THE SKETCHER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2181, 19 December 1895, Page 32

THE SKETCHER.

THE BECHUANA CHIEFS. Khama's Mission to England— Why He Came and What He Seeks — Relations with Mr Rhodes. (Weekly Sun's South African Cjrrespondont ) - Kbama, chief of tbe Bamnngivato, accompanied by two other fiiendly chiefs in the Bechuanaland Protectorate, Sebele and Bathoeni, and by the Rev. J. Willoughby, resident missionary, sailed for England by the last mail steamer leaving Cape Colony ; his object beiug to seek protection from the aggressions of the Chartered Company and security against the debauching of his subjects by strong drink. A short account of Khama's relations with the Imperial Government and of his peculiar position may therefore be of interest to English readers, and may induce some to espouse the cause of this dusky hero. Khama is a Christian and a teetotaler. He is our finest example of a Christianised and civilised chief. He has adopted European ways of dress and living, and has endeavoured, with tbe help of resident missionaries (notably Messrs Moffat and Willoughby), to inculcate habits of industry and sobriety among his people. In order to compass the latter object he has religiously excluded all alcoholic liquors from his conntry, seeing how they had demoralised the native races all through the Continent. Oiiginally a vassal of Lobengula, he has for many years been one of the chiefs " protected " by the English, and his country forms part of the Bechuanaland Protectorate, situate north of Bechuanaland proper, which is known as British BeohuiuiAland, and which has been up to this year under direct Imperial control. BECHUANALAND. This southern portion of Beclmanaland is about to be annexed to Cape Colony, the inhabitants getting the benefit of responsible Government and the British taxpayer being relieved of the cost of administration. A bill to this effect Jias passed the Colonial Legislature, and now waits her Majesty's pleasure. The correspondence between the Prime Minister of Cape Colony and the Colonial Secretary is, no doubt, familiar in England, the latter having endeavoured to secure the natives against demoralisation by j strong drink. And here is the place to again remind English readers that every South Afiican State, whether English or Dutch, except Cape Colony, renders it penal to sell or give alcoholic liquors to a native, KHAMA AND THE DRINK THAFFIC. Such has been the rule in British Bechuaualand, but Khama, seeing that if liquor came in for the white man it iuvariably reached the native, went further, and absolutely prohibited the introduction of such liquor into his territory, and travellers through the Protectorate must take their liquor with them. This regulation has naturally proved obnoxious to many, in- ■ eluding a certain number of the natives, and about a year or so ago Mr Rhodes passed through the country with a Dutch member of the Assembly, one Mr Dc Waal. These gentlemen presumably carried their own supplies with them, but on returning to Capetown Mr Tfe Waal issued a savage manifesto against Khama, declaring that this tyrannical nigger must be got rid of or forced to hear " reason," aud that Messrs Willougliby and Moffat ought to be sent packing. Tiiis led at once to an indignant appeal by Khama and bis advisers to- the Imperial Government for protection, and an appeal for his protection was also largely signed by Cape colonists, who regard his sober subjects with envy and admiration. These appeals were referred by the Imperial Government to Mr Rhodes, who declared he would never ba a pirty to the introduction of liquor into Khama's country, an assertion that Khama takes for what it is worth. Attitude op the chartered company. The Chartered Company have long desired to include Kbama's country in their domain, it being, like most of Bechuanaland, fertile and well watered. Certain mineral concessions are now held by them. Cape colonists ask in vain why the concessions of the company are regarded by the Imperial Government as inviolable, while other people's concessions, as those of Messrs Cook Bros, in Pondoland, are lightly set aside as worthless. The withdrawal of the Imperial Government from British Bechuaualand forms a suitable occasion for the company to pounce on Kbama, aud reports (false) have been diligently circulated to the effect that Khama was willing to accede to their demands. ' Mr Rhodes has curtly informed Khama, Sebele, and Batlioeni that their territory must come under the charter " sooner or later," and it is to avert this calamity that tbe chiefs aud Mr Willoughby have proceeded to England. If they fail to get protection, the Impeiial Government will cease to have any direct control in South Africa, and the demoralisation, of the coloured man will proceed unchecked. WHY KHAMA PROTESTS. Khama some short time ago suppressed the making of Kaffir beer in his domain, an intoxicating beverage made on high festivals |by the natives. This step roused his brother Radicladi and a number of. tiibesmcn ia

protest to the British Government against Khama's " tyranny." Their petition was duly consider edj and Khama being exonerated from blame, the officials in Becliuanaland sought to induce Radicladi and his band to go over into the Chartered Company's territories. This they refused to do on any conditions, and a further appeal resulted in the allotment of a portion of Khama's country to Radicladi, with leave to do as he liked. This land being the be*st in Khama's country, and comprising a third of the whole, Khama at once repealed the beer laws, thereby detaching most of Radicladi's followers,and determined to proceed to Capetown and London to protest against the court's award. At this juncture Dr Jameson passed through Palapye, Khama's chief town, on his way back to Buluwayo, and seeing a good opportunity to place Khama in his debt, promptly wired to the Imperial Government, with the result that the finding of the second court was upset, and Radicladi and his followers were peremptorily ordered into the Chartered territory. Khama thanked Dr Jameson cordially for this assistance, and the latter seized the j occasion to inform Khama of his proposed handing over to the Chartered Company. Khama promptly protested, but it was wired all over the colony that he was agreeable to the change. Khama therefore ] resumed bis preparation for a journey to Cape j town and England, and, getting no salisfac- j tion at Capetown, has proceeded to Eng- j land, where it is to be hoped he will receive both support and sympathy. A TOUCHING SPECTACLE. Surely it is a touching spectacle, this old man with a native's strong belief in a personal appeal, crossing the great waters to see the great Indunas (sub-chiefs) in England to beg for his people. Will England desert ber old ally, who is also one with her in faith? For what does Kharaa seek ? He seeks continued English protection as opposed to lh:it of the colony of the Chartered Company ; ho | seeks power to keep his tribe from the strong drink by which white men have ruined the other native races, and he begs the Imperial Government and the English people not to hand over his land and liis people to theuntender mercies of the Chartered Conipauy. M ust he beg in vain 1 SCOLDED BY MR RHODES. The chief has not forgotten his interview with Mr Rhodes after the Matabele war. It will be rembered that Khama, in spite of his fear of Lobeugnla, sent a body of troops to assist the English side, aud suddenly recalled them immediately after they had joined, giving as an excuse that it was seed-" time in his conntry. It is whispered, however (as things only are whispered here if they reflect on the powers that be), that no sooner did the troops, headed by Khama's own son, rench the Bactiuaualand police uuder Colonel G,onld- Adams than they were plied with liquor, and were speedily in a state of intoxication. This news was conveyed to Khama, and he promptly recalled them. Was he wrong ? When Mr Rhodes passed up to Matabeleland, after the war was over, he sent to Khama to meet him, and in the words of one present, " rated him like a dog."' Khama said nothing, after the manner of natives, but his feeling towards the head of the Chartered Company is shown by his visit to England. It came as a shock and a surprise to many in the colony to hear that the company had any claims even on paper to Khama'« country, but the first clause runs :—": — " The principal field of the B.S.A. Company shall be tho region lying immediately north of British Bechuanaland," &c. The second clause, however, gives Kbama a good case, " provided nothing shall affect any valid agreement made by the chiefs," &c, aud we must remember that the object of the Charter is nominally "to promote civilisation, trade, and good government, including regulation of the liquor traffic." All these exist already in Khama's country and will certainly be impeded by its forcible annexation to the company's land. We assisted the company to "smash" Lobengula, but he at lenst was neither a Christian nor an ally ; are we prepared to treat Khama in a similar manner? To please the company we have handed over the Swazies to their hated enemies the Transvaal Dutch ; are we about to add to the English record of bad faith and dirty tricks by liandiug over Khama and his people, Christians and friends, to the Chartered Company, against their will and in spite of their protests ?