Page 228
Page 228
ditions of his restoration. The new settlement of Zululand, as finally adopted, was far less open to attack than would have been a mere bald undoing of the work of the Zulu war, but like the settlement of 1879, it had the radical defect of being incapable of standing the strain of actual working. It did not restore peace between the "Usutus" and "anti-Usutus,” i.e., the partisans and the enemies of Cetywayo's" house," who had been at feud since 1879. Nothing was changed. There was only one Usutu the more, and, by all ac- counts, a very intriguing and mischievous, though no longer a powerful, Usutu. Cetywayo came back to Zululand in January 1883. On the 30th of March following, Undabuko, his brother, a principal leader of the Usutus, attacked Usibebu, the great anti-Usutu chief, in the north of Zululand, who had been, as already stated, left independent of Cetywayo. Undabuko had been engaged in quarrels and hostilities with Usibebu ever since 1880, and in one view, this attack might be considered as only an incident in a long and desultory warfare; but Sir Henry Bulwer viewed it as a novel, unprovoked and unjustifiable attack, made with Cetywayo's cogni- zance, the object being to subjugate Usibebu and his country, in defiance of the settlement just adopted by the British Government. Cetywayo, apart from these attacks on Usibebu in the north, was reputed to be intriguing with or threatening the inhabitants of the Reserve," endeavouring to set them against the British authorities, and to obtain an acknowledgment of his authority in that portion of the country which he was said to declare that the Queen and Lord Kimberley wished him to have- the Natal authorities (according to the theory imputed to him) wrongfully withholding it from him. In his ambitious projects, and dis- regard of the conditions of his restoration, he was believed to be prompted and encouraged by the Colenso family, whose intervention in the affairs of Zululand has been more
or less active for some years, and has been, in Sir Henry Bulwer's opinion, wholly mischievous. Bishop Colenso, his son and daughter had been openly hostile to the Zulu war, and to the de- position and detention of Cetywayo. The Colensos are believed to have encouraged in some way the Usutus in that course of conduct which led to the break-down of the settlement of 1879, both by inciting them to resist the authority of certain appointed" chiefs, and by keeping alive the question of Cetywayo's release from durance and restoration to Zululand. There is also evidence that they encouraged Cetywayo in the line which he adopted during the few months of his restoration. And here it may be observed that although Bishop Colenso is dead, the influence of "Bishopstowe is by no means extinct, as Miss Colenso has some influence with the Usutus, and more with Mr. Chesson, of the Aborigines Protection Society; and in any policy which may be adopted the views and possible activities of
Page 228
Page 228
Page 228