THE RISING IN NATAL

Otago Witness, Issue 2722, 16 May 1906, Page 19

THE RISING IN NATAL

RAISING A WA$ LOAN. THE BLACK PERIL. A BLUE BOOK ISSUED. THE ACTION OF GERMANY. PIETERMARITZBURG, May 7. The rebels were prepared by a witch doctor before the figßt, and, believing themselves to be invulnerable, they charged despei-ately. The heavy losses which were the result have undermined the witch doctor's prestige, and the Maxims have demoralised the waverers. Bambaata, mounted on a white horse, led the attack. The rebels checked the advance of, the British column by firing the grass. The infantry were marching and fighting for 18 hours before they regained Fort Yolland. May 8. It is reported in Durban that aesegai heads made in Birmingham and Germa ny have been imported to Zululand, via Delagoa Bay and Swaziland. It is also reported that Snider cartridges have been imported. May 9. Colonel Mackenzie has reached Nkandbla. Four hundred of Bambaata's followers have crossed the Buffalo River, at Umsinga, where Kula's people are already armed. The main body, consisting of 500, is commanded' by a headman named Mteli. j Some Batihes rebels have crossed the Tugela River, and are returning to their own kraals or seeking protection among the disaffected tribes. Kula and his brothers have been ar- j rested and brought to Helpmakaar. The Natal Assembly has sanctioned the raising of a war loan of £500,000. Mr Smythe (Premier of Natal) said that Natal's relations with the Imperial Government were most cordial, which showed that the latter evidently wished to treat Natal fairly and impartially. Loyal natives are being utilised to drive Bambaata from his bush lairs, otherwise 20,000 whites would be required. May 11. Eight hundred irregulars have been raised in Durban, and Johannesburg to operate against the Zulus. Two tiibes which have heretofore been sullenly indifferent have voluntarily offered, owing to the success of Colonel. Mansell's operations, to guard the Tugela River. Colonel Mackenzie has commenced an encircling movement. The Zululand force attempted on Thursday to encircle the Nkandhla bush, without result, except the destruction of many of Siguadi's kraals and the capture t of his cattle. The natives hid in .the bush and avoided a collision. May 12. Sibindi has captured Bambaata'6 chief induna (Nkomo). After the latter had been lodged in gaol at Greytown the natives flocked to the Omlagi court to pay ] the poll tax. - i Prior to the Fort Yolland fight the rebels killed a Nonquai female child and used her body to make medicine where- j with to render the fighters invulnerable j against bullets. They also put a Nonquai boy in the forefront of the fight, believing that this would complete the charm. The boy's father wa6 one of Colonel Mansel's Nonquaie, and upon seeing his eon he rushed up to the rebel line 3 and rescued the boy, spearing a rebel who tried to prevent the capture of the boy. May 13. Major Murray Smith's force afc Helpmakaar attacked the Kulas tribe on Saturday, killing 30 and wounding numbers. They also captured a large number of cattle. There were no Natalese casualties. Natal has accepted the Transvaal offer to raise and equip 400 volunteer infantry, to be called the Natal Rangers, with Maxims, as a scouting troop. Six chiefs on the outskirts of the Nkundhla. Forest " have, by Dinizulu's orders, offered to aesist-ihe military. They declare that it is impossible to capture Bambaata without much larger native levies. Dinizulu is mustering an impi to punish Bambaata for desecrating Cetewayo's grave. CAPETOWN, May 8. ' The militia reserves at Vreiheid. who are

mostly Boere, refused the rifles offered* them, on the ground that they were obsa-*-lete second-hand Martini-Henrys. '. May 12. *' The Germans drove the chief More'nga; over the British border at longitude 2Q\ degrees. A Cape " police trooper warned,, a German officer" out the latter fougnt, on>~ wounding Morenga. severely. Twenty* seven Hottentots were killed, and manyothers were wounded,- but -Morenga. gotaway and is now in hiding. LONDON, May 7. The Daily Mail's Maritzbnrg correspondent says that 200 Zulus, partly armed' with rifles and partly with assegais, displayed extreme bravery. May 11. The recently-issued Blue Book,' dealing with recent developments in Natal, contains Lord Korthcote's cable to Lord Elgin of March 31 and Lord Plunket's of April 13. Both are pronounced by the newspapers as the most significant in the book. Sir H. E. M'Callum, Governor of Natal, has reported to Lord Elgin that the failure of Germany to quell the rebellion in SouthWest Africa has inspired the natives ' throughout South Africa with the belief : in their ability to resist Europeans. Sir H. M'Callum has received authoritative information of a widespread conspiracy to , kill all Europeans and to carry out the' Ethiopian programme of Africa for the blacks. May 12. Mi Smythe (Premier of Natal) has accepted a gift of 20 new Kexer guns,, firing, 1 300 shots per minute, from the Natal resi- . dents in London. ' " MELBOURNE, May 12. Mr Deakin states, 1 in reference, to the Natal Blue Book, that Lord Nortrtcote^on , I txjhalf of the Commonwealth Government, . sent a cable to the Secretary of State for. the Colonies making strong representations against any interference by the Imperial } authorities in the affairs of a self-governing colony, and suggesting serious consideration lof the step proposed to be taken. After I the message was despatched Mr Deakin communicated with Mr Seddonon the> T ' matter. ! ——————