CHICAGOMBONI HILL (NINI DISTRICT)
This is where the rediscoverer of the Great Zimbabwe ruins, Adam Renders, a German-American, lived from 1868 to 1871. Renders was known to the natives as “Sa-adama,” and to this day the Makalanga speak well of him, and are particularly anxious that all Europeans should know that everything which “Sa-adama” bought from them he always paid for. Mogoma, an old man of exceptional intelligence, is the native chief in this locality, and knew Renders intimately, as the latter lived in his village and made it the centre for his elephant-hunting expeditions, on which Mogoma often accompanied him. One of Renders’ hunting “boys” still lives in the neighbouring village of M’Tibi. Elephants in those days were very plentiful, especially in the Beka and Mali districts. Renders, the natives say, was a tall, strong man. He first arrived in Mr. Stokes’ wagon. Mr. Stokes was a well-known preoccupation pioneer whose native name was “Setokwe.” Mogoma’s kraal has been moved from the hill to the valley on the south-west side. The chief states he never knew of the waterfall near Renders’ hut as described by Mr. Philips, and certainly owing to the formation of the rock it is difficult to see where there could have been one. In other respects the description of the spot where Renders lived in the Nini country (R. G. S. Journals, Dec., 1900, and Feb., 1901) is accurate, save that Chicagomboni is eleven miles south-west of Zimbabwe. Mogoma has distinct recollections of the visits of Dr. Mauch and Mr. Philips to Renders about 1871, and states that Cherimbila, the paramount chief, also visited Renders at this spot. Both Renders and Dr. Mauch took Mr. Philips to see Zimbabwe, but they did not stay long there.
After living in Mogoma’s village a little over two years, Renders moved to Chirimbila’s kraal, a few miles north of Mogoma’s, and lived there for three years, when he died. He was buried close to the kraal.
The Chicagomboni Hill is at the south-western extremity of the Livouri Range, and on the west side has a precipitous drop of about 700 ft. Half-way up the face of the cliffs is a narrow ledge running across them, and at the northern end of the ledge, and on a raised rock platform, was Renders’ abode, the remains of which can still be seen. Mogoma’s old kraal was on this ledge. At the point where was Renders’ hut, the cliff, at a height of 60 ft. above the ledge, protrudes outwards some 50 ft., thus forming a lofty and gigantic roof over the place were Renders lived. This is known as I-Baku—the cave. There are some narrow fissures in the face of the cliff which open out on to the ledge, but not one of these is worthy of the name of cave. In these Renders stored his trading goods and ivory.
FINGER ROCK, “MORGENSTER,” NEAR ZIMBABWE
I-BAKU (THE CAVE), CHICAGOMBONI, ZIMBABWE, WHEREIN ADAM RENDERS, THE REDISCOVERER OF GREAT ZIMBABWE, LIVED FROM 1868 TO 1871
From this point is gained one of the finest and most extensive views in Rhodesia. It extends over M’Chibi district, the valley of the Tokwe, the Belingwe Hills, the Selukwe Hills, and the high ground further to the west and north-west. Three hundred feet directly below is Mogoma’s new kraal and the adjoining village of Passi. Anyone staying a few days at Zimbabwe should not miss visiting this spot. The path from Zimbabwe leads past Motumi’s and Masua’s kraals, ascending all the way. Any of the “boys” at Mogabe’s kraal would act as guide, but on arrival at the hill it would be well to send for Mogoma, or one of his headmen, as this would dispense with the necessity of descending some hundreds of feet to the valley, in addition to which the approach to the ledge being hidden among large rocks, it is difficult to reach it without a local guide.