the crown colonies - Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative

J 70
THE CROWN COLONIES
control. The cost, however, had been heavy: 100 lives
and well over £ 100,000 in money.
Matabeleland was thrown open to new settlers, and
on the site of Lobengula's kraal the new town of
Bulawayo was founded. It is now the largest city in
that portion of Rhodesia and the most important
commercially in the country.
Progress was not confined to th e territory south of
the Zamb esi. North of the great river the Chartered
Company was very active. The most considerable native
people in this region are the Barotse, and their king,
Lewanika, was persuaded to sign an agreement in 18go
placing his country und er the protection of the British.
The Company promised not to interfere with the native
government, but secured the mineral rights throughout
Barotseland, which covers the upper reaches of the
Zamb esi.
The immense domain of the Chartered Company
extended northwards to the southern cnd of Lake
Tanganyika; and after treaties had been made with
the natives, the town of Abercorn was found ed here
and nam ed after the Duk e, who was one of the Compan
y's distinguished directors. On the east, too, there
were developm ents. In this region, lying along the
western shore of Lake Nyasa, the African Lakes Trading
Corporation had been doing splendid work to consolidate
British interests, but had experienced troublous
times with the natives and Arabs. Th e western portion
of the Corp oration's territory was, therefore, made over
to the British South Africa Company, while the
remainder became in I 8g I a British Prot ectorate, first
styled British Central Africa, and now known as
Nyasaland.
Each of these forward steps was taken on the advice