MAJOR COLIN HARDING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12534, 22 June 1901, Page 4

MAJOR COLIN HARDING.

Our Empire makers (writes James Baker, F.R.G.S., in “Black and White”) are of various grades, from tie humble emigrant, •who treks farther up country than any other Britisher, to the Kitcheners, Rhodeses or Stanleys, who open up vast territories to our people. When I heard that Major Colin Harding was in my neighbourhood, I knew should have a chat with on« tvhohad been largely instrumental in saving a vast territory of our Empire from a recrudescence! of savagery. The South African journals had told somewhat of his work in warm words of praise and' thankfulness, but, I wanted to hear from his own lips the exciting story of his life for the last five,years; for it is not yet five, years since he left England a plain civilian dreaming of no warrior’s nor explorer’s renown. Major Harding is a well set-up young man nob far on in the thirties, with clean cut features emphasised) by a thick brown moustache. His face gives a sense of quiet power, but hardly tells one of the immense Influence ho possesses over the. South African natives. He first went out to Africa in 1894, trekking np to Bulawayo in. a bullodkwaggon° being two months bn the road from Pretoria; and a lively variety of life ho seems to have revelled in. At home he could ride straight, across country, and shoot well, that “ snapshot ” type of' shooting that is so' useful in savage warfare• but ho had a bad tints of it, and the natives on one occasion burnt all his Idt, tent, and everything. la April, 1896, h& came home to got funds for developing a mining district he had prospected, but hearing of the rising after the fatal Jameson Raid, he started back in Juno and joined in with Mr Robin Grey, the nephew of Earl Grey. The Chartered Company wanting someone to take some horses un-country.

they volunteered for the workman! in company with Leslie Armstrong, me (Native 'Commissioner, got their horns safely through to Major Watts, who was in command of the lino of communications to Bulawayo. -i “And this was the beginning,”, said Major Harding, as w© chatted over a fire in a quiet English home. j “Th© rising was spreading, many Ehg* iish had been skin, and I and Grey mas gallopers to North, and with him went to the attack at Makmi’e Kraal, that had already been attacked by Colonel Aldersoh with Imperial/trewps.’’ This was Major Harding’s first insighk into this wild warfare upon maiives outnumbering the whites by thousands. The kopje was a strong one, and it was only by sitting round the catem stronjfhold and thiis starving the hatives that a'; last the chief was taken, and. bJI kirn# tbs sequel, “I and Grey then went into 'Salisbury, aud got attached nas gallopers (aides-de-camp) to Colonel Alderson. From that time onward for nearly two years, he was engaged on the mosrt hazardous work. Not from his own mouth .did 1 get the real facts; I had to go to' thfc African letters for .that, but little bits fell from his lips that gdve point to the/Tongel narratives others had given... . As galloper he was with M&jbr Tennant in fibihe stiff fighting dtt thh attack, on dhim.Wiirta’g Kraal, where tbb cavei Werb impregnable save to dynamite. After this chief was defeated j he rod* out with Major Prison to Norton’s farm, where all had. been murdered', and , bttriwf the victims. Oh© of the traps set by the natives was to lay a bnxiidle of assegais in front of a cave and shoot those who came for them; he had a close shave of a bullet hihaself, at one of these innocent trfcpit. All through the Mazoe district- with lieutenant Ash© and the Hartley distirirt with Colonel Aldersoii, he rode, destroying their strongholds. w ... k Then came the attacks oh Masaongombi, the big chief, and centre of the rising. The kopje was amidst big rocks some 500 ft up, and with great caves capable of holding 500 men each,' thejr had to cross the river,/and the whole position was excessively strong, with a tree-trunk stockade some twelve feet high. It was during the attack upon the covering: heto -that Major ftatdihg, when just about, tothe .dyhainite, ,hOaj. , ‘d a child cry in .the caye. They' were not fighting against women and children; all these had, they thought, been sent down. Without a thought of hitthelf, he rushed into the cave and tore out the child to safety before the dynamite did its work. Soon after this Colonel Aldersoii gave up command, recommending Harding for b bonimifesion. The Isfiperiai troops were withdrawn, but the rising was by.no means over, And as lieutenant he comhlinded the Native Police in an attack in Chesnmba j poor the “Times” correspondent/ who was killed at Omdurman. going out with him. , j “ Howard was invaluable,” said the Major, as he told mb of this. “His cheery pluck kept the men going.” "

After this Colonel Be Moleyiies issued a general order of thanks, and Howard was made captain.’ Kraal and kopje of chief after chief were now attacked. At Kungi’s kraal the stockade of twelve feet was built into a wall of four feet, Here Captain Harding and Lieutenant seltham were first over, I learnt from a local report. ! “ But how get over such a stockade?” I asked . .. ” , “ Oh, get a leg up,” was the laconic reply- : ■ v., :, , . 1 Again the troops were publicly thanked in Salisbury but still The big chief, the head of' thfe rebeifion', MUshiOiiigijmbi, was holding his.owq, .and a: big attack was arranged, Uhder Colonel Be Mdleyuej; Captain Harding commanding ISO native police. They beached ; tile kraal at dawn, rushed the stockade; Trooper Hull, of the white 1 police;,’ being .fifet orer, but shot dead. - Captain Htading was over second, and they-bboke "doWA;. the fetbcKade,. and drove the natives into caves, and all day and all night kept up fire on anything that moved; and in trying to .escape the great chief was shot, and British Sduth Africa was saved for the. British. Patrols still had to be made, and the native police waa enrolled a® a permanent force, under (how) Major Harding. But one of thei- bast bits of wbrk ho has done was to start oil: with Sergeant-Major Greer and a £ulti sergeant, and go right away up to Lake Nyaissa raising native police. Two hundred Tongos and Angonies enrolled under hint, and at ’Mpesnis he got five hundred tnbre. Her 1 feent down three hundred of thesfe By Captain Gdrdon Gumming, Whom he met at ’Mpssenis, and left thrfee hundred with Colonel Manning, who, with his Sikh drill sergeaniu, soon turned'them into efficients. Probably few Birthdays Honours have beenmore arduously • earned than the C.M.G. bestowed by her Majesty on- Major Harding in June, 1898.

But shortly after my chat with the Major he again left for England, and, as Acting British Resident of Barotseland, organised an expedition to explore the up* per reaches of the Zambesi. In Hovemper, 1899, they ' were at Victoria Rails, ahd here tbot boats up to the catfttoota of Marunda-a-ma-Kesh; and then began the ardupiis work. Two of their -boats Were capsized, thus destroying food and ammunition; and most of his refused to go. Blit Major Hitdittg, despatched his secretary, .Mr W. H. Harding, back with'- the recalcitrant! natives and negotiators, , whilst he, with a few reliable natives, pushed on, and, after heavy "mUTching, on March 17, 15500, reached!an elevated plateau, 4950 feet above sealevel; and there, where seven small springs ■ burst forth, they rejoiced to find, they had tracked the mighty Zambesi tb its; source. Major Harding locating the spot at latitude lldeg 33miii By, and longituder 24deg Slmin E. His opinion of the future of Rhodesia is ‘ full of hope; good' climate, well watered, capable of good irrigation, and) productive; and the mining prospect s for gold and coal , are good. Tlie Nyas>a district will < grow good coffee,., and many frmts, ; and wheat is grown; Thfc climate is .good,, but the soil malarial. He ranks the natives as police or Soldiers very highly, comparing them to the Ghoorbas, and, of course, they, are very economical. Few men have' seen more of Rhodesia from this Transvaal to Nyaissa Bake than Major Hardir.g