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BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA 
in their flight and captured by Captain Cavendish. Subsequently both Matip- 
wiri and Kumtiramanja were taken prisoners by Lieut. Coape-Smith. A fort 
was built in their country and Matipwiri’s former subjects settled down very 
contentedly under our rule, and the country has since been perfectly peaceful. 
This settlement was rendered all the easier because Matipwiri, like most of the 
Yao chiefs, was a usurper, and not a native of the district in which he had 
established himself. Many of his subjects belonged to the A-lolo stock and 
spoke a language akin to Makua. 
From the hills in Matipwiri’s country we were able to look out eastwards 
over a most wonderful country 
hitherto untraversed by any white 
man, but within the Portuguese 
Sphere of Influence. We could 
see splendid ranges of mountains 
almost as high as Mlanje—that 
is to say, reaching in parts to an 
altitude of 8,000 feet. When the 
interior of Portuguese East Africa 
is opened up this A-lolo country 
should become a great resort of 
European planters, as it is very 
fertile and admirably well watered. 
In the Matipwiri expedition 
we had for the first time tried 
our new military organisation, 
especially in regard to the Native 
levies, and we were greatly en¬ 
couraged by the results and 
proceeded with some confidence 
on the expedition against Zarafi. 
This expedition was brought to a 
completely successful result after 
a week’s fighting in which we lost 
our best Sikh non-commissioned 
officer. The heights of Mangoche 
Mountain were successfully taken 
by storm, the lost 7 - pounder 
cannon was recovered, and Zarafi 
fled far to the eastward into 
Portuguese East Africa, where of course we were unable to follow him. A 
fort was planned on the site of Zarafi’s town, and was subsequently built 
by Lieut. Alston. We then proceeded to try conclusions with Mponda, 
who after several years of doubting had at last decided to renew his struggle 
with us and had retired to a strong place, Mauni, in the mountains of the 
Cape Maclear peninsula. Major Edwards started with a strong force for Mauni, 
but Mponda at the last moment deemed discretion to be the better part of 
valour, and, eluding the force sent against him, came down in a canoe to 
Fort Johnston and surrendered to me. As much bloodshed was saved by 
this act of Mponda’s I dealt as leniently with him as possible, and secured 
to him his personal property, though I deemed it necessary to send him 
away from his country for a time as his presence was so obnoxious to the mass 
NATIVE SOLDIERS, BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA 
