Chapter 287: Escape to the West
In Angola, near Matala, the Kingdom of Runda had not been entirely conquered by East Africa. The majority of the Runda people had escaped to the west bank of the Kwango River when they encountered the East African army, suffering relatively little loss.
Matala was a Portuguese colonial stronghold in Angola, known for its flat terrain and abundant rainfall. The Portuguese established large plantations in Matala, primarily cultivating palm trees and coffee. Two major plantations, owned by Oliveira and Yadros, dominated the area.
Oliveira and Yadros, the plantation owners, were patrolling their plantations together when they noticed an influx of indigenous people. These people were fleeing from the east towards Matala, a strange occurrence given that natives had previously fled from the east but never to this extent.
They speculated on the reasons for this mass migration, considering the possibility of turmoil in the Kingdom of Luanda or a tribal war. However, they couldn't fathom what could have driven the natives to cross over to their side.
The plantations in Matala were notorious for their harsh treatment of indigenous slaves. The workers endured grueling labor, overseen by white supervisors who used whips to maintain discipline. The crude wooden crosses, stained black with the blood of punished slaves, were a grim symbol of the plantations' brutality.
Alarmed by the unusual influx of natives, Oliveira and Yadros decided to investigate further. They ordered their armed forces to capture some of the indigenous people for questioning. The translator struggled to understand their accent but managed to convey that the natives had been driven westward by a group of strangers. These strangers wore clothing similar to that of the plantation owners.
Yadros suspected that the Mozambique colony might be responsible for the disturbance, given their proximity to the east and the presence of German forces there. Oliveira doubted this theory, as the distance from Mozambique was substantial.
They considered the possibility that the indigenous people might not distinguish between Europeans and their native overseers, making it challenging to identify the intruders. Frustrated by the lack of clear information, they decided to send someone to the Kingdom of Runda to seek answers from the local king.
However, the captured indigenous people, unable to provide specific details about the strangers, only described them as "white-faced monsters who could eat people." This ominous description left Oliveira and Yadros unsettled, and they decided to execute the captives by hanging them on the crosses. The fear of these mysterious newcomers grew, and Oliveira knew they had to investigate further in the Kingdom of Runda to understand the situation better.