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WEEK-END
THE COURAGE OF
Hitherto Untold Tale of
the Matabele Rebellion
portraying Cecil Rhodes has
General
Francisco, the Spanish Author of "The Making of Rhodesia,“ "Old Rhodesian Days," "The Jameson
Rald," etc.
THE PRODUCTION of a film By Lieut.-Colonel doubtless revived many me-H. MARSHALL HOLE, mories among those who knew him personally. It seems, there- fore, a quitable moment for re- Inting a story, never before made public, of his cool judg ment and disregard of his own safety in a critical situation. It is now told on the authority of an eye-witness, for whose ver- acity, though he prefers to re- main anonymous, all who know him can vouch.
The incident occurred just forty-suvky, fantry, and artil- |
10
to bring ruin and desolation upen
Rhodesian whole
enterprice. the Additional volunteers were rapidly enrolled in the Cape Colony by Major Plumer (afterwords Field Marshat Viscount Plumer), and in Natal, while the Imperial Govern- ment despatched, several units of by in case further were required. At pforcements two years ago, in the early stages of
the same time a detachment of 150 the native rebellion in Matabeleland, and as so long a period has elapsed, of the "Rhodesian Horse" started brief explanation of the preceding from Salisbury to the aid of their fellow-settlers in Matabeleland. events may be justified,
Their number would have been dou- bled had not the authorities-wisely as it turned oul-insisted on retain ing some for the defence of Mashona land, though no trouble was then anticipated on that side of the coun-
were
victims
try,
K
*
On March 29, 1096, the Matabele whose warlike propensities notorious, and who had only partially been subdued by the Chartered Com pany's little army of settlers two three years before broke without warning into open revolt. Within a few days they had slaughtered in cold blood over a hundred white
With the last mentioned contingent men, women and children, whom
come Ccell Rhodes, who had just re- they surprised in small isolated part-
turned from England, where he had ics at farms and mining camps round
been "facing the music"-his own Bulawayo, mutilating the with all the refinements of cruelty phrase-safter the Rald. He had known to savages, looting and burn-barely recovered from a severe attack the low-lying through ing their homesteads and destroy- of malaria picked up during his
Journey ing their livestock.
country on the east const; but he shared in all the hardships of the forced march of 300 miles, and took part in several small actions, expos- ing himself In # manner which caused great anxiety to his friends. A column was sent out to meet the Salisbury men, and shortly after a Junction had been effected Rhodes, with a small escort, pushed forward to Bulawayo, where he arrived on June 2.
*
*
*
The civilian Inhabitants of Bula- wayo and smaller pioneer settlements faced the crisis without flinching Although crippled by the less of most of the trained police force (which had been withdrawn to Transvaal border, and had taken part in the Jameson Raid) they formed themselves Into volunteer corps, fortified the town ships as best they could and kept the rebels at bay. Led by such proved captains ns Selous, George
The town had been converted into a military camp, the women and a
Grey and Maurice Gifford, these In a "laager," while every able-
SECTION
CECIL RHODES
rebellion, with Colonel (now Lord) Baden-Powell as his Chief of Staff.
**
*
Plumer had brought up his 800 volunteers from the south with ex- traordinary celerity. and was already occupied in clearing the districts on the western side of the town. He was now ordered to move north- wards, and about 200 of the local troops under Captain R. Macfarlane (an ex-cavalry officer) with a body of "friendly natives" in charge of a civil ufficial, were sent from Bula- wayo to meet at the function of the Kham and Gwani rivers, where the enemy was said to be in strong force.
was re-
Rhodes attached himself to the int- ter coluinn, He had -no amcial- status in the country, for after the Raid he had resigned his seat on the Chartered Board; but he cognized by the settlers as the guld- ing epirit of their destinies, and was held in awe by the natives, who in- vested him with almost supernatural held attributes. He was also freely con- sulted by
Carrington, who friend of lont standing. On Anding that Macfarlane's troops were on hall rations he made arrangements for o short hait, while wagons with fur- ther supplies were procured by him from Bulawayo.
Wos o
Next day, before dawn, the column moved forward and reached 'Fonseca's farm, where, six weeks be- o sharp engagement had taken
fo
fore.
good many casualties, in- suffered
many casualties place, in which the local force had cluding Maurice Gifford,
who had Jost an
Matabele arm. Here the were waiting for them; and up a brisk fire. As often happens often opened with irregular and half-disciplined Wi
the advance and flank guards forward to meet the attack leaving the wagon convoy holled in the rond, and protected only by small dismounted escort, a 7-pounder gun of obsolete design, and an en- elent Nordenfeldt. After remaining In this defenceless position for about twenty minutes they came under aro at short range from
of the
the mounted men and slipped in be- tween them and the convoy.
some
provised troops patrolled them- few non-combatants being pent up enemy, who had managed to elude
enst bouring distrlets, and, at the
any of heavy casualties, effected many gallani rescues of parties and indi- viduals who had been fortunate enough to escape the first orgy of
massacre.
It soon became evident, however. that the disaffection was spreading far and wide, and that the hastily raised and ill-equipped local forces would be hopelessly inadquate to crush on outbreak which threatened
near
5+
**
bodied Min Wns bearing arms. Rhodes at once betook himself to his own house, three miles north of
It was a critical situation, for, the the town, and perilously
could not be outposts of the rebels: and here, with owing to the long grass and dense his personal friends, Sir Charles Met-scrub, the attackers caffe and Colonel (now Sir Weston) neen, and it was impossible to detach
he made
any men from the small escort to Jarvis, and a few orderiles, he his headquarters. Simultaneously clear the bush. The field gun was with his arrival the command of the unlimbered and loaded with chaln forces hari been assumed by General shot, bai though it might have been Carrington, who had been sent out useful against a massed attack, from England at the outbreak of the could not be brought into
against an invisible enemy.
The SNAPSHOT GUILD
"ANGLE" PICTURES
Tilting the camera up or down gives unusual "angle" pictures.
WHEN you walk down the street of your home town, looking for pictures, what are some of the things You Boo!
him? You will get an "angle" plc. ture that catches tho ove instantly and it you try snaps from two or three angios, turning the camera so that the lines of the ladder and storo
Do you notice a now building so sign "lead into the picture ia dir ing up, and it back your head to ferent ways, you may got soveral get a good view of the work? Is striking arrangements. there someone digging a pit or ex- Whether it is a "natural" vlow of ravation, so that you have to lean ari unusual subject, or an unusual over and look down to zoo what's | view of an ordinary subject, the going on?
"anglo shot” nearly always has in-
In such cases, the angle makes terest value.. A small boy curled up tho violatoresting, doesn't it? in a big armchair with a book is n Then why not try the same thing
with your eamora?
good picture subject from normal
vlowpoint. But why not try a snap of him from a bigh viewpoint, such
I know, of course, there's a rule which says, "Don't tilt the camera." as from a box or table or even frem It's a good rule, too, for many pic the household stepladder? It might turos. For instance, it you take a give an oren boller pleuro, picture of your house, and get no I saw an interesting "straight- close that you have to tilt the cam-down" suup recoully mado from a ora upward, your picture will show window right over the snapshooter's the house as if it were tilted back on front door. Two visiting frionda its foundations, which isn't the ef- wore looking straight up at the cam- tock you want at all,
cru, one could seo but little more But, in a great many pictures, an than their faces, and the walk on unusual viewpoint gives added in which they were standing. Unusual terest. And, for many subjscle, the camera angles made the picturo un- "bird's eys" or "warm's eye" angio aual. But there really should have Is a natural point of view.
boen one more picture–a snap of -For example, suppose you noe a the snapshooter as ba Joaned out of palater on a tall ladder doing repair the window to samp his friends, work on a store sign! If you snap taken with the camera pofuted him from some distance down the straight up. That would have given street, the picture won't be espe- both lowpoints,"
cially interesting. But-what if you Try some "anglo shots",They are "arg" almost "under the ladder, with a fruitfal source of camera fun.- "the" camera pointed straight up at
John van Gafider
it
action
At this juncture Rhodes, who had dashed ohead at the first contact with the rebels, reappeared with Metcalfe. He took in the position at a glance, and said to the officer in charge of the guns, "We must clear the bush, or these fellows will get our guns and mules." He realised that no men could be spared from the escort or the gun crew (with which my infor mani was serving), but thought that something might be done with the poor lot us they were, "friendlies," armed only with assegnis, and quite prepared to bolt. At Rhodes's bld- ding, the Native Commissioner in charge tried to induce them to enter the bush, but they refused to budge.
*
* "Will they follow me if I lead the way?" he then naked. Without waiting for a definite "Yes," and in spite of Metcalfe's urgent warning, You can't go in there, Rhodes. they'll get you for certain," he turned The his horse and rode forward. friendlies, seeing the man whom they knew as the "Great White Chief" advancing and beckoning them on, plucked up courage beating the bush and yelling some sort of war-ery.
*
SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 1988
So This is How You Lived, Grandma!
by F.G.H. SALUSBURY
I
T must have struck anyone who has
a Victorian family album that-as Mr. Peter Quennell says-there is more character than charm in the photographed faces.
In general he says, "The expression may be benign, dignified or merely pompous; but it 11as a kind of self-assuranco in which modern faces are strangely and at times-sadly lacking."
The secret seems to have been in the lives our grandparents and great-grandparents led. They were clearly defined lives, in which the emphasla was on individuality.
You sank or you swam. Wealth-and it was very wealthy-kept poverty at x distance. Things were held to bo "ordered " high and lowly.
There were incredible con- trasts.
Take the following descrip- tion of the eve of a public hanging outside Newgate in the 'sixties. The observer is in a house overlooking the scene:-
"A surging mass, with here and thero a flickering torch, rolled and roared before one; above this weird scene rose the voices of men and women shouting, singing, blaspheming, and, as the night advanced and
· the liguld gained firmer mastery, it seemed as if hell had delivered up its victims.
"To approach the window was a matter of danger; volleys of mud immediately saluted
one.
A
FTER
it
was over, a number of respect- able old city men joined the crowd, trying to thread their way to offices and counting houses. Gangs of at- pickpockets immediately tacked them; and while two thugs held the indignant mer- chant's arms, their confederates ran neatly through his pockets.
Watches, chains, scarf-pins were whipped out of sight; shouts of 'murder,' 'help,' 'police' were uttered in vain.
Now consider this scene in
Mr.Quonnaillabals this "Middle Class, 1870."
In your
family album it's probably called "Uncle Goorge
and ..
Mayfair or Belgravia, as you might have done on the after- noon of the hanging:-
"Carriages, rolling by with wigged conchmen, heavy em~ broidered hammer-cloths, and large armorial bearings; mag- nificent flunkeys sunning them- selves on whitened doorsteps and exposing to the public admiration their wonderfully upholstered calves; footmen or foot-boys, in gold-braided top- hats, following their mistress at a respectful distance, carrying her prayer-book, lap-dog or parcel..
"Where in the world be- sides (wrote a contemporary) can there be seen such gathered tulip-show of radi- ant faces and dresses, blazing liveries and magnificent equip- ages?
TL
Mr. Quennell, author of "Victorian Panorama" (Bats- ford, 7s. 8d.), has made a won- derful collection of photographs to illustrate his text. The earlier ones go back to the 'forties, and seem to annihilate
EXCERPTS FROM
"L.F. Dumbell"
ISAIAH
sald Joshua n saloon bar Kilburn way, that put
"Do Playfair.
those one of our fellows on to that." Initials
алу- convey
thing to you?"
Dumbell rubbed his what connection, sir?"
11
nost.
Dumbell looked at the letter. It was written in an ornate hand, "In rich in flourishes-the hand of a man who has too good a conceit of himself.
"In connection, sald Playfair, "with the felonious receipt of stolen
Jewellery." and followed,
The Matabele skirmishers fired a few
more shots, but were evidently misled by the hullabaloo into thinking that the whole patrol was turning back on them; they wavered, crept from their positions, and were soon In full retreut.
Rhodca's coolness on this occasion was a foretaste of that which he displayed three months later when, unarmed, with three companions only, he rode into the enemy strong- hold in the Matoppo mountaina, where, surrounded by hundreds of armed rebels, he fearlessly opened parleys
peace.
which exentually lcd to
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523, Nathan Road, Kowloon.
"Dear Lola" (ran the letter). "Thank you, my dear, for writing. Dumbell thought for a moment. At last I am allowed to send you a am not unhappy here, Then, "Why, of course, sir," he sold, reply. I "L.F.-Leo Fleischmann. His shop being conscious, as you know, of I hope, and
is in Harminster Road, not very for my Innocence; and from the Angel. A little lower, I believe, that it will one day be fully
vindicated. think."
"What says the poet, Lola? 'My "A little lower than the angels," murmured Playfair. "Yes, that strength is as the strength of ten, would be
description of because my heart is pure. Mark Fleischmann. Well, Dumbell, your that well, my angel: the strength deduction accords with mine. Go of ten,'
fair n
"In my spare time,
EPISODE 64
to Superintendent Swale and get
Fleisch- warrant. for mann's arrest-here are the details of the charge --and we'll pay a call on him this morning."
When Dumbell came back with the warrant the Inspector was study-
Letter, ing a
hall, contemptuous smile on his face.
FROM INSPECTOR PLAYFAIR'S NOTEBOOK
of which- alast-I have too much, I am studying the Old Testament. How lofty, how inspiring. Lola, is the language of Iaalaht See, for example, VIII., XXV. 4 XXIIII., IX. 13, XXV. 10, XXIV. 2-22. It is an interesting exercise to take passages such as these, and weave them into a coherent whole; he said, passing
"Send mu another letter, angel, Duinbell, "that has, I fear, sealed when the regulations permit; and Fleischmann's doom. Extraordinary tell me that you have been glad to how the clover' type of criminal hear from me."
π
"This is the docu-
ment."
to 11
"Your sincere friend,
"Ephraim Adrum.” Dumbell studied this document
underrate continues to
UB. God knows, Dumbell, that we're not very bright every writer of dime novels tells us that--but there are limits to amelut unintelligence. I half ex- with furrowed brows. "I suppose." pected." he added, "that Adsum, he said at length, "there's some sort the concelled ass, would give his of code here?" alow away sooner or later."
"Adsum?" sald Dumbell. "I'm
not sure that I've heard of him."
"That's right, Dumbell."
Those references to Isaiah?” "You've got it, Dumbell."
Playfair laughed. "Oh
come,
The figures stand for letters? "He's in Maldstone," said Play 1 for A, 2 for B and so on?" fair. "He's doing 18 months for Iarceny. Theft of rings from a Joweller's in Arlington Street. The Dumbell, it's not quite so simple as document before you Is a letter that. You've got the general Iden, from Adsum to his girl friend, Lols though. But don't forget that the da Pincza. I've been watching out strength of Mr. Adsum is as the for
it for some
I solved the riddle time. The rings, you strength of tent see, haven't yet been recovered in 11 minutes-see what you can Adsum's défence was just a nat do."
denial of the theft--and I felt sure
that, at the first opportunity, he'd What was Adsum's message to be sending word to Zola as to their. Lola? whereabouts, · Sha dropped a hint, In-****
(Bolutions onTM Columu”7)..
the years between, Paintings always have a remoteness, but those heavily skirted little girls in their poke-bonnets, caught for a few seconds in the sunlight, are still with us. They will never grow up.
Here is a scene at the seaside in the 'eightles. What great, big skirts you wore, grandmama! How thlekly dressed everyone was. And there is grandpapa in deerstalker cap just ke Sherlock Holmes had.
D
Here is Happy Hampstead, In 1800. Real, proper donahs the girls are. Some have aprons. All have vast, magnificent hats, sauclly tilted to one side, and decorated like wedding-cakes.
One has a mouth-organ, and they are kicking up their legs--- hold it, Liza, hold it; thank you, that will make a nice picture- for the opening of a riotous dance.
ONDON looks to have been a leisurely place in the 'seventies, if one may judge from a view of Charing Cross that shows a roadway completely deserted but for two carriages and a cart drawn up at the kerb, and one cab in the distance.
But dive off the main streets into the courts' and alleys, and you came on " rookeries " where life bubbled and foamed In in- credible squalor-a water tank, at which the water was turned on for a quarter of an hour every day, on one side of a court of thirty houses, and, on the other, a large permanent dust heap.
"
There was a small army of Londoners, men, women and
-)
children, who scraped a living from the Thames, its muddy and treacherous foreshore, and from the dark underworld of 'sewers that opened Into It.”
Four hundred public-houses relied mainly on costermongers, who talked in an "odd profes- sional jargon," unintelligible to an outsider, and hated police- men, considering that "to serve out a policeman is the bravest act by which a costermonger can distinguish himself."
S
LUMMING was a dan- gerous pastime during the 'sixties and 'seven- ties. The Ratcliff Highway was a sailors' jungle.
Beven Dials was where "the king of pickpockets held his nightly levée, and the half- dozen constables within view would no more have thought of "entering it than they would the
cage of a cobra."
One military swell bet his friends he would walk the length of Great Andrew. street at midnight- "about an hour later he was sighted running as fast as his legs could carry him, only rag of shirt Huttering round his waist."
Those were the days of Lord Hastings, the last dandy in the great Regency tradition." Ho ran through an enormous fortune in less than six years, ended his career by losing £103,000 on a single bet, and died at the age of twenty-six.
There is a happy photograph of him and his pretty young wife. It is the saddest thing in the book,
-To-day's Thought-
WE live in time, and the past must always be the most momentous part of it.
-LIONEL JOHNSON,
From
Humour
Ireland
"TJOW many children have you, my
"HOW
good woman?" asked a tourist. "Shure an' It's eight I have, sort," replied the Irishwomen. "Five by the third wolfe of me second husband and three by the second wolfe of me first."
An old Irish gentleman lay dying. He called his coachman to his bed- alde. "Well, Patrick," said the old "I'm bound for a far longer man, Journey than you ever drove me.'
"May be so, sorr," said Patrick, "but it won't fake so long, for lolkely be downhill all the way,"
"Are you a good cook?" asked the mistress, engaging a new servant.
"Yes'm. I go to muss every Sun- | day,"
Murphy was advised by his friends to put his savings in the Post Office every week. A few weeks later he was asked how much he had saved:
"Troth, an' I can't tell ye," sald he. "But you'll be hav'in' a bank book, Murphy?"
A
"Divil a bank book I seen,” replied Murphy, "I just dropped, the money: every week into the pillar-box as I was possing."
"Was it your craving for drink that brought you here?" naked sympathetic visitor to the prison.
"Begorrah!" exclaimed the pri- soner. "do I look the sort of man who would mistake this place for a public- house?"
Mrs. Riley was busy spring-cleaning. when a lady called and said, "Will" you give me something for the Home for Inebriates, Mrs. Riley?"
"Shure, muin," said Mrt Riley,
"come back this evenin' an have Riley.
ye
can
"It's the hard worker ye are, Pat!" said his friend Mike. "How many loads of mortar is it ye've carried this mornin'?"
"Whisht!" warned Pat. "I'm no hard worker. I'm just afther carryin' the same load o' mortar up, and down the ladder all the time to make the boss think I'm workin.'"*
A young woman was being cross- examined in Court, "How old are you?" asked the Judge. The young woman hesitated and looked embar rassed.
"Don't hesitate," said the Judge. "Shure! every second makes it worse."
Lavinia Derwent,.
SOLUTION
Excepts from Isaiah
To decodo Adsum's simple cipher, take the Roman and Aroble numerals Indiscri- minately:
8 25 4.23.0 13 25'10 24 32 22. Add ten:
∙18 95 14-83 10 23 38 20 34 12 32, Bubtract 20 where nec¢H«. sary, since there are only 26 Jetters in the alphabet:
18 0-14 7 10 23 9 208 15:0. And now take the corresponding letters of the alphabet:
RINGE WITH·LE Le "Rings with Li.F."
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