GERMANY’S LITTLE WAR.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 5474, 31 December 1904, Page 13

GERMANY’S LITTLE WAR.

HERERO REBELLION. (By Baron Nicolas von Nettelbladt, in “Capo Times.”) Okahandja, G.W.S. Africa, September, 1904. The causes of the formidable native rising in the neighbouring territory under the German flag have given rise to considerable discussion in German papers. It will be remembered that at the time of the outbreak it was alleged that English intrigues were at the bottom of it, owing to the fact that at tire massacre amongst the European settlers only the lives of English resident had been spared. This absurd allegation was followed by an official statement putting all the blame on tho traders, who wore said to have exasperated the natives by their vigorous manner of collecting debts.

It now appears that the discontent of tho Hereros, a powerful Bantu I life living to the north erf Windhoek, found its root mainly in tho arbitrary manner with which the German Government disregarded the terms of tho agreement entered into with the Herero chiefs, when declaring the protectorate over Damaraland in 1885. It was stipulated that tho Hereros should be protected against the raids of tho Hottentots under Hendrik Witbooi, hut that their laws and customs should not be interfered with, and that no taxes should b© levied. In fact, it was distinctly agreed that the Germans wore simply allowed to travel, trade and live in Damaraland unmolested by tho Hereros. All these terms have been broken. For years after the protectorate had been declared, tho Hottentots continued their raids as before, without tho Hereros finding protection at the hands of the Germante, (other than being supplied with arms and ammunition, which are used with such disastrous results at present against tho Germans themselves. In later years, not only waggon and liquor taxes were levied, and a hut-tax proposed, but tho whole territory was divided into districts and native reserves were projected. Therefore, legally, the Hereros were justified to rebel. On the other hand, it must bo said that the native policy adopted by tho German Government was, at least to their own ideas, in many respects a most friendly one. In fact, the interferan.ee of tho Government on behalf of the natives, and in order to protect their interests, caused mluch discontent amongst the white settlers. But it was this very interfering with everybody and everything which made the Government disliked by Europeans and natives alike, and the greatest mistake was that the protectorate was not annexed and declared a colony long ago. The Hereros themselves, having conquered and annexed Damaraland from the Berg Damaras scarcely a century ago, would have respected the Germans more, and would have understood their position better if their territory had been annexed openly instead of contracts of friendships and protection being made and permanently broken. But, however justified their grievances, and whatever their outward motives for throwing off the hated German yoke may have been, the ghastliness and horrors of the massacre, which opened the rebellion, makes them undeserving of the sympathy or pity of any civilised nation. The Hereros saw their opportunity to rise, when the troops stationed in their territory were on their way to Warmbad to quell the Hottentot disturbances, and the rising commenced at Okahandja, the residence of tho Paramount Chief, Samuel Mahahero, on January T 5, being apparently prepared and plotted long beforehand.

The homes of the settlers Were destroyed, their cattle driven away, and the work of civilisation, which was the fruit of arduous toil during the last ten years, fell to vindictive destruction in less than a week. The damage done in this manner has been officially estimated at 7,000,000 marks, but this vast amount is niching in comparison to the loss of life and the sufferings amongst the European settlers. Not loss than 163 farmers were murdered in the most cruel manner, which means the greater majority of settlers in the thinly populated territory; five women wore beaten to'death, eight women were outraged, and even four children were mutilated. It is impossible to describe the scenes of horror, and the atrocious crimes committed on the bodies of the ill-fated settlers. Suffice it to say, that amongst the great number of victims very few were shot, the majority being assegaied, or their brains beaten out with kerries. The garrison at Waterberg was completely taken by surprise, but fortunately none of the other fortified places which were besieged, as for instance, Okahandja, Omaruru, and Gababis, fell into the hands of the rebels. The Hereros dislike attacking fortified buildings; even houses, if not isolated, are comparatively safe,' and though they are extremely brave, and do not shrink from attacking Maxims and field-guns, they must be in great numbers, and stirred up by their own war cries and those of their women. They carry their wounded and dead with them, and, consequently, it is impossible to know the exact number of their losses after an engagement. The Hereros show no mercy to their unfortunate prisoners; anybody falling into their hands, dead or alive, is at once stripped of his clothing and his skull beaten in with clubs. The warriors are mostly accompanied by their wives, who, even whilst the fighting is in progress, throw themsolves like vultures on the wounded, and, armed with knives, stab out the eyes, out off the tongue,' and remove the lieart, still beating, from the quivering body. On receipt of the news of the rebellion, Captain Frankea, who distinguished liimself greatly, returned in forced marches from the south of the Protectorate, and relieved Okahandja and Omaruru in quick succession. The Governor, Colonel Leutwein, returned from Warmbad, via Port Nolloth, in March, and as soon as the first reinforcements had arrived from Germany, a number of engagements were fought on the banks or the Swakop River; namely, at Owikakorers, on March 13, at Ohaharui on April 2, at Ongojiara on April 9, and at Oviumbo, on April 13. However, notwithstanding the heavy losses which the tyxemy must have suffered, the German troops appeared to be altogether insufficient in strength to cope with the rebellion successfully. Thex-e----fore, Colonel Leutwein decided to await further reinforcements under General Von Trotha, who arrived on June 13 and took supreme command, whilst Colonel Leutwein took charge of the civil administration. The General de-

voted tho following month to the concentration of bis troops, amounting in all to 6500 officers and men, with 00 guns, to the south of Waterherg. In tho meantime, the Herero forces had moved upwards to the Onmuramba Uamataho, and on their part concentrated about 9000 warriors, with 6000 rifles at the foot of tho Waterherg, a range of table mountains, covered with impenetrable thickets of thorubushee. In the beginning of last month, General Von Trotha had completed his extensive operations, and, dividing his formidable force into six columns, surrounded tho position of the Hereros, which, to all appearances, nature and human labour had fortified to such an extent as to render it well-nigh invincible.

The general attack commenced on August 11, early in the morning, and lasted two days, resulting in a rapid retreat of the Hereros towards the “Omahek©’’ (Sandveld), in a south-easterly direction. The enemy suffered very heavy losses, at one place alone more than a hundred dead bodies being found, and left some 7,000 head of cattle behind. Nevertheless, the success was not as great as expected, since the admirable tactics of the Hereros enabled the majority of them to escape, frustrating in this . way General Yon Trotha’s intention of making Waterberg a “Sedan.” At present the Hereros occupy a position between Okosondusu and the Eisieb River, close to the Beohuanaland boundary, and the next severe fighting is expected to take place on the 17th inst. The German losses at “Hamahari,” Samuel Mahahero’s headquarters at Waterherg, amount to ten officers and Meventyon© men. The losses of the whole campaign up to now exceed 50 officers and 500 men, made up as follows: Dead 280, murdered and missing (i.e., as good as dead) 150, and wounded 120; and still the Moloch war goes on demanding his victims in daily increasing numbers. The expenses of the Herero campaign during this year alone are estimated at 150,000,000 marks, and ns it is believed in well-informed circles, that peace and order will not be restored before tho end of next year, German South-west Africa will have cost Germany more than she may reasonably expect ever to get out of her possession.