Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 4.djvu/292

228 SOUTH AND EAST AFRICA. the king resided was at Chama-Cliaina, in the upland valley of the Um-Swelizi or Upper Buzi, but since then the court has already been transferred to two other nites in these highlands. The Zulus of Gazuland are usually called Umgoni by the southern populations, and Landins by the Portuguese. Camping round about the royal residence, they retain their original military organisation, being marshalled in regular troops, bittalions, and regiments, and officered by indunaa or captains, who endeavour to keep alive the warlike traditions of their victorious forefathers. The mainte- nance of this system is the more necessary that the hosts of the ruling nation, being vastly less numerous than the population of the subject tribes, their political ascendancy can be secured only by terror. The army is so constituted that it can l)e moved rapidly now on one point now on another, stamping out all resistance by wasting the land and carrying off all supplies and live stock. As is ever the case, this method of government has had the inevitable consequence of impoverishing the land and stifling all genns of civilisation. These Zulu sovereigns have no longer a hoe as the emblem of authority, like the old Monomotapa emperors, for they rule only by the sword. The former sedentary and agricultural tribes have become hordes of fugitives ever ready at the shortest notice to abandon their villages and settlements at the approach of the royal army. They were forbidden to work the mines, lest they might grow rich and dangerous ; they are prevented from hunting the elephant because that is a noble pursuit, and slaves must not aspire to equality with their masters. Certain communities had lately ventured to keep cattle, and the Ma-Ndai'das, who inhabit the plains lying south and south- east of the hills occupied by the royal kraal, have begun to breed dogs, in the hope that their oppressors might at least leave them that despised food. Till recently the policy of the king was inspired by a feeling of profound jealousy towards Europeans, fie allowed them to hunt and trade, but only within rigorously defined limits ; he assigned thera fixed camping grounds, and levied black-mail on all visitors under the name of " presents." In 1872 he made the I'higlish traveller, Erskine. wait two months -and a half before granting him an audience, although he was the political envoy of the Natal Government, and had actually been invited to the court by the King of Gaza himself At present the attitude of the sovereign has undergone a change, and the imminent danger of bis position has obliged him to display more deference and seeming courtesy towards envoys, missionaries, and miiiers. Feeling himself no longer strong enough to defy those who will ere long be his masters, he has become, after a vain attempt at resistance, the formal vassal of the Portuguese Government, and has undertaken to respect the mandates of the Resident appointed by the Lisbon ministers. The Aborigines of Gazaland. The indigenous populations are commonly known by the collective name of Tongas, although differing considerably from the Amatongas dwelling to the south of Delagoa Bay. They appear to bt^ for the most nart related to the Basutos, I