The Southern Gates of Mashonaland.

Manawatu Herald, 23 February 1892, Page 3

The Southern Gates of Mashonaland.

(Concluded.) The drift, known by the Company as Main Drift, which may be rathe: ':uown to hunters by an old name Lion's Causeway, brings anyone crossing from the Transvaal to a spoi not only picturesque but admirably adapted by nature for defence again3l invaders from the south. The police camp was pitched about a thousand yards from the river on a remarkably level area. Behind it rises an almost . perfectly symmetrical hill, about one hundred and fifty feet in height, around the summit of which the Force built a stone wall. A maxim gun covers the approach from the river ; and overhead flies the Union Jack. On the right of the camp is situated another hill, also extremely well fortified both by nature and by artifice. It was at this drift that the chief effort was made on the part of Col. Ferreira, the Boer leader, and his men to effect an entrance in Banyai land. Towards the end of June they arrived at the river, and very soon Col. Ferreira, with two or three companions rode over with tht purpose of demanding an entrance. He was almost immediately told that he was a prisoner. Despite a good deal of bluster and threats of an immediate attack, by the tact mainly of Dr Jameson, who came into camp soon after the Colonel's arrival, the latter was satisfactorily made prisoner. For three days nevertheless the attitude of the Boers was such as to keep the police under arms, and a reinforcement was sent for. Happily however by the resolute front of the Chartered Company, and possibly by the influence of Col. Ferreira himself, who" was released each night on parole, the Boers were induced to think better of their decision and returned home. t Still some miles further eastward, a week's waggon journey, the Company have made a road. And now it leads to more remote regions. Past Magombe's kraal, once routed by a mere handful of Dutchmen, in those petty border warfares, of which the world knows little. Through rough and rocky defile, near a drift, which appears, from native accounts, to have hardly been ever crossed by more than a couple of waggons, and which it was considered unnecessary to occupy. Through a fine game country, where buck may be seen in plenty, and the hunter, may track down giraffe and quagga, and lions,- as yet are but little disturbed, and at last the traveller is brought to drift arid hears, some four miles below, the roaring of the Falls. Nearly thirty miles south of M'tipi's kraal, the residence of one of the three great chiefs of the lower Banyai Veldt, M'tipi, Ohibi, and Setoutigie, this drift is in the direct route for the natives of the interior; who go down to learn civilisation, and collect " filthy lucre " Perhaps one hundred will pass down everyday, bound for Pretoria, Johannesburg and Whitemen's Homes atill further south. Nearly every man carries a bow and barbed arrows, and many the native-wrought assegai. A few have cherished old dilapidated coats, which have found their way to the owner's remote homes, and some carry antiquated guns, which appear to have been obtained from Portuguese stations on the Zambesi. Striking is the contrast between those outgoing natives, who are mostly simpletons, and those returning, clad in varied finery, old military and police tunics, felt hats and modern boots, carrying in belts or pouches their hardgotten gains and burdened with the blessings of civil' isation ! This drift is generally known as Kafir Drift, and is the nearest crossing for hunters frdm Zoutspangberg. Further eastward than this an exploring party failed to find a drift of any likely use. The year 1890 was devoted to the eminently successful "pioneer" occupation of Mashonaland. The year 1891 to, as to speak, " beating the bounds," which resulted in a cdmplete victory over the Portuguese, and the no less completely successful though bloodless campaign with the Boers. The hardships of the last wet season will be this year avoided. Already a superabundance of provisions has gone into the country ; points are being set across the rivers, between which there will be a service of waggons, so that there will be no di'Vculty in sending up any stores which may be necessary. With the improvement in the roads, and the increased security in the country, machinery and other mining necessaries will come as soon as possible ;, and the early part of the dry season, of 1892 should be marked by the immigration of large numbers of that future population who will raise the gold once owned by the Queen of Sheba, and till the fair and fertile country where- Baines travelled and Livipgaton toiled.