Chapter I: Preface

It was during the early days of the recent insurrection that I first thought of utilising my spare time by writing some account of what was taking place around me, and these rough notes, written at odd moments during the campaign, I intended to have sent to the _Field_ for publication in that journal, in the form of a series of articles dealing entirely with my own personal experiences. After the disbandment of the Bulawayo Field Force, however, and my own resignation as an officer in that corps, finding that I had leisure to do so, I determined to amplify these notes, and give some account of every skirmish which had taken place between the Colonists and the natives in Matabeleland up to the date of the disbandment of the above-mentioned Force. To this I add a short account of my personal experiences in the country during the months immediately preceding the outbreak of the insurrection, and finding that I had then sufficient material to fill the covers of a small book, I abandoned my original idea of getting what I had written published in weekly numbers, and determined for the third time to launch a book—always about Africa—on the long-suffering British public.

What I have written as it were historically regarding the events which have lately taken place in Matabeleland may, I think, be received as a simple and unadorned statement of fact, for where I have had to go outside my own personal experiences, my information has always been obtained at first hand and checked by the corroborating accounts of others who were also eye-witnesses of the events described. As to any conclusions I may have arrived at from given facts, they may be right or they may be wrong, but at any rate I claim the right to express my opinions frankly and fearlessly as long as they are my honest convictions. It may be said that, as I am a friend of Mr. Cecil Rhodes and of Dr. Jameson, I ought not to have expressed the opinion that it was the removal of the police force from Matabeleland to the Transvaal which gave the natives their opportunity to revolt, since the expression of such an opinion may be held to reflect upon the administration of the Chartered Company. My reply is, that I have written a history, which, to have any value, must be truthful, and that as Dr. Jameson cannot lay claim to infallibility, he was, like other mortals, liable to err. When he left Matabeleland he never dreamt that the removal of the police force would have any more effect upon the Matabele than the disbandment of the police in Mashunaland in 1891 had had upon the natives in that country. This opinion, moreover, must have been shared by the great majority of the inhabitants of Matabeleland, since no remonstrance was made by any public man at the time that the police left Bulawayo. We now know that the removal of the white police force was a mistake; but it is easy to criticise after the event, and as at the time the mistake was made no one in Rhodesia was wise or prescient enough to foresee the possible effect it might have on the natives of Matabeleland, it would be the height of meanness and injustice to hold Dr. Jameson morally responsible for the present insurrection.

Judging from the knowledge which we now possess of the secret history of the rebellion, it appears that the leaders of the movement must long ago have determined to revolt whenever a favourable opportunity occurred, and a rebellion would therefore in all probability have taken place sooner or later; so perhaps it is as well to have had it and got over it at the same time as the rinderpest. The latter plague will have far more lasting effects than the native rising; but when the railway from the south reaches Bulawayo, the country will once again be able to make a fair start, for with the greater knowledge now possessed by the authorities of the native character, the outcome of which will be a complete reorganisation of the native administration, no farther insurrection ought to be possible. For the rest, it is very evident that the Matabele broke out in rebellion because they disliked their position as a conquered people, and imagined that they were strong enough to throw off the yoke of their conquerors. But I fail to see that the fact that they have rebelled is any more an indictment against the general principles of the government of the Chartered Company, than were the numerous rebellions which have taken place from time to time in the Cape Colony an indictment against the wisdom and justice of the Imperial Government.

Now that the rebellion has occurred, it will very possibly be said that it was brought about by systematic brutality to the natives on the part of the white men in the country. Such an allegation, however, cannot be supported by facts, for, as the records of the magistrates' court will prove, the present Government has done all that any other civilised Government could have done to protect the natives from ill-treatment at the hands of irresponsible individuals; and as a native commissioner thoroughly conversant with the Matabele language, and well in touch with the people, was stationed in each of the districts into which the country has been divided, it cannot be urged that the natives had no opportunity of making their grievances known. Grievances of course they had, the chief of which, doubtless, was the loss of their independence as a nation, and the fact that they found themselves treated as a conquered people lately engaged in hostilities, who had only been permitted to return to the country from which they had been driven at the time of the first war under certain conditions, one of which was that the indunas should, through the medium of the native commissioners, supply miners and farmers with native labour—all the able-bodied young men in the country being required to work for a certain number of months per annum at a fixed rate of pay. This rate of pay was fixed at 10s. a month with food; but as a matter of fact mining work was almost always paid much more highly, as much as 30s. a month with food being often given for unskilled labour, whilst the managers of mines made it their business to see that the boys in their Company's employ were well treated, and cruel treatment by individuals was, I do not hesitate to say, the exception to the rule. Owing to the excessive indolence of the people, however, there can be no doubt that the labour regulations were most irksome to them. The indunas grew more and more disinclined to exert their authority in the matter of inducing their people to work when applications were made to them, with the result that native policemen were sent to their kraals to insist on the labour regulations being carried out, and these policemen, I fear, sometimes exceeded their duties, and used their position to tyrannise over the people.

I remember well that when Umlugulu[1] visited me for the first time, after I had taken up my residence on Essexvale,[2] he complained bitterly of the high-handed manner in which the "Ama Policey Minyama," the "Black Police," behaved to him and his people. "I have no complaints to make," he said, "against the white policemen; but the black police, wa duba, wa duba sebele—they give me trouble; they really give me trouble." I myself complained to the acting Administrator, Mr. Duncan, concerning the inconsiderate manner in which it appeared to me that the labour regulations were sometimes carried out, and I was led to believe that the whole question of native administration would shortly be gone into by the Government, and all grievances remedied.

The cattle question I have dealt with in the course of my story. It was never sagaciously handled, and its mismanagement probably caused more discontent against the Chartered Company's rule amongst the pure-blooded Matabele, or Abenzantsi, than anything else, whilst the irritation excited by the regulation exacting a certain amount of paid labour yearly from every able-bodied man produced a feeling of bitterness and discontent throughout the other classes of the community, which made them ripe for rebellion when they were called to arms by the leaders of the insurrection. However, although no impartial critic can deny that the confiscation of so large a number of their cattle, and more especially the manner in which that confiscation was carried out, was impolitic if not ungenerous; whilst the manner in which the labour regulations were enforced was sometimes calculated to provoke serious discontent; yet neither of these causes, nor both combined, would, in my opinion, have been sufficient to induce the mass of the population to break out in rebellion had there not been amongst them many men who, having once belonged to the ruling class in the country, were so dissatisfied at their loss of position and power under the white man's rule, that they had determined to regain their independence as a nation, or to attempt to do so, on the first favourable opportunity which offered. The rebellion was not the spontaneous act of the mass of the people goaded to desperation by an insupportable tyranny. It was a drama into which they were surprised, and in many cases dragged against their better judgment, by a few leading spirits, who planned and carried out the first murders and utilised the Makalaka Umlimo,[3] as a prophet.

To show that neither the cattle nor the labour questions were the only causes of the rebellion, I may mention that on Mr. Arthur Rhodes' block of farms on the Impembisi river, extending to some 50,000 acres, there was a considerable native population which had been altogether exempted from the general labour regulations—although required to supply Mr. Arthur Rhodes himself with any labour necessary on the farm for agricultural purposes; whilst there had been distributed amongst them 1600 head of cattle, which they held, in addition to their own, on exactly the same terms on which they had been formerly accustomed to tend cattle for Lo Bengula. Now here was a population living, one would have thought, in a state of the most absolute contentment—for they were receiving the full benefit of the milk from a far larger number of cattle than they had ever had to look after in Lo Bengula's time; had been allowed to build their kraals wherever they thought fit, make use of whatever land they desired for cultivation, and in fact to lead their own life in their own way undisturbed by any one, for the number of boys who came voluntarily to ask for employment was far in excess of what was required for agricultural work on the estate. And yet, when the rebellion broke out, these people to a man (always excepting Captain Fynn's Delagoa Bay boy) joined the insurgents, and not only burnt down Mr. Arthur Rhodes' homestead and swept off all his cattle, but murdered Mr. Edwards the surveyor, who happened to be working in the neighbourhood; against whom they could have had no personal animus, as he was a complete stranger to them. Then, again, if any one had heard the natives living in the villages close round my homestead on Essexvale singing and dancing as they were wont to do on every moonlight night, he could not have maintained that they appeared to be weighed down by a sense of injustice and oppression, or, in fact, that they were anything but joyous and happy. It is very difficult to understand the workings of a Kafir's mind, as any one must admit who has lived long amongst natives, but the fact that the Matabele broke out into rebellion against the Government of the Chartered Company, appears to me to be no proof of any special iniquity _per se_ on the part of that Government, since history has shown us, that wherever a savage race, entirely unaccustomed to order and restraint, has been conquered by a highly civilised people, who have forthwith essayed to govern that savage race as humanely as possible, but after all in their own interests rather than in the interests of the conquered people, a rebellion against the more intelligent ruling class has been the result; for the ways of the civilised man are not the ways of the savage, who, there can be no doubt, would rather put up with all the ills from which we consider we have freed him, than be subject to the restraints of a settled form of Government. Practically, he says "hang your _Pax Britanica_"; give me the good old times of superstition and bloodshed; then, even if I did not know the day nor the hour when I might be "smelt out" as a witch, and forthwith knocked on the head, at any rate I could have basked in the sun until my time came; and then, too, when the "impi" went forth, what glorious times I had, and how I revelled in blood and loot!

As to any general charges of systematic injustice and cruelty towards the natives, which may and will now be made by the personal enemies of Mr. Rhodes, against the Chartered Company, with the object of providing a justification for the brutal murders of European women and children which have been committed during the present rebellion, I would point out that such charges come rather late in the day, for the natives of Matabeleland had lived for over two years in an apparently fairly contented condition under the Government of the Company before the rebellion broke out, and during the whole of that time there were four missionaries belonging to the London Missionary Society, besides some people called "seventh-day adventists"—whatever that may mean, for I have not the least idea myself—all of whom were working amongst, and avowedly for the benefit of, the natives. Now, if systematic cruelty, injustice, and oppression of the Matabele by the Government of the Chartered Company had been going on constantly for over two years, it must have been very well known to all these men, and it was their duty not only to have protested against such gross misgovernment to the Company's Administrator in Bulawayo, but also to have reported such abuses to their Directors in England. No such allegations, however, were ever made prior to the rebellion, and should any be now brought forward they ought to be received with the very gravest suspicion. The fact, too, remains that although individual acts of brutality have occurred in Matabeleland—as they have done in every other country in the world—during the last two years, and although mistakes have been made, especially in dealing with the cattle and labour questions, yet, on the whole, the conditions under which the natives in that territory were living, were such that no one resident in the country, whether missionary or miner, imagined before the rebellion broke out that there could be any deep-seated discontent amongst them. That the government of the natives has been all that was desirable from their point of view I do not say, as it is my opinion that, when a black man's country has been conquered by Europeans, the laws by which that country will be subsequently governed will be made in the interests of the whites, and some of them will be very unpalatable to the conquered race, however just and equitable they may seem to their rulers. We Europeans make the mistake of thinking that, when we free a tribe of savages from what we consider a most oppressive and tyrannical form of government, substituting in its place an orderly rule, under which every man's life and property is protected and witch-doctors are not recognised, we ought to earn their gratitude; but the fact is we invariably fail to do so, as the present insurrection, as well as all the many rebellions by the natives of the Cape Colony against the rule of the Imperial Government has shown. Yet, as in the Cape Colony, so also will it be in Matabeleland. The savages will discover the uselessness of rebelling against the white man, and as time goes on will become more reconciled to the ways of their conquerors; that is, if their grievances are inquired into and as far as possible remedied, as I have every hope and belief that they will be as soon as the present rebellion has come to an end; for not until mutual confidence has again been restored between the whites and the blacks can Rhodesia prosper. From the black man's point of view the white man is probably not necessary as a factor in the prosperity of the country. He could get along very well without him. Unfortunately we cannot manage without the black man; he is absolutely necessary for the development of the country on the white man's lines. But a sulky, rebellious black man, only held in subjection by fear, is both a useless and dangerous personality, and, therefore, the dictates of policy will be at one with the promptings of humanity, in demanding that the natives of Matabeleland shall be governed both kindly and justly as well as firmly.

One word more. In the following pages I have given descriptions of many barbarous deeds which have lately been committed in Matabeleland. I have hidden nothing, but have told the naked truth, and related not only how white men, women, and children were lately murdered, and their senseless bodies afterwards cruelly mutilated by black men, but also how, subsequently, black men were shot down pitilessly by the whites, no mercy being shown or quarter given them by the outraged colonists. By those who seek it, matter will doubtless be found in some of my stories on which to found imputations against the colonists of Rhodesia, who will be held up to execration for the "slaughter" of "poor natives"; the insinuation being that the "poor natives" were ruthlessly killed, with little or no provocation, in order to gratify the lust for blood, which certain people in England appear to think takes possession of their countrymen whenever they set foot on African soil. But by the great mass of the English-speaking race I feel sure that the conduct of their kith and kin in Matabeleland during the late rebellion will not be too harshly judged. It will be remembered that they were the avengers of the women and children of their own colour, who had but lately been so mercilessly slain, and that, fighting as they were against hordes of savages eager to spill the life-blood of every white man in Rhodesia, savages in whose vocabulary no such words as pity or mercy are to be found, nothing else could be expected than that in the hour of victory no quarter should be given to the murderous foe. It is as unfair as it is ridiculous to talk of the "slaughter" of natives who, having come with arms in their hands, not only to kill you, but your wife and child also, find they have reckoned without their host, and are themselves discomfited and shot down by their would-be victims. Now, possibly, there might be found in England a philanthropist so meek and good that, were he suddenly confronted by a burglar who told him plainly that he meant to kill him and walk into his house, he would reply, although he carried a loaded revolver in his hand, "Kill me and walk on, for it would be against my creed and conscience to sully my hands with the slaughter of so fine a specimen of the human race as yourself." I do not say that so noble a character really exists within the four seas of Britain, but if he does, I suppose he ought to be looked for amongst the ranks of those who have been loudest in their condemnation of the British settlers in Rhodesia, and who thereby arrogate to themselves the possession of a nobility of nature to which ordinary mortals cannot hope to attain. For the sake of example, therefore, let us say that such a man does exist, and that he is none other than the editor of _Truth_, Mr. Henry Labouchere. Well, granted then that Mr. Labouchere—the man whom, for the sake of example, I have endowed with such a noble nature—would be prompted to sacrifice his own life rather than sully his soul with the killing of a burglar, would he go yet farther and still spare the robber's life if he knew that, after he himself had been killed, his wife and child would also be put to death? I cannot believe that he would, but imagine rather that he would shoot as straight as possible to prevent such a catastrophe, and I for one would wish that in such a special case his practice might be better than his usual preaching.

Now the settlers in Rhodesia, on those occasions when they have been accused of slaughtering the natives, have only taken the same course as I think would have been adopted by the great-souled philanthropist, whom I hope I am not wronging by imagining that he would steel his heart to take the life of a burglar, if for no other reason than to save the lives of those dear to him; and therefore I would ask my readers not to judge too harshly of the deeds of the colonists which I have recounted in the following pages, but to remember, when judging of their actions, the terrible provocation which they had received. It may be that I have here and there shown a very strong racial feeling against the black man; but it must be remembered that my story has been written in the midst of all the horrors of a native rebellion, that I have seen many gruesome sights, and have with my own hands collected together the broken skulls of murdered women and children—Dutch and English—in order to give them Christian burial. Thus I have sometimes written under the influence of strong emotions, making too little allowance possibly for the black man smarting under what he perhaps had some reason to consider the arrogance and injustice of his white conquerors. However, my opinions after all are of little value, being those of a single individual; but I trust that whoever may take the trouble to read my narrative will accept my facts, and believe that the account I have written of events which have lately occurred in Matabeleland is a true and unvarnished one.

THE AUTHOR.

BULAWAYO, _21st August 1896_.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

I return to Matabeleland—Game plentiful near the Sewhoi-whoi river—An
adventure with a leopard—Bulawayo reached—Prosperous outlook—We
leave for Essexvale—Cattle-confiscation question—Its final
settlement Pages 1-9

CHAPTER II

Our life at Essexvale—Tree-planting and farming—Friendly disposition
of the natives—Umlugulu visits us—His anxiety to know the truth about
Jameson's surrender—Rumours of coming disaster—The Umlimo's
prophecy—Appearance of the rinderpest in Matabeleland—Mr. Jackson's
distrust of the native police—Superstitions regarding the Umlimo—I am
appointed cattle inspector—Spread of the rinderpest—Apprehensions of
famine—Rumours of a disturbance with the natives—Murder of a native
policeman by the Matabele 10-18

CHAPTER III

First overt act of rebellion—Natives borrow axes from Mrs.
Selous—Where are the white police?—Native woman gives information of
the murder of whites—Natives run off with the cattle—Murder of three
miners—Inscrutability of the Kafir mind—Matabele raid on cattle 19-26

CHAPTER IV

Precautions against native attack—Conference with the neighbouring
headmen—I take my wife into Bulawayo—Insurrection reported
general—Armed forces sent to disturbed districts—Return to Essexvale
with small mounted force—Short supply of horses and rifles—My views
of the Kafir rising—The progress of the insurrection at Essexvale
and the neighbourhood—Wholesale murders 27-32

CHAPTER V

Massacre of the whites near Edkins' store—Evidence of a
survivor—Mutilation and attempt to destroy identity—Murder of the
Cunningham family—Herbert Pomeroy Fynn's sworn statement—Murder of
Mr. Maddocks—Laager formed at Cumming's store—Hon. Maurice Gifford
proceeds to the relief of the whites at Cumming's store—Derelict
waggon—Murder of Dr. and Mrs. Langford—Relief of laager at
Cumming's store—Repulse of Matabele attack—Retreat to Bulawayo—Hon.
Maurice Gifford's letters 33-42

CHAPTER VI

Difficulties of the colonists much underrated—The Matabele campaign
of 1893—Military spirit scotched, not killed—Estimated native
losses—Disarmament of Matabele incomplete—Natives well supplied
with arms and ammunition—Defections amongst the native police 43-50

CHAPTER VII

Effect of removing the police force—Witch-doctors'
influence—Originators of the insurrection—Gambo detained at
Bulawayo—The Imbezu regiment—Unpreparedness of the Colonists
at the outbreak—The Rhodesia Horse—Horses in possession of
the Government—Rifles, guns, and ammunition in Government
stores—Want of community of action of the Matabele—The Umlimo's
mistake—Critical position at Bulawayo—Neglect of the Matabele to
block the roads—Force in Bulawayo at the outbreak—The Africander
Corps 51-60

CHAPTER VIII

Cattle stolen by Matabele—I recover the cattle and burn down
Matabele kraal—Start in pursuit of cattle-thieves—Surprise a
raiding party and recover two bands of cattle—Reflections on the
situation 61-67

CHAPTER IX

Return to Essexvale—Cattle left at Essexvale in charge of the
natives—Essexvale burnt down by Matabele and all the cattle carried
off—Start for Jackson's station—Desertion of the native police—The
Makalaka—False rumours—Start for Spiro's stores—Colonial Boys
report the district quiet—Decide to return to Bulawayo through the
Matopo Hills 68-73

CHAPTER X

Through the Matopo Hills—Skirmish with the rebels—A narrow
escape—Capture a band of cattle—Retire with wounded—Fidelity of
Mazhlabanyan—Reach Dawson's store—Arrive at Bulawayo 74-79

CHAPTER XI

O'Connor's wonderful escape—The importance of the Native question
in Rhodesia 80-89

CHAPTER XII

Laager formed at Bulawayo—Matabele scare—Colonel Spreckley's
valuable services—Meet Mr. Jackson—Disarmament of native
police—Account of the insurrection—Mr. Grey's narrow escape—Returns
to Bulawayo to give warning of the rising—Fortunate escape of a
hunting party—Wholesale murders—Grey's Scouts 90-97

CHAPTER XIII

Captain Grey's timely arrival at Tekwe store—Colonel Napier's
column arrives at Tekwe—Murder of Wood—Salisbury coach chased
by Kafirs—Forty-three persons rescued by patrols—Account of
Captain Pittendrigh's rescue party—Severe fighting—Massacre
of whites at Inyati—Escape of Madden—Defence of Campbell's
store—Relief of Captain Pittendrigh's party—Fight their way back to
Bulawayo—Courage and skill of the Africander Corps—Gallant conduct
of Henderson in bringing in a wounded comrade 98-108

CHAPTER XIV

Mr. Dawson's patrol—The last coach on the Tuli road—I take a
patrol down the Mangwe road—Interview at "Fig Tree" with Makalaka
Induna—Proceed to Shashani—Meet a shooting party—Death of Captain
Lumsden—I ride on by myself to Mangwe—Hearty reception—Ravages of
the rinderpest—Extraordinary absence of vultures 109-115

CHAPTER XV

Escort a convoy of waggons to Bulawayo—Murder of a Greek trader—Mr.
Gordon saved by native police—Mr. Reed warned of danger by
Makalakas—Patrols sent to Gwanda and Shiloh districts—Proceedings
of the Gwanda patrol—Scenes of pillage and desolation—Lieutenant
Webb's narrative—Six hours' severe fighting—Narrow escape of
patrol from annihilation—Captain Van Niekerk's cool judgment and
bravery—Gallant conduct of the patrol 116-126

CHAPTER XVI

Gifford's fight in the Shiloh Hills—Strength of the patrol—First
skirmish with the Matabele—Form a laager—March resumed—Second
skirmish—Patrol reach Fonseca's farm—Fight at Fonseca's
farm—Death of a witch-doctor—Colonel Gifford wounded—Messengers
sent to Bulawayo for assistance—Laager strengthened—Fighting
renewed—Captain Lumsden wounded—Matabele retire—Relief column
arrives—Return to Bulawayo—Death of Captain Lumsden—Colonel
Gifford's arm amputated 127-134

CHAPTER XVII

Despatch from Captain Laing—Laager formed at Belingwe—Strange
conduct of a native policeman—Three Matabele caught looting and
hanged—"Young Tradesman's" letter to the _Daily Graphic_—Matabele
capture a herd of cattle and murder some Zambesi Kafirs near
Bulawayo—Determination to build forts between Bulawayo and Mangwe—I
am sent to establish forts and take command of all troops on the
road—Fort Molyneux—I return to Bulawayo to report my views—Curious
position of affairs in Matabeleland 135-143

CHAPTER XVIII

Matabele advance on Bulawayo—Small force sent out to
reconnoitre—Skirmish with the Matabele—I receive instructions
to build a fort between Bulawayo and Fig Tree—The question
of provisioning the forts—Three men of the Africander Corps
killed—Attack by Matabele on Colonel Napier's farm—Captain
Macfarlane sent with relief party—I ride out to see what was going
on—I join relief party—Overtake Matabele near Colenbrander's
farm—Fighting commences—I take command of a few Africanders—Our
skirmish—Maxim jams at a critical time—Bad shooting of the
Matabele—Their want of combination 144-154

CHAPTER XIX

A force under command of Colonel Napier sent against the rebels at
the Umguza—Force retire without fighting—I obtain leave to join a
patrol sent out to the Umguza under Captain Bisset—Matabele dispute
our advance—I attack Kafirs' centre with Colonial Boys—Matabele
centre driven back—John Grootboom's escape—Matabele in flight—A
good chance lost—I receive orders to retire—I dismount to get a
shot—My horse bolts and leaves me—Nearly caught by Matabele—Windley
comes to my rescue—Windley's horse refuses to carry double—Reach
the Colonial Boys and am saved by Captain Windley's courage and
self-denial—Baxter's gallant action—Gallantry and devotion to
one another of Captain Grey's officers and men—Patrol retires to
Bulawayo Pages 155-166

CHAPTER XX

Telegraph wire to Fig Tree Fort cut—Patrol sent out to escort
coach—I join Captain Mainwaring's patrol—Repair telegraph wire—I
rejoin my troop at Dawe's store—Two murdered white men found near
Bulawayo—Fort Marquand—Lieutenant Grenfell's account of the fight
at Umguza 167-175

CHAPTER XXI

Hand over the command of Fort Marquand to Lieutenant
Grenfell—Proceed towards Bulawayo—Fort at Wilson's farm—Umguza
fight the first Matabele defeat—Murder of eight coolies on the
outskirts of Bulawayo—Arrival of Earl Grey at Bulawayo—Matabele
threaten Fort Dawson—Captain Molyneux's farm destroyed—I am sent to
Khami river to build a fort—Meet Cornelius Van Rooyen—Marzwe orders
his people to come to Fort Mabukitwani for protection—Marzwe's
kraal attacked, and all his people reported murdered—I start with
my men to visit Marzwe's kraal—Rebels defeated by Marzwe's people,
and prisoners and cattle recaptured—We return to the fort—I am
ordered to collect a force, and march to Bulawayo—Changes in the
command of the forts—Reach Bulawayo with my force 176-185

CHAPTER XXII

Large column commanded by Colonel Napier despatched for the
Tchangani to meet Salisbury relief force—Matabele impi reported
near Tekwe river—Matabele reported to be at Thaba Induna—I am
ordered to the front—Matabele retire—Column in laager near Graham's
store—Captain Grey's patrol has a skirmish with the Kafirs—Pursuit
of Kafirs—No quarter—Reflections—Several kraals burnt, coin and
cattle captured—Cold weather and storms—March with provision convoy
and laager at Dr. Jameson's old camp—Desolation along the line of
march—Burnham reports scouting party from Salisbury contingent had
been met with—We reach Pongo store—Bury the bodies of murdered
white men 186-196

CHAPTER XXIII

Meet Salisbury relief force, with Mr. Cecil Rhodes, Sir Charles
Metcalfe, and others—Column under Colonel Spreckley sent to the
south—Several kraals burnt—Scouting party sent out under Captain
Van Niekerk—Band of cattle captured—Large body of Kafirs met with—A
running fight; Burnham and Blick nearly captured—Patrol return to
laager—Capture a woman—Discover a body of Matabele, and send for
reinforcement of men on foot—We hear heavy firing in front—Mr.
Cecil Rhodes joins us with Colonial Boys—Advance and take part in
the fight—Enemy's fire silenced—We retire 197-207

CHAPTER XXIV

Position of laager shifted—Massacre of the Ross and Fourie
families—Remains of some of the Fourie's found—Advance on Matabele
scherms and find them deserted—Visit the scene of yesterday's
fight—Burn kraals and return to camp—Bury two men killed in
yesterday's fight and the remains of the Fourie family—Find the
remains of the Ross family—March down the Insiza valley—Burn a
large number of kraals—Colonel Spreckley's column captures cattle
and donkeys—Remains of several murdered Europeans found—The
murder of Dr. and Mrs. Langford—Column sent to the Filibusi
district—Return to Bulawayo—I visit Essexvale—A scene of desolation
208-216

CHAPTER XXV

Sir Frederick Carrington takes over the command of all forces
in Matabeleland—Account of Colonel Plumer's successful
engagement—General Carrington sends out three patrols to clear the
country of rebels to the west, north, and north-east—No enemy met
with, but much grain taken and destroyed—A large impi reported
camped on the Umguza—Force under Colonel Spreckley proceeds to
attack it—Kafirs charged by mounted men and bolt—Heavy Matabele
losses—How this impi was deceived by a witch-doctor—Incorrect
statements in _Truth_ 217-227