Page:On the Central South African Tribes from the South Coast to the Zambesi.pdf/25

 east, and is continually growing. When he first arrived he remained for some time in the forest, and then at night set fire to the huts of the natives; the men ran out, and as they did so were killed by the Zulus. The women and children were taken possession of, and the result was that the peaceful Makalakas recognised the Zulus as their masters. Moselikatse’s kingdom increased towards the east and north-west, and he was continually enlarging his power. After I had seen the doings of the Matabele, I took the liberty, when I came down to South Africa, to publish accounts of them, but this was disliked by a few white men who lived in the residence of the king and who did not like my publishing it. Quite recently I heard more on the subject, and will have to deal with this matter more minutely. These Makalakas live in several small tribes under the Matabele. They are still agriculturists, but have only a few heads of goat and sheep, and these men, who were recognised by all the Betchuanas as very good men and neighbours, are now some of the greatest villains in South Africa. There are no greater thieves than they. The Matabele have caused this.

The Matabele are at present a mixed race, and we find some of them dark-brown, some light-brown. In their features they are similar to many other tribes.

To the east of the Matabele is the kingdom of the Mashonas. Notwithstanding that it is a very unhealthy region in South Africa, it abounds with game, and is extremely fertile, rice and cotton being cultivated by the natives themselves, I know gold is to be found there, and I saw pieces of alluvial gold. I would say that there is a great future in store for that land. I endeavoured during my journeys to do all I could to open up the country to trade and commerce, but it was a very difficult thing to do. We know that on the east fever is very prevalent, and round the south is the Tsetse fly. From the Zambesi, trade might be carried on, but the Matabele are spreading in this direction, and would not allow white men to go into the country. The safest way is to go in from the south-east, to cultivate these lands for eight months, and during the fever season return into the Matabele country. The King of the Matabele, however, said that no white man should come in and settle down. He was afraid that the white men would help the Mashonas when they saw the cruelties practised upon them. I used to think that this opening up of trade could only be done by force; but I thought differently after the Zulu War, when I visited Cape Town and had an opportunity of meeting Sir Bartle Frere. He asked my opinion about these tribes, and when we came to talk about the Matabele I took the liberty to mention the following: “My opinion is that this king will now allow white