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THE RHODESIAS AND NYASALAND 173
with them. They convened a meeting in the depths of
the hills, where they were quite immune from attack,
and sent a message to Rhodes, as he hoped they would,
saying they were prepared to parley with him.
Accompanied by three white men only, Rhodes went
unarmed to the palaver with the Matabele chiefs. It
is an event that has caught the imagination of Britons
everywhere: the little group of white men, surrounded
by thousands of native warriors in full war-paint, who
needed only a hint from their.leaders to fall upon the
strangers with their assegais. But Rhodes showed no
fear as he put the question to the Matabele: Is it to be
peace or war? Such was the force of his personality
that one chief after another cast his weapon on the
ground as a sign of friendship, and a disastrous struggle
was averted. The Mashonas continued the conflict,
but were subdued by the following year.
The Jameson Raid and the native rebellions left
Rhodesia in a serious condition. All the able-bodied
men had joined the colours, and development work was
at a standstill. The ravages of war had played havoc
with the cattle, and much of what the war had passed
over the rinder-pest destroyed. The natives were in
a bad way, and many of the white settlers were in little
better case. Moreover, the Company was in deep
financial straits, and needed more capital if it was to
continue. The only bright spot was the re-election of
Rhodes to the Board of Directors. At this crisis the
Imperial Government stepped in. The armed forces
were taken over by the Crown, the Company's constitution
was modified, an Imperial Resident Commissioner
was appointed, and a Legislative Council was constituted
with five nominated and four elected members.
These measures made a quick recovery from the war