OLD-TIMERS LOOK BACK

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19335, 27 May 1937, Page 8

OLD-TIMERS LOOK BACK

ODD BITS OP HISTORY SOFT 11 A FRirAN VKT K R ANS k*: '. :t(fetoOS, March. 30, Battles with Matabolo tribesmen, pursuit of fat King Lobengula and hia-2'oo wiyes, adventures with Cecil Rhodes, were relived in the bar of a London- liotell yesterday by 10 wrinkled/and bewhiskered veterans of the'Kho#sian* Pioneer columns or 189f> ancMß93/'

Thise glamour-seasoned Coronationistajhrew off odd bits of history that nevw'got'into the books. Said 66-year-old A. G. Hay, formerly of the Beuchuanaland Border Police, now

known as "Tottie, the Auctioneer": "In the old days we spent lots of time chasing that King Lobengula .around Matabclcland. L* .remember that scrap down by the Slmngnni River. . . .

"Our patrol was sen! ji'ftnr Lobengula. Whorl we gol to (he river, Major Allan Wilson's party crossed over lo make camp. .Next morning they were surrounded by Mntnb'clos. Old Lobengula got away on a horse . . . Major Wilson's party were wiped out. • . , Had 200 Wives "Lobengula—lie was a funny one. Weighed about 20 stone and had 200 wives. We used to call him Solomon. .. . But we, never caught him, y'kno'w. He just died of being chased around."

Major Walter Howard, 72-year-old veteran who is .still prospecting for gold, told of the day when he first shook hands with Cecil Rhodes.

"He was with the relief column, and I had just, returned from the Shangnni patrol . . . glad to gel. buck Too—we had (been living on a pound of horse-flesh a day. "1 walked in to meet Rhodes, Tic was standing with his back to (he lire, thinking very gravely? J took one look and saw that his trousers were burned away six inches up from hi.s boots. He continued to stand by the (ire, and I was so delighted to moot him that f didn't, have (he nerve to tell him his trousers were burning." Memories were blurred for Major J. C. .Tesser-Coope, sole member of tfift party who took part in the .Jameson Raid. "Due to the funk and furiosity, I hardly remember the raid at ail," said he.

Lover Jameson Seventy-eight-year-old Mr. Alexander Tulloch, oldest of the Pioneers and father of the first child born in

Southern Rhodesie after its occupation, described Rhodes as "a mnn we worshipped" and ''.lameson as "n mam we loved.''

" fill odes was a gentleman. My wife said that, and so do I. I've lived with him, dined with him, and borrowed money front him —1 paid it back, ton. Rhodes was a gentleman. ''