MR. RHODES AND THE MATABELE CHIEFS. 745 troops and congratulated them on their success. Reconnoitring parties sent into the hills saw only a few rebel scouts moving in the distance, but oneof these parties brought in aMatabele woman as a prisoner. She proved to be the mother of the chief Inyanda. She confirmed the report that many of the Matabele were anxious for peace, and she was used as a means ofopening communication with her peoplewith A local armistice was arranged, but it was not tillOctober 13th,after severalother conferences, that peace was finally assured.

The negotiations with the chiefs in the Matoppo Hills in August had put an end to the rebellion in its main stronghold. But in the east and north-east of Matabeleland andin Mashonaland several chiefs were still in arms against the Government. The chief Wedza TROOI'ERS BURNING KRAALS AFTER DRIVING OUT THE ENEM a view to negotiations. A large body of the troops was sent into the hills for twodays, but met nohostile force, and the general impression was that the impis had dispersed.

As the result ofmessages sent under the white flag and conveyed in the first instance by Inyanda's mother, the chiefs sent back word that they were ready to negotiate. On August 2It Mr. Rhodes, who had gone into the hills without an escort, trusting to the word of the Matabele, and accompanied by Colembrander and two white settlers, had a conference with hiyanda, Sekombo, and six other leadingchiefs.

held arocky stronghold in the Belingwe district, 100 miles east of Buluwayo. Two other chiefs were in arms near Gwelo, and gatherings of hostile Matabele were reported in the Sonaambula forest north of thatplace. Uwini was the leadingrebel chief in this district. Umtini,whom Plumer had defeated at Tabas-i-Mhamba onJuly 5th, was said tohave rallied someof his fighting men on the Shangani River. Small flying columns of the newly-arrived Imperial troops (7th Hussars and Mounted Infantry) were despatched from Buluwayo at the end of August to break up the gatherings nearGwelo andin