Lobengula’s coronation takes place at Mhlanhlandlela, one…

Lobengula’s coronation takes place at Mhlanhlandlela, one of the principal military towns.

The Matabele nation assembles in the form of a large semicircle, performs a war dance, and declares their willingness to fight and die for Lobengula.

A great number of cattle are slaughtered and the choicest meats are offered to Mlimo, the Matabele spiritual leader, and to the dead Mzilikazi.

Great quantities of millet beer are also consumed.

About ten thousand Matabele warriors in full war costume attend the crowning of Lobengula.

Their costumes consist of a headdress and short cape made of black ostrich feathers, a kilt made of leopard or other skins and ornamented with the tails of white cattle.

Around their arms they wear similar tails and around their ankles they wear rings of brass and other metals.

Their weapons consisted of one or more long spears for throwing and a short stabbing-spear or assegai (also the principal weapon of the Zulu).

For defense, they carry large oval shields of ox-hide, either black, white, red, or speckled according to the impi (regiment) to which they they belong.

The Matabele maintain their position in the region due to the greater size and tight discipline in the army, to which every able-bodied man in the tribe owes service.

The Ndebele army, consisting of fifteen thousand men in forty regiments, is based around Lobengula's capital of Bulawayo.