SLAVES AND THEIR < FATHERS: 153 



in metals and woven stuffs for ages. They are not 

 all conquered yet ; but the Matabele king is con- 

 stantly sending out parties of warriors, who steal 

 their cattle, kill the old people, and carry the child- 

 ren into slavery. The little slaves grow up in the 

 families of the Matabele, and when they are old 

 enough to marry become free and are incorporated 

 into the nation, in which way Lobengula increases 

 his people and his power. The slaves call those of 

 their conquerors to whom they are allotted their 

 ' fathers,' and they have to work for them, though 

 more like adopted children than anything else. 

 Many of the conquered people, however, are not 

 made part of the nation, but suffered to live on with 

 a Matabele headman placed over them. It is usually 

 slave-boys that one gets as servants. They have to 

 look after the cattle and make themselves generally 

 useful — carrying one's arms, blankets, or anything 

 else required, when one goes for a day or two into 

 the veldt. I have now six boys, all young, which I 

 always prefer, besides my driver, a stupid creature, 

 who requires constant blowing up and the use of 

 unpleasantly strong remarks. 1 When these fail 

 altogether, I shall have to try the argument of 

 knocking him down, which may be slightly bene- 

 ficial. This is supposed to attach a boy to you. 



1 This refers to John, the man whom Frank Oates had engaged as 

 interpreter at Gubuluwayo some months before, and whom he had 

 since retained in the capacity of general servant. He had recently 

 acted as driver in the place of Karl Lee, who had returned from 

 Tati to his brother's farm, instead of coming forward, as intended, to 

 Bamansrwato. 



