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The Standard Bank Limited, Enkeldoorn Charter House, at the corner of Jameson Avenue and Kings Crescent, was opened in 1958. The name Charter House was given by The British South Africa Company to its administrative offices. It is now the headquarters of Anglo American Corporation in Rhodesia. Altogether there have been seven Charter Houses in Rhodesia, of which two remain; one in Salisbury and one in Bulawayo. The Rhodesian interests of The British South Africa Company were merged with those of Anglo American Corporation in 1965 to form one of the largest business groups in the country. RHODESIANA Publication No. 25 — December, 1971 THE RHODESIANA SOCIETY Salisbury Rhodesia Edited by W. V. BRELSFORD Assisted by E. E. BURKE Copyright is reserved by the Society Authors are responsible for their own opinions and for the accuracy of statements they make. vi CONTENTS Page MAZOE AND THE MASHONA REBELLION, 1896-97, BY E. E. BURKE 1 H. H. A. DE LAESSOE: PIONEER, ADMINISTRATOR AND EX PLORER IN RHODESIA FROM 1896 TO 1914, BY B. M. RANDLES 35 ANTONIO FERNANDES—A REASSESSMENT, BY R. W. DICKIN SON 45 IN SEARCH OF MACAMBO, BY C. J. W. FLEMING 53 THE WHITE INDUNA, BY J. G. STORRY 58 THE SOCIETY'S GOLD MEDALS 62 SOME RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY OF THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES. COMPILED BY C. COGGIN 66 PERIODICALS AND ARTICLES OF INTEREST: A SURVEY BY ALISON MCHARG 69 SOCIETY ACTIVITIES 71 NOTES 78 CORRESPONDENCE 86 REVIEWS 88 THE RHODESIANA SOCIETY'S CONSTITUTION 101 The cover picture is from the Illustrated London News of 13th December, 1890, page 741, and shows—"British South Africa Company Police crossing a stream.''' vii The Rhodesiana Society The Society exists to promote Rhodesian historical studies and to encourage research. It also aims to unite all who wish to foster a wider appreciation and knowledge of the history of Rhodesia. There is no entrance fee; the subscription is $3-00 Rhodesian currency ($5-00 U.S.A. or R.3-30) a year, and this entitles paid- up members to those numbers of Rhodesiana issued during the year. There are two issues in each year, dated July and December. For further information and particulars concerning membership please write to: The Honorary National Secretary, Rhodesiana Society, P.O. Box 8268, Causeway, Salisbury, Rhodesia. For information about Branch activities please write to: Matabeleland Branch, P.O. Box 1614, Bulawayo. Manicaland Branch, P.O. Box 50, Penhalonga. Mashonaland Branch, P.O. Box 3946, Salisbury. Manuscripts will be welcomed by the Editor. They should preferably be typed in double spacing and be complete with any illustrations. Copies of published works for review will also be welcomed. National Executive Committee Members Colonel A. S. Hickman, M.B.E., National Chairman G. H. Tanser, National Deputy Chairman M. J. Kimberley, National Honorary Secretary D. Hartridge, National Assistant Honorary Secretary W. V. Brelsford, Editor E. E. Burke A. M. Ewing Dr. R. C. Howland B. W. Lloyd R. W. S. Turner, Membership and Advertising T. W. H. Kennedy-Grant, Mashonaland Branch Representa tive L. W. Bolze, Matabeleland Branch Representative P. G. Deedes, C.M.G., O.B.E., Manicaland Branch Representa tive viii Matabeleland Manicaland Mashonaland Branch Branch Branch Committee Committee Committee Members Members Members Chairman Chairman Chairman H. V. Vickery P. G. Deedes, G. H. Tanser C.M.G., O.B.E. Honorary Secretary Honorary Secretary Deputy Chairman B. H. Lovemore, Miss A. Cripps R. W. S. Turner O.L.M. Honorary Treasurer R. Y. Armstrong Honorary Secretary F. V. Clarance R. A. R. Bent, O.B.E. Mrs. R. M. T. Barker F. O. Bernhard L. W. Bolze D. R. Chadd R. C. Howland P. B. Gibbs, M.B.E. P. M. Hutchinson T. W. H. Kennedy Miss P. S. E. James Grant D. C. Mason C. W. H. Loades Mrs. P. W. Porter H. A. B. Symons G. Zacharias ix "Types of the force", from "With the Mounted Infantry and the Mashonaland Field Force, 1896", by E. A. H. Alderson. A sketch by Lieut. R. W. Hare, Norfolk Regiment, showing a Rhodesian volunteer and an Imperial mounted infantryman. {Photo: National Archives) X Mazoe and the Mashona Rebellion, 1896-97 by E. E. Burke Introduction There is a large bibliography of works and papers dealing with the Rebellion in Mashonaland in 1896-97 and it might seem that the subject has been well studied. There are, though, surprising gaps in general awareness of what happened within a very few miles of Salisbury 75 years ago; gaps, too, in knowledge, which deserve explanation. One such gap, for which the word mystery might not be too strong a term, has been the whereabouts of the graves of Blakiston and Routledge. Several memorials to them are honoured each year, but what had happened to the remains of the men themselves?1 It was from this starting point that interest led to the significance of Fort Mazoe, to the relevance and location of Fort Alderson, to the accounts of the pacification of the upper Mazoe Valley and to attempt some explanation of why no knowledge of these events survived amongst the district's European population. The enquiries grew, and have become somewhat wider than their original purpose demanded. Their results are presented as a contribution to the history of the Mazoe area in a formative period. Preparation The Matabele Rebellion sprang upon a startled population in March 1896, but there was little apprehension of the possibility of its spreading into Mashona land, where the Africans were regarded as totally unorganised and unwarlike. But, glimpsed in a small incident here and there by a few percipient Native Commissioners, though unappreciated in significance, much was happening. The relationships in 1896 between the spirit mediums Kagubi and Nyanda, were interwoven with all the intricacies of Shona religious beliefs, and it is doubtful whether the relationships are as yet fully comprehended. It is sufficient for the present purpose to provide an outline of the sequence of events on the Shona side. 1 There is a memorial at Mazoe, very close to the Mazoe Hotel, and a plaque in the General Post Office in Salisbury. Both were erected, from public subscription, by a committee under the chairmanship of Mr. E. S. White, of Concession, and unveiled on 19th June, 1936. There is a much earlier plaque in St. George's Chapel in the Anglican Cathedral, erected by their "Comrades in the Rhodesian Post and Telegraph Service". 1 According to some accounts Mkwati, the chief representative of the Mwari cult and the organiser of the Matabele rebellion, sent messages, in April 1896, to Mashayamombe, at his kraal near Hartley,1 offering Matabele assistance if an insurrection could be organised amongst the Shona. Mashayamombe consulted with the spirit medium Kagubi, who was granted special "powers" by Mkwati. Thereafter Kagubi based himself at Mashayamombe's kraal from where he sent messengers through central and northern Mashonaland. There was a series of conferences of representatives sent by Shona chiefs at which the recruitment, the organisation and the timing of the outbreak was arranged. Each tribal area had its mondoro or spirit medium, of greater or lesser degree of importance. In the Mazoe valley the spirit medium was a woman, Nyanda, who had her headquarters at Chidamba's kraal in the "Granite Hills".2 She became Kagubi's ally, agent and local controller. It was her influence that maintained morale in the Mazoe and created the will to rebellion; it was to her that all loot—cattle, arms, ammunition, personal belongings—was sur rendered for redistribution as she thought fit. Thus during April and May of 1896 the organisation was perfected, to be put into action at a signal—relayed by beacon fires—from Mashayamombe's kraal. When Mkwati sent word, and with the arrival of a Matabele impi, or part of one, at Mashayamombe's kraal to give general support, the signal was given. The first murders around Salisbury were on 15th June.3 There was another prominent figure in the organisation in the Mazoe; this was Mhasvi, a member of the Native Police unit. According to one account he deserted at the news of the first murders and joined the Mazoe chiefs whom he instigated to rebellion, but his exact part is uncertain. However, he, without doubt, did exercise the rebels in the use of their weapons and in how to aim with them, and his presence became well known to the authorities.4 The Administration in Salisbury had been naturally uneasy since the out break in Matabeleland in March, not at the possibility of a Shona rising, but at a general spread of lawlessness. Thus on 14th April, 1896, the Executive Council issued a "Notice to Prospectors and others" which explained its thoughts— ". although His Honour the Acting Administrator and the Council have no reason to believe that there is any probability of a similar rising of natives in 1 The site of Mashayamombe's kraal, overlooking the Umfuli, was located by Mr. B. S. Marlborough on his farm Fort Martin Extension in 1969. 2 The name "Granite Hills" was freely used in correspondence and reports of the period but no map showing their location has survived. From the description of events, and internal evidence, it is clear that they were the hills running due north, on the west bank of the Mazoe, from Christon Bank to the southern end of the Mazoe Dam. 3 According to Reports on the Native Disturbances in Rhodesia (B.S.A. Company, 1898) 119 Europeans were murdered in Mashonaland, 26 of them in the Mazoe district. In Matabele land and Mashonaland together, L.