By Miss A Werner, British Central Africa.
But about 1880 or I881, when the Yaos had begun to settle down peaceably, the Angoni (under their chief Chekusi) fell into the habit of making raids across the Shire every year when the crops were ripe. They carried off maize, goats, fowls, everything that was not "too hot or too heavy," and also all the women and children they could catch-many of whom are now permanently settled in the West Shire country. In 1885, however, the Rev. D. C. Scott, accompanied by Mrs. Scott and Dr. Peden,started on a visit to Chekusi's kraal,and opened up friendly relations with him. He proved willing, to suspend the raids, and eager that white men should settle in his country.- It was promised that teachers should be sent, but circumstances prevented the fullilment of this promise for several years; and in the meantime stations had been opened at Livlezi and Gowa by the Free Church (Livingstonia) Mission, who, we may remark in passing, had previously succeeded in establishing themselves on a very friendly footing with the old chief Mombera, the overlord of the northern Angoni. In 1893, however (after the death of old Chekusi, and the accession of his son Chatantumba or Gomani, who, by-the-bye, objected to the presence of the missionaries in the immediate neighbourhood of his kraal), a small out-station was established at Ntumbi, two days' journey from Chekusi's, under the charge of two ladies and a native teacher or two. The school thus begun has been carried on more or less successfully by a series of native teachers.
At the very time of the compilation of these notes, " the Angoni rising," as the papers called it, was taking place, and afording another example of official mismanagement to use the mildest term. Iam not concerned to defend poor Chatantumba, who was neither a Khama nor a Cetshwayo-in fact, not a model ruler judged by any standard; but I cannot convince myself that the administration took the best way of dealing with the difficulty-" rising " is a misnomer.
2.Since the above was written two more 'risings' have taken place and been put down.