THE SKETCHER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2516, 4 June 1902, Page 65

THE SKETCHER.

EMPIRE BUILDING: ITS PLEASURES

AND PAINS. (By A. Hofmeyer, 8.A., author of "The Story of My Captivity During the Transvaal War," etc.)

It is only since the outbreak of the South African war that I have fully understood and appreciated the actions of that great South African statesman, Mi Cecil Rhodes, to whose foresight and indomitable spirit the British Empire owes a tremendous debt of gratitude.

Any one looking at the map of South 'Africa will see the vast tract of country called Damaralaad, lying" to the north-west of the Cape Colony. Some years ago that territory was to be had for a mere nothing ; foufc there was no Cape politician at that time shrewd enough to perceive the value of such an acquisition except Mr Rhodes, and as a member of the Cape Ministry he tried hard to paint Damaraland red. His colleagues, however, did not rise to the occasion, and the German Empire obtained possession. Fortunately Mr Rhodes put Ids foot down on a spot which is the only harbour on that western shore — Walvisch Bay. He was determined to retain that J)ort for England ; and he succeeded. A ook at the map will show the value of the acquisition: how easj' it would have been, during the present war, for mercenaries, ammunition, etc., to have been landed tlilere and sent on to the Transvaal!

However, Mr Rhodes did more than that. Between the eastern boundary of Damaraland and the western boundary of Bechuanaland (a British protectorate) there lay another practically unknown region, known as 'Ngamiland, stretching southwards from Lake 'Ngami, and including the_ Chanzis country. To men of foresight "like Mr Rhodes it became evident that German territory would be extended eastwards to include this region if British territory were not first extended westwards. Already German influence was beginning to make itself felt there when Mr RhoHes obtained for the Chartered Company a concession from the chief Segkomi J>f th*e whole of 'Ngamiland. It is interesting to contemplate the developments that might have arisen during the present war had this territory been painted yellow instead of red. In fact, I must s2-y here that to my mind Britons all over the world do not yalue as highly as they deserve the inestimable - services rendered to the Empire b» the great Empire-builder Cecil Rhodes, I shall never forget the occasion, now almost 10 years ago, when I heard Mr Rhodes, standing before a large map of Africa, dilate upon the necessity of land acquisition here and there and everywhere ■over the vast continent. He spoke as only a prophet and , philanthropist and a loyal subject can speak ; and to me it is a deeply fascinating study to notice how his prophecies are being verified. To have been associated with him __ for several years, though in a very small way, in this wonderful work of Empire-building, I will altrays deem an honour ; it has given me intense pleasure and instruction, and made me the loyal subject I am not ashamed to say I am to-day. I have been through the Kalahari in connection with this work at the time when the 'Ngamiland concession was granted, and tlms obtained much useful and interesting information. Let me relate here something about the chief of that country, Segkomi.

This chief lived in his big town called Moremi, close to Lake 'Ngami. He was known to be a cruel, degraded, and deceitful man. While on my way to Chanzis to plant a colony there, consisting of farmers from the Cape. Free State, and Transvaal. I was greatly interested in a letter I received from a missionary living' north of the lake, saying amongst other things : "Dear Mr H.. for God's sake bring up your men as soon as possible, so that an end may be put to the wickedness and cruelty of Segkomi."' This message seemed all the more important when 1 remembered jvhat another man whom I happened to meet at Mafeking had said to me. I will not give this gentleman's name : it may, however, be mentioned that to-day he poses as a red-hot loyalist at the Cape ; but at that time — because he was financially interested — he opposed every attempt to ( reate British protectorates in native states. Seeing me before I left Mafeking, that man called Mi- Rhodes a murderer and a freebooter, and the Chartered Company a fraud and a filibustering company ; and to me lie said, "You ought to be ashamed of identifying yourself with .mch men ond of accompanying a band of nimderers.'"—referring to the gentleman-farmers who were ■with me. I took no particular notice of these words. I knew my detractor's weakness. With him it was his pocket first and the British Empire afterwards. Such are the men who minimise the efforts of loyal Empire-builders, and I could not help comparing the missionary's Macedonian cry, "Come over and help us." with this man's selfish meanness. "If you go you are a marauder and a filibuster." Forsooth! he. was afraid that we would start trading where he alone had been monopolising trade, to his own advantage solely. He could not understand that men could have higher aims in life than mere moneymaking. He is to-day a rich man ; and I am poor : but I have one possession he has not — I have served my King and flag faithfully, through good and evil report ; he is loyal now that loyalty pays better.

To proceed with the story. In consequence of my friend the missionary's letter, I tried to gain as mncli information as I could regarding Segkomi; and when, later, I met the missionary I obtained some startling intelligence from him. Let me relate one episode. Segkomi was the mobt powerful thief in the country, and used periodically to raid the villages of petty chiefs, especially those ti the north of the lake. What the Matabe'.e did to the Ma&honas on a larger scale this miniature Lobengula attempted to do Igm ar " allpr Whftvqvfir k% jeiggFPfttttSti it

village, Tip killed the elderly warriors, captured the women, and made slaves of the younger men. He set out northwards one day accompanied by 800 warriors with the intention of overpowering some chiefs who were waxing too powerful for his liking. Arrived at a village on the southern banks of the Botletli River, he pretended to be a friend of the chief, and promised tiiat he would spare the village if the chief would lend him some canoes and help his men to cross the river on their way to the north. This was agreed to, and Segkomi and his men marched northwards towards another village which he intended to raid, after hiding the canoes in the forest on the river bank till their return. The expedition was a thorough success, and the victorious Segkomi marched back with numerous herds of cattle and slaves in his train, leaving behind him devastated homes and bleeding corpses. An eye-witness told me that his warriors used to seize troublesome babes and little children by the legs, whirl them round and round, and dash out their brains against a tree or rock ; then the march was resumed, the dead bodies being left to vultures and wolves, notwithstanding the agonised shrieks of heartbroken mothers.

Arrived at the river, Segkomi crossed over in the friendly chief's canoes and marched up to hi 6 village. "I am going to reward you," said he, "for the assistance you rendered me. lam a great king and a great witch-doctor, and I am going to give you a great medicine which will protect you from your enemies and make you invincible. For you may be sure that other chiefs from the north will come down to attack me, and you will be the first to suffer because you assisted me." The chief was delighted to hear this, and readily consented to be "doctored" by this mighty potentate. There was eating and drinking and rejoicing that night, and the next morning arrangements were made for administering the great Segkomi's medicine. This was what took place: Segkomi's men were all formed up in a semicircle some distance outside the village, whilst halfway between them and the village Segkomi himself and his chief induna took up their position. They stood face to face, holding in their hands a long, stout thong of hide, formed into a slip-noose at the one end. The chief then called upon the warrior*! of the village to approach one by one. and as they approached each one laid down his arms beside Segkomi and passed through the open noose, whilst the chief mumbled some' magic phrase and sprinkled on each man as he went through a few drops of medicine-water from a big horn. Thus one by one the warriors passed by, taking up their position in the hollow of the semicircle of warriors — the latter well armed, of course ; the former unarmed. When all the men. had gone through, the village chief came last. To him Segkomi said, "I have special medicine for you, my brother ; come, step into this magic noose and listen." The chief did as he was bid. When he had put his head into the noose quick as lightning the two men treacherously drew it tight round the victim's, neck, strangling him on the spot. This was the signal for the armed warriors to fall upon their poor victims standing defenceless within the circle and slay them all in cold blood. iSe^komi thereupon set fire to the village, took possession 61 everything worth having, made captives of^ all the younger women and children, and marched homewards, highly delighted with the success of his ciuel treachery. Again, as an eyewitness told me. the road was strewn with the dead bodies of women and children, whom the warriors had slain on "fiie least provocation. On their arrival at Moremi there Mas feasting and rejoicing, the captured women were allotted as slaves and wives amongst the men, and for many a day the praises of this mighty conqueror were sung to the accompaniment of the auguished wail of the childless mother, the fatherless daughter, and the heart-broken captive! But what cared Segkomi? His black heart knew only treachery. Such mils the native whom my above-mentioned friend would protect against us white people — marauders and filibusters ! Ay, such were the piactices which my friend the miss-ionarj would have us suppress in Ciod'fi name, and the black-hearted villain he would subject to the flag whose veiy shadow, as it quivers on the ground, spells. Liberty and Freedom — the flag of the British Empire !

This was done. Xow the widow's w.iil, the orphan's heart-broken cry, or the shriek of murdeied children is heard no more ; nor does the blood of butchered warriors soak into the earth. Segkomi dares not — the Union Jack waves over his head. Yes, Em-pire-building has As pleasures, but it has also its tra^dies ! — Chamber's Journal.