With Wilson in Matabeleland, or, Sport and War in Zambesia ... With a map and numerous illustrations from photographs

Front matter

WITH WILSON IN MATABELELAND Captauvlkmcvaiis, Route. nuxrk**l few WITH WILSON IN MATABELELAND OR SPORT AND WAR IN ZAMBESIA BY CAPTAIN C. H. W. DONOVAN (Of the Army Serince Corps) WITH A MAP AND NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS FROM PHOTOGRAPHS LONDON HENRY AND CO., 93, ST. MARTIN'S LANE, W.C. 1894 [All rights reserved} Printed by llazell, Watson, & Viney, Ld., London and Aylesbury. TO THE MEMORY OF MAJOR WILSON, CAPTAIN LENDY, AND ALL MY GALLANT COMRADES WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN EXTENDING THE BRITISH DOMINIONS IN MATABELELAND, I DEDICATE THIS BOOK

Preface

f^HE production of this book has been delayed by reason of the time taken to re-write it. An officer of literary fame, to whom the MS. was submitted, pronounced it to be "too slangy for publication"; thereupon I en deavoured to alter my style to one in which I trust no one will find much cause for offence. I have a pleasant task to perform in thanking Surgeon-Major W. G. Clements, A. M.S., Major Claridge (late 2nd West India Regiment), Mr. Schaus, Mr. Duncombe Jewell, and Mr. Herbert Canning, the courteous Secretary of the British South African Company, for services they have been good enough to render me.

PREFACE.

The Eastern Photographic Materials Company, Ltd., have taken every care to develop the negatives of the No. 2 Kodak which I carried with me, and without which one of the features of this book would be entirely absent. C. H. W. DONOVAN, Capt. Army Service Corps. Colchester, September 1894. CONTEXTS

Part I Sport Chapter

I PAGE Arrival at Cape Town — Impressions — Interview with the Hon. Cecil Rhodes — His Insight into the Future — Difficulties about Guns — By Train to Pretoria — Characteristics of Pretoria — Arrangements for the Trip — The Start ....... 3

Chapter II

The Journey to Pietersburg — Duck Shooting — Lost in the Bush — Spring-boks — Fishing and Shooting — Native Kraals — Makapan's-poort — Butterflies — A Cavalry Officer as a Bar-keeper — Queen's Birthday — Celebrations at Pietersburg — Races — Purchase of a Horse — Departure from Pietersburg . . .16 CONTENTS X

Chapter III Page

Captain Oscar Dohl— Piet Duploy — Snakes—" Wolves " and " Tigers "—The Saltpans— Rest at Fatfontein — Elephant Skulls — Koodoo and Wildebeestes — Brak River — The Horses stray — Old Dutch Hunter — Baobab Trees — Traps — The Limpopo — Commandant Raaff — Licences ....... 30

Chapter IV

Hunting on the Veldt — Fishing : the Tiger-fish — Death of " Whisky " — " Bismarck " Salts — Fight between an Eagle and a Bustard — On the Bubye — Buffaloes and Lions — " Assvogels " — Riet-fontein — Elands — Our Dog " Uptell " — " A Hair of the Dog that bit you " — We cross the Wanetze" ...... 48

Chapter V

In the " Fly " — The Malala Loops — Rangana's Randt — The River Lundi — Push on to Maguati's Kraal — Native Beer — In Pursuit of Sea-cows — Scene at cutting up the Hippos — Sea-cow cheek — Return to Maguati's Kraal, and thence to the Lundi — News from Victoria — More Sea-cows — On the Tokwe — Bush-fire ......... 69

Chapter VI

The Sick-Carrier — Bad News from Victoria — We return to the Camp at the Malala Loops — Carriers — Ostriches CONTENTS PAGE — Hendrik Voster — I catch a little Wart-hog — We shoot two Lions — Retrace our steps towards Riet fontein — At the Junction ofthe Bubye'and Bubyan£ — Bankes has a narrow escape — Killing a Snake — Mount Domba Saba — Klip-springers — Our Bag — Bankes goes to the Low Country . . . . 92

Part II War Chapter VII

Parting — I lose my Horse — The Austins — Wagon Accident — Silent Graves — Granite Kopjes — Baboons — Meet Dr. Jameson and Willoughby — Dakha-smoking — Hints to Sportsmen — Wanetze River — Arrival at Victoria . . . . . . .129

Chapter VIII

Description of Victoria — Ruins of Zimbabye — Theories — Gold-workings — Death of a Prospector — Recalled to Victoria — The Matabeles and the Mashonas — Lobengula — The Raids — Captain Lendy and the " Doctor " — Panic in the District — The late Captain Lendy CONTENTS XII PAGE 178 202 248

Chapter IX

The training of the Victoria Column — The Maxim Guns — The rest of the Artillery — The Inspection and March-past — The March out of Victoria — The Catholic Sisters— Fifteen-Mile Start — Laagers — A False Alarm — We join the Main Body — Traces of the Matabeles .........

Chapter X

The Conditions of Service — Castellated Kopjes — Junction with the Salisbury Column — First brush with the Enemy — Death of Campbell — Capture of Cattle — Man-ye'ze — lnsukameni Kraal — Shangani Battle — The Maxims in Action — Superstition of the Matabeles — Their Bloodthirstiness and Brutality

Chapter XI

The March resumed — Captain Williams missing — Arrival of Lieutenant Hurrell with Despatches — Enxna Kraal shelled and burnt — Battle of the 'Imbembesi — The Enemy Defeated — Cowardice of the Young Warriors — Pluck of the Older Men — Progress resumed — Buluwayo in Flames — We enter the Town .