John Bull's Latest Conquest. PONDOLAND.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 266, 17 March 1894, Page 4

John Bull's Latest Conquest. PONDOLAND.

Various cablegrams have recently appeared in the Star with reference to the proposed annexation of Pondo* land by the Government of Cape Colony. Being a tract of country very little known, except to its immediate neighbours, perhaps a short description of it and the customs of its' inhabitants, will not be inappropriate at the present time. Pondoland is a narrow strip of country situated immediately south of Natal, and is ruled by an independent chief. The natives are a lazy, cowardly, lying set of rascals, and the majority of the few white men who live in the country are " wanted " by the police for some crime or other, chiefly " gunrunning." The laws relating to the sale of arms and ammunition to any natives of South Africa are so very stringent that they naturally make the transaction one of considerable risk, and therefore of proportionate profit. Eight years ago £25 was the price (in cattle, on which a profit would be made when driven for sale to any of the large towns) for a Martini-Henri rifle, and £5 for 100 rounds of ammunition, and as these articles could be bought for about £5 there was a very fair margin of profit for tho speculator. There are a few Mission stations in the country, but, as the Pondos do not take kindly to now religions, the missions are not in a very flourishing state. Superstition is very rife amongst the Pondos who believe in no Supreme Being, nor, in fact, in any religion or gods. As an instance of their superstition they believe that it is impossible for any one to die. Men, women, or children of any age, according to their creed, cannot die from natural causes but are killed through witchcraft, and in revenge some other person or persons, a lesser or greater number according to the rank of the deceased, are what is termed " smellet. out " in consequence. ''Smelling-out" is conducted as follows : — When a Pondo has paid the last debt of nature his male relatives, or friends, immediately repair to the nearest witch-doctor — usually taking with them a fat cow or bullock as a present — and acquaint him with the tidings of the sad event, and, at the same time, request him to find out for them, by means of the magic at Ilis command, the person who has caused the death of their friend. The witch-doctor then requests the deputation to enter his hut, aud squatting on their haunches in a semicircle, tbe doctor standing up in the centre, facing them, he commences his wonderful performances. Taking from a bag a lot of charms he places them in front of him, and then proceeds to interrogate his audience with respect to the name of their friend, where he lived, who were his enemies— and friends — the manner of his death, and a great number of other questions chiefly relating to bis past life, and other queries which appear to an uninterested listener totally irrelevant to the main issue, viz— who killed the person in question. All this talk is totally unnecessary, but is a part of the ceremony, the doctor probably knowing more about the deceased and the manner of his death than his relatives do, they (the witch-doctors) being obliged to be acquainted with everything which occurs in their immediate vicinity or they would soon lose their power. It is most wonder£il how they obtain all their knowledge, and what remarkably retentive memories they possess. They are fairly good weather prophets too, a deal better than Captain Edwin. After the doctor has acquired all the information he deems necessary on this occasion he proceeds to consult his charms, and as he, and in fact, most of his class, are fairly good ventriloquists, he makes them tell the listeners who has committed the deed. In talking to his charms he makes a long rambling speech, during which his audience lean forward at intervals at the same time striking the palms of their bands gently together and saying ' savuma,' which means ' We agree.' During the ceremony the doctor is constantly making the most hideous contortions of his face, and performing many absurd antics with his body. It invariably happens that the doctor incriminates, someone who has a large number of cattle (which is practically tie only wealth of the Pondos) so that his share may be well worth receiving. As soon as the f fiends of tbe deceased have learn*, d the name oi the person wlio ie supposed to nave caused the death of the so-called victim to witchcraft, tbe\ tike leave of the doctor and proceed to tie lint of the cWeased. They tell him tat he will soon be avenged. A council ot ■w;\r i> 'Inn li ii nnd dlhur nre lain how best f> -" : » ' ' ' '''c accused (To be continued.)