An Indignation Meeting. 287 



discontent a few persons eonsiclei^ed wise and pro- 

 fitable to attempt to fan into a flame. Very strong 

 speeches were made in denunciation of the Com- 

 pany, and of certain of its chief officials, for that 

 they had not brought into the country sufficient 

 supplies of food. These speeches were adorned 

 with the most highly colloquial expressions and 

 interjections. Their authors forgot that the 

 Chartered Company was not responsible for the 

 feeding of other than its own employes, and that 

 if private individuals embarked on the long journey 

 to Mashonaland Avith insufficient supplies, they 

 had no one but themselves to blame. The mining- 

 experts, Messrs. Perkins and Rolker, were also 

 considered by some of the speakers to be responsi- 

 ble for the poverty of the gold discoveries ; Sir 

 John Willoughby, for some equally illogical reason, 

 was sharply censured, and the author of these 

 pages held up to odium on the supposition that he 

 had enjoyed certain special privileges with respect 

 to the importation of alcoholic liquor, unjustly 

 withheld from the general body of settlers. The 

 case for the company was courageously and effectu- 

 ally set out by one of its representatives ; contra- 

 dictions on questions of fact were briskly exchanged, 

 and the lie was freely given by one or the qther 

 party. The proceedings of this meeting termi- 

 nated in an orderly manner with the apj^ointment 

 of a vigilance committee with unlimited and 

 unknown powers. This popular commotion was 

 followed by great tranquility. The " vigilance 

 committee " contented themselves with one inter- 



