The correspondent describes the district occupied by the Wa4konde people, and says that no question was raised by the first Arab settlers in Nkonde as to the right of the Wa-Nkonde to the proprietorship of the country. As soon, however, as the Arab position in the country became strong enough, and guided, no doubt, by the terrible example lately set them in the Manyerna country, their attitude became far more pronounced, and they have now set up the oldest settler of their number as the  sotanw or mcw,mr comrrnr."  Tribute has been exacted, with the alternative of butchery and extermination, from the Wa-Nkonde chiefs, and in cases where this has not been paid the people are fugitives from the country, sheltered at the present moment by their fellow-tribesmen at the extreme north end of the lake. Thirty miles of the lake shore have been devastated, and had it not been for the restraining influence of the English at Karonga, and the uncertainty of the Arabs as to the attitude we would take, there is no doubt the butchery would have extended much further than it has done. In July last an altercation between an Arab follower and a Nkonde chief called Kasote led up to a quarrel in which Kasote was shot dead by an Arab. Infuriated by the killing of one of their fellows, all the WaNkonde chiefs in the neighbourhood assembled their forces and prepared to attack Mirambo, the Arab village in which the murder had taken place. A war which might have resulted in the expulson of the Arabs from the district seemed now imminent, but the strong influence of the African Lakes Company's agent, Mr. Monteith, secured peace. Very soon afterwards, however, another difficulty arose. Just six weeks ago a quarrel occurred between some Arabs and a native chief called Mweni-Mtetiover the purchase of some sugar-cane, and in this paltry quarrel the Nkonde chief was again shot. Rendered furious by this double outrage, the Wa-Nkonde lost all control, and avenged themselves by slaughtering the Arab followers and women, some eight or ten in number, then buying food in their villages. From that time to this the Nkonde country and its people have been given over to the brutality of the ruffians who congregate in the train of every Arab trader in Central Africa. The people were swept out of one village after another in quick succession. Until the work of destruction was completed in the more outlying villages, the three Nkonde chiefs, Easangula, Karongs, and Materna, whose villages immediately surround the English station, were left untouched. Seeing, however, that the English were unable to protect them, and not crediting Arab professions of friendship, their people fled to a large lagoon a few miles away, and there hid themselves with their food in its reeds. And now there occurred a horrible instance of Arab.