The Matabeles

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 128, 29 November 1893, Page 2

The Matabeles

An officer in Major Forbes' column in Mashonaland, writing in the Melbourne Argus of the Matabele war, says:— The Matabele nation sprang originally from a pure Zulu Htock. It was owing to a quarrel between Mosilikatze, the father of Lobengula, and the great Chaka that the former trekked northwards in 1831, and finally settled on the Great Marico river. The neighbouring tribes fell an easy prey to his trained regiments, and besides growing rich in cattle he augmented his army by devoting all the youths taken in war to martial exercises from their boyhood Some tea years later, however, not without a fierce and bloody straggle, Moflilikates was forced to trek once morn. The Dutch had grown weary of Government interference, and wandered further afield in search of that liberty so dear to them. So he went northwards, and finally settled in Matabele. land, where his people have been located ever since. In that fair region they prospered abundantly, and waxed rich. The neighbouring tribes were conqueied and enslaved until the name of Matabele became a terror even in the countries north of the Zambeei. But as time went on the strict discipline that had prevailed under the old regime was relaxed, and not only the soldiers, but the people themselves, intermarried freely with the captive and inferior races amongst whom they dwelt or whom they conquered, so that at the present day very few of the pure original stock remain. In fact, the Matabeles are nothing more than bastard Zulus. Not only in physique, but in tone, they have sadly demoralised. Time was when a . Matabele who returned without his shield incurred the penalty of death. Nor would he condescend to' fight except with men. Now all they peek is the indiscriminate slaughter of women and children, and defeat in war entails only temporary disgrace.