KX '"!:''" >;^vv\> > yi!^>.'^,'S^:^^?.-gy-^ \ :w OXFOUU Sa-IEJtT 'tei I i/ku / \ / KAFIELAND: A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN FRANK N. STREATFEILD,C.M.^- BESIDBNT MAOISTBATE IN EAFFBABIA, AND COMMANDANT OF NATITE LEVIES DUBING THE KAFIB WAB OF 1878. ' Forsitan et hsoo olim meminisse juvabit.' Eonton : SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE, AND RIVLNGTON, CROWN BUILDINGS. 188, FLEET STREET. 1879. lAU rigkU re»ervd,1 S75 LONDON : GILBEET AND EIVINGTON, PRINTERS, ST. John's square. PREFACE. It will doubtless be wondered why I have been so long in writing my humble ex- periences of the Kafir War of 1878. The reason is, that few days only had elapsed after my getting out of soldier's harness, before I was again at work, in a civil capacity, as Magistrate over Kafirs in Gealekaland. Had my time been my own, I should at once have written the following records; but having plenty of work to attend to, I have only been able to write in my idle moments. In offering these pages to the public, I do not for one moment pretend to put forward a scientific account of the campaign, which 82:es59 VI PREFACE. is work for more able brains than mine, and those moreover of a military man : and I must beg the indulgence of all soldiers, for doubtless many faults in military parlance, and tactics but ill described. I have, however, endeavoured to give a faithful account of the varied scenes and adventures that I met with during my ex- perience as a Fingo leader, and I trust I may succeed in whiling away an hour or two for those who take an interest in South Africa. The Magisteact, Willow Vale, Transkei, Cape of Good Hope, 2nd June, 1879. CONTENTS CHAPTER I. FAG> Leaving home in the Georgetown district — Mossel Bay — Voyage to East London — The " Bar " — The town — Arrival in King William's Town . 1 CHAPTER n. Kising of the Gaikas — Murder of the Taiutons — Appointment to command of Native Levies — King William's Town in excitement — Taking command of Corps — Eingoes as walkers — As eaters — Kei Koad — Night patrol — March to Komgha — Dead bodies at Draaibosch — 8Sth Light Infantry at Komgha — Ablutions of a certain oflScer who shall be nameless .... 10 CHAPTER III. Assegaied sucking-pig for dinner — March to Impetu — Relief of Eort Warwick — Burning fort, and return to Komgha — On the march — Wild firing of Eingoes, and scene in camp — Joined by more Eingoes — Attack on the Chechaba — Capture of large herds of cattle — Attack on Botman's Uoek — More cattle — Men in women's clothes — Ivory arm-rings — Awful wound in a man's head — Cruelty of blacks — Punishment of blacks for so-called murder — How blacks bear pain . 27 Vni CONTENTS. CHAPTEE IV. PAGE Splendid climate — Waylaying at night — Fatal jump of two Kafirs — Long patrol — Sunstroke — Another attack on the Chechaba — More cattle captured — Sandilli's coat — Nuisance of cap- tured horses — Man shot by accident — Biver Kei — Beautiful scenery — Currie's Farm — The sea — Driving cattle to camp — "Work always comes on Sunday — Night bivouac in the rain — Comfort of tobacco — Eeturn to Impetu — Cattle in Laager — Numbers stolen — March to Thompson's Farm — Capsizing of sledges with stores — Fingo shot through forehead and chest — March through Chechaba Valley — Back to Komgha — Destruction of farms by Kafirs — Back to our camp on the Kei 50 CHAPTEE V. Constant patrolling — Sandilli breaking through to Amatolas — Hard times in the rain — Short of food — No tobacco — Break up of camp — Puzzle as to transport of aged Kafir woman — Camp at Msengi — Everything looks peaceful — Fingoes as hunters — Quantities of bucks and hares — — Assegai throwing — Wild pigs — Ofi" to King for pay — The " Winkler's Eest" — Awful goings on — Quiet rubber — Musical evening at Kei Eoad — Naval Brigade camp at Komgha — Church— Quiet Sunday evening — Eeturn to camp — Paying the men 83 CHAPTEE VI. Orders to march to King — On to the Amatolas — CONTENTS. IX The "Buffalo" Bange— Colonel Evelyn Wood — Attack on the Perie Forests— March to liaboula Heights — Grand scenery — Brabant's column in difficulties — Lonsdale's Fingoes — Shelling the Perie — Sandilli's horse — Captain Bradshaw killed — Wonderful night scene in Perie Forest — Grand scramble through the bush — Fine cascade — Return to camp at Hudson's Store — Captains Donovan and Ward killed — Arrival of General and Staff to stay the night — Poor accommodation — General Thesiger 104 CHAPTER VII. Rest in camp — Officer shot while visiting pickets — Narrow escape of Colonel Wood — Second attack on Perie — March at two a.m. — Sunrise over the forest — Two Fingoes killed at one shot — Fingo funeral — Fearfully cold night with only one blanket — War talk on Buffalo Heights — Com- mandant Lonsdale — Sleeping in the bush — The General's witch doctors — Charming day in the forest — Enormous tree — Night march through the forest back to camp — Broken shins — Haines' Mill 139 CHAPTER VIII. Striking camp on the heights — March to Lower Raboula — Night pickets — Hard sleeping-quar- ters — AVeary time in the bush — Kafirs up trees — They come down quicker than they went up — Larking back to camp — Wretched night in the rain — Colonel AVood mentioned in our prayers — Lonsdale, his boots — Buck to Hud- X CONTENTS. PAGK son's Store — Men all go on leave — Night-ride with Eorke — His Fingoes — Fruitless day — Baron deFvn — Pleasant evenings inKeiskamma Hoek — Muster of men — March to Burns' Hill — Kafirs killed by Fingoes while on leave — Waggon attacked — Action in Zanyockwe Yalley — Jim in hospital — Two new levies — Attack on Intaba Indoda and Tutu — Good day among the enemy — Saltmarshe killed — Prospecting for Kafirs at daylight 165 CHAPTEE IX. Funeral of soldiers — General addresses to the troops — Yery busy time — Night work — Ordered to Eed Hill — Good sleeping-quarters for a season — Asleep in the bush — Pleasant evenings at the Baron's — Dinner with the 90th Light Infantry — Marketing for Kafir curiosities — Major BuUer — Chaos reigns supreme in camp — Bread and water of afiliction for Fingoes — Trying night-march — Ominous whistle — Path lost — Eight at last — Warm quarters in patrol- tent 197 CHAPTEE X. Third attack on Perie Forest — Advance to plateau before daylight — Too late after all — Death of Captain M'Naghten— Captain AVhalley wounded and others killed — Back to Eaboula Heights again — Officers and men very torpid in the morning— Scouring Buffalo Poort — Cropper into hidden pit — BuUer as Fingo leader — Austin CONTENTS. XI PAGB wounded by a mistake — Beautiful scene on Sunday morning — Lonsdale's tent— Colonel Wood down with fever — A long good-bye to Raboula Heights — Haines' Mill again — Meet- ing with an old friend — Start by moonlight in ' the bush — Weird procession through the forest — Ascending Sandilli's Krantz — Bivouac in the bush 218 CHAPTER XI. Exploring parties sent off — Kafirs in stronghold — Lonsdale's Fingoes sent for — Eight men shot — Lonsdale arrives— Kafirs surrounded— Difficulty of forming a cordon — Night on the watch — Single combat between Fingo and Kafir — Foot- steps in the darkness — Don't shoot your friends — Oh ! such a hard bed — Rush on stronghold — Kafirs gone — Return to camp — Amusing scene en route — Wounded men — Fingoes as patients — Sundry anecdotes — Fingoes as shammers, a great success — A dose of Worcester Sauce very efficacious medicine — Excuses to get leave — ^09t mortem examination — Another night in the bush— On the "bend" in King— The Kwenkwe Valley 241 CHAPTER XII. Patrolling from the Kwenkwe— Death of Sandilli — Burial at Isidengi— The fair sex in camp — Buck-hunt — Fingo shot — First levy disbanded — Long walk — Mount Kempt — Dead Kafir child — Dissipation in King — Loss of friends XU CONTENTS. PAGE in the battle of Isanduhi — Cricket — Amuse- ments after dinner — Eifle-shooting — Visit to Sandilli's two sons in prison — Foot-ball — Whist — Photographer in camp — Grood-bye to theKwenkwe — March to Impetu — Deserters . 269 CHAPTER XIII. Mutiny and disorder — Peace restored — Back again in a hurry — Port AVarwick once more — Hare in fort — North side of Chechaba — Two journeys to King and back — Public funeral of Taintons and Brown — The Kei again — Amatola and Tynmie levies depart — New levy enrolled — Trollips's hotel in Komgha— Back to Impetu — New levy want discipline — They get it freely — The "cat" put to bed— To Cape Town and back — Orders to disband Pingoes — Day among the bucks at Impetu — Can Englishmen shoot straight? — Men disbanded — On board the " Anglian "—The hills of Kaffraria in the dis- tance 294 KAFIKLAND; OR, A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. CHAPTER I. Leaving home in the Georgetown district — Mossel Bay — Voyage to East London — The " Bar " — The town — Arrival in King William's Town. I HAD been living for about two years in great peace and contentment in the district of George, Cape of Good Hope, when, towards the close of the year 1877, I received the offer of a magistracy on the Kaffrarian frontier, and was expecting daily to be de- finitely appointed and get orders to proceed forthwith to take up my abode among my black brethren. My jurisdiction, as I under- stood, was to be over some of the border tribes, I was not therefore greatly surprised to receive a telegram from Government, re- questing me to go as soon as possible to B 2 ^ "" ' KAFIRLAND ; OR, King William's Town, and report myself to the authorities. I received this message on the 21st December, and after ascertaining that there was a steamer which could take me from Mossel Bay to East London on the 29th, I decided to go by her, and thence on to King William's Town. My wife and I now indeed had our work cut out for us ; for everything in the house had to be packed and sent away, what few ostriches, stock, and horses we had were to be sold, and, in fact, a clean sweep to be made of everything. For dwellers in the wilderness this sort of thing is very different to what it is in England. There, indeed, at the" worst in case of a hurried move, one has only to set the village carpenter to work with a two-foot rule and plenty of pine plank, and he can turn out packing cases nearly as fast as you can pack them. And as to stock and horses, there are very few villages indeed that don't possess an enterprising publican, who is always ready to take anything off one's hands in the shape of live stock of every description. I can't say I remember any one A TEN MONTHS CAMPAIGN. 3 for certain who would be ready to have a deal in ostriches, though I have an idea that I could find one or two trusty Knights of the Tankard in the wilds of Hampshire, who would not refuse even a finely developed old cock ostrich — at a price. In our case, my faithful henchman Jim and I had to set to work and do everything, and by dint of working night and day we got cases made from whatever material we had by us, and everything packed and off the place by the 27th. I had also found time to ride off and sell our stock, though not very advantageously. My wife had been nobly assisting in the fray, and we were all thank- ful to congratulate ourselves on having entirely finished by sundown on this day. My wife and I had mutually settled that the wisest plan for her would be to return to England, and stay there, paying a round of long-promised visits, till I had got some- thing in the shape of a house for her in Kafraria. The time had now arrived to say farewell ! I am one of those who agree with Lord Lytton to the utmost when he says, ** Beware of partings ! *' and it has unfor- B 2 4 KAFIRLAND ; OR, tunately been my lot to have maD j and long separations from those I love best, and I must say that the older I grow the less I like them, and I devoutly hope that I may be permitted for the rest of my days to remain in the bosom of my family, never again, as has too often been the case, to find my- self at one end of the world and all those I love at the other. However, as nasty medicine has to be taken, our farewell had to be said. My wife and boy were going to stay with some friends a few miles away till they started for England, while I had to walk into George that night, and drive on to Mossel Bay the next day. I took my wife's horse down to the river, across which we always had to swim our horses when going in the direction she was about to take, and, as usual, we started in the boat, holding the bridle for the horse to follow as he had done hundreds of times before. But to my disgust he totally refused to follow the boat, and nothing would induce him to come after us. I believe this was a providential arrange- ment, for I was feeling rather slack and down in the mouth, and wanted something A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 5 to stir me up. I got out of the boat and was soon on his back, and after some little trouble and application of the stick, got him out of his depth, and then he very soon found out who was best man, anyhow in the water. The river was about one hundred yards across, but we were, I should think, nearly twenty minutes in getting over, for the horse seemed determined not to go the right way, and I could only stop him once or twice by pulling his head under water. However, we landed safely at last on the right side, and our " tender, last farewells" having been got through, we went our several ways. I changed my wet things at the house, and then, with the faithful Jim, started for George. I ought to give Jim a paragraph to him- self, as he will frequently appear in these pages. He had worked for me some years in Hampshire, of which county he was a native, and when I decided to spend some time in the Cape Colony I sent him a message, say- ing I should be very glad if he liked to come and work for me again. He came to me at once, and a more faithful and trustworthy 6 KAFIRLAND ; OR, servant never yet followed his master's foot- steps. We reached George, about fifteen miles off, between twelve and one, and as a ball was then in full swing, I decided to go to it at once, for it was a very good opportunity of saying good-bye to my friends, most of whom I knew would be there. I knocked up a store-keeper and found my portmanteau, and having arrayed myself decently, went and took part in the mazy dance, and stayed there till daylight. A friend of mine had promised to drive me down to Mossel Bay, so on leaving the ball I called him up, and soon afterwards we started. Mossel Bay is not a very charming place, and there is absolutely nothing to be done there. We got up a good rubber in the evening, and played the whole night through. I then betook myself on board the little steamer " Florence," turned in at once, and slept the sleep of the righteous, never waking till we reached Port Elizabeth the next morning. The " Florence " was crammed with pas- sengers, chiefly volunteers on their way to A TEN MONTHS CAMPAIGN 7 the front; and between Port Elizabeth and East London I made the acquaintance of several good fellows, whom I afterwards met in more stirring scenes. We reached East London without anything interesting taking place, not even in crossing the celebrated bar, concerning which such fearful accounts are written. It has been my lot to cross that same bar seven times in the last eighteen months, and only once was it even exciting, not to mention dangerous. I must say from all I have seen of it that whenever boats are allowed to go out, the only possible danger must arise from the carelessness or drunkenness of the boatmen. My luggage was, as is usual at this port, smashed to a great extent; one chest that had safely weathered three voyages across the Atlantic, was most ably turned into lucifer matches, and the contents scattered all over the place with charming impar- tiality. Reader, have you ever visited East London ? I trust not for your own sake. Do you pur- pose ever doing so ? Let me implore you to postpone your visit sine die. Li passing KAFIR LAND ; OR througli this earthly vale, chequered with smiles and tears — especially tears, we have to pass unavoidably through many sorrows and times of sadness, which in spite of our utmost efforts will still leave bitter memories behind. Let me assure you it is im- possible to be in East London without a feeling of intense gloom and depression coming over you, and you will never recall the time of your sojourn there without stimu- lants at once suggesting themselves to your mind. Picture to yourself sundry bleak and barren sand-hills on the bank of a muddy stream, vegetation being conspicuous by its absence, also a good many shanties, leans-to, sheds, et cetera, scattered about, as though they had been dropped from the heavens, or rather pushed up from the other place, which form the town, and you have East London before you ! Mosquitoes abound, and bands of the most awful-looking Kafir convicts may be seen either at work or going to and returning from it, escorted by armed police- men. No one ever lands here who can possibly avoid doing so, and the object of A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 9. every one who does so is to move on as quickly as he can. I trust your own hasty flight from East London, which will surely take place if you enter it, will never become a fact in history. The next day, as there was unfortunately no train to take us on sooner, we went to King William's Town ; and having seen to the safe bestowing of my impedimenta, I re- ported myself at head-quarters. lo KAFIRLAND; OR, CHAPTER II. Rising of the Gaikas — Murder of the Taintons — Appoint- ment to command of Native Levies — King Wil- liam's Town in excitement — Taking command of Corps— Fingoes as walkers — As eaters — Kei Road — Night patrol — March to Komgha — Dead bodies at Draaibosch— 88th Light Infantry at Komgha — Ablutions of a certain officer who shall be nameless. At this time tlie rising of the Gaika tribe was a painful fact. The two Taintons and Brown had been brutally murdered in cold blood, and the action at Draaibosch had taken place within the last few days. The Gealekas were assembled again in the Transkei, and were all ready for more fight- ing, in spite of the thrashing they had already received, and having been hurried out of their own country. The fact was thereby clearly demonstrated that they had not received a lesson nearly severe enough, and that in reality the war must be begun over again. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. ii With this state of affairs plainly before me, I was not altogether surprised that instead of being directed to take up my residence as a magistrate, I was asked by Government if I would take command of a Fingo levy which had been raised in Keiskamma Hoek, a village about twenty-five miles from King William's Town. This levy was already in the field, and was only lacking a com- mandant to be ready for whatever might turn up. I can truly say I was delighted with this appointment, which I gladly accepted, though I had grave doubts as to ray competency. I set to work at once to get what was neces- sary in the shape of camp equipage for my- self and Jim, such as blankets and a few cooking utensils, but I did not wish to encumber myself with many things, and all our kit, except two small blankets each, was contained in one pair of saddle-bags and one pair of wallets. Government provided me with a horse, which I chose from the troop at the mounted police barracks, and a most trusty and well behaved steed he turned out, poor beast ! many a long and weary day he 12 KAFIRLAND ; OR, carried me, and at one time he was lucky indeed when his rations, and time to eat them, could be got together. I was two days in King William's Town, and was staying with my old friend Sive- wright, at the Telegraph office, who gave me, as ever, a most hearty welcome, helping me in every way, and speeding the parting guest. I have always thoroughly appreci- ated that most sensible piece of advice : '' Welcome the coming — speed the parting guest ! " I take it for granted that the word '' speed" by no means implies to hurry the one who is taking his departure, but to assist him to the best of one's power in be- ginning his journey, instead of hindering by vague and ill-timed wishes that he could just wait a little longer, when he is anxious to begin whatever work either duty or pleasure may have called him to put his hand to. King William's Town, or " King," as it is more often called, was at this time in a tre- mendous state of excitement. Telegrams from the front kept coming continually, both night and day. The office was open A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 13 always, as far as receiving messages along the wire was concerned, and the number of them that came through, and the amount of work that was accomplished, seemed almost incredible. The hotels and lodging-houses were crammed full from floor to roof, and it was almost impossible to get a bed for money, — love was never even mentioned. I don't think, after some experience in the country, that love would help any one at all while journeying in Kaffraria. I certainly never heard of anything yet being attained by the offer of that common, but priceless article. Volunteers in uniforms of every colour and description under the sun, might be seen thronging the streets, and more especially the hotels, and occasionally detach- ments started for the front, or continued their journey through, after a short halt for a ** liquor up '* all round. The conversation was nothing but the impending war, whether . in the streets, in the hotels, in the stores, or wherever you went, nothing else was spoken of. Revolvers and blankets were at a pre- mium ; reaping-hooks and sheets were never mentioned. In fact the most martial spirit 14 KAFIRLAND ; OR, was abroad, and even tlie clerks in the shops and warehouses were volunteering for active service, and in most cases were allowed to proceed to the front by their employers, without any reduction being made in their salaries during their time of absence. Such was the state of affairs when, on the 3rd of January, 1878, I took my place in the early train, on my way to Kei Road, where I was to meet the men whom I was to have the honour of commanding. There were with me C, my adjutant and interpreter, Jim, and my black retriever " Hettie." I did not know what to do with the latter, as I had no place of safety in which to leave her, and so I took her with me, and she turned out nothing but a pleasure, never being in the way at all. She certainly saw as much as any one of what was to be seen, and was in action many times, and towards the close of the war she made me a present of eleven puppies, which appeared in my tent one fine morning. On arriving at Kei Road, about twenty miles east of '' King," I immediately went to A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 15 look for the Fingo camp, and was soon in the midst of my " lambs," " braves," or whatever you like to call them. I can assure you, dear reader, I felt most particularly small. They were indeed a motley-looking crew. There were only 250 of them, but my corps was very soon to be increased, and I certainly cannot say I was grieved at only having a small one to begin my labours upon. Their dresses were peculiar, and varied to an enormous extent. When I came among them they were, so to speak, at ease, sitting or lying about round their fires, with small fences of bushes as shelters from the wind, with here and there piles of assegais and guns leaning against them. A few of the men were fairly well clad in suits of cord, but most of them were in very dilapidated garments of every size, shape, and de- scnption, and their headgear was something marvellous to behold. Two of them had on old top hats, which looked, under the circum- stances, more ridiculous than anything else. About twenty of the rank and file were mounted on their own horses, and the rest were foot -soldiers ; all the officers were mounted. 16 KAFIR LAND; OR, I proceeded at once to " fall them in,'* and address them through an interpreter, and find out if they had any complaints to make. They were, I must say, taken apart from their dress, a very fine lot of men, and I should say, averaged ^yq feet nine inches. I certainly think all the Kafir tribes, with whom I have had anything to do, are physically splendid men, and most beautifully made. In strength they are not equal to Englishmen, but their lissomness and activity are wonderful. The contortions into which they can put their bodies are surprising, and any of them be- tween forty and fifty years old can twist themselves about in a manner that an English boy of fifteen would find impossible, without dislocating half the joints in his body. As walkers, I have never seen their equals. A corps of 500 Fingoes would march fifty miles in a day, and it would be a most exceptional case if a single man were tired out and un- able to proceed during the march. I know a great deal about walking, and I am quite certain that the best gentleman pedestrians we have would have no chance with an average Fingo. In stating this, I don't mean A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 17 to include tlie two or three, or perhaps half- dozen very best we can produce at home, but a really good sound walker who can cover fifty miles during daylight on an English summer day. This, as I well know, is not such an easy thing as it sounds. Reader ! have you ever chuckled to your- self over the distance men state they have walked during a day's partridge-shooting? I have often heard men talk of walking three miles an hour when engaged in this most heavenly occupation, while I know well they haven't gone a mile and a half an hour. Two miles an hour, unless birds are very scarce, is uncommonly quick work in getting over the ground after partridges. Any average Fingo would walk fifteen miles be- fore beginning shooting, and carry a good weight of cartridges and game, say twenty- five pounds all day and home again after- wards, and think nothing of it. I am, how- ever, digressing. The first difficulty I had to contend with — with my children, for they look on their commanding officer as their father 'pro tern. — was this, they had received mealies, or Indian c 1 8 KAFIRLAND ; OR, corn, as rations, but no utensils whatever to cook it in. This was, I quite thought, " hard lines." I have not the least leaning towards pampering our black brethren, but I cer- tainly agreed with them in this instance, that Indian corn, with no power of reducing it to cooked food, was, to say the least of it, very hard and uninteresting fare. I had much labour with the commissariat officers before I could get meal for them instead of mealies ; but I was successful at last, and great was the rejoicing in camp. I believe I imme- diately rose immensely in the estimation of the corps. The men received at this time half-a-crown a day and their rations, which consisted of one pound of meal and one-and- a-half pounds of meat. This would be ample for a European, but did not satisfy the Fingoes, although they seemed to do well enough on it. Anyhow, they never got their rations increased. They are tremendous feeders, especially when they can get meat. When we had quantities of captured cattle, as was very often the case a little later, the amount of meat they consumed was quite horrible, u^que ad nauseam literally ; for when we had A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 19 captured cattle there was always more sick- ness in camp than at other times. I am afraid to say how much meat a Fingo would eat in twenty-four hours, for I know I should not be believed. They eat inside and all, and the parts that we should be most particular in discarding are the very bonnes- bouches which the Fingoes, and indeed all Kafirs, most hanker after. It is perfectly immaterial whether the beastliness is cooked or raw. I have many a time seen them lay hold of some filth with their teeth, cut off close up to their nose with an assegai, and then eat away. I have thought a good, rough Gaucho a decidedly gross feeder, and have often watched him by camp fires in Argentine wilds with curiosity and dismay ; but I can assure you, my dear reader, that my friend the Gaucho is a refined edition of Lord Chesterfield when compared with the South African Kafir. Kei Road, where we were quartered, was a depot for cattle and Government stores, being the station to which all commissariat supplies were sent on their way to the front. There was a great idea at this time that it would be c 2 20 KAFIRLAND ; OR, attacked, as there was any amount of plunder to be obtained, and only a comparatively small force to protect it ; and, moreover, it was not far from the Gaika head-quarters. A great deal of my time was occupied during the few days I was there in carrying out orders, so as to make the laager as secure as possible. The first night I was there I went out on patrol with twenty mounted men, as it was thought Kafirs were about. I dare say there were some, but we did not see any, and had a very dull time of it, riding slowly along over the hills, peering into the dark- ness, and Hstening to catch the slightest sound. We got back to camp again just before daylight, and I was most thankful to turn into my blankets for a short time befcfre getting to other work. There were two trains from *' King" every day, and two left for the same place. It was a great excitement waiting on the platform when the train came in, not only to meet one's friends, of whom there were sure to be at least one or two, but to hear the news as to what was going on at the front, and what the intentions of Government were, and what A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 21 new corps were arriving to give their services for their country. I ought to observe that all the Fingo levies were led by European officers. We had at this time in our corps two captains and five lieutenants, which for 250 men was ample ; and I must say I never met nicer fellows than some of my officers were. During the course of the war I had many levies, and a great many different officers under me, and we always managed to get on together in great peace and amity. We always messed together in one tent, and were generally pretty lively, taking the rough with the smooth as it ought to be taken. I can truly say that I have often admired the contented spirit with which some very rough places in our campaigning were passed over, and I never heard a murmur from any one, although our beds were composed very often of anything but roses, and our fare on some occasions did not consist of pate de foie gras and truffles. Our time at Kei Road was, however, very soon to come to an end, for on the evening of Saturday, January 6th, I got orders to march with 150 of my men to Komgha. We 2 2 KAFIRLAND ; OR, were to form part of an escort for a train of waggons, which was to start at daylight the next morning for that place with com- missariat stores, the remainder being com- posed of a company of the 88th Regiment, a few of the Frontier Light Horse, and some F.A.M. Police. Komgha is about twenty- five miles east of Kei Eoad, and it was thought to be a certainty that this train of waggons would be attacked before reaching that place, as the road lay through country that was swarming with Gaikas, and passed through the very place where the fight at Draaibosch had been, only a few days previously. I suppose the proper thing to say would be that I was delighted at the thought of having a scrimmage with the Kafirs, and was longing for the fight to begin. Now, on the contrary, I wasn't longing for it one bit. It was the beginning of my soldiering in real earnest, and my feelings were decidedly mixed. To begin with, my men were scattered for many hundred yards along a line of waggons, and I did not at all see how to keep them in hand in case of an attack. I did not know A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 23 whether their hearts were in the right place, and whether they would stick to it like men, for I had not then, nor have I now, very much faith in the courage of our black brethren. If a man has no one but himself to look after, and nothing to think about but just fighting with all his might on his own account, I can quite understand his thoroughly enjoying it; but when an officer has a lot of men under him, and moreover in such circumstances that it is their duty to be scattered, and he thinks it probable that if they were well tackled they would bolt, he may be allowed to look forward to an engagement with feelings of pleasure not unmixed with doubt. Had I known those 150 men as well then as I got to do afterwards, I can truly say I should have been quite easy in my mind, and should have been delighted to have seen enough Kafirs to make a real good fight, coming down over the hills to meet us. As it happened, how- ever, we had a most uneventful march, and saw nothing on the way in the shape of an enemy, except parties of Kafirs sitting on the hill-tops in the far distance, and the dead bodies of those who were killed in the fight at Draaibosch. 24 KAFIRLAND ; OR, I was very thankful when the tedious march was over. It is weary work riding in the dust made by 30 or 40 spans of oxen, in the broiling sun, at a foot's pace ; and it was the greatest relief when passing over the last ridge we saw the village of Komgha below us in the hollow. I cannot say much in favour of Komgha as a town. There is nothing on earth to recom- mend it, except that there is a never-failing spring of really good water, and in these arid regions this is a great boon. I have met with great kindness and hospitality from many people in Komgha, both at this time and since, and I fear this is all I can say in its favour. The scenery is dull and unin- teresting to a degree, and there is not a decent building in the place. Every article you happen to require at any of the stores is always coming by the next steamer, but never comes. The Post-ofl&ce is a receptacle for letters which reach the people to whom they are addressed about the time that the bread cast upon the waters returns to the caster ; and things in general are sleepy and at a standstill more than I ever remember noticing A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 25 in any other place. I ought to say that there is one enterprising man in Komgha, who strives in vain to push things along, but he is " sair hadden doun," as Dean Ramsay says the idiot boy at the farm was by the *' bubbly- jock." Directly after our arrival I reported my- self to Colonel Lambert, of the 88th, who was in command of the district, and he asked me to dine at their mess. I was most kindly supplied with a tub and other necessaries, which, after seeing to my men and getting them encamped and provisioned, I most thoroughly enjoyed. After dinner we had a pleasant evening and the calumet of peace was consumed, our conversation of course being all on " war.'* The 88th had only been in Komgha a few days, and had made their camp in the garden of the parsonage. I was told this, for I certainly should not have imagined from the appearance of things when I got there that the place had ever been a garden. It was then a small fort, with bank, ditch and abattis, and there was not a sign of a flower in the place. It was uncommonly hard lines for the parson, for he did not 26 KAFIRLAND ; OR, get any compensation then, nor has he received any since. I heard, moreover, that there were complaints made against a certain gallant officer who displayed more of his manly beauty during his matutinal ablutions than was approved of ; but I will not vouch for the truth of this. I can testify that I have observed that if a tub of any sort, shape, or description, could by any possibility be procured, the aforesaid gallant officer would avail himself of it. I have had the honour of receiving orders from him while he was engaged in the arduous occupation of tubbing under serious difficulties, viz., sitting on a waterproof coat and sponging himself from a pail, on the top of a windy mountain. A TEN MONTHS CAMPAIGN. 2j CHAPTER III. Assegaied sucking-pig for dinner — March to Impetu — Relief of Fort Warwick — Burning fort, and return to Komgha— Onthe march — Wild firing of Fingoes, and scene in camp — Joined by more Fingoes — Attack on the Chechaba — Capture of large herds of cattle — Attack on Botman's Hoek — More cattle — Men in women's clothes— Ivory arm-rings — Awful wound in a man's head — Cruelty of blacks — Punish- ment of blacks for so-called murder — How blacks bear pain. The next day the rest of my corps arrived, having come on as escort to some more commissariat waggons. Their progress had been without any let or hindrance from the enemy, although, as we had done, they had seen plenty of them from the line of march. I dined that evening with Commissary General Strickland, and had a sumptuous repast. Avis au voyageur ! N.B. Never neg- lect the opportunity of dining with a com- missariat ofl&cer, and be sure you will get the best of whatever is to be had. I remember 2 8 KAFIRLAND ; OR, well there was one dish that evening which puzzled me excessively. I studied it for a long time, but could make nothing of it. It was like a large linseed poultice, nicely browned, with four short protuberances, which I correctly took for legs, but what kind of quadruped the beast was I could not for the life of me imagine. I had only made the acquaintance of my host that day, and therefore did not like to appear inquisitive, so made no remark, but was ere long en- lightened by being asked if I would take some sucking pig? It appeared that there was a litter of young pigs about, and that they were in the habit of attacking the commisariat oat-hay. This could not be allowed, and one of them had fallen a victim to his gluttony, spitted through and through by an assegai, guided by the unerring aim of one who always dined with mine host, and who doubtless had an eye to the larder, as well as the protection of Her Majesty's stores. I may add that one of these pigs soon afterwards unwisely interfered with our forage. Need I say that he very shortly graced our table with his presence. I had A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 29 no assegai at hand, but after a very hard five minutes in a most cramped and awkward country, intersected by waggons, yokes, horses tied to trees, &c., I ran into him in the open. With the assistance of Jim, he was killed and skinned — yes, skinned ! I never heard of such a thing before, and it is indeed an awful job to skin a pig, but the result was satisfactory. By killing this pig I effected a double result : I greatly helped our own mess, and, I consider, paid a very delicate compliment to the giver of the dinner where I got the hint. A day or two after our arrival I got orders to form part of a column that was going to relieve Fort Warwick at Impetu. This was a fort built by a company of the l-24th, who were now occupying it. It was situated about twenty miles south-east of Komgha, on the south side of the Chechaba valley. The road between Komgha and this fort had become impracticable except for strong parties, as there were Kafirs all over this part of the country in great numbers. Only a few days before, a mounted policeman, one of four who were riding with despatches, had been killed 30 KAFIRLAND ; OR, by Kafirs. His horse was shot under him, and though he called to his companions for assistance, they galloped away and left him to his fate, in spite of the party of Kafirs being quite a small one. A detachment went out from the fort the next day and found his body, which was covered with assegai wounds. We left Komgha about sunrise on the 8th of January, with a very strong column, con- sisting of part of the 88th, some mounted volunteers called " Sansom's Horse,'* some F.A.M.P. and our own corps. We were too strong for the Kafirs to venture to attack us, and we reached Fort Warwick without anything exciting taking place. For some part of the way, where the road was through bushy country, the Fingoes extended on each side and preceded the column, but no Kafirs were to be seen except in the distance. We found the fort a very snug little place, very well built, with huts and tents inside. As far as its strength was concerned, it would have required a very strong body of Kafirs indeed to have taken it. It had only been attacked once, and that was at night; and A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 31 then the attack had only been made from a distance, and no harm was done. Thej were very glad to see us, and we had a merry evening in the mess-hut, inside the fort. Captain Wardell was in command there. Poor fellow ! How little I thought when I said good-bye to him the other day that it was for the last time ; or that such a slaughter as Isandlana would rob me of so many friends by one such awful blow ! The Fingoes had their camp about half a mile from Fort Warwick, and thither I re- turned about ten o'clock ; and after visiting the sentries, whom I had great difficulty in finding, for they were all squatting down in grass as high as a man's head, I turned into my blankets. There had been thoughts of attacking the Chechaba Valley, which was the stronghold of the Kafirs in this district; but it was decided that it would be better to return to Komgha at once with the impedimenta of the company of the 24th from Fort Warwick, and make a fresh expedition against this place. Everything was therefore cleared out of the fort that was worth taking, and packed 32 KAFIRLAND ; OR, on to the waggons. Among other things I saw a lovely little blue-buck, which is an antelope about as big as a hare ; which one of the soldiers had caught and tamed. It would eat grass from the hand, and seemed quite contented. There were a great number of these blue-bucks in the bush near Impetu, as I found out afterwards when I was quar- tered there in more peaceful times. The huts and everything that could not be taken away were set fire to, and soon after sunrise we started on our return to Komgha, leaving the little fort in flames behind us. Nothing took place worthy of comment on the march back. It is rather amusing, for a time, being on the march with a column. If there is nothing particular likely to occur, it is pleasant to ride in different parts of the line, having a talk with a friend, till you are mutually tired of each other's conversation ; and then either riding on or waiting till some one else comes along from whom you think you may reap some improving ideas, or as my friend Dr. Watts would say, — " You gather honey every day, From every * passing ' flower." A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 33 May 1 be pardoned for comparing any officer, either regular or volunteer, to a flower. I candidly acknowledge the resemblance is small indeed, I certainly should say the average Fingo officer is much more like some stiff-built weed. I can vividly recall two Fingo commandants whose appearance while on the war-path surpassed anything I ever beheld for disreputableness. I will, however, in their defence, say that the following well- known hexameter was most applicable to both of them : " cemere rum'un erat necnon Diabolus ire.'* When we reached Komgha, I got orders to make the Fingo camp at the other end of the village, for it was thought most wisely that a good space between our camp and that of the 88th was advisable. Fingoes are very dangerous individuals with fire-arms ; they let them off both by mistake and on purpose at all hours of the night and day, with the most charming carelessness and disregard of where the bullet is going to. Accidents, as will appear in these pages, are of frequent occurrence, and any Fingo officer may reckon with certainty on having a few narrow escapes from being shot by his own D 34 KAFIRLAND ; OR, men. A day or two before this, tlie Fingoes having had their rifles (muzzle-loaders) loaded for some days, I thought it advisable that they should all fire them off. To ac- complish this safely, I made them all stand in line, facing away from the village. I stood in front, and was just commencing to tell them what to do, and intended saying, "You are not to fire till you get the word of com- mand," it being my most distinct purpose before this same word of command was given to be well in rear of the line. However, I had only got as far as — " You are not to fire" — ^and this only to the interpreter — when those of them who understood English hearing the word " fire," which was quite sufficient, promptly loosed off, and then all the rest followed suit, blazing away in every direction ; those in front of me shot so close over my head that I was thankful to duck down and bolt through them in a most un- dignified manner. It was far from pleasant, having a lot of men, with rifles pointing at you on full cock, many of whom had never fired a gun off' in their lives before. There were of course many miss-fires, and the A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 35 owners of the guns that refused to go off promptly rushed to their kits to get a fresh cap, and then strode back, with their rifles on full cock and at the ready, till they got to a clearish place to let drive. Some of the scoundrels loaded their guns again, and had a second shot. It was a most awful scene. The other officers as well as myself were rushing about, stopping them from using their guns in any way, and at last got order and peace restored, and marvellous to say, before any one was shot. The narrowest escape I saw that day was when a certain man's gun went off just as he had put a fresh cap on, after a miss-fire. The bullet went into the ground five or six yards from him in the middle of all the men, having passed within a foot of at least half-a-dozen before it touched the ground. I must, however, ask the reader to re- member that the corps had only been formed a week when this happened, and that discipline was very slack indeed. Very soon after this, anything like such a scene would have been utterly out of the ques- tion. These same 250 men, later on in D 2 36 KAFIRLAND ; OR, the war, were most exemplary about firing off their guns, and scarcely ever did any one of them do so, except at the proper time. We now stayed in Komgha, doing nothing very particular, for a few days. I had some pickets at night some way from camp, who had a few shots at Kafirs. And once we turned out, as the firing was rather brisk ; but there was nothing to be done, for the enemy had fled before we got on the scene. I was joined at this time by about 220 more Fingoes, from the Peddio district, under Captain Maclean, making the corps up to nearly 500. On the 14th we started with a column, under Col. Lambert, to attack the Chechaba, our destination in the first place being Impetu. We bivouacked the first night about half- way between Komgha and Impetu, and were off again at daylight next morning. The Fingoes were all sent down to the ridge above the head of the valley, but as we could see no signs of Kafirs or cattle at that place, w^e returned to the column again, and all moved on to Impetu, which we reached about A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 37 raid-day. Head-quarters were established close to the now ruined fort, and our camp a few hundred yards off. While taking our ease for an hour or two, some volunteers passed us from the direc- tion of the Kei, driving herds of cattle. They had had a successful action with the Kafirs, and taken some 3000 head. This made our mouths water, and we were delighted to receive orders to take the Fingoes down into the Chechaba, and see what we could do. We started at once, and just as we got on to the ridge above the valley, some two miles from the bottom, a few Kafirs began firing long shots at us, but the bullets whistled harmlessly over our heads, and after a few shots from our side, they beat a retreat into the bush. We (the oflScers) then dismounted, and ordering our horses to be led after us, descended into the valley with our men by two ridges. Before we had got halfway down we heard tremen- dous firing in the bottom of the valley, and hurried on, and soon saw herds of cattle, and Kafirs rushing here and there in the bush and across pieces of open. They had been 38 KAFIRLAND; OR, attacked by a corps of Fingoes under Pattle, from the other side of the valley, and we had just come down in time to join in the fray. As far as fighting was concerned, it wasn't very much of a performance. The Kafirs all retired as soon as possible into dense bush, and declined further combat, after having kept up a poor and desultory fire for a short period. They left, however, at least 3000 cattle behind them, besides sheep and goats, which we drove back to camp, where we arrived soon after dark. I went to report our success to Col. Lambert, and received congratulations on my first Kafir engagement. I had one man killed, concern- ing which man there was a rather odd coinci- dence. He was the owner of a remarkably good pony ; and the following conversation had taken place on this very day between him and an officer of the 88th. Officer : " Johnny, will you sell your pony?" John: "No, Jukosi (chief); he's not for sale." Officer: "Look here, Johnny, if you get killed, let me have the pony, and I'll pay your widow for it ?" A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 39 John : " No, Jukosi, I don't mean to be killed ; and if I am, I wish my brother to have my pony.'* The man, however, in spite of his saying he didn't mean to be killed, received his quietus within twelve hours, and his brother reigned in his stead, or rather — rode his pony, and continued to do so, as long as the corps remained enrolled. It is a wonderful sight to see Fingoes driving cattle ; they manage it most splen- didly. Imagine having to drive 3000 head of cattle out of a peculiarly steep, rocky valley, through thick bush in many places. They seem to do it with the greatest ease and comfort, and work well together, hardly ever losing a single head. I certainly think I never heard such a row in my life as there is when one is taking a large herd of cattle from Kafirs. The incessant bellowing of the beasts, the shouts of the men, and the con- tinual firing, make the noise indescribable, and no one can believe what it is, till they have been in the middle of it. I was thankful to turn into my blanket that night, and get some rest, having had a real hard day of it. I had walked almost all 4Q KAFIRLAND; OR, the way to Impetu, as I had lent my horse to one of my friends in the column, who had hurt his foot. All the afternoon I had a very hard time, rushing about in the Chichaba, up krantzes, and down kloofs, in the heat, which is fearful in the bottom of these deep valleys, where there is never a breath of wind ; and to finish up with, the man who was leading my horse got away somewhere, and was not to be found when wanted, and so I had to walk back to camp. The next day we were soon off again. Part of the 88th and some volunteers accom- panied us as far as the top of the ridges above another deep valley, called Mblimani, or Bot man's Hoek, which was to be drawn that day by the Fingoes. We had left the rest of the column about two miles behind, and had no sooner got over the last ridge above Botman's Hoek, than we were fired upon, and saw lots of Kafirs below us, in the hollow. The men were soon got into line, and down we went on to the top of them. I am thankful to say, the Kafirs are marvel- lously bad shots, and almost invariably shoot far over the heads of their enemies. They A TEN MONTHS CAMPAIGN. 41 did so in this case, as usual, and I think there were only two men hit on this day. We soon made the enemy move on, though they hung about for some time in some thick bush in the bottom of the valley, and many remained hidden among the thick grass and rocks, and were found later on. In walking back through some bush, one of them jumped up so close to me that the next step I took I should have trodden on him. He only had assegais, which he dropped as he fled, and they are at present, among many others, in my possession. T saw one remarkable instance of the vitality of Kafirs on this day. One of them got two balls through him at only a few yards* distance; one through his head, from ear to ear, and the other through his chest. He fell apparently dead, but in a moment sat up leaning on one elbow, shook his fist at us, and with a scowl rolled over back- wards, never to rise again. It was not a pleasant sight, but I had another still worse in store for me that evening. We were very busy for some hours in 42 KAFIRLAND; OR, Botman's Hoek, as it took a long time driving the Kafirs out. Except at first, they made very little stand. They attempted to get some of their cattle away with them, but in this were unsuccessful. There were several men shot this day in women's clothes ; they very often try to get away in this manner when hard pressed, but true women will invariably stop, if you call to them, whereas the pre- tended ones do exactly the contrary, so they are not difficult to distinguish. I saw a Kafir on this day get wounded, and directly he fell, he set to work to smash his ivory armlet against the stones. I have seen this done twice. They are very jealous of these armlets, and if there is any life left in them, will always smash them sooner than let them be taken. To those who may not have seen one of them, I ought to give a description. They are made of a slice cut from an elephant's tusk, where it is about five inches in diameter, the slice being rather more than an inch thick. It is then hollowed out so that it can be worn above the elbow. There is an idea that only chiefs wear these rings, but this is a mistake ; any one wears A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 43 them who can afford to buy one, and 1 have seen both men and women of no particular position among the Kafirs wearing them. They are, I think, by far the handsomest ornament they wear ; most of their so-called decorations being cheap and tawdry in the extreme, and generally emanating from Bir- mingham. Almost all of them wear brass rings both on their fingers and arms, very often as many as ten on one hand; and I have frequently seen a man's arm, and oftener still, a woman's, entirely hidden from wrist to elbow by brass rings fitting tightly to the arm. There are people among them who make it a special study to fit these rings to the arm. They are cut to the proper length, and then joined over the arm, and there remain always. They also wear iron and steel rings, with devices filed on them of a very simple nature, such as squares and crosses. But I am digressing terribly, and leaving my men to sbift for themselves in Botman's Hoek, like sheep without a shepherd. As soon as the Kafirs were all cleared off or killed, we set to work to collect the cattle. There were herds all over the place, and we 44 KAFIR LAND; OR, made a tremendous haul. There were at least 4000 that we drove back into camp. I ought to have stated before this that all the cattle we had captured the day before had been sent in to Komgha with about 100 men, and three officers. We now had our hands full again, for all the herding, driving, and I think I may add, capturing of this enormous quantity of cattle, fell to the part of the Fingoes ; though in dividing them, the Regu- lars, Volunteers, and Mounted Police, all had an equal share with us. I never felt such heat in my life any- where as I felt this day. The sun was blazing down in real midsummer fashion. There was not a breath of air in the kloofs, and to add to this, the Kafirs had set light to the grass, so as to make a smoke, and hinder our movements as much as possible. The grass was all, or nearly all, burnt out, but there was any quantity of smoke and dead trees still burning, which made the getting about most fearful work. As a rule I care nothing for heat, and there are very few days indeed in Africa that interfere with my work or pleasure in any way. But A TEN MONTHS CAMPAIGN 45 this was more than mortal could bear. I remember well, when I got the chance, lying down flat by the side of a little stream, and drinking I know not how much tepid water, in spite of a dead Kafir lying in the stream, luckily a little below me. I think I reported thirty-four killed that day, which was, how- ever, far beneath the real number, as on passing over the same ground some time after, we saw many bodies that we knew nothing about at the time. On getting to the top of the ridges again, we were thankful to lie down in the shade and rest for a bit, and get a breath of air which did not feel as though it came from an oven, while the men were driving herd after herd of cattle past, on their way to camp. After we had recovered our wind, and our back sinews were restored to their usual state, instead of feeling as if they had had the cramp for six weeks on end, we rode quietly back to camp. We overtook on the road the wounded men. One was only slightly hurt, but the other had got an awful hole cut in his head. I helped the doctor to dress the wound, and it was one of the ghastliest I ever saw. The bullet had 46 KAFIRLAND ; OR, struck him just under the ear, and come out at the corner of his mouth, making a hole in the side of his face that you could put your fist in. There was nothing to be done but to remove the splinters of bone, and tie him up as carefully as possible. I heard about a year afterwards, that he was still alive, but very thin, and in bad health. Poor wretch ! who can wonder, after living for a year on slops, with but little less than half his head shot away. We were off again after daylight next morning on our way back to Komgha. We had had a very good time, and the expedition had most thoroughly answered. We drove the cattle back with us. It is very sad to any one fond of animals to see cows with young calves that get tired, and have to fall out ; the poor mother being driven on, and the calf dying from an assegai to save it from starvation ; and of course the same thing happens with lambs. It is indeed wretched, miserable work, and it went to my heart. Hunting Kafirs is bad enough ; but they brought it on themselves entirely, and most richly deserved their fate ; A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 47 but these poor beasts — what had they done ? It is to me one of the saddest things in the world, that so much cruelty is unavoidable. I do believe all blacks are without excep- tion the most horribly cruel brutes on the face of the earth. They seem not to have the smallest remorse about giving any amount of pain to either their own fellow-creatures or any other animals. It was my evil fate during this war to see many of the most awfully cruel and blood-thirsty deeds done, that I was powerless to prevent. Of course in my immediate presence I was able to stay their hands at any time, but I could not be everywhere ; and all sorts of brutality were carried on in the way of killing the wounded and those taken prisoners in every Fingo levy, that the European officers found it im- possible to prevent. I cannot impute blame to the Fingoes for this. They act according to their lights. They well know that no quarter would be shown to them by the Kafirs ; and from their infancy they have been brought up to regard pain and death as nothing, and they think it the proper thing to do, to kill ail Kafirs that fall into their power. 48 KAFIRLAND ; OR, In some instances Fingoes were punished by the civil authorities, for what was called " murder," i. e., killing Kafirs after they were taken prisoners, no officer being present. In one instance five Fingoes were sentenced to death for this. I think this is hardly fair ; and I should myself put the responsibility on those who employ the Fingoes to fight. They are literally savages, with all the instincts and ideas of savages entirely uneradicated. Government enrolls them, and sends them into the field to fight against their bitter and hated enemies the Kafirs ; and is it to be wondered at, that they fight in their own national way, never expecting quarter, and giving none ? Surely it is scant justice to try these men, and convict them of the crime of murder, when they have been fighting their best for us, and acting well and bravely to the extent of their ability ; and, moreover, think that in committing the crime for which they are sentenced to death, they are simply doing their duty. The way in which they bear pain is indeed marvellous. I have never once heard a groan escape from a wounded man, and I have in- A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 49 deed seen many who must have suffered agonies. I once put a man's leg straight that was bent under him ; he had got a shot through the knee-joint, which smashed it all to pieces. He clenched his teeth pretty hard, but uttered never a sound. To return to our march back to Komgha. We arrived at this place again in the after- noon, without any adventure. All our cattle were sent to a farm some few miles away, and a strong party of Fingoes, with three or four officers, told off to keep guard. 50 KAFIRLAND; OR, CHAPTER IV. Splendid climate — Waylaying at night — Fatal jump of two Kafirs — Long patrol — Sunstroke — Another at- tack on the Chechaba — More cattle captured — San- dilli's coat — Nuisance of captured horses — Man shot by accident — River Kei — Beautiful scenery — Curries Farm — The sea — Driving cattle to camp — Work always comes on Sunday — Night bivouac in the rain— Comfort of tobacco — -Return to Impetu — Cattle in Laager — Numbers stolen — March to Thompson's Farm — Capsizing of sledges with stores — Fingo shot through forehead and chest — March through Chebaba Valley — Back to Komgha — De- struction of farms by Kafirs — Back to our camp on the Kei. We now had a day or two in Komgha, which was advantageous in many ways, for getting clothes washed, &c. I believe the straits to which men are re- duced in war time is but little known by the public in general. I can truly say that by far the most trying part of a campaign is the want of power to wash and have clean clothes as often as one is accustomed to. Coarse food, and sometimes a short allowance of it. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 51 is child's play ; and I would scorn a man who ever gave a thought to his stomach, except just to keep body and soul together. But to get up in the morning and not to be able to wash at all for perhaps two or three days, and wear a shirt for a week or two, is very trying, and, moreover, depressing to the spirits, and makes a man feel very humble. T have often in passing water, though in a great hurry, whipped off my shirt, given it a soak and a wring out, and put it on again. But this sort of thing would not do in all chmates. In South Africa one can do any- thing — literally anything, in the way of enduring wet clothes. But in other coun- tries, they tell me, there are such things as ague and rheumatic fever. In fact, I have some vague remembrances of being pretty stiff in the back in years gone by, after a soaking in other climes, and of finding my feet excessively awkward members of my body to get at. But in South Africa these diseases are but little known. On the 19th January, about nine p.m., I received orders to send a party of Fingoes to waylay a path about seven miles from 52 KAFIRLAND ; OR, Komglia, along whicli it was thought pro- bable Kafir messengers might come. This path, in one place, lay along the edge of the top of a precipice some 200 or 300 feet sheer down ; and here we elected to wait in a little guile j close bj. There were also with us some of the 88th, with an officer. I was lying close to one of my ofiicers, and being awfully sleepy, told him to give me a kick if anything was moving, and was soon in the arms of Morpheus. It seemed to me only a few minutes, but was really a long time, when I got a kick — a real good one. I promptly rolled over, and in a moment saw two Kafirs standing in the moonlight on the path, a little way off", peering in our direction, and evidently not quite liking the look of affairs. I gave the word to fire at once, and the two poor wretches in an in- stant jumped clean over the precipice, and we heard them crash at the bottom. I don't think they were touched. We expected there would be some more coming along, and so waited till daylight, but in vain; and then returned to Komgha. The next day I went a very long patrol in A TEN MONTHS CAMPAIGN 53 the other direction, but with little result; only seeing small parties of Kafirs in the dis- tance. Some volunteers were with us part of the day, two of whom were touched by sunstroke, for it was a very hot day. One of them was very bad, and I really thought he was going to die there and then, but he did not. They got him some water from an enormous distance, and he was carried back to his camp and eventually recovered; but he had a very narrow escape. Sunstroke is very rare indeed in South Africa, and I saw no other instance of it during the war, in spite of many of the campaigners doing their best to help it on by drinking as much *' Cape smoke," or any other vile stuff they could possibly get hold of. On our way back to Komgha, a Kafir prisoner was given into my charge by a captain of volunteers, to be handed over to the authorities. It was hard work to keep the assegais of my men out of his wretched, half-starved carcase. I had to ride close to him the whole way, and told the men, if any one touched him, I would blow his brains out with my revolver. I meant it too, 1 54 KAFIRLAND ; OR, got him into Komgha safely; but lie was murdered while there, so my labour was after all in vain. On the 22nd, Colonel Lambert again started for Impetu with a column, of which we again formed part. The following day the Fingoes made another successful attack on the Chechaba, having, as usual, a small fight with the Kafirs, and making a large capture of cattle. We went down into the valley at a place we had not tried before, and came right on the top of the Kafirs, with numbers of cattle. They bolted into the thick bush on the opposite side of the valley, and there made a stand for some time, and shot at us most unsuccessfully, till we went in and turned them out. There were but few killed, as they went right through the bush, and away over the ridges on the other side. I believe, the old chief Sandilli was among them. Some of the men swore they saw him, and one of the sergeants looted a large Ulster coat, which he declared belonged to Sandilli. I certainly think, from seeing the chief's body months afterwards, that the coat would A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 55 have been a good fit. Sergeant Philip kept possession of the coat, and I think used it chiefly as a night-shirt, for I have seen him turn out at all hours of the night, and gene- rally this Ulster was his only garment at these times. There were a great many horses captured this day. The men were always very keen about taking horses, for they were allowed to keep all they got as their own property. I found that this gave rise to endless disputes among them, which very often gave me the greatest difficulty in settling. I could not rely much on the evidence they gave, and after every engage- ment, I was sure to be pestered with many cases : one horse being frequently claimed by two, or even three men, each of whom stated that he was the bona fide capturer of the animal. One would declare he caught it by the head, another by the tail, the third by the mane, and each man invariably said he was the first who got hold of the horse at all. I very soon had to put a stop to this sort of thing, and told them that in future all horses concerning which there was a dis- pute would be confiscated. Soon afterwards, 56 KAFIRLAND ; OR, a horse was brought to me by two men who both claimed it. There happened to be a private of the Eegulars near at the time ; so I immediately gave him the horse, as a pre- sent, which he led away, followed by looks of blank despair from the two claimants. I need hardly observe that this was the last case of the disputed ownership of horses which was brought to my notice. Our capture of cattle was this day nearly 3000, with which we returned to Impetu. I sent them off to Komgha the same night, to be put with the others. On the 24th, we went for a long patrol through Botman's Hoek, and over a good deal of country besides, but without any par- ticular result. I saw one of the Fingo officers make a very neat shot with his rifle that day, at a *' lammer-faanger," or large eagle. It was circling round far over-head, and he put a bullet clean through it, and brought it crashing down into the bush. We came across quantities of women and children, but at this time they were not taken prisoners, as was done later in the war, and so we had nothing to do with them. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN, 57 I regret to say, I once found two officers of Fingoes searching women for money, which they sometimes had concealed about them. This is hardly credible, but is a sad fact. The reprimand administered was something more than warm ; but my blood boiled at the idea of such a thing being possible. The first accident with fire-arms among the men — but by no means the last — hap- pened this day. We were standing round a rocky pool, some of the men drinking, when one of them dropped his rifle, which went off, the bullet going through another man's stomach. The wounded man was sent back to camp on a horse to the doctor, who told him his only chance was to lie perfectly still in the ambulance waggon. The man stayed there a short time, and then got up, and I saw him myself the same evening absolutely eating beef. It was, however, his last meal, for he died before morning. His comrades buried him in a peculiar fashion, which, however, I believe is not uncommon among them, viz., in a sitting posture, in a round grave, with plenty of big stones on the top of him. Next day we were off again, scour- 58 KAFIRLAND ; OR, ing tlie country for a great distance, and join- ing the main column again at night, at a place called Currie's Farm, about ten or twelve miles from where we had spent the night before. This was another unproduc- tive day, for though we came across a few Kafirs, they ran like hares, and we could not come to terms with them. On this day we crossed the river Kei, and advanced some miles on the other side. The scenery was most wild and rugged ; the hills rising abruptly on each side of the river to a height of certainly 1000 feet. Here and there on either bank were splendid krantzes or precipices, falling perpendicularly down to the water, some of them of great altitude and boldness. The river at this time was very small, owing to the long continued drought ; but in seasons of much rain there is a very large volume of water flowing, for it drains an enormous extent of country, and is of great length ; and higher up receives the waters of several other rivers of no incon- siderable dimensions. We off-saddled our horses for an hour or two in the heat of the day, and had a most delicious bathe. Well do A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 59 I remember it ! It was indeed as an oasis in the desert to the weary traveller. I dined with Colonel Lambert again that evening. He was always most kind in asking me to their mess, and very pleasant it was, having a little of their society; to say nothing of the table being a decided improvement on the fare, and manners also, in the Fingo camp. The next day we were off again, down to- wards the sea-coast and the mouth of the River Kei. To my mind this is certainly one of the loveliest parts of Kaffraria. There are two rivers which flow through the Veldt, adding wonderfully to the charm of the scenery, one of them forming a small lake before its junction with the Kei. Above the steep banks of the rivers are magnificent rolling downs, with patches of dense bush scattered here and there, and the dear old ocean just beyond, sending over to us the eternal roar of the surf. Oh ! how I love that sound, keeping on, as it does in some places, for ever ! It has been my lot to pass some years within half a mile of the shore, where this music was always 6o KAFIRLAND ; OR, sounding in my ears, day and night. And when I was anywhere away from it, I felt instantly as though something was wrong, just as one feels when the most charming guest has left a well-filled house. Even now, whenever I get within hearing of the surf, my pulse quickens, and I feel as I believe a lover feels at the approach of his mistress. However, the work on which I was then engaged would by no means warrant my indulging my affection for the far-sounding deep, it being most particularly unpoetical and matter of fact. Towards afternoon we spied some cattle and Kafirs a long way off, and we tried to get beyond them without their knowing. Yain attempt ! The wily Kafirs were too quick for us, and fled like the wind. All the mounted men galloped to try and cut them off. Ah ! how we did gallop that day ! I think that was the only time that I really squeezed a horse the whole war ; and it was a wonder there were no necks broken, for it was very rough travelling, and after all no good was done. We ran down a horse or two from which the owners had had to A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 6i dismount and rusli into the bush; we also got all their cattle, some 600. We had a grand ride back to camp, it being beautiful open country, and we made the cattle canter along, the men running with them and shouting, and all the officers and mounted men acting as whippers in. We reached the camp about sundown, after one of the jolliest days I had during the war. I doubt not, my reader, that long before this you have wondered what on earth these Gaikas rebelled for, seeing that apparently they did not mean fighting when they did break out. For really, with the exception of the Draaibosch affair, they had scarcely fought at all. If you ask me the question, I candidly confess I cannot tell you. I can see no earthly reason for their outbreak. They had nothing to win, and a great deal to lose. It is to me utterly incomprehensible, and I can only deem it the work of witch- craft I And this does, without doubt, lead the Kafir tribes into the most abject foolishness and error. They certainly had the satis- faction of murdering the Taintons, and burning down a great many farms and 62 KAFIRLAND ; OR, houses, before a clieck could be placed upon them ; and for a short time they held a good quantity of stolen cattle. But this was all ; for within a month of their outbreak they seemed to have lost all heart, and to have got utterly demoralized. They were always ready to bolt whenever a force of any strength at all appeared against them. Certainly they seemed to gather heart a few weeks later, and made a far better stand in the Amatolas. At this time, it seemed to me, with few excep- tions, that all our expeditions resulted in capturing endless cattle and in scarcely any fighting at all. I was sorry for some of the Kafirs, to a certain degree, and I grieved heartily over all the women and children. I often saw most sorrowful sights. Once I came upon a woman lying dead in some water, with her baby still on her back. I suppose she fell there, and had not strength to get up again. I saw many children dead from starvation, poor little souls ! their stupid, idiotic parents having brought it all upon them ; and I say distinctly, that as a tribe they richly deserved all they got. They had not a tittle of reason A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 63 for commencing a rebellion. They had no grievances to be redressed. Their land was ample, and they .were never in a more flourish- ing condition. No man was obliged to fight ; he had only to give himself up to the autho- rities, and he would be protected. Numbers of farm-servants, many of tbem having lived with their masters for years, rushed into the rebellion with joy, for no earthly reason whatever. Kafirs are fickle and unstable to a degree, and will do anything for a change. It can truly be said of them that they would far sooner fly to any evil that they know not of, than face those that are at hand. I believe in my heart that could you have asked the Gaikas why they were fighting against Government, not one in twenty could have given you an answer. I therefore say again, that they were deserving of no pity what- ever; and that whoever thinks they were being harshly treated in being thus harassed and hunted down, cannot look at the ques- tion in the right light. I may add that the chief, Sandilli, by surrendering with his sons, could have put a stop to the war in a day. 64 KAFIRLAND; OR, We started off again the next day for an expedition along tlie sea-coast, leaving about 130 of our corps behind, and intended stay- ing out three or four nights. It was a miserable day, cold and raining, and any- thing but tempting for a long patrol. But when stern duty compels, all such minor evils as bad weather, &c., are not taken into con- sideration. It was, moreover, the blessed Sabbath ! Sad to relate, our Sundays hitherto had generally been kept by doing rather more work than usual ; though, indeed, few days were very idle ones. I can most vividly re- call the utter discomfort of this particular '' day of rest." It rained without ceasing, and there was nothing whatever to vary the continued march. The men were extended, and likely places explored, but with no re- sult ; and when darkness began to come on, we found some shelter from the wind in a bushy kloof, and there took up our quarters for the night. It sounds very miserable, no doubt; but it was not so. Truly we were all soaked through and through, our blankets wet, and no roof to our heads ; but all these things which w^ould entail the utmost discom- A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 65 fort to people not used to it, are as nothing to those who are. We were very soon sitting cheerfully round a blazing fire, which went dancing up into the boughs overhead, making the leaves shiver and wave in the heat. Coffee was got under weigh, and each of us soon had his tin mug full of this beverage, steaming hot, to comfort the " cockles of his heart." Oh, the blessing of coffee to the campaigner in the wilds ! Had my esteemed friend Horace gone through much soldiering, which I greatly doubt in spite of his Militavi non sine gloria, we should have heard less of " Falernian," and at least something of coffee, in the writings of that much admired and little respected poet. I fancy if both Horace and his greatly extolled friend Mae- cenas had occasionally gone through a few months' real hard "roughing," they would have suffered a good deal less from indiges- tion, and added many years to their very ungodly lives. But to return to our party at the fire. Scarcely had the coffee become cool enough to drink, before a portion of beef on a ship's biscuit was presented to each of us by our 66 KAFIRLAND ; OR, respective nigger servants, which had been cooked on the hot ashes. I will allow that the beef was tough — ay ! mortal tough, and the biscuit about as hard as human grinders could manage, perchance even harder. What of that ! ^ Do you imagine, dear reader, that when leading such a life as ours was, that the very toughest beef was the smallest inconvenience ? Not one bit of it ! All one's vital functions are in perfect order, and ready for any emergency. One need not trouble to bite tough beef — all one has to do is, just to swallow it in convenient morsels, and one's digestion is not only willing, but able, to do all the rest, and think nothing of it. Sufficient beef and biscuit having been got through, the meal is con- cluded. Now comes the hour of the blessed. Shade of Sir Walter, all hail ! Happy must thou be, and surrounded with what joys, if all the blessings that have been called down on thy head since the days of thy peerless mistress, the Virgin Queen, have not been in vain ! The beloved pipe is produced, filled and lighted, a blanket thrown round the shoulders, and one by one we silently lean A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 67 back against tlie stem of a tree, and nothing is heard but the crackling of the fire and the rain pattering down among the leaves. What matter to us if our clothes are wet through, and the water making gruesome noises in our butcher boots ? What matter that- our couch this night must be on the lap of our mother earth, in the very wettest garments ? What matter that on the morrow we must wander on, not knowing where night shall find us; for are we not now in Elysium ? Look at the face of each one, and what do you see ? Is there any look of discontent or discomfort ? Can you see the smallest sign of a frown ? On the contrary, as each leans comfortably back, the flickering light of the fire plays on each face, and on one or two you can surely detect a smile. The wreaths of smoke curl lovingly round the heavy moustache, and the eyes are half-closed, and in spite of the storm of wind and rain, and all outward circumstances, there, surely depicted on each hard and weather-beaten countenance, you see a look of contentment and peace. We were off again before daylight the F 2 68 KAFIRLAND ; OR, next morning, and were thankful wlien the sun rose, clear and bright. After a few hours' march we halted on the sea-shore for breakfast, where a little rill ran tinkling into the sea. Here we stayed some time and dried our things, and had a glorions bathe in the surf. While halting here, we got orders from Col. Lambert by some mounted policemen, who had been searching for us since the day before, to return at once to his camp at Impetu, to which place he had moved from Currie's Farm soon after we left. It ap- peared that the two mounted men who had come after us had ''spoored" us nearly up to the place where we spent the night, and had absolutely slept within half a mile of us, but had no idea of our being anywhere in the neighbourhood, so well were we hidden in the bottom of the kloof. We marched at once, on receipt of the order, and had a long day, reaching camp at night-fall. We found that the rest of our corps, about 130 men, had been ordered across the Chechaba Yalley, to join another column under Major Moore, who was short A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 69 of Fingoes. The next day the whole of our column marched back to Komgha. On the 30th I went over to the Farm where the cattle were, to see how they were getting on. Naturally a great many of them had died, and the atmosphere around the camp was anything but pure. In fact, the stench was awful, and there were dead carcases all over the place. I found to my disgust that the Fingoes belonging to the Transkei, who formed part of the cattle guard, had stolen a great number, and taken them away in droves of from sixty to a hundred almost every night; and 1 have no doubt whatever that their ofl&cer connived at this. I at once got him removed and ordered back to the Transkei, and I trust that his commandant, who is a good man and true, if ever there was one, let him have such a reprimand as he deserved. One night, a short time before this, I absohitely myself met some of these thieving blackguards driving to the Transkei some seventy head of the cattle from the captured herd. Of course I made them prisoners, and sent the cattle back; but 1 fear the 70 KAFIRLAND ; OR, offenders got no punishment, as I had neither time nor opportunity to act Fro- cureur du Roi. I got orders the next day to take my men to "Thompson's Farm," an old poHce station, rather more than twenty miles from Komgha, on the north side of the Chechaba, and near the junction of that valley with the Kei. I had to leave some of our men to guard the cattle, and ordered the remainder of those who were at the Farm to meet me at a certain place a few miles on the way there, as soon as they could get off. I left Komgha with the men who were there at sundown, and arrived at the appointed place of meeting some hours after dark, and waited. It had in the meantime come on to rain, and great was the wretchedness of that night — for it was morning before the rest of the corps overtook us. We had no blankets, and just sat at the road-side in the rain. We lit a fire, however, and made coffee, and got through the night somehow, though it was weary work. The others got to us soon after daylight, having been unable to do so A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 71 before, as the night had been as dark as pitch ; their march being over a very nasty country with no roads whatever, they having not received their orders till sundown. However, we now got on gaily, and by mid-day had fallen in with Major Moore's column, under whom I was now to have the honour of serving. We reached Thompson's Farm that night, where the major's head- quarters were to be for the present. The next day the Fingoes continued their march down to the banks of the Kei, our camping ground, the road to which from Thompson's Farm was a wonderful one indeed, simply dow^n the mountainous ridges that form the sides of the Kei river. Of course it was impossible to take waggons down ; and all our commissariat stores, forage for the horses, our tent, &c., had to be brought down on sledges. A sledge in Kaffraria consists of a mimosa bush, cut down at the lowest fork ; to this fork the chain, or ** trek-touw," is fastened, and to this chain the oxen are hitched in the usual way. The goods are piled up on the mimosa, and made fast as well as possible with 72 KAFIR LA ND ; OR, " reims," and away you start. Let not tlie traveller wlio lias been obliged by adverse circumstances to put his kit on a sledge, imagine for one moment that it will arrive at its destination without sundry misadventures. He must remember that bad indeed must be the road, and steep and rocky the place, where the South African waggon cannot be taken with safety, especially when any amount of human strength is at hand to assist to keep it on its wheels. The capsizes of the sledges that took place between head- quarters and our camp during our stay on the Kei were wonderful. Once or twice the sledges, from bad packing, turned clean over forwards in going down a very steep place, on to the top of the oxen. Once, where the bank shelved sideways, a sledge turned right over three or four times, dragging the oxen partly after it, and was only brought to a stand-still by the stems of a stalwart cabbage tree. When these little antics of the sledge took place, great and indiscriminate was the distribution of supplies on the hill- side, and we could always tell the scene of a disaster by either mealies scattered about, or the A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 73 ground being whitened by the bursting of a bag of flour. It was, however, worth a little effort to reach the place where our camp was made. It was a very good situation as far as harassing the Kafirs went, and, moreover, was a most charming spot in which to lead our gipsy life for a time. We were within 200 yards of the river, and on a flat of thirty or forty acres, studded with the largest mimosa-trees I ever saw. Under and around one of these we officers had our quarters, and the men's camp lay back some little distance behind us. In front was the river, a beautiful broad sheet of water in this place, even now although in a time of drought ; on every side were mag- nificent hills, rising up from close by us to a height of 1000 feet. Between two of them, half a mile off*, was the mouth of the Che- ch aba river and valley, which was quite narrow at this place; the river, except in pools higher up, being only represented by its bed. There was a charming bathing-place which I most thoroughly enjoyed. I used to spend much of my spare time in the water, for the weather was intensely hot, and down in the 74 KAI'IRLAND ; OR, valley one got the full benefit of it. I had my bed under the shade of a mimosa, on some rushes, and most peaceful were the nights I passed in this camp. The days being so frightfully hot, one thoroughly ap- preciated the deliciously cool nights and early mornings. It had been my habit ever since the beginning of the campaign to sleep in the open air ; for we only had one tent among us, and I infinitely preferred braving the elements to inhaling the atmosphere that generally reigned in the tent, when from six to a dozen men were sleeping in it ; and I can truly say it resembled the darkness of Egypt in one respect. Sleeping " sub Jove " ("frigido" not being applicable in Kafirland, may I suggest "claro"?) is no hardship what- ever. In rainy weather it is not always quite agreeable, but even then not so bad as it sounds, for if one can just manage to keep the rain off one's face, one sleeps quite com- fortably ; and being wet in warm weather, as far as I can see, is just as good as being dry. In bitter cold I candidly acknowledge I have been pinched many a time, and I have vivid recollections of a few very nasty nights, A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 75 when I felt as if my marrow was composed of ice. The flies were a great torment in this camp. I have never seen such myriads of them any- where else. Daring the heat of the day eat- ing was out of the question, for it was impos- sible to convey food to one's mouth without a fly or two finding their way in as well. I daresay this will sound like exaggeration to those who have never been in lands of many flies ; but it is, alas ! as many know to their cost, a most painful fact. Perhaps the reader will think we were very finely developed about our mouths ; but I can assure him wo were not above the average in that respect, and each of us had a more than average abattis in the shape of moustache. However, if " qui s'excuse, s'accuse," be true, I must quite have spoilt my character for veracity ! In a camp just on the other side of the Che- chaba river — or rather where the river ou^ht to have been — was a detachment of the Naval Brigade from H.M.S. "Active," with whom we did a joint patrol once or twice. There were two officers there with whom I became better acquainted afterwards, and I can well 76 KAFTRLAND; OR, remember one or two rather noisy niglits passed in their camp. We made a few patrols over the Kei through bleak, barren-looking country, but without seeing anything, except on one occasion, when we spoored some Kafirs into a bushy kloof, and in this, a few of them getting behind some rocks, made a stand for some time, before we could dislodge them. They wounded three of our men : one of them mortally. I never saw such vitality in any living thing, as in this man. He was a fine, strong fellow, well over six feet high, and one of our best men. He was stooping to go under a bush when the ball hit him, which it did in the middle of his forehead, passing down behind his eyes and nose — destroying hotli the former — and out through the jaw, burying itself in his chest. He was taken the same day seven miles on a horse back to our camp. I \dsited him the same evening with the captain of his company, whom he recog- nized by his voice, and whispered to, asking for water, and also saying that he knew him. It was an awful sight to see a man with a hole in his forehead that you could put four fingers into, and exposing his brain, still A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 77 sensible, and speaking and moving easily. The next day I sent him into Komgha in a waggon, from the top of the hill, to which place he was carried on a stretcht3r. He lived all that day and part of the next night, and while in the hospital tent at Komgha, crawled out in the night, and it took two men to get him back. When I went to see him the next morning, I found him dead — at last. We left our new camp on 3rd February for a short time, and patrolled the whole length of the Chechaba Valley, about twelve miles, sleeping at the Komgha end of it. We only had one skirmish, of the mildest description during the day, and took a few more cattle. When getting out of the valley in the evening, we came across the largest crowd of Kafir women I have ever seen. I think there must have been 400 of them, and they were sitting on the ground, all packed close together. When I stood even at some distance from them, down-wind, I did not imagine myself either in the garden of Eden, or at Riramers I Kafir women, if I may be allowed to say so, are no nosegay. On returning to Komgha, I had my hands 78 KAFIRLAND ; OR, pretty full during tlie few days I was there, in seeing to the distribution of the cattle; and I had to spend far more of my time than was agreeable at the farm where they were. The stench there was enough to breed a pestilence, and most thankful was I when all the brutes were got rid of, and we were a free corps again, without being tied down by any captured flocks and herds. My first piece of work was to count them. To do this, I stood at the opening of the enclosure, and had them all driven past me. A nasty, dusty, disagreeable job it was ! I found there were about 2000 less than we had captured ; so stealing, together with the deaths that had occurred, had made a good hole in the number originally taken. The share for our corps came to about 1800, or not quite four head to each man ; for I gave to all alike, making no distinction between men and officers, which I consider the only fair way to divide captured stock. This, I know, was not the usual method among the colonial forces, but I didn't care for that; and I am certain I was right. I had to send about 150 men away to their homes, with the A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 79 cattle, for of course we could not keep them with us ; and the day after the distribution, I was thankful to see the last of the " lowiog herd." The same day, the rest of us took our departure in the other direction, as I had received orders to return at once to our camp at Chechaba mouth. We stayed one night on the road, at a farm-house which had not been burnt down. The safety of this house was a very surprising thing, for all the farms in the district had been burnt, as far as they could be got to do so, and in many in- stances the Kafirs had collected wood, and taken it inside, to insure a good flare-up. It was, and is still, most sad to see so many farms and farm-houses laid waste, many of them good, substantial buildings, and fruit gardens cut to pieces and destroyed for pure mischief and wantonness. Very few of the owners have returned to their farms, and those who have not done so, state they will never go back, having had quite sufficient of Kaffrarian farming. Indeed, I think they are perfectly wise and right. In the present state of the country, and the utter uncer- tainty of the power of retaining stock, on 8o KAFIRLAND ; OR, account of the stealing by all natives, wliicli is so very inadequately punished, I think a man must be a fool who expects to make a living in any part of South Africa, where there are many natives around him. We reached our old camp again on the morning of the 8th February, and soon after went out on patrol over the Kei, and had a long, hot, weary day without any result. I w^as thankful to get back, and after the evening repast, take up my abode under my old mimosa. Here I used to lie and smoke the pipe of peace, watching the quiet stars twinkling through the boughs, and listen to the murmur of the rushing water in the dis- tance, broken by the occasional cry of a heron, the quacking of the wild ducks over the river, or the plaintive whistle of the little goat-sucker, so tame that he almost sits within the light of the fire. Reader ! has it ever been your lot to pass much of your life alone ? By alone, I mean away from all your own kindred and those who are dear to you. Have you sat, night after night, by the camp-fire, looking into the dying embers, and thinking of faces and A TEN MONT US' CAMPAIGN. %i scenes far, far away ? In the daytime there is, as a rule, in a wild life of any sort — whether hunting big game, or in time of war, or exploration — plenty to occupy the mind, and all our attention and thouofhts are taken up by whatever work we are engaged in. But when the quiet night has come, and the evening meal been disposed of, and our comrades have one by one rolled themselves in their blankets, and the regular breathing around testifies to their peaceful slumbers, — ah ! whither then do our thoughts fly? not to the triumphs of the past day, — not to the enemy overcome — not to the victory with rod or rifle — these have no place in our minds. But we see before us the home-circle ; and the dear ones so far away, at their usual avocations, are vividly depicted to the mind's eye. Can we not almost fancy we hear the well-known voices ? Some of them to be hushed for ever in the silence of the grave, and heard by us in this world never again, borne to us on the evening breeze, as it rustles the leaves of the trees above our heads, or is heard dying away over the hills in the distance. a 82 KAFIRLAND ; OR, We may liave plenty of companions in our daily life, and right good fellows too they may be. No man on earth, I dare swear, has had truer, braver, finer ones than I have, through many a nasty pinch, on the burn- ing plains of Africa, and the rolling prairies of America too. But when we would fain forget for awhile our rough, ungentle life, we do not feel it possible to talk with these on the subjects which ever lie nearest to our heart. How sweet then to lie back in the calm, quiet night, and let our thoughts fly as they will, to the well-loved scenes of peace and happiness, so far away ! A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 83 CHAPTER V. Constant patrolling — Sandilli breaking through to Ama- tolas — Hard times in the rain — Short of food — No tobacco — Break up of camp — Puzzle as to transport of aged Kafir woman — Camp at Msengi — Everything looks peaceful — Fingoes as hunters — Quantities of bucks and hares — Assegai throwing — Wild pigs — Off to King for pay— The "Winkler's Rest"— Awful goings on — Quiet rubber — Musical evening at Kei Road — Naval Brigade camp at Komgha — Church — Quiet Sunday evening — Return to camp — Paying the men. We made patrols in the old Checbaba valley, wbicb we were indeed beginning to know well, almost every day, and at first used to find small parties of Kafirs here and there, whom we worried to the best of our power. Once indeed, just at night-fall, we came on a very strong body, with which we endeavoured at once to come to terms ; but they retired into a large, densely-wooded kloof, where we had to leave them for the night. We were after them again as soon as it was light, G 2 84 KAFIRLAND ; OR, but they had fled under cover of the darkness, and the only signs of them left were their spoor, and an old broken-down white horse. There is no doubt that this body consisted of the old chief Sandilli, and many followers, on their way from the Transkei to the Amatola Mountains. Had we been lucky enough to fall in with them early in the day, we might have rendered a good account of them, and perhaps shortened the war considerably. Soon after this we went with a strong detachment to the west end of the valley, and there stayed for three nights, thoroughly routing out all the bush and kloofs in that part, but with little success. We had a really rough time of it this patrol, for it rained without ceasing, and we were short of everything except meat ; and alas ! the crowning point of human wretchedness came to us, when we could not raise a single pipe of '' baccy " between us. Our blankets were all like sodden rags, our clothes the same ; we had nothing but beef to eat and water to drink. This was but child's play, but that the power of solacing ourselves with the beloved pipe was gone was trying in the A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 85 extreme ! The reason that this happened was, that we had been so much longer away from Komgha than had been expected, that everything had run short. However, under the circumstances, I must say we were very jolly. We all did our best to make things cheerful. "We sang songs in the evening, and had horse-play to a great extent, and amused ourselves with trying to make shelters, under which to creep out of the rain. I was contented with piling three rifles, and putting my waterproof coat over them, but- toned, with the neck tied up. I slept with my head under this, and succeeded in getting that part of me protected from the rain, which was all I required. We tried smoking the dried leaves of the mimosa, but found that it would not do. They tasted nearly as nasty as Boer tobacco, than which, nothing on earth can to my mind be more utterly loathsome. And in spite of many good fellows I know who say they like it, I deem any man who can smoke this vile stuff and like it, an individual of depraved taste. We were most thankful to return to our camp, and found a comparatively grand 86 KAFIRLAND ; OR, repast awaiting us ; for the officer wlio re- mained behind in charge of the camp, and the faithful Jim, had between them raised the necessaries of life, in the shape of coffee and tobacco, from the camp above. And so we fared sumptuously, though not quite to the extent perhaps that brought poor Dives to grief, though even he, probably, at a later stage of his career, would have been glad of some share of the water we had absorbed during the last few days. On the whole we had a very jolly time in our camp on the banks of the Kei, in spite of the weather being rather rainy, and a few other minor trifles, such as flies, scarcity of tobacco, &c. I was, therefore, sorry when on the 17th of February I got orders to strike camp at daylight next morning, and return to Komgha. It rained all that night, making the hill up to the old Police station, where our waggons still were, so greasy that the oxen could not pull even a sledge up ; and therefore, every- thing we had down below, which luckily was not much, had to be carried up by the men. This caused some delay, but we got all our A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 87 things up the hill and on the waggons in due course. The wet tent and the ammu- nition were rather heavy loads up such a hill, but they arrived at last. I had a puzzle that day which I did not know how to solve for some time. There had been in our camp for some days past a very old Kafir woman who had come tottering to us out of the bush, scarcely able to walk, or even to stand, having been left behind by her people to die. How old she was I cannot venture to say — she looked more like a mummy than a human being. We had given her some empty sacks for bedding, and fed her while she was in our camp. The poor old wretch would never leave the officers' quarters, sensibly think- ing it dangerous to go among the Fingoes. What to do with her now we were leaving I knew not. There were, to the best of my belief, no Kafirs near, to whom she could go. She could not walk up to the waggons any more than she could walk up to the moon. To order any one of the Fingoes to carry her, or take her on his horse, would never do ; and if I left her in our camp I knew that 88 KAFIRLAND ; OR, I should leave lier to certain starvation. Almost every one had gone, and I must do something. Luckily, to my aid came a few lines out of an old-fashioned book — a few chapters of which I have occasionally read — touching "a cup of cold water;" and I solved the difficulty by taking the poor old creature in my arms, and putting her on my saddle, for my horse was waiting for me close by, and I held her on at one side and a Fingo at the other, while another led the horse ; and so we soon got her up to the waggons, and safely on board one of them. 1 amply rewarded with tobacco the two men who had helped me, and they said they had done it for me, but they would not have done it for y^er, if she had been a queen ! On arriving at Komgha, I told the old lady she must now shift for herself, which the next day she proceeded to do by going into the tent and appropriating one of my blankets. Luckily, Jim saw her going off with it over her shoulders, and told the old girl, in broad Hampshire, his private opinion of her conduct, by which I don't doubt she was much edified and instructed. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 89 After a few days in Komgha, during which I succeeded in getting some men convicted of stealing cattle from the captured herd, and severely punished, we got orders to go to a place called Msengi, which was on the ridges above the Chechaba, at the end of the valley nearest Komgha. Everything had now become very quiet in this district; and though there were still Kafirs about in small parties, all chance of fighting was entirely over. We, therefore, looked forward to a very peaceful time in our new camp. It was in a charming position, on the top of a beautiful grassy ridge, with shady mimosas around in all directions. Water was close by, and some pools deep enough for bathing not very far off. There was the most lovely view from our present situation, as we were at a great height above the old valley, and saw nearly the whole length of it, over the varied kloofs, krantzes, and bush, each of which we knew so well. While we were at this camp, I at last succeeded in getting hold of my tent, which had been on the way to me for weeks, but had been voyaging all over the country on 90 KAFIRLAND ; OR, commissariat waggons, without my being able to secure it. I found it at last at Komgba in tbe posS^fSB^d of a private of the 24tb, tbougb bow or wbere be bad become possessed of it, I could never make out. Wben we bad been bere a few days, I lost 200 of my men, as Captain Maclean received orders to go witb bis levy to tbe Bolo, a place some forty miles nortb-east of wbere we were. We went out on patrol every two or tbree days, but witbout result, except tbe frigbtening of a few wretcbed, balf starved Kafirs, wbo fled at our approach. Tbe men bad two very successful days bunting wbile we were Msengi. I allowed tbem to go out witb tbeir assegais and knob- kerries only, and once accompanied tbem my- self for a few bours. Tbey go in very ligbt marching order indeed — or in other words, as naked as wben they were born — and can, in this costume, get about tbe bush like lightning. Thorns have no effect on tbeir tough bides. Tbe branch of a " wait-a-bit " dragged across a Fingo's chest, leaves merely a whitish line, tbougb it would tear a bleed- A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 91 ing gash in a white man. Still more mar- vellous are the soles of their feet. I have often shuddered to (#rfcbera walking among sharp stones, which they do without wincing, or picking their steps at all, when I with boots on, have been treading very gingerly. After a dead Kafir has been lying in the sun a few days, the soles of his feet peel off, and they are as thick, and are tougher, than the sole of an ordinary boot. Their manner of hunting is to spread themselves about all over the bush, but yet in a fairly compact body, with wings on each side, a-head of the rest. The instant a head of game is started, a looker-on would think that hell had broken loose, they make such an awful row. Little wonder that the game, be it what it may — buck, hare, cat, wild-pig, or anything else — knows not which way to run, and soon falls a victim to the assegai, or more probably, to the far more deadly knob- kerrie. With a stick some of these fellows are most wonderful shots. I have seen a Fingo knock over three quail on the wing with three consecutive shots, and a hare or small buck, if in the open, stands but little 92 KAFIRLAND ; OR, chance. The assegai is by no means such a deadly weapon as is generally imagined. I don't doubt, that since the Kafirs have got fire-arms, assegais have greatly fallen into disuse. I certainly think the performances with the assegai are mean in the extreme, and I would with pleasure, let any man I have ever seen, throw at me from twenty yards off till he was tired, and he would not give me the smallest difficulty in dodging every shot. I was, I must say, grievously disappointed in this, for I had heard such yarns and thrilling stories of assegai-throw- ing, that I expected to see some really clever work when I came among the Kafirs. In- stead of which, I find that any good cricket- player, with a month's practice, would beat nineteen out of twenty of them. The result of the day's hunting, on each of the days they went out, was over seventy head, and consisted chiefly of hares, with a sprinkling of two or three sorts of bucks, a wild cat or two, and a wild pig. These latter are fine fellows ; a full-grown boar weigh- ing as much as 350 pounds and occasionally even more. They are without exception the A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 93 most diabolically ugly brutes I ever saw: their heads being perfectly fearful. When wounded they are very dangerous ; and indeed they look it. Their flesh is as tough as nails, and what taste can be extracted therefrom is as much like beef as anything else. In fact, as the Yankee said, " I kin eat it — ^but oh ! stranger, I guess I don't hanker arter it.'* The beginning of March I was very busy making out pay-sheets for January and February, for up to the present time we had been unable to do any office work, and certainly going into King WilHam's Town to fetch money was still further out of the question. Now, however, we had plenty of time, and the men we getting clamorous for their money, and seemed to think that they were going to be done out of their pay. One evening they all assembled, and asked for me, and on my going among them, they had, I found, many supposed grievances, of which, shortness of food, lack of coffee and sugar in their daily rations, and being kept two months without money, were about the most formidable. Peace and amity were restored after some two hours' very 94 KAFIRLAND ; OR, hard work for my jaw-bones, and I was vociferously cheered, though a short time before they were nearly ready to hang me to the first convenient mimosa. Fickle, foolish animals are they all; and twisted round one's thumb, when taken the right way, like a thread. Money now being the necessary article in camp, off I started for " King," with an ofl&cer and escort of six rank and file. We rode to Kei Road, and there left the men and horses ; my adjutant and I going on by train. Ah ! Adjutant, you rufiian ! if these lines ever meet your eye, let tears flow over your manly cheeks, while a cloud of sorrow throws a passing shade across your brow. Why, oh ! why, you careless young dog, did you leave those pay-sheets behind on the plat- form ? Nevertheless, cheer up ; I love you still. Suffice it to say, they were duly re- covered, and the filthy lucre obtained in due course. I was two nights in "King," and had cheerful times, getting a good rubber both evenings. The second, I dined at that peace- ful, quiet and refined retreat, the King Wil- A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 95. Ham's Town Club of 1878. Never, oli ! never, in the course of my wanderings in life, has it been my lot to enter such a pot-house, digni- fied with the name of a club. Rightly, indeed, has it been christened, the " Winkler's Rest." Let me inform the uninitiated that in South Africa a " winkler '* is a thirteenth -class trader — an individual who sells ancient tower muskets, stale fish, Cape brandy of the worst description, boots and shoes, pickled pork, corduroy suits, women's stays and petticoats, and jam and tobacco. On this particular night I was dining with some very quiet fellows, of whom two, alas ! now could tell us all about that strange, un- known land on the other side of the dark river towards which so many of us often look with longing and wondering eyes — sent thither by the Zulu spears on the fatal 22nd January. During dinner, things were fairly quiet — about the same sort of thing as we come across after a village cricket dinner at home towards the close of the proceedings. After this meal was concluded, we adjourned for a rubber, and for about an hour had a very pleasant one. U — n, M — e, and P — e, being. 96 KAFIRLAND ; OR, I suppose, about the best players out here at the time. They kindly put up with my very inferior performance, U — n only remarking as usual, " My dear sir, when you first came out here, you did really play a fair fourth or fifth class rubber, but, upon my word, you get rustier and rustier ! Do come to Cape Town the first opportunity, and let me rub you up again." Alas ! he spoke the words of truth and soberness. I know only too well that I do get "rustier and rustier," not only in whist, but in many other things too, and neither in Cape Town nor any other place, be it never so fair, and the dwellers therein never so charming and clever, shall I ever again in this world get the bright, keen edge restored. After a bit, interruptions became very frequent. Some enterprising individuals were attempting to combine pool and whist, play- ing their stroke on the billiard-table, and then rushing frantically to the card- room, and with much noise and swagger offering to back their opinion as to the winner of the odd trick. I need scarcely say that the brains and judgment of these individuals were not A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 97 in a fit state to back their opinion as to any- thing, except the strength of the liquor retailed at the "Winkler's Rest/' I well remember one man, who was as usual most eminently drunk and disagreeable. I don't think the captain-doctor ever did neglect an opportunity of getting drunk, and he surpassed himself on this particular evening. A won- derful warrior was he ! Imagine Wellington, Nelson, Bonaparte, and most of the V.C. men in our army, all rolled into one puny little carcase, about five feet three inches tall, and you will see the man at his own valuation, to judge by his conversation and swagger. I need hardly add that, in fact, he is precisely the greatest cur that ever breathed. Once when in command of a corps of brave volun- teers he refused to go down into action with his men, and absolutely stayed on a hill, a mile and a half out of the fight, which lasted some hours, on the plea that he must look after the wounded ! Such individuals as this made night so hideous that we were compelled to give up our whist as a bad job, and went into the verandah to smoke a weed, if possible, in peace. H 98 KAFIRLAND ; OR, While here a rowdy-looking blackguard, whom I had seen drunk m the streets during the day, came up to me, and began talking to the best of his ability. After a little very rapid conversation, carried on entirely by him, he informed me that he did not belong to this club. The temptation for a rejoinder was too strong to be resisted, and I let him have it : " My dear sir, I should imagine that even this club — though surely, easily winning the wooden spoon of clubs over the entire face of the globe — even this would scarcely condescend to open its doors to such a particularly refined member of society as yourself." To which he replied, "Eh? I don't quite understand." And I fled to my virtuous couch. Back again to camp was the programme for the next day, or rather, make a start, for we did not get off till the afternoon train, and spent the night at Kei Koad. The scene was very different now to what it was when we all had been quartered at this place the beginning of January. Stores and buildings had risen up in numbers, and there was quite a small town. There were one or A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 99 two volunteer corps here now, and a large staff of commissariat officers, who had their hands very full of work. There was a com- mandant of the station, and a mess established, and indeed Kei Road was quite a distinguished place. I was very kindly asked to dinner and put up by a friend of mine, who provided me with a bed and every luxury, and more- over after dinner took me to an evening party on a small scale. The fair wife of an officer was at that time staying at the small hotel at Kei Road, and thither, an invitation having been sent, kindly including myself, we adjourned. We there met a gallant R.N. commander, who is of a very musical turn of mind, and our hostess was a star, both vocally and instru- men tally. My friend and I also sang a little, with adequate pressing; and so we had a really charming evening, which was like an oasis in the desert. Will you, reader, kindly remember that for ten weeks I had not so much as spoken to a white female — not to mention a lady — and then you will appreciate how thoroughly I enjoyed a few hours of gentle life; while H 2 lOo KAFIRLAND ; OR, listening to the rippling strains of Mendels- solin, set to words telling me what I know so well, viz., " that the roses of pleasure fade, ah! too soon;" or being asked, as I lie back on the sofa, in thrilling, heart-soothing music, " Has sorrow thy young days shaded, as clouds o'er the morning fleet ?" Now for a change I take, or endeavour to take, the bass of "Cherry ripe 1" "Oh! happy fair," and one or two more, with scant success, and beat a retreat to my sofa as soon as possible, where I enjoy the witching melody made by the voices of our charming hostess and my gallant naval friend, who really could sing so well that it was a pleasure to listen to him. Early the next morning, which was Sunday, he being bound for Komgha also, we started together and got there about the middle of the day. I took up my quarters with him in the Naval Brigade camp, as I did not intend returning to the Msengi till the next day. In the evening we went to church, a very strong party, and I don't doubt we all felt remarkably respectable — which was a good deal more than some of us looked. I don't A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAICN. lor mean these lines to refer to W — t, who, I must observe, always looked, even under the most trying circumstances, as though he had just come out of a band-box. How he managed it I know not ; but it was a fact beyond denial. After divine worship we had a very merry, and, I fear, rather unsabbatical supper; after which, there being already six of us in the tent, two or three of the 88th arrived from their camp close by, and a son of u^sculapius to help us make a row, which between us we certainly managed to do most successfully. We were all smoking, and the " flowing bowl " was circulated, and a most cheery time was the result. Such nights as these are put down in one's memory in red letters. During our various wanderings through life how seldom do circumstances combine to bring together many people into a cheery company, who with peace and contentment thoroughly enjoy themselves. Happy are they who take part in these rare meetings ! Sometimes they happen around the fire in the hunter's camp; sometimes, but how 102 KAFIRLAND ; OR, seldom, in the luxurious smoking-room be- neath the old roof-tree; and sometimes in the soldier's tent, with the tramp of the sentries outside, and the challenge of the picket in the distance ringing in our ears. Whenever it is our lot to join in one of these happy meetings, where each one pre- sent is in harmony with the others, and nothing coarse or unseemly meets the ear, but wit and conversation flow evenly on, and the hours run by almost unheeded — let us forget, for the moment, whatever troubles may be in our hearts, and enjoy ourselves to the utmost. For we may be sure, that wander where we may, and live we to never so ripe an old age, the circle of which we are now forming part will soon be broken, to unite in this world never again. I found everything flourishing on my return to our camp. The day after was oc- cupied from early morning to dark in paying the men. Almost every one of them had bought clothes and other things at the stores in Komgha, for which I had given them an order, and the price of their purchases had now to be deducted from their pay. This A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 103 made it a tedious and wearisome job, and had I not been most careful in keeping each man's purchases duly checked, great would have been the confusion. But by dark everything was settled and correct, and I felt a weight removed from my shoulders ; for I had fully expected to be most horribly out of pocket by the numerous transactions. I had made up my mind to take the men for three or four days* patrol down to the sea, and explore all the country where there was any chance of Kafirs lurking as we went along. We were to start the next day, and were getting ready to march, when some mounted men arrived with a despatch order- ing me to proceed at once to King William's Town. So we had to strike camp altogether, and that day march as far as Komgha. 104 KAFIRLAND ; OR, CHAPTER VI. Orders to march to King — On to the Amatolas — The " Buffalo " Eange — Colonel Evelyn Wood — Attack on the Perie Forests — March to Raboula heights — Grand scenery — Brabant's column in difficulties — Lonsdale's Fingoes — Shelling the Perie — Sandilli's horse — Cap- tain Bradshaw killed — Wonderful night scene in Perie Forest — Grand scramble through the bush — Fine cascade — Return to camp at Hudson's Store — Captains Donovan and Ward killed — Arrival of General and Staff to stay the night — Poor accommo- dation — General Thesiger. We had heard before this that Sandilli and his followers in great numbers had got into the Perie bush, in the Amatola mountains, an enormous forest, commencing twelve miles north of King William's Town ; also that a good deal of fighting was going on in the Beaufort district. We were therefore de- lighted to get orders to march to "King;" having no doubt whatever that we should there get the route for more stirring scenes. I was utterly tired of this life of inactivity. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 105 I liked my men, and believe this feeling was returned; and I was anxious to have some more real work to do with them than had yet fallen to my lot. I had great con- fidence in them, and they were at this time a very much more obedient and orderly corps than the rabble they were when I first made their acquaintance ; and I hoped that, what- ever circumstances fell to our lot in the future, we might not disgrace ourselves. Our march to King William's Town was a weary business, for, on account of the heavy rains there had been about this time, the roads were very deep and sticky. We left Komgha at dayhght on the 14th February and reached Kei Eoad at about nine o'clock the same night. Had the men been alone they would soon have trotted over the five and twenty miles, which would have been nothing to them ; but getting the waggon along with its heavy load was a very much more serious business than moving the men. It continually stuck in mud-holes and then the men had to set to and help pull it out again. Going up some of the steep greasy hills would have been an id6 KAFIRLAND ; OR, impossibility had it not been for the manual strength at hand. However, we got into Kei Road at last, and the next day before sun- down we encamped on the outskirts of King William's Town. I put up for the night in my usual quarters at the Telegraph Office, and the next morning early was sent for by General Thesiger, who kindly asked me to breakfast. I met many fellows at that meal with whom I afterwards became well acquainted, officers on the General's staff and others. I wish I could have seen much more of them than I did ; mine is the loss, and I trust as time goes on we may run against each other again in distant and more civilized climes. I received orders to march on with my men as quickly as possible to Raboula River Post, w^hich is a small road-side store that had received this dignified name from the river near which it stood. It is about twenty miles north of King William's Town, and five from the village of Keiskamma Hoek. Having to wait for a waggon containing guns and ammunition destined for Lonsdale's rin2:oes at this village, and wdiich we were A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 107 to escort, we did not march till two o'clock, to my great disgust. We only made about seventeen miles that afternoon, and were obliged to halt soon after dark, as there was a steep, greasy hill in front of us, and the oxen were done up. While on the march a tremendous thunder- storm had come over us, with rain pouring down as hard as it ever does in South Africa, which is saying a good deal. Of course we were all nearly half drowned, and with diffi- culty succeeded in keeping the stores, &c., on the waggons dry; but where we halted there was luckily plenty of wood, and we made roaring fires to dry ourselves, and passed a fairly comfortable night. We were off again at the first dawn of light, and in spite of the greatest difficulty in getting up the hill, having to use both spans of oxen for each waggon, and of course taking them up one at a time, we arrived at our destination soon after eight in the morning. Our two tents were soon pitched, breakfast — most welcome meal — cooked and despatched, and by midday everything was in order, and we were ready for whatever might io8 KAFIRLAND ; OR, turn up ; and, indeed, we had not long to wait. This was on Sunday the 17th March. Hudson's Store was the name of the shop close to which we were quartered. It was very soon turned into a commissariat station, and for months a commissariat officer and some of the 2 -24th Regiment were quartered there. It was a most lovely place, situated in a valley through which the Eaboula River flowed, and on the main road from King William's Town to Keiskamma Hoek. On three sides the hills, like downs, covered in places with patches of bush, rose to the height of 600 or 800 feet ; and on the fourth side, the east, was the Buffalo Range of mountains, which rise to over 5000 feet above sea level. All along the west side of the range, facing Hudson's Store, are most magnificent bold rocks and precipices for miles, utterly inaccessible except in a very few places. On the sides of the mountains are dense masses of forest, in which are quantities of splendid timber, chiefly yellow-wood trees. Lovely as the scenery was, it certainly looked a most awful country in which to hunt Kafirs, and so indeed it proved. Well A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 109 did the Fingoe leaders know the Buffalo Range before the next three months had passed by. I had made up my mind for an afternoon of dolcefar niente on this particular Sabbath, and was peacefully reading in my blankets, with the beloved pipe in its usual place, when a most ominous-looking despatch was put into my hands. It proved to be from the general, giving orders for an attack on the Buffalo Range and Perie Forests the next day. I was also ordered to go at once to Keiskamma Hoek to receive further instruc- tions from Colonel Evelyn Wood,^ who was quartered in this village ; so I had to leave my book and pipe with loving glances, get on my horse, and hark away as fast as possible, as the afternoon had already far waned. I had never met Colonel Wood before, though I knew him well by reputation. I am thankful to say it was my good fortune to serve under him for two months, and most thoroughly did I appreciate the privi- lege of having such a soldier as my com- * Now Brigadier- General Sir Evelyn Wood. Tio KAFIRLAND ; OR, manding ojfficer, and sucli a man as my friend. I trust it may be my luck to spend many a day with him again, both in field and hall, but should it be decreed that we never meet again, I can truly say I shall always look back with the greatest pleasure to the time when I had the honour of serving under him. I feel grateful indeed to him for many an arduous duty and weary march made light by the kindly tone in which the order was given that they should be done ; and for the many pleasant and peaceful hours passed in his tent, where he ever ceased to be the com- manding officer, and became the genial, warm- hearted friend, with never varying kindness and hospitality. Let not the reader imagine that a duty slurred over or ineffectually carried out would meet with but a gentle rebuke from Colonel Wood. Far from it. On duty he is to others as to himself, hard as adamant; and woe betide the careless slovenly soldier who happens to serve under him. I found the colonel at his quarters, and as he was just going to the other end of the village, I cantered there with him ; and after A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. iii he had done his business with Lonsdale, com- mandant of Keiskamma Hoek Fingoes, whom we shall often hear of again, we returned. He thoroughly explained to me the move- ments that were to be executed by the com- bined forces the next day, and the part I with my men was to play in them ; and then, after a cup of tea, I took my departure, not liking to stay to dinner, as he kindly asked me to do, as we had to march at three the next morning. Short was my repose that night, for I turned out between one and two a.m. to get the men under weigh. About 200 of Lons- dale's Fingoes had come to me the day before to reinforce me for the attack. My orders were to ascend the mountain with my corps, and when at the top get touch of Brabant's column on my right, and Colonel Wood's on my left, and then to advance in a south-easterly direction, fighting our way right through to the bottom of the range on the south side. Colonel Wood's and Bra- bant's column had orders to ascend the mountains by passes on my right and left respectively. 112 KAFIRLAND ; OR, At the appointed time my men all fell in quietly, and we marched off down the road. The ascent began about a mile from our camp, and from there to the top was a steep climb up a mountain path, winding about among both large and small patches of bush, all the way. It was the very place for a Kafir ambush, and I fully expected to meet the enemy in force long before reaching the place appointed. "We slowly marched along through the darkness, the naked feet of the Fingoes making no noise whatever, and all listen- ing for the slightest noise of any kind. We did not desire to reach the top of the ridges before daylight, and therefore there was no hurry, and we went quietly onward and upward. By-and-by it began to get light, but we could scarcely distinguish objects around, when we heard firing com- mence in front of us, evidently from the sound someway beyond the top of the ridge. We hurried on as fast as possible, and had only just reached the summit, when a mounted volunteer came galloping up with a message from Brabant, begging me A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN, 113 to go at once to his assistance, as he was engaged with the enemy who were in great force, and that he urgently required assistance. Before proceeding further, let me endea- vour to describe the country which was in front of us when we gained the top of the ridge. To our right the ground was nearly level along the ridge for a mile or more, at the end of which distance began the enormous belt of forest called the " Perie," which completely covers the southern side of the Buffalo Range, being about two miles wide and fully 2000 feet from the top to the bottom, where the comparatively level plain commences, stretch- ing away for miles and miles in rolHng undulations towards the sea. On our left the ridge sloped upwards towards the highest points of the range, passing through a broad belt of jungle, and gaining an elevation of seven or eight hundred feet above us, where it ended in an open flat of some extent, on which Colonel Wood's column was now plainly visible. In front of us the ground fell away for between two and three miles, I 114 KAFIRLAND ; OR, with a somewliat steep descent, being free from bush in many places, and terminating in two large open plateaus, divided by a deep kloof, which was a mass of almost impene- trable bush. Beyond the plateaus was the enormous Buffalo Poort, a ravine five miles long and at least two broad, the whole of which was a dense mass of forest with enormous precipices on both sides, with hundreds and hundreds of feet in both depth and breadth of the boldest rocks, frowning down from their perpendicular height iuto the leafy jungle below. Between the most northerly of the two plateaus and the heights where Wood's column was now situated was another deep ravine, which commenced close to our left hand on the ridge where we were now standing, and gradually increased in depth and breadth till it joined the Buffalo Poort, and there was no break whatever in the forest the whole way. Beyond the Buffalo Poort, almost as far as the eye could see, were kloofs and ravines of almost im- penetrable bush. In all of these were caves, rocks, and krantzes innumerable, which formed strongholds for the Kafirs, and which A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 115 gave us endless trouble and hard work. In these natural fortresses and broad forests had the old rebel Sandilli well chosen his ground to keep his enemies at bay. On receiving Brabant's message, although much wondering how it came about that he was engaged with the enemy more than a mile from the place where I was ordered to join him, at this very time, I hastened down with my men to his assistance. The firing had been for some time and still was very heavy and on our way down we met many wounded men being carried out of action. We soon arrived in the middle of the fighting, and got into the bush on the south side of the plateau, from which the firing seemed the heaviest. We cleared firsi one part of the bush and then another, killing a few Kafirs and putting the bulk of them to flight. After about two hours' fairly hard work, with more "bush whacking" than fighting, and the Kafirs being completely silenced and driven into the depths of the forest, we returned to the top of the ridge. Brabant, had, I think, lost five men, and 1 2 ii6 KAFIRLAND ; OR, had six wounded, and also thirteen horses killed. I only lost one man, but the fighting we did was but little. If there had been a great number of Kafirs attacking Brabant's force they had certainly disappeared before we got there. This premature attack of Brabant's had been productive of no good whatever, and had entirely upset all the proposed operations of the day. I was forced to go to his assistance when sent for, and therefore both his force and mine were lost for the day, as far as the combined attack went ; and also, on account of this, Wood's and the other corps remained in a state of inactivity. I received orders in the course of the after- noon from Colonel Wood to go to the upper ridges with my men, and join him there, which I did, and there passed the night. It was a cold, misty time up in the clouds, with only one blanket. We were 5000 feet above sea level, and winter in the mountains of Kaffraria, when bivouacking in the open, is not to be treated with contempt. I was very much amused that night by hearing the conversation of some volunteer A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 117 officers, about going into the bush after the Kafirs. They said they were determined they would not go, and that it was not work for white men. The horror almost all the white volunteers had of going into the bush used to amuse me. Men born and bred in the country objected to doing work which Englishmen thought nothing of, and which many of the officers of regulars would some- times do just for a lark. South Africans are most awfully shaky on their legs. They never walk a yard that they can possibly avoid, and always have a horse saddled if only to go a mile. The consequence is that when they are compelled to walk it is fearful labour to them, and they are utterly done up with less than half a day's work. The next morning it was determined that we should try and make up for the day before. I took the whole of Lonsdale's Fingoes, as well as my own, and joining Brabant's force, which we ought to have done on the day before, we advanced down towards the plateaus, thoroughly scouring all the bush in the vicinity. Lonsdale was doing staff duty with Colonel Wood, so for these ii8 KAFIRLAND ; OR, few days I had the honour of commanding his corps. We found but few Kafirs, although we had seen droves of them on the plateaus in the early morning, coming out of the bush to sun themselves. In such vast strongholds as we had before us, however, nothing was easier than for them to get away from us if they desired it, with the slight knowledge we then had of the forest and their favourite places in it. Later on they found it a much more difficult matter to avoid us, for we got to know the ground so well that we were continually able to drop upon them unawares, to their very considerable annoyance. While beating some of the bush round the edge of the southern plateau we came to the top of McNaghten's Krantz, the highest point of the western precipice of the Buffalo Poort. I sat here for some time on the very pinnacle of the krantz, admiring the scene below me. From where I sat to the bottom of the ravine was fully 2000 feet, and I watched the shells and rockets flying past far below me, into the bush, from Haine's Mill on my right, which was on the level of A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 119, the plain. It was a beautiful and novel sight to see the shells flying through the air, and then bursting far away over the tops of the trees, and it was glorious to hear the echoes thrown backwards and forwards between the beetling crags that frowned over the grand old forest below. Every now and then a rocket went roaring past, leaving a thin train of smoke in its wake far behind, and buried itself in the deep jungle. It was, indeed, a rare and charming scene ; seldom would it fall to the lot of any one to witness such an effect, combined with the almost unrivalled grandeur and beauty of the surrounding scenery. Pretty as the shelling and rocket practice thus appeared as an addition to the scenery, they were particularly useless in either hurt- ing or even frightening the Kafirs. I don't think there were half-a-dozen of the enemy killed, by either shells or rockets, in the whole course of the war. Nor is this to be wondered at, when it is taken into con- sideration, that forty-nine fiftieths of these missiles were fired at hazard into these thousands and thousands of acres of dense forest. I20 KAFIRLAND; OR, We were employed in scouring the bush round the two plateaus most of the day, and had a certain amount of fighting, and captured some cattle and a good many horses. My own corps, I believe, got about 120 head of cattle, which I am thankful to say were almost immediately stolen from them and driven away by some other Fin goes. Let me take this opportunity of expressing my thanks to the thieves. I knew well who they were, and I can assure them they were more than welcome. I would never willingly have a single head of captured cattle in my camp. '^Lejeu ne vaut pas la chandelle,''^ for a guard has to be sup- plied, the men are always disputing, and over- eat themselves to such an extent that many of them become sick and useless. Sandilli's horse was, as usual, captured several times that day. Every white horse that was taken during the war was invari- ably known by some gifted individual to have belonged to the old chief, as it was his habit to ride a white one; and if one stirrup, as is generally the case, was a trifle shorter than the other, it was pointed to with an air A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 121 of triumph by the capturer of the horse as the receptable for the foot which belonged to Sandilli's withered leg. Be it known that this rebel chieftain, whether for his sins or otherwise I have not heard, had one leg considerably smaller and shorter than the other. I received orders that evening, to encamp on the northern plateau of the two. Frost's column, which had come down on Wood's left, did the same. When the work of the day was done I walked up to the ridge above to see Wood about his wishes for the work of the next day, but I found he had returned to his camp of the night before ; so having no dayhght left to follow him I returned to the plateau. It was dark when I got back, and on my walking up to our fire one of my officers said to me, " How sad it is about poor Brad- shaw ! " and on my asking him what he meant, as I knew nothing about it, he told me that Bradshaw, another of my officers, had just been shot dead through the brain while I had been away. It appears that some Kafirs had come out 122 KAFIRLAND ; OR, of the bush, and fired on the horse guard, and that a company or two of Fingoes with ofiicers, Bradshaw among the number, had chased them into the bush and followed them up ; and after a bit of a " scrimmage " were returning back to camp, when a Kafir came sneaking through the bush behind them and shot poor Bradshaw through the head. Two of the men were also shot in getting his body- out of the bush. He was killed at the bottom of a deep kloof, and they had dread- ful work in getting his body out of it, for the side of the kloof was very steep and rocky and in many places there was barely footing. However, they succeeded at last, and when I got back he was lying covered with a blanket, quiet and peaceful enough, poor fellow. We consumed our evening meal with what appetite we might, for this sad event had thrown a gloom over our little party. In Kafir warfare such as we were engaged in there was seldom much danger, but one can seldom say for certain that one won't be shot at any minute. Going about in the bush as Fingo officers have to do so con- A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 123 tinually, and having their camps, as a inile, near bush and in close proximity to the enemy, we could never be certain that a bullet would not come whizzing past at any moment. In poor Bradshaw's case, the day's work was over, and he went out after the Kafirs more for a lark than anything else, and met his death. So it was with many who were killed in this Kafir war. Sometimes a man would stroll carelessly along near a bit of bush without thinking, and ping ! would come a bullet along from a lurking Kafir, for once true to its mark, and without a sigh the animula blandula vagula hospes coinesque was fled to the land from w^hich there is no return. In Kafir warfare I think it a rule to be observed as strictly as possible, never when in the vicinity of the enemy to stay in the open within range of any bush longer than necessary ; for by doing so you may be ex- posed plainly to the enemy's fire, while they are hidden from you in cover. But by getting into the bush you put yourself any- how on an equality with them and stand 124 KAFIRLAND ; OR, just as good a chance of seeing them as they do of seeing you. Never in going through bush where you suspect the enemy to be go along a path. That is exactly the place you must avoid ; for be sure that if your foes are worth anything they will be lying in wait for you on the sides of the path, and have an immense advantage over you; whereas, by advancing, even slowly on each side of the path in open order, you will at least be on equal terms with them, and approach in a way they do not expect. The first night we passed on the plateau was one of the most weird scenes I have ever witnessed. We were encamped on a small piece of rising ground, with the forest on two sides of us about a quarter of a mile off, and on the other two sides the ground was partly open, with patches of bush here and there approaching to within about the same distance. We did not the least expect to be attacked in the night, although Kafirs were swarming in the forest all round us ; for there were in our camp between four and five hundred white volunteers, and about a thousand A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 125 Fingoes, and this we knew was far too strong a force for them to think of attacking, parti- cularly at night, when they little relish fight- ing. We thought it probable they would try some long range shooting at us from the bush, which they did at intervals all through the night, with, however, but little effect. As soon as darkness had come on, the firing from our side commenced, and was wonderfully sustained the whole night through by all the Fingoes, or nearly all, for to the best of my belief my own old 250 did not join in this foolery, or only to a small extent. I went among them frequently during the night, and as far as I could tell they were not wasting their ammunition, nor did I find them short of it afterwards. The oflficers of the other Fingoes seemed powerless to restrain their men from firing, although they did their utmost, but it was a most difficult matter in the darkness, and nearly all of them, except my own lot, had only just come into the field for the first time, and were very wild and reckless in consequence. I believe most of them expected an attack every instant all through the night, and con- 126 KAFIRLAND ; OR, tinued this ceaseless fusillade in order to keep the enemy at a respectful distance. One corps of Hottentots, who were armed with Sniders, were the most successful in getting rid of their ammunition. At sundown they had thirty rounds per man, but when the bright orb again appeared, could not muster a single round among them. For some hours after dark I sat with my officers round our fire, trusting that ere long this fearful file-firing would cease ; but find- ing at length that there was but little if any cessation, about midnight we rolled ourselves in our blankets, and with sundry tussocks for pillows endeavoured to get some sleep. Soon after turning in some heavy black clouds came rising up, and a thunder- storm burst right over us, and the rain descended in torrents just to keep things cheerful. I was lying in a little hollow in the ground, which very soon became a runnel of water under me ; but it was too much trouble to move, and as it was not a cold night I did not care. The effect of the rain was soon apparent on the firing, which grew less, and miss-fires A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 127 were incessantly heard in every direction. These, however, were more annoying than if the guns had gone off properly. Nature abhors a miss-fire sometimes even more than a vacuum, and it is under almost any circum- stances very disgusting to hear one. I heard a few days after this time a most amusing story as to a certain miss-fire, as follows : — An officer of Fingoes had gone into the bush with his men where they knew Kafirs were. He was so much the worse for liquor that he was in a remarkably happy state, caring little for anything. As he walked along there was a miss-fire close to him in some thick bush, and he was heard to make the following remarks — " Hullo ! thatsh a Kafir, wonder if he shot at me ? Shtop a bit, letsh wait and see ; prapsh ole gun'll go off nextsh time.'' Whether the old gun did go off next time I know not, any how not to the damage of the Fingo leader in question. I must say I think in circumstances such as these my respect for a miss- fire would be great. The moon was shining brightly at intervals between the clouds, which looked all the blacker from the contrast, as they were seen 128 KAFIRLAND ; OR, driving along over our heads. The thunder rolled grandly, making the rifles sound like popguns, much as a halfpenny trumpet would do by the side of the Crystal Palace organ. Occasionally a bullet from some sneaking Kafir in the bush came hurtling over, far above our heads, as the sound of the shot reached us, and was answered by a volley from nearly the whole camp. Close at hand was seen the gleam of camp fires dotted about in every direction, looking like large glow-worms, and the innumerable figures, lying, sitting, and standing around, showed clearly for a moment as the moon shone out brightly, but were instantly lost sight of again in the darkness, as a vast black cloud obscured her light. There, close to us, under his blanket, lay the body of poor Bradshaw, and in the flickering light of the fire shed across it one almost fancied one could see him move. We were familiar enough with death, but losing one of our own circle seemed to bring the fact very clearly home to us. After a while the storm rolled away, and we absolutely went to sleep. I, indeed, for A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 129 two or three hours slept as quietly and peace- fully as possible in spite of guns going off all round, lying in a puddle of water and sundry other minor trifles, and by daylight I was as fresh as a lark, and ready for anything that might turn up. When daylight came I started twelve men off to Keiskamma Hoek, with poor Brad- shaw's body, his home having been there, and it was only about a dozen miles from where we were encamped. I felt very sorry indeed for his poor mother, who, on seeing the sad cortege arrive at her door, would have, I fear, very mixed feelings as to its being dulce et decorum pro patria mori. There having been no particular orders given as to the movements of the various corps for this day, the Fingoes were all sent into the bush to beat as far as they could to- wards the sources of the Buffalo River in the big kloof. They killed some Kafirs and captured five-and-twenty or thirty horses, Sandilli's again being among the number. We found in the morning that the seven or eight thou* sand random shots that it was calculated had been fired in the night had not been entirely K 130 KAFIRLAND ; OR, unsuccessful, three dead Kafirs being found not far away as soon as it was light enough to see. More than 2300 shots to each Kafir, however, would not make a good average. The next day, April 21st, I had one of the most charming scrambles I ever enjoyed in South African forests. All the Fingoes from the various forces at hand had orders to form a line from the top of the south side of the range to the bottom, and to beat along the side of the mountains in a westerly direction. No one knew the ground we were to beat over or what it was like, or this programme would never have been proposed. The plan failed utterly and hopelessly, simply from the enormous extent of the forests, and the impracticability of the ground to be beaten over. Soon after daylight all the Fingoes assem- bled, and marched to the edge of the bush on the top of the ridge, and were sent in in single file, with orders as soon as the leading men had reached the bottom, and passed the word back that they had done so, to advance steadily westward. There were altogether about 1500 Fingoes. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 131 When about half the men had entered the forest there was a halt, and we heard that a block in front was the cause, there being a steep krantz to be negotiated. After about an hour we moved forward again, but there was very soon another halt, which seemed likely to last as long as the other. This state of things was perfectly sickening, so leaving orders for tbe men in the rear to follow as they were able, I made my way as fast as possible to the front, to see what could be done. The ground got worse and worse and steeper and steeper till I came to the first krantz, which was a bad place, but quite negotiable with careful and wary foot- steps, although as I heard afterwards a great many brave white volunteers who entered the bush with great valour and daring, turned tail and fled when they came to it. This place had of course caused great delay in the progress of the line, and was still doing so, for not a quarter of the men were yet down, and they all had to go one at a time. After passing this krantz I gave up all idea of re- turning, and went steadily on, to try and get to the head of the line ; but this I did K 2 132 KAFIRLAND ; OR, not succeed in doing, and in fact never saw the corps who had first entered the bush again that day. Brabant was with me, and stuck to his work like a brick, in spite of his being some- what stiff about the knees. The J were still getting on very slowly in front, and by degrees as we were able we passed forward along the line. Another krantz, worse than the first, was soon before US, with any number of men crowded on the top waiting for their turn to go over. Luckily a large monkey-rope, or creeper, as thick as a man's arm, was hanging over the rocks, and with the assistance of this each man was able to get from the top to the bottom. It was not much of a place to look at; but there was about fifteen feet without any foot- hold to speak of, and had it not been for the monkey-rope, we should all have had to stay at the top, for there was no other way of getting down without going all the way back to the beginning of the bush and trying for a fresh place. The whole of this side of the moun- tains, and indeed almost every other side too, was one mass of rocks, krantzes, and precipices. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 133 We came upon a most lovely piece of scenery soon after the second krantz was passed, where one of the mountain torrents fell over a rock, 100 or perhaps 120 feet high, into a clear pool below, forming an exquisite cascade in the midst of the deep forest. This pool was almost entirely sur- rounded by tree-ferns, which drooped and waved over the black water, in which their shadows vividly reflecting looked almost more beautiful than themselves. A little stream flowed merrily away from the pool over rocks and among boulders, and was soon lost to sight in the dense undergrowth. All about over the scene were scattered Fingoes, looking picturesque in their varied cos- tumes, some indeed without any costume at all. The red bands round their hats and badges on their arms made a bright and pleasant contrast against the green back- ground of ferns. Some of them were stoop- ing down to drink ; others pouring water over their woolly heads, with their hands ; from the mouth of one ascended wreaths of smoke into the still air from his freshly-lit pipe, while another was putting a finishing T34 KAFIRLAND ; OR, touch to the edge of his assegai, on a smooth stone. I longed at the time for the pencil of a ready artist, for I thought, and I do so still, that I have never met with a more charming scene in nature's ever-var jing and tasteful gallery. I got out of the forest at about four in the afternoon, having beaten through a certain portion of bush with the men I could get together, but without any result. As it was about fifteen miles from Hudson's Store to our camp, to which place we were to return that night, I bent my steps in that direction with 400 or 500 men who were with me. Of my own corps there were only present one officer and one ser- geant, but I knew the rest would follow their leader in due course. We stepped out briskly, and had the good fortune to meet on the way with a cup of tea and a cooked mealie cob or two. Captain Barber, I tender you my heartfelt thanks for those same ; they were indeed as nectar and honey of Hymettus to the weary soldier, for I had had nothing whatever that day in the shape of commissariat supplies. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 135 After this repast I felt like a giant re- freshed, and soon trotted off the ten or twelve remaining miles, arriving at camp about a couple of hours after dark. On reaching the ridges above Hudson's Store I gave a loud " cooee," which I soon heard echoed by the faithful Jim in the distance ; and on my arrival I found coffee ready, and a good meal in course of preparation, and indeed I was quite ready for them. In the course of the evening I heard a report that two officers of the Diamond-field Horse had been killed during the day. It turned out to be only too true. This corps was advancing along the edge of the bush, and hearing sounds as of people moving inside, some of them rushed in, and unfortunately Captains Donovan and Ward were shot dead by some Kafirs who were lying in ambush. The enemy unfortunately got away without being touched. Poor Jim had been in bitter grief about me the day before, having heard that I was shot instead of Bradshaw, and it had been some hours before the real state of the case had come to his knowledge. 136 KAFIRLAND ; OR, The remainder of our own corps turned up by degrees, having followed in our foot- steps, and by ten o'clock every one had re- turned to camp. They were all pretty tired, and very soon after their arrival I think I was the only officer that was not firmly held in the arms of Morpheus. I was just going to have a tub in, or rather alongside of a pail — which was my usual method of performing my ablutions — for I had not taken either my boots or shirt ofi" since leaving King William's Town five days before, when I heard horses coming along up the road towards our camp, and very soon afterwards a voice asking for me. It turned out to be the General and his staff, and he said he should be glad if he could stay the night in our camp. If these pages ever happen to meet Lord Chelmsford's eye, I fear he will recall with a shudder the night he spent in a Fingo camp. Our larder was at a lower ebb even than usual, and there was absolutely nothing but some Australian beef and ships' biscuits and some very inferior cofi*ee to set A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 137 before my guests; and blankets also were not too plentiful, I fear. Crealock, Molyneux, Wright, of H.M.S. " Active," and I, sat round the fire "blowing our baccy " and chatting till a very late hour, and thoroughly did I enjoy foregathering for a bit with these real good fellows. After the others had turned in, Wright and I, being old chums, sat on till nearly three the next morning, and then, he having retired, I began to look about for a roost for myself. For I was not going to disturb my officers or Jim, for they were all packed pretty closely in the other tent and sleeping the sleep of the righteous, which indeed they had well earned. I soon found a snug corner in the commissariat waggon, on the top of some sacks of mealies, and pulling the tarpaulin cover over me, in two minutes I was dream- ing I was sinking down into a feather bed, under the softest of eider-down **couvrettes.'* Let not the reader suppose for one mo- ment that the General or any of those with him knew where I slept that night. Not one of them, I well know, would have touched one of my blankets with a pole 138 KAFIRLAND ; OR, if he thouglit I should have to go without. There is not a truer soldier, nor one that can take the rough side of field life with the smooth more easily than could the General; and a kinder and more thoughtful man on behalf of others does not breathe. He would sooner lie on the bare ground without a rag to cover him than have the blanket of some one else who was going without. I knew this well, and therefore took pleasure in doing my utmost to make him as comfort- able as I could, though it was indeed but a poor performance. They were all off again soon after daylight the next morning, and I proceeded soon after to the little river and performed most neces- sary ablutions and adorned myself in some clean raiment, which was a comfort and relief to my system. A TEN MONTHS CAMPAIGN. 139 CHAPTEK VII. Rest in camp — Officer shot while visiting pickets — Narrow escape of Colonel Wood — Second attack on Perie — March at two a.m. — Sunrise over the forest — Two Fingoes killed at one shot — Fingo funeral — Fear- fully cold night with only one blanket — War talk on Buffalo heights — Commandant Lonsdale — Sleeping in the bush — The General's witch doctors — Charming day in the forest — Enormous tree — Night march through the forest back to camp — Broken shins — Haiue's Mill. We now had easy times for a few days, till another attack on the Perie Forests could be organized. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and spent my spare time in getting letters written and in occasional reading, which was indeed a treat, for I had scarcely opened a book for three months. While in this camp at Hudson's Store I had continual callers ; for being on the high road and so many various corps being quartered in the district, officers were continually riding 140 KAFIRLAND ; OR, by and always came into my tent for a liquor- up and a chat. Till the 27th April nothing particular took place. I was busy with the usual camp work, and had a certain amount of patrolling to do, both by day and night, but only on a small scale. The night patrolling I consider about as nasty a job as can well be had; and this not because of the danger from our enemies, but of that from our friends. It was frequently the case that two small parties of Fingoes met each other at night, and blazed away at each other in the dark for five minutes before the mistake was found out. Luckily, as a rule, no damage was done, the shooting of the wily Fingo not being celebrated for great precision. Of course with regulars this sort of thing could not happen, or but very seldom, and even then by some great mistake. But with so many bodies of such very irregular troops in the field, it is not to be wondered at that very grotesque, nay, indeed, very painful scenes frequently took place. At this very time an officer of volunteers was one night visiting his pickets, and after A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 141 having been his rounds, somehow got con- fused, it is supposed, as to his position and returned towards one of the men he had just been visiting, who shot him dead on the spot. Colonel Wood too, a little later, had a very narrow escape through not hearing a soldier's challenge. He was shot at at a very short range, but luckily missed. I have myself had one or two "shaves** much too close to be pleasant, through the carelessness of volunteers. I don't reckon the endless number of Fingo bullets that have just missed me, that is a matter of course, and if a man doesn*t feel inclined to put up with this he had better not become a Fingo leader. One day an intelligent volunteer was deliberately taking aim at me in the bush, he being outside, thinking (as he said afterwards) that my brown cord coat was a Kafir blanket. I luckily saw him ere he pulled trigger, and hallooed. Yes, my reader, you may invest the whole of your fortune that I did halloo, and was intensely relieved to see his rifle lowered, and a blank, idiotic expres- sion come across his far from lovely coun- tenance. Many of the volunteers were mere 142 KAFIRLAND ; OR, boys, and no more fit to be trusted witli a rifle than a Barbary ape. The Fingoes used to get blamed, and richly deserved it too, for the reckless way in which they wasted their ammunition, but I know that in many instances white volunteers were just as bad and even worse. I have both seen and heard horse-guards firing incessantly the whole day long, and moreover generally at some rock or stone, and little recking where their bullets went after they had struck. Being shot at by one's enemies is all right and proper, and quite a legitimate business, but I feel the strongest objection to being shot at by my friends, and get annoyed at the " ping " of a bullet whistling by my head through the carelessness of some one more fit to handle a pea-shooter than a carbine. On the 27th everything began again to as- sume a warlike appearance. Mounted men with despatches were seen continually galloping along the road, and corps of volunteers began to assemble at Hudson's Store as the day went on, in order to start for the ridges of the Buffalo Range, now christened Eaboula Heights, early next morning. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 143 I had received my orders to march at two a.m., and go up the mountain as before. Colonel Wood was himself going up from this side in command of the column, which consisted of the Frontier Light Horse, some of the 2-24th, two or three corps of colonial volunteers, Lonsdale's Fingoes and my own. We were to meet with Colonel Wood's divi- sion, which was coming from Keiskamma Hoek, about half way up the mountain. At the appointed time we marched, by the hght of the now waning moon, and having joined in with the other corps, slowly wound our way upwards. We reached the heights just before sunrise. It was a grand sight, and the " Hues of the rich, unfolding morn " were most splendidly portrayed before us. Lovely, indeed, looked the forest, stretching away almost from our feet into the far dis- tance, intersected by the deep sombre ravines, on the sides of which the rocks and preci- pices stood boldly out, illumined by the rays of the glorious sun just flashing up from the " under world." In the open plateau was plainly seen 144 KAFIRLAND ; OR, the smoke slowly rising into the sky from numerous Kafir fires, around whicli with our field-glasses we could see hundreds of our sable enemies, evidently in great perturbation at our appearance over the ridges. There were a few horses and some cattle scattered about, grazing in the open, which excited the predatory spirit firmly rooted in the breast of every Fingo, and they asked for permission to go down on their own account, and do their best to capture some of the enemy's flocks and herds. This having been granted, off they went in hundreds as hard as they could run, and we very soon heard brisk firing, and by-and-by saw them re- turning, but without any cattle or horses, and two of their number carried back feet first. They had met with a much warmer reception than they had anticipated, and deeming prudence the better part of valour had beat a hasty and somewhat undignified retreat. Fingoes fight very well when with their European officers and a good example is shown them, particularly if they are on the winning side ; but I must say I should not like to have to rely on them during an up-hill A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 145 fight if they were at all well tackled. I don't wish to run down my own men, far from it ; for they certainly did some remarkably good work and on one or two occasions delighted my heart at the really plucky way in which they went at the Kafirs, when in vastly superior numbers. But they are subject to panic and unless kept well up to the mark may at any moment in a fight lose their heads, and run like a lot of sheep. The two men who were being carried both belonged to my own corps. They had been knocked over by the same shot, the ball having gone clean through both of them. One was already dead, and the other only lived two or three hours. They buried the dead man at once, and a more lovely last resting-place could scarcely be found in the world. I had never had the opportunity of being present at the funeral of one of my men before, and I was surprised at the decent and orderly way in which they went through the ceremony. After digging the grave and collecting a number of branches, they lowered the poor fellow gently down, wrapped in his blanket, L 140 KAFIRLAND ; OR, with all his clothes on, even to his hat. Only the people from his own kraal or village were present, besides a few of the officers. The service consisted of first an address, of course in their own language, and then a prayer, after which they all sang an old English hymn with Kafir words, and as usual, most exquisitely they sang it. I was surprised to find when I first went among them how really beautifully Fingoes sing. Many an evening have I lain in the grass listening to them, as their own wild songs or old English hymn tunes have come floating down the breeze, with never a single false note marring the perfect harmony. It was very touching to see the body of the dead brave, whose spirit had just started on his journey to his unknown happy hunting grounds, lying scarcely cold in the grave, and to hear the soft, sweet strains of the voices of these wild, uncouth men, mingling in thrilling harmony in one of the beautiful old English hymns. And as the verses at first pealed out loud and clear into the morning air, and then at the close died softly away in the distance, I could but think that now indeed we see A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 147 through a glass darkly, and that in the eyes of Him to whom all things are plain, there may be some good even in these depraved, sensual sons of Africa, who do indeed seem to inherit the curse of Ham to the uttermost. The hymn being finished, the grave was filled in and a mound raised over it, which, with a few others made over men that I lost afterwards, I saw for the last time about two months later. But I don't think 1 shall ever forget the funeral of the Fingo brave on Raboula Heights. In the course of the day the General came round and visited our camp, and addressed the men, and was duly cheered by them in better form than I should have thought probable. My old fellow-campaigner Mac- lean also made his appearance, with his men, having come up through the bush from Haine's Mill. This place was in times of peace a saw-mill, but had now been turned into a military station and commissariat store. The General, since the last attack on the Perie, had sent to the Transkei, a district on the other side of the Kei River, and nearly a L 2 148 KAFIRLAND ; OR, hundred miles off, for a reinforcement of 1000 Fingoes. These had not yet arrived, and until they made their appearance there was not to be any combined attack. In the meantime the forces stationed around were ordered to make continual forays into the bush, day after day, and harass the Kafirs as much as possible. Paths were also being cut by the various corps and regiments in different directions for future use. In fact we were to be as annoying to the enemy in every way as we possibly could, and make them feel that so far from this wilderness of forest and precipice being a safe retreat for them, we could make ourselves just as much at home in it as they could, and intended to take up our quarters there till further notice. Maclean had come up without any blan- kets, and though I only had two, I could not but lend him one of them, and suffered severely in consequence. It was a fright- fully cold night, and there was a nasty mist and a cutting wind on the top of the mountain ; and with only one blanket to keep my soul and body together I had a rough time of it. This was certainly the worst A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 149 night I had during the whole war. I could not get warm, nay, I could not get unfrozen, and at length got so perished that I was obliged to get up and walk about for the rest of the night. I went and had a look at my officers, who were lying all huddled together like a lot of young rabbits, with Maclean in the middle of them ; he, lucky beggar, having raised another blanket somewhere else. I had serious thoughts of asking to be admitted into such a warm-looking party, but was loth to disturb them ; moreover, I am but a poor sleeper in a crowd, and in camping out, however bad my perch for the night may be, I must say 1 do like to get it all to myself. A little before daylight I got a fire lighted, and I warmed myself bit by bit, and had a cup of coffee, and later, when some of the other fellows turned out, I borrowed some of their blankets and rolled myself in them for a good sleep, fancying I had nothing to do. Oh I vain thought. I had just got warm, and was off to the land of dreams, when I was stirred up by an orderly, with a nasty-looking document which contained orders for me to take my men to scour the bush at once on ISO KAFIRLAND ; OR, the soutli side of tlie plateau. This was, indeed, cruel luck, but I didn't much care, as I knew a good walk would do me as much good as anything else, so I made the men fall in at once, and off we went to the bush in question. We came across a good many Kafirs, and took several horses, some of them very good- looking ones for Kafir horses ; but they were useless, as their brutal owners, finding they could not escape from us and take their horses with them, had absolutely shot them. They had not killed them, but we found them all more or less wounded, so of course I had them destroyed at once. As we were apparently going to make a long stay this time on Raboula Heights, I had sent down for Jim to come up, and bring some more blankets, and had given orders that the tents and other things which would greatly increase our comfort should follow as soon as possible. Since our first ascent to this place a road had been made part of the way up, so that waggons could bring things about half way ; up the rest of the mountain everything had to be carried by Fingoes told A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 151 off for the purpose. Our goods and chattels arrived in due course, and we were then very much more comfortable in every way. A bell-tent, although not a palace, is by no means to be despised, and a man who cannot make himself comfortable in one, after a little experience, can indeed have travelled but a short distance along the paths of wisdom. Cutting rides was the chief occupation of my men the next day, and in fact as long as we were upon the heights this time some of our corps were engaged in making paths almost every day. We almost always happened to have the hardest work on Sundays, and therefore the 31st being the blessed Sabbath I was not sur- prised the evening before to get orders to go for rather a stiff day in the bush together with Lonsdale and his Fingoes. We had a capital scramble through some very fine forest, and in places there were some mag- nificent masses of tree fern. In one ravine out of which we had to climb, we simply had to pull ourselves up by the roots of the ferns. We saw quantities of Kafir spoor, in fact 152 KAFIRLAND ; OR, there was a well-beaten path, leading out of the bush in a westerly direction, but never a Kafir. We found an empty brandy bottle, still smelling of its late contents, a sardine tin, and sundry other relics in a place where they had evidently made a halt for the night. We were beginning to have a very shrewd suspicion that the Kafirs were not quite so wedded to these strongholds in the Perie as they had been, and were getting out of the forest as quickly as possible in small parties, who made their way through at night. To do this where the extent of bush was so enormous was not difl&cult, in spite of all the various forces encamped around it. A few of these travellers by night came unex- pectedly into some of our pickets, and fled in haste, leaving, however, a few of their number behind. The next day all I did was to go up to the top of the ridges north of our camp, two or three miles off, with Colonel Wood, Lonsdale, and others, to meet the General and talk as to the proposed combined attack, when the Fingoes from the Transkei should have arrived, which they were expected to do daily. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 153 Nothing further of interest took place till then, beyond the usual work of path cutting and some patrolling through the bush. I generally dined with the Colonel in the even- ing, and Lonsdale was almost always of the party. We soon became great friends, and were christened by Wood, the " little and big commandants." We saw an immense deal of each other during the remainder of the war, and generally managed to meet pretty often. I never heard any one say anything but good of Lonsdale, and all that could be said I endorse to the uttermost. I have been with him by night and by day, in battle and at the peaceful fireside, in times of hardest work and roughest fare, and in days of ease and comfort ; and I have ever found him the same true-hearted, unchangeable friend, brave as a lion and hard as a nail, and yet withal kindly, bright, and cheerful at all times and in all seasons. After dinner he and I used to leave the Colonel, and generally were successful in getting up some whist or mild loo with some of the other fellows in camp, to while away the evening hours. 154 KAFIRLAND ; OR, The grand attack was at length settled for the 5th of April, and on the morning of the 4th Colonel Wood, Lonsdale, Brabant, myself, and others rode round to the opposite side of the forest, about seven or eight miles off, to meet the General, and to receive final orders from him about it. It was decided that the whole of the Fingoes, about 2500, should form a line on the north-eastern edge of the forest, and advance down the Buffalo Poort and bush east of it, to the southern extremity of the forest, terminating our beat at Haine's Mill. Every one was pretty sure that the main body of Kafirs had already evacuated the Perie, but having so many Fingoes on the spot, it was without doubt a good plan to give the forest a thorough scouring. I have not the least doubt that after all Sandilli was in the forest all the time, and that on that very day we passed, as it were, right over him, he being concealed in a most difficult place to get at which none of us knew of, and which was not found till a month later, when it was still his head-quarters. But an account of this will appear in its proper place. I received orders to sleep that night in the A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 155 bush, with my men extended in a line throngli it, near where we had met the General, which was exactly opposite to our camp on Raboula Heights, and fully five miles off in a straight line. On receipt of these orders I sent a message back to camp at once to the oflBcer I had left in command, telling him to join me as soon as possible with all the men in light marching order. Lonsdale, having sent the same message to his camp, we adjourned to the tent of an aged but hospitable commandant of volun- teers a mile or two off, and there waited for our men. A little before sundown they appeared, and we then went to our respective stations for the night. Lonsdale was on the right of the whole line, I next to him, and the Transkei men on my left. Gosset and Molyneux, officers on the General's staff, had promised to come through the bush with us this beat, and joined us just as we were starting. Night had fully come on, and when we got to the edge of the forest it looked like a case of " Lasoiate ogni speranza, voi ch* entrate." 156 KAFIRLAND ; OR, Neverfcheless, after a little fumbling about in the darkness we got the men properly extended, and had the horses tied up to treeSj with Fingoes told off to sleep round them. "We then made a small fire and boiled our kettle, and had coffee, tinned beef, and biscuit for supper, and after the " calumet of peace " had been freely consumed we rolled ourselves in our blankets, and slept till we saw the stars through the tree tops beginning to look a little pale. Operations were to commence by signal from a nine-pounder as soon as ever it was light enough to see the way into the bush. The gun had been brought into position about a quarter of a mile from where we slept, and as soon as, or rather sooner than there was light enough to commence operations, two shots rang out clear into the morning air. The instant the gun was fired the nearest Fingoes, who were those from the Transkei, began blazing away into the bush in front of them like fury. Doubtless all Fingoes, as most wanton squanderers of ammunition, are a great success, but I never in my whole experience saw anything to compare to the A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN, 157 fearfully wild and reckless firing of the Transkei contingent on that day. I believe they fired fifty rounds per man at simply nothing. The greatest difl&culty was found in supplying them with ammunition during the short time they were in this district, so unprecedented was the quantity they got rid of. Their shots looked very pretty that morning, for in the semi-darkness we could scarcely see the men, but the flashes all down the long line had a very good effect. After a greeting and chat with Giles, the Royal Artillery officer in charge of the gun, Gosset, Molyneux, and I returned to our little bivouac. As we had to wait for our start till Lonsdale's left got touch of my right, which would probably not be for two hours, they having the head of the Buffalo Poort to beat through before they came to our line, we had plenty of time for breakfast. This meal being concluded, we took off our coats, and rolling them in our blankets packed them all on the horses, and sent them off back to camp. In the bush it is by no means wise to leave one's coat behind ; but where there is much large timber, as in tho iS8 KAFIR LAND ; OR, Perie generally, the under-growth is not very thick or thorny, and then the less one has on the better. My costume during the whole war was thin cord breeches and Norfolk shirt and butcher boots, which latter, contrary to general opinion, I like for walking. I have walked thousands of miles in Africa in them and certainly for this country prefer them to shooting-boots and gaiters. Gosset and Molyneux had on red night- caps by way of head-gear, at which one of the Fingo headmen was greatly amazed. On his asking me who they were, I told him, " Two of the Mcos'Mculu's (General's) witch-doctors, who had come to see that we did our work properly," and that he and the men had better have their jackets right side out that day, or they would catch it. About the time that we expected it was hailed along the line that Lonsdale's men had joined us, and forward all, was the word, the Transkei right having waited while their left was beating the head of another large kloof, and now we were all on the move together, our line being over three A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 159 miles long. Poor busli-bucks, they must liave thought the end of the world was then come. I saw a great many that day, and several were shot. The whole performance was a real lark ; the scenery was lovely, the work was very easy, certainly the easiest day I had in the Perie. We had scarcely any climb- ing, and what we had was down-hill. But I must say, as usual in the forest scrambles, I most thoroughly enjoyed myself and I hope the others did the same. We came across some lovely glades during the day, all aglow with bright flowers and exquisite net-work of green creepers overhead, hanging from the enormous yellow woods. Gosset, Molyneux, and I tried to span one of these trees, with our arms outstretched and placing finger tips to finger tips, but we could not meet by more than a foot, so this one must have been nearly twenty feet in circumference five feet from the ground ; for we could certainly all stretch well over six feet. I had the pleasure, too, that day of seeing the largest South African butterfly there is, " Papilio Menestheus,** the only one I ever saw. He is a splendid fellow, and measures i6o KAFIRLAND ; OR, nearly six inclies from tip to tip across the wings. I liad arranged with Lonsdale that about the middle of the day I would be at the right of my line, and he promised to be at the left of his, and we therefore met and advanced'' together for some time. Our way then lay along the bottom of the kloof, where the Buffalo Eiver ran, and very queer travelling it was, the ground being nothing but boulders fallen down from the krantzes on either side, from the size of a walnut to that of a small house. We came across endless camping- places of Kafirs, and very snug indeed many of them looked, being entirely sheltered from the weather by overhanging rocks. Indeed they must have had a far better time of it at night than we had on the heights ; but in the day-time they must have been awfully pinched with cold, from not being able to get out into the sun to bask, as all Kafirs so dearly love to do. I did not myself see a single Kafir that day. There were two or three killed on the left of my line, and three or four more by the Transkei men, and this was the total number A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN i6i killed that day. The firing on our extreme left was kept up pretty vigorously the whole day, and our allies from Fingoland finished up with such volleying that we felt sure they must be having a really hot time with the enemy. It turned out, however, to be nothing but a feu de joie ; even after we had got out into the open, and they were marching along a road close to Haines' Mill, they still blazed away, without their ofiicers apparently earing or paying any attention to this abominable want of dis- cipline. I heard that the General was riled at their behaviour more than a little ; and I can well believe it. The heat of the day was finished at Haines' Mill a Httle before sundown, and on arriving at this place I reported myself to the General, and got orders to leave our camp on Raboula Heights as early as possible next morning and march to the north of the " Intaba Indoda," which was to be attacked the next day. The "Intaba Indoda" (Mountain of the Man) was an abrupt peak rising from the plain to a height of 1500 or 2000 feet. It was u 1 62 KAFIRLAND ; OR, very steep and bushy on three sides, and the country all round, especially on the north- west, very rugged and mountainous. It was about twelve miles from our camp, and the place to which we were ordered to go was fifteen, and called the Lower Raboula. There was the beginning of the Tutu bush, which stretched through sundry kloofs and ravines on a small but very rough scale to- wards the Intaba Indoda. The view from Haines' Mill is a very fine one. As you stand at the mill, looking north, directly in front of you is the Perie Forest, stretching for miles and miles both right and left of you; and the enormous Buffalo Poort in front, running fully five miles up into the mountains. About two miles from the mill a second kloof, nearly as big as the Poort, joins it on the right ; the base of the fork formed by these two ravines being a grand abrupt precipice, now called Sandilli's Krantz. On the right from the mill is Murray's Krantz, a long perfectly perpen- dicular precipice, rising from the forest; and on the left MacNaghten's Krantz (called after an officer of that name, killed there a A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 163 little later), still higher and bolder than Murray's Krantz. Nothing can exceed the grandeur of the scenery from Haines' Mill. Everything is on such an enormous scale that the krantzes, which from their size look close by, are in reality miles away, as one finds to one's cost when having to get to them. And what one imagines to be but low bush in the distance, is on close inspection found to consist of grand old forest trees 150 feet high. However, we must leave Haines' Mill with an "au revoir," for we shall often find ourselves here again. As soon as I had got my orders from the General, and partaken of a cup of tea in the camp of the 2-24th, a company of which regiment was quartered at the mill, we started for our camp on the heights. It was a long, stiff pull. We first went along the level plain for a mile or two, till we came to a path christened after Wood, which had been cut from the top of the heights to the bottom through the bush, and then began to ascend. It was dark by the time we entered the forest, and many were the falls, and much M 2 1 64 KAFIRLAND ; OR, the unparliamentary language, as we floun- dered along up the steep and rocky hill, our shins testifying amply to the roughness of the road. We reached our camp at ten o'clock, and after a meal, coffee, and a pipe, turned in and slept without rocking till daylight. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 165 CHAPTER VIII. Striking camp on the heights — March to Lower Rahoula — Night pickets — Hard sleeping-quarters — Weary time in the bush — Kafirs up trees — They come down quicker than they went up — Larking back to camp — Wretched night in the rain — Colonel Wood men- tioned in our prayers — Lonsdale, his boots — Back to Hudson's Store — Men all go on leave— Night-ride with Eorke — His Fingoes — Fruitless day — Baron de Fyn — Pleasant evenings in Keiskamma Hoek — Muster of men — March to Bums' Hill — Kafirs killed by Fingoes while on leave — Waggon attacked — Action in Zanyockwe Valley — Jim in hospital — Two new levies — Attack on Intaba Indoda and Tutu — Good day among the enemy — Saltmarshe killed — Prospecting for Kafirs at daylight. As soon as possible in the morning of April 6th, tents were struck and everything packed up and put on to men's shoulders to be carried down to the waggons. It made rather a long business of it, having to get our things down in this way, but we got back to Hudson's Store in pretty good time; and having deposited everything there except the 1 66 KAFIRLAND ; OR, barest necessities of life, we fell in again, in the lightest possible marching order, and took our way to the Tutu bush. Lonsdale was with me, his men being just in front of us and marching to the same place for which we were bound. We reached our destination at about four in the afternoon, and put out strong pickets at once, for a line of about three miles, in case of the enemy trying to get through our way in the night. Lonsdale and I went together later to a place we thought it likely Kafirs would pass, where we had already posted some men, and there spent the night, but without any result. We both curled our- selves round among some rocks, without pricking for a soft place, and in the dark, but " Somnus " did not require much wooing. I remember I was surprised in the morning, when I saw what sort of a place I had been lying on, that I had slept at all, for it was nothing but stones and tussocks and as hard as iron. But really, with a little practice, a man can sleep anywhere and on anything, for his hips get so horny and hard that it is quite immaterial what is underneath them : and I A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 167 must say it is my firm belief that sleep obtained thus, perfectly sound yet so light that let but a leaf rustle and one is wide awake in an instant, is infinitely more refreshing and does one far more good than the heavy sleep one gets when living in peace and quietness in the lap of luxury. We were into the bush with a long line of men early the next morning, and I did not see Lonsdale again till we had finished the beat. In thick bush it is impos- sible to see much of one's neighbours, and although perhaps working the whole day long within half a mile of a friend, the probability is that you will not once get a glimpse of him. This Tutu has the thickest bush I ever was in, and the exact opposite to the Perie. There was not a tree in it much thicker than a man's leg, but the bottom was a mass of thorns, creepers, and scrub, and it took us the whole day to beat through the bush, by the side of which we ran back in considerably less than half an hour. There were Kafirs nearly all over this bush, not in any great numbers, but we were con- 1 68 KAFIRLAND ; OR, tinually coming across a few, who let drive at us and sneaked away into tlie thick cover. At one time we were fighting with some fellows for a few minutes in a place so thick that we had to crawl on all fours. They were foolish to get into such a place, for they could not get out, and all were killed, one of them being a chief of some note. They shot as usual villainously badly, and I had no casualty at all that day, which was lucky, for there were a good many very narrow escapes. I saw one of my men get a bullet between his arm and side, just grazing the skin, from a Kafir only a few yards in front of us. Several of the enemy took to climbing trees this day, two or three being espied and shot while in their exalted positions. I saw one fellow shot fully forty feet from the ground, and we found his gun stuck in a fork of the tree from which he fell. I was glad to get out afc the end of this beat, for it had been a real hard day's work, and we had absolutely had to fight our way through the cover from beginning to end. By the bye, I mean fighting with the thorns and creepers, not the enemy. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 169 All the Kafirs killed on this day had regis- tration tickets on them, dated only a few days previously. The lying scoundrels must have gone to the office and got registered as "loyal," and immediately afterwards have joined in the rebellion against us. I found Lonsdale with Wood, about a mile from where I came out of the bush. The latter was now quartered at Burns' Hill, a Mission Station about four miles from where we were. The forces that had been attacking the Intaba Indoda itself had been pretty busy all day, and had made havoc among the enemy. One Fingo officer. Captain Webster, had been killed on our side, and several men. The whole of the kloofs having been beaten through. Wood gave orders to Lonsdale and myself to return to the other end of the Tutu and wait there for further instructions. I don't know who started, but I rather suspect Lonsdale, he being light of heel; anyhow, almost directly after he had left Wood, we found ourselves running, men and all. Away we went, the men going like deer, whooping, shouting, and waving their asse- I70 KAFIRLAND ; OR, gais, down a steep ridge into the Zanyockwe Yalley ; then along the valley on and on we ran, till we got back again to the place we started from, like a lot of school-boys just let out of school. ^'Dulce est desipere in loco'^ — which, I take it, means that it's very pleasant to make an ass of oneself at the proper time — is all very well, but had I been told that at the end of a remarkably hard day's work I should have been flat enough to run two good miles without any reason whatever, I should most assuredly have denied it in somewhat forcible language. But this piece of foolishness shows what sort of condition beef, biscuit, hard work, and plenty of roughing will get a man into. Soon after we got back to our bivouac for the night it began to rain. This was dis- gusting, for we were very short of blankets, and there was no shelter at all; however, we had long ere this learnt to make the best of everything. After supper, Lonsdale and I took up our quarters side by side, and with our heads on our saddles were soon in the land of nod. Lonsdale's boots had hurt him, and he had been obliged to pull them A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 171 off, but had carefully put them under his blankets to keep them from the rain. Doubt- less the reader will observe to himself: " What the deuce does he want to tell us that very uninteresting fact for?" Wait a minute, my indulgent and patient reader, and you will see thereby hangs a tale. We were disturbed somewhat in the course of the night by Colonel Wood sending us a message about some Kafirs there were near Burns' Hill, that he wanted us to go and rout out in the morning early. How we did bless him ! Imagine the joy of having to sit up and read by the light of a match, with the wind blowing and rain falling, a document, the writing of which, (pardon me, my dear colonel,) was but medium, written on the leaf of a pocket-book, and in pencil ; the rain all the time getting into the inside of your nice warm blankets, which but a few minutes before you had managed for the first time that night to make fit into the small of your back really comfortably and satisfactorily — to say nothing of the said document contain- ing orders which necessitated the total abandoning of the blankets two good hours 172 KAFIRLAND ; OR, before daylight. Luckily a reprieve arrived in another leaf of the same pocket-book a little later, in which we found that our pre- sence was not required in the Burns' Hill direction at all. I was awoke in the morning by the most awful groaning, grunting, and swearing that I ever heard in my life, and in semi- consciousness was just thinking that Lons- dale must have been off with his men during the night, and looted the whole drove of swine of the parable, the man possessed with the legion of devils, and all the whole con- cern ; when he called me by name, and then, thoroughly awake, I became aware that he was merely trying to pull on his boots, and that the various noises I had heard were the necessary ejaculations called forth by that operation. Somehow or other in the course of the night the boots had got kicked out into the open, possibly during the dire wrath of their owner when disturbed in his beauty sleep by messages from his commanding officer; their tops, unfortunately, had lain up hill, and they had got half full of water. I need not enlarge on the charm of having to A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 173 get on a pair of sodden butcher-boots with* out any extraneous aid of any sort, such as boot-hooks, powder, soap, &c., &c. Suffice it to say that, after much groaning and gnashing of teeth, it was at last accom- plished. I got orders early in the morning to march back to Hudson's Store with my men, and to let them return next day to their homes for ten days' leave. They had been out for more than three months, and were very anxious to go and look after their domestic affairs; and I felt sure that they would return with renewed vigour. I had therefore recommended this course to the General, who had very kindly acceded to my wishes. Early the next morning all the officers took their departure to their respective homes, and left me alone in my glory with the men, with whom I marched after break- fast to Keiskamma Hoek, and then dismissed them to their kraals. Ten days' leave were perfectly useless to me, and I much preferred being at work, for I had no friends at this end of the colony, 174 KAFIR LAND; OR, and there was no one I cared to visit within 500 or 600 miles, so I pitched my tent on the outskirts of the village, and held myself at the disposal of Colonel Wood in whatever capacity he might like to employ me. He had come into Keiskamma Hoek, and was quartered at the house of Baron de Fyn, a charming old gentleman, by birth an Austrian; and here I used to diae almost every evening with the Colonel, who was most kind in always pressing me to accept his hospitality. I had a very easy time of it while my men were on leave, having only occasional work to do ; but I rather enjoyed this rest, and spent most of my days in reading. I got books from Lonsdale, who, I don't think I have observed before, lived in Keiskamma Hoek, being magistrate of that place. On going to dinner with Wood on the 10th of April, he told me he had some work for me. Five hundred of the Transkei Fingoes, under Commandant Rorke, had encamped that night by Wood's orders on the main A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN, 175 road, not far from Hudson's Store. He wished me to go with Rorke, as I knew the country and position of the bush, and arrange his Fingoes for a beat along the western side of the Buffalo Range, between the Raboula Heights and Keiskamma Hoek. Rorke was staying the night in the village, and at 1.30 a.m. I stirred him up, and at two exactly we made a start. It was a most miserable night. There had been a thunder- storm, with a deluge of rain, lasting for many hours, and this had only just ceased when we started. It was as dark as the inside of a tar-barrel, and the roads were like ice with the greasy mud. Rorke' s men were about five miles off, and the road to where they were lay over a long steep hill called the Red Hill, and was in wet weather the very worst I ever travelled on in my life. I led my horse the whole way up, and down the other side, and even then he fell several times, and in the outer darkness, not being able to see what I was treading on, I was down on my hands every hundred yards. We reached Rorke' s camp before four o'clock, and he gave orders to his men to fall in at 176 KAFIRLAND ; OR, once. This apparently was more easily said than done, as they were scattered about all over the country in their endeavours to get shelter from the rain, in the neighbouring Fingo kraals. I got perfectly weary of wait- ing and seeing the officers loafing about and making coffee at tbe fire, when they ought to have been kicking their lazy scoundrels of men into the ranks. It was most awfully annoying, for I could only sit still and wait, occasionally begging Eorke to get his men fallen in and make a start; for the place where he bad to begin work was still a good hour's march, farther on. It was broad daylight before we even left camp, at which time the inen ought to have been in the bush a good half-hour, and it was between eight and nine before they got to work. I had orders to join Wood at the top af the Eed Hill as soon as I had started the Fingoes into the bush. This I did, and found him wondering where on earth I had got to, as well he might, for he naturally had expected to see me back hours before. I ex- plained to him that I had taken my horse A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 177 to the water in plenty of time, bnt that to make him drink was beyond my power. I am not sure that I said " horse " to Colonel Wood. Those Transkei Fingoes were the most in- subordinate, ill-disciplined set of ruffians I ever saw, and wanted an uncommonly heavy hand over them (which they certainly had not) and a cat-o'-nine always close by. But a very few days after this they behaved so disgrace- fully that they were disarmed and sent about their business, as utterly incorrigible and good for nothing, which most assuredly they were. The beat through this part of the forest was after all productive of no good, for there did not appear to bo any Kafirs in it at all. I was all through it with my men sometime later and saw hardly a sign of a Kafir having been there. In the afternoon, as soon as the men had come out, we returned to the village, and as usual had a pleasant evening at the Baron's, and a rubber after- wards at the little hotel. Lonsdale had been for two or three days into King William's Town, and had now returned. He and I generally had our meals N 178 KAFIRLAND ; OR, together — breakfast in his house, lunch in my tent, and as a rule we both dined with Colonel Wood at the Baron's in the evening. Although my men were away on leave I saw a good deal of them, for they were con- tinually in the village, and all day long kept coming to my tent to see me about all sorts of things of not the smallest consequence to me, themselves, or any one else. I found them at last such a nuisance that I took refuge in Lonsdale's house, where they were unable to get at me. Till my corps reassembled on the 18th of April, nothing at all worthy of record took place. I was out on patrol one day with the Keis- kamma Hoek volunteers, chiefly Germans, but with the exception of a few Kafirs in the distance nothing was seen. Colonel Wood had in the meantime gone off to Alice, (this was not a young woman, I am bound to observe for the maintenance of the character of my chief, but a town about thirty miles distant, in a westerly direction,) and from here he had sent me orders that my muster place was to be Burns' Hill — A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 179 would it had been Laurick Mead, and the time 12th August ! — and that there I was to await his instructions. On the morning of the 18th mj men began to assemble at Keiskamma Hoek in good form. I had about 300 now, having taken on some recruits both from the Komgha and other districts. By midday, Jim and I had served out ammunition to each man, which was no light work ; and by this time, being all assembled, we began our march to Burns' Hill. Numbers of women accompanied us for two or three miles on the road, screaming and dragging their petticoats on the ground with their hands ; they do this to en- courage the men, and nerve them for the battle. I could find no origin or reason for this, but they always do it. The men sang their war-song and stepped out in good heart towards our destination. I had let all the ofl&cers know the rendezvous^ and expected to find them waiting for me, but owing to my message having been delayed en route they did not put in an appearance till the next morning. We arrived at Burns' Hill in good time, for N 2 i8o KAFIRLAND ; OR, it is only about nine miles from Keiskamma Hoek. I found some of the 90tli Light Infantry stationed there under Major Cherry, and to my surprise a friend of mine, whom I had frequently met with the H.H. on the rolling downs of Hampshire and shooting through its leafy " hangers," and who had since then joined their regiment. The church at Burns' Hill had been tarned into a hospital and commissariat store, and was eminently suited to the occasion, being a light, well aired, empty building, with nothing in it but a pulpit and benches. We pitched our camp not far from this, on a nice smooth patch of grass, and flattered ourselves we had got into most comfortable quarters. It is such a comfort to have a clean level piece of ground whereon, "Arab like, to pitch one's tent," which, however, in time of war will most probably " straight again be furled." In the evening I sent for all the sergeants, who were head men in their different kraals, to learn what news they could tell me, and what they had been about during their leave of absence. It appeared that they had been pretty busy A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. i8i among the Kafirs, and had, with the assist- ance of others in their villages, killed forty- seven, almost all of them in their mealie gardens stealing their crops. The Kafirs had become at this time very short of food, and used to come down out of the mountains and forests into the crops, and steal, even at the risk of their lives. The Fingoes looked very sharply after them, and used to combine their forces to protect their property, and slew a great number of the enemy. The manner in which the Kafirs were killed was hardly quite orthodox in all cases, according to our ideas, but doubtless very much so in the eyes of the Fingoes. A day or two after getting to Burns' Hill I sent a waggon to Bailey's Grave Post for supplies. This was a volunteer camp and commissariat store, about ten miles off, in the direction of Hudson's Store. The waggon had to pass through some bad bushy country, where I knew there were many Kafirs, and I therefore not only sent a very strong escort with it, but went myself with eighty men to meet it on the return journey, when, I thought, being laden with stores, it i82 KAFIRLAND ; OR, would most probably be attacked. As it happened, it was extremely lucky I went, for we had not been with the waggon more than a quarter of an hour, when there appeared several hundred Kafirs coming down out of the bush straight at us. I told the driver of the waggon to get forward as fast as pos- sible, and then in open order we went to meet them at the double. The leaders of the enemy pulled up at this, and waited for us, and we soon got within a couple of hundred yards, and were firing away briskly when they all turned and fled into the bush, leaving three or four dead behind them. I had not enough men to follow them up and leave sufiicient escort for the waggon as well, so I was compelled to let them alone for the present. Their retreat may have been a " ruse de guerre " to get us away from the waggon far enough for others to take it; anyhow, if it was it did not succeed, and we continued our way and reached Burns' Hill without any further excitement. The General passed Burns' Hill the next morning, having breakfast en route. I wont out in the evening and posted a picket A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 183 some way off, returning to camp again after dark. The next day I received a note from Colonel Wood, with orders to go with my men and encamp near the junction of the Zanyockwe Valley with the Raboula River ; this was the very place where we had been attacked two or three days before. I got the order too late to go there that day, but got to within two miles by dark, taking 150 men, with just our blankets, and there spent the night, without anything taking place. The next day I went with all the men I could muster, 230, after leaving a sufficient number to guard camp, horses, &c. Although there were nearly 300 men in my corps there were not nearly that number of rifles, for arms were very scarce, and almost all Fingo levies had a certain proportion of unarmed men. I was perfectly certain that we should be at- tacked by a strong force of Kafirs at the place we were going to, and I had therefore left everything but blankets and necessary food behind, so that in case of the worst, we should not lose waggons, horses, oxen, &c. As we approached the Zanyockwe Valley, we 1 84 KAFIRLAND ; OR, saw the enemy in great numbers on both sides of it, advancing to meet ns, and also in our front. We went steadily on in open order, and firing very soon commenced from both sides. The Kafirs were on three sides of us, but not at very close quarters. They shot disreputably badly, and were apparently very short of powder. Most of their bullets and missiles of various descriptions fell short, and I saw several bullets picked up by our men that had ricochetted up to them. My retriever *' Hester " was with us by mistake, and it was most ridiculous to see her rushing after the dust cut up by the bullets, and tearing about from one place to another, as the bullets struck round her. She was once right in among the Kafirs, and I was in fear and trem- bling that she would get assegaied, but I dare say they had as much as they could do to look after their own affairs, for they were having rather a sultry time of it just then. The Zanyockwe River, with bushy banks, w^as a little way off to our left, and the Tutu bush to the right. After we had been engaged some time, I thought I would endeavour to draw the enemy nearer by retreating ; so I A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN, 185 recalled my men, and by degrees we fell back some distance. I soon saw many Kafirs sneaking along tbe river towards us, which was exactly what I wanted, and very soon we turned round and went forward again as hard as we could. I sent a company down to the river as fast as possible, and they cut off twenty-one and killed them all in the bed of the stream, having some hand-to-hand fighting with assegais. Some men I extended into the bush on the right also killed a few. We did not get very near the enemy in front, but I saw one or two very successful shots made by some of my officers : — let me observe that Fingo leaders are always allowed to carry rifles if they like. The Kafirs now seemed to have had quite enough of us, and retreated pell-mell up the valley into their strongholds near the Intaba Indoda, and we returned quietly to our camps, and had no further excitement that night. I counted thirty-four dead bodies of Kafirs that day, and nine more a few days later that I did not see at that time. There would have been a few more than this, had it not been for a mistake we made in thinking some of the i86 KAFTRLAND ; OR, Kafirs were our own men, on account of their wearing red badges round their hats. There were twenty or thirty of theminabit of bush, almost behind us, whom we had cut oflP from their companions without knowing it; and when we saw them running, with their red badges we took them for our own men, and did not find out our mistake till too late. It was most difficult to tell the Kafirs from our own men in action. Very often it has happened that Fingoes got fired on, and sometimes, as in this case, the enemy allowed to go by without a shot. Five of our men were hit, but none of them seriously, owing to the charges in the Kafirs' guns being so small. At ten or fifteen yards, the usual range in the bush, of course a very small dose of powder would do, but in the open, at two or three hundred, their charges, on this day at least, were very ineffective. One of my men got a nasty- looking assegai wound in a struggle with a Kafir, receiving the stab over his shoulder as he stooped to avoid getting it in the chest ; the assegai went ever so far down his back, outside the shoulder-blade and ribs. It looked a nasty A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 187 gash, but the man didn't seem to care ; he asked for leave to go home the next day, and walked there, nearly ten miles, and was back in camp again in little more than a week. This good-plucked fellow, I ought to state, did not let the Kafir have a second stab, get- ting his own assegai well home at the same time that he received his wound. He pre- sented me with the assegai that wrought him evil the same evening, which I still have. I saw a Kafir do a very smart thing that day, A man was shot some distance in front of him, and he instantly rushed forward, under heavy fire, seized the gun of the fallen man, and ran back with it to cover. They will do almost anything to save their guns, and I believe would sooner risk their lives for a gun than a comrade. No doubt this was the reason so few guns were taken compared to the number of men that were shot. I strolled up to Bums' Hill the next day for a constitutional, but found nothing what- ever going on there, and so very soon returned to camp. The following day I received orders from Colonel Wood to make a permanent camp 1 88 KAFIRLAND ; OR, near Yellow Wood Drift. This is a ford on the Keiskamma Eiver, on the road between Alice and Keiskamma Hoek, and about two miles from the Zanyockwe Valley. All our camp equipage, waggons, stores, &c., being at Burns' Hill, I went there and fetched them down and chose as comfortable a place as could be found , and there we took up our quarters for the present. I had been obliged to leave poor Jim behind in the hospital at Burns' Hill. He had for some time been ailing, and during the last few days had become so ill with rheumatic fever, that he was totally laid up, and could do nothing whatever for himself, not even turn over in bed. Under these circumstances, the hospital was the best place for him, and I took care that he had a fairly comfortable bed, plenty of blankets, and got well looked after ; and however busy I was, I generally ma- naged to pay him a visit at least once a day. On the 26th, Wood came to Burns' Hill to take up his quarters. He told me that he was going to increase the number of my corps to about six hundred ; and accordingly the next day a first instalment of a hundred and A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN, 189 sixty men, with two ofl&cers, appeared from the Tynmie district and were duly handed over to me. They each had an assegai, and this was the whole of their kit. So I had to get them guns, blankets, clothes, and other necessaries. The guns were given by Govern- ment, and the blankets paid for by the same, but I had to obtain them. For their clothes I had to advance them money, and deduct it from their pay, which entailed a good deal of account keeping. I gave an order on Government for the blankets, and sent all the men, with their captain, into Keiskamma Hoek to get them from the store. Their clothes were composed chiefly of rags, and of course had to be renewed ; so I made each man purchase what he wanted, not exceed- ing his first month's pay, and produce an account for the same signed by the store- keeper, which amount was duly deducted from his pay. It was rather a trying job breaking in these new "braves,'* both oflicers and men, for they were all most remarkably innocent as to their duties. Yellow Wood Drift, so called from a large I90 KAFIRLAND ; OR, tree of that description overhanging the river there, was only about three miles from Burns' Hill. I was continually going back- wards and forwards between these places, occasionally as often as three times in the day for various duties. Colonel Wood having many orders to give me, as to pickets, patrolling, and many other things, and very often requiring my presence. Two companies of the 90th were quartered close to us, under Major Hackett, and it made it much more cheerful having the officers to foregather with. As long as we were there I used to go over every evening to consume the " calumet " with Hackett. Poor fellow ! I fear his days are numbered — anyhow, as far as taking part in any cheery gatherings are concerned. How I cursed the Zulus when I heard they had knocked over this grand soldier ! and I mourn to think that, even if he recovers from his wound, the bright world will be to him nothing but one blank, black spot for ever. At this time my work was rather increased by having to buy cattle for meat supplies for my corps. In this district I had no power A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 191 of getting meat from the commissariat, and got orders to buy cattle for myself. This of course necessitates extra account keeping, which in camp is a great nuisance, as there is but little convenience for, or power of writing. On the 29th a hundred more Fingoes arrived to join our corps from the Amatola Basin, a large glen in the heart of the moun- tains, not very far from Burns' Hill. These men were all as destitute as the Tynmie levy had been, having neither guns nor blankets, and their wardrobes were sadly in want of a little renovation. However, with a little trouble they were soon fitted out, and took their place with the others. In the afternoon of this day Lonsdale and his men turned up, to be ready to take part in a combined attack on the Intaba Indoda and Tutu bush, which had been arranged for the next day, and made their bivouac along- side of our camp. Lonsdale put up with me of course ; Hackett and another fellow of the 90th came over in the evening, and we had a lively time. It was generally the case before any big move against the enemy that the most cheerful evenings took place. 192 KAFIRLAND ; OR, Before daylight in the morning we were on the way to cover side. Lonsdale, with Major Hackett and a company of the 90th, in sup- port on my right, and I with Captain Laye and another company had the Tutu bush to scour, beating as on former occasions towards the Intaba Indodo. On my left was another corps of Fingoes, who had to beat up the Zanyockwe Valley and the bush on the left of it. Wood, with more of the 90th, a gun under Captain Smith, R.A., and a corps of Hottentots, were advancing up a ridge on Lonsdale's right. From the side of the In- taba Indoda were the 2-24th Frontier Light Horse, under Major Buller, a corps of Loyal Kaj&rs (Siwanis), and some other volunteers, who advanced towards us. It was barely light when operations com- menced, by Wood's column coming to close quarters with the enemy in strong force on Makabele Ridge, while passing along a path through thick bush. He was stoutly opposed for some time, and unfortunately poor Salt- marshe of the 90th was killed, almost the mo- ment after having taken the place of Stevens, captain of his company, who had fallen A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 193 severely wounded and been carried to the rear. Several privates of the 90th were killed. The enemy, however, were ere long thrown into utter confusion by a discharge of grape at very close range, and successfully beaten back, leaving many of their number dead and dying behind them. All the forces from both sides advanced steadily during the day, meeting with re- sistance more or less well sustained here and there by bodies of Kafirs in the bush. By four o'clock in the afternoon the whole of the kloofs and ravines had been scoured, and without doubt it had been a most successful day. With the exception of that to Wood's column the loss of life on our side had been slight, and we had given the enemy a very severe lesson indeed. A great number had been killed, and nearly all their cattle and horses taken. A man of the 2-24th committed suicide this day in a very remarkable way. He had been perfectly cheerful and happy, and appa- rently nothing in the world was the matter with him. A short time before he killed himself he had remarked that he would 194 KAFIRLAND ; OR, sooner shoot himself than fall into the hands of the Kafirs ; but at the time of the deed he was in no danger whatever. Suddenly he was heard to say, "Well, mates, I'm off!" and putting the muzzle of his rifle into his mouth, before any one could stop him, he stooped down and pushed the trigger. The result may be imagined. Just as I came out of the bush they were filling in his grave, having buried him on the spot. After comparing notes as to killed and wounded, cattle captured, and various other topics, by the ofl&cers who were assembled in numbers at the conclusion of the beat, we all separated and returned our several ways to our camps. Lonsdale and I had a quiet evening, and turned in about ten o'clock ; but we had not been in our blankets half an hour before an orderly arrived with a letter for Lonsdale, saying that Wood wanted him at once at Burns' Hill. It appeared that some one, who evidently didn't know much about the matter, had persuaded the General that many Kafirs had been left behind in the bush, and he therefore wished the whole of it A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN, 195 beaten through again the next day. Lonsdale assured Wood that this was useless, as he was perfectly certain that with the exception perhaps of a few stragglers, no Kafirs had been left behind at all, and that a repeti- tion of the beat would be waste of time. Colonel Wood, therefore, wrote to the General to this effect, and sent the despatch down to me to be forwarded. I got up, saw the men saddle their horses, and started them with the letter and the fullest instructions as to where they were to take it. The idiots, however, somehow made a mistake, and in- stead of going to the General at Bailey's Grave Post, went to Bums' Hill, and de- livered Wood's letter back into his own hands. I was, as may be imagined, charmed at this ; and had I been able to prove that they had made tliis mistake on purpose, which I strongly suspected, through abject fear of the dangers of the road, their black hides should have paid a pretty dear penalty. Wood had given me orders the evening before to send spies early in the morning to the top of a very high hill near our camp, to prospect the country we had beaten the day 196 KAFIRLAND ; OR, before. From this hill could plainly be seen the whole of the Zanyockwe Valley and the bush on each side of it, and all the kloofs and rugged country around. I thought it wiser to go myself, so taking a couple of men with me I started off in the dark, had a good climb, and reaching the top sat down with my telescope across my knees, and waited for daylight. As things began to get clear, I surveyed minutely the whole of the country, scanning each bush and kloof for a curl of smoke ; but I could not see a sign or vestige of a Kafir, and was convinced that any fresh move through that part of the country would be useless. A TEN MONTHS CAMPAIGN. 197 CHAPTER IX. Funeral of soldiers — General addresses to the troops — Very busy time — Night work — Ordered to Red Hill — Good sleeping-quarters for a season — Asleep in the bush — Pleasant evenings at the Baron's — Dinner with the 90th Light Infantry — Marketing for Kafir curiosities — Major BuUer — Chaos reigns supreme in camp — Bread and water of affliction for Fingoes — Trying night-march — Ominous whistle — Path lost- Right at last — Warm quarters in patrol-tent. After breakfast, on the day after the attack, being the 1st of May, which meal I consumed with much appetite soon after my descent from the hill, I went up to Burns' Hill, having lunch with Col. Wood and being with him most of the day. I went to the funeral of the poor fellows of the 90th who had been killed the day before. The burial of those killed in action is always a sad and solemn sight; and I could not help thinking, when they were Englishmen, of those who loved them in their own dear land, and who would soon be mourn- 198 KAFIRLAND ; OR, ing for the relatives who lie buried so far away in the shadow of the South African mountains. The body of poor Saltmarshe was taken into King by twelve of my men with an officer, and he was buried, with military honours, in the cemetery there. I returned to my camp for the evening, which Lonsdale spent with me, staying the night. Early in the morning Wood ap- peared, and he, Lonsdale, and I, rode off to Bailey's Grave Post to interview the General, but as we met him on the road coming to Burns' Hill we turned back with him. He addressed the men at the various camps as he passed, and complimented them on the result of the day at the Intaba Indoda, with which he appeared himself to be well satisfied. I did not think my presence was neces- sary in the large cavalcade with the General, either for use or ornament — most certainly not the latter, for the rough bush work we had been having lately had made sad havoc among my garments ; my feet were abso- lutely coming through my boots, which A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 199 barely held together, and had it not been for Hackett, who most kindly got the cobbler of his regiment to patch them up, I should as- suredly one day have lost them in the bush and had to return to camp barefooted. I had no power of getting new ones, as I had not a single moment to spare, and it was impossible to go away, even to get pay for the men, much less to get one's wearing apparel put into a good state of repair. So feeling sure my room was quite as good, if not better, than my company, I remained in my own camp, and had a most satisfactory breakfast, and proved without a doubt that "late" is much better than " never," which had been the usual time for getting that meal lately. At this time both my eating and sleeping were on a very reduced scale, for I had a great deal to see after, and having no quartermaster added greatly to my work. I was so short of oflficers that I could not spare one to attend to the commissariat work, and therefore had to do it myself. My humble opinion is that a man who does more work than lies in his path of duty, is as a rule neither more nor less than a 200 KAFIRLAND ; OR, fool. Working for men like Wood is a pleasure. I knew tliat lie was thoroughly au fait to everything that was going on, and that even the smallest detail was taken note of by him, and I would have worked for him till I could not stand. But there are people, lots of them, who after you have done your utmost for them — risking life and limb, spending and being spent, day and niofht for months — will turn aofain and rend you. Since the Kafir War there have been attempts to rend me freely, but I am thankful to say I am found somewhat tough. " I could a tale unfold," as to some charming treatment I have received from a grateful colony ; but being in a charitable frame of mind, I prefer to draw a veil over the shortcomings of certain rulers in the land, who I doubt not ere long will certainly be very much sadder, though never, I expect, wiser men. I was just going to turn in after a busy day on the 2nd when I got a despatch from the General, stating that a body of Kafirs would in the course of that night very pro- A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN, 201 bably come through the Zanyockwe Valley to the relief of some of their people, who were surrounded by our troops, in a cave not far from the Intaba Indoda; and that be wished me to send at once, a party of suflficient strength to intercept them, should such a relief be attempted. I sent off a detachment of about 200 men, a little before twelve, and then got on my horse and rode up to Burns' Hill, to let Wood know of this new feature on the horizon. I stayed with him a short time while he wrote despatches for the General at Bailey's Grave Post and Lonsdale at Keis- kamma Rock, which he gave me to send off, and I then returned to camp. It was past one when I turned in, and at three a.m. I was up again, saw the men saddle their horses and started them off with the despatches to their respective destinations. Then, after a cup of coffee, taking a few men with me, I went off to the detachment in the Zanyockwe Valley and found them all right, nothing having happened in the course of the night ; nor had they seen or heard anything what- ever of the enemy. 202 KAFIRLAND ; OR, I stayed there a few hours, and then walked back to camp again, and at about four o'clock the same afternoon received orders from Wood to march at once to the top of the Eed Hill, above Keiskamma Rock, and make our camp there for the present. We were soon en route, and after passing the Zanyockwe Yalley and picking up the detachment there, we continued our march steadily onwards. I had to meet Wood in Keiskamma Rock that night, and therefore left my men in charge of their officers and cantered forward as quickly as possible, and by taking short cuts arrived in the village, just in time for dinner at the Baron de Fyn's, where Col. Wood had again taken up his quarters. Our corps had a long, weary march in the dark, not getting to their new camp till very late in the night. Jim had got much better from his rheuma- tism and had come on with the corps on the waggon, for he was not yet able to walk, and could ride but very little. I was very much afraid that this long jolting, and then not having at all comfortable quarters for the night, might lay him up again; but I am A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 203 thankful to saj he was none the worse, though it was indeed a fiery ordeal for a man to go through who was scarcely conva- lescent, after a severe attack of rheumatic fever. I had missed him terribly while he was laid up, for he was always most useful in keeping what few things I had in order, and he always knew where to lay his hand on whatever was wanted in a moment. Griffith, the Commandant-general of Colo- nial Forces, was also at the Baron's, and I was very glad to meet him again, for although I had been introduced to him months before, I had never had much oppor- tunity of making his acquaintance, and as it was I did not see nearly as much of him as I should have liked ere his return to Basutoland. Lonsdale had placed a sofa there was in his dining-room at my disposal, and for some days, or rather nights, I made use of it, and a most luxurious bed it was after the rough and hard sleeping-places I had been having lately. We did not get back to his house till late, 204 KAFIRLAND ; OR, having paid sundry calls on officers of tlie 90tli on our way, a detacliment of this regiment having come the same day into the village. We were np again at three a.m., and having fortified the inner man for the day with cocoa, made our way to the Baron's at the other end of the village, and found the colonel ready for a start. He, Lonsdale, and I, were all going in different directions — the colonel, with the 90th, to the top of the Buffalo Eange on the north side ; Lonsdale, with his Fingoes, to the sugar-bush fiats, a district five or six miles away in an easterly direction ; and I, with my men, through the bush west of the Eaboula Heights, previously beaten by Rorke and his men. About two hundred of my Fingoes started with me from the village, as I was to go to the top of the range, or nearly so, with the colonel; and then, having ordered the rest of my corps to meet me at a particular place, we all branched off into the bush, beating along the sides of the mountain in a southerly direction. I was so sleepy all through that day that whenever there was a halt for a few minutes A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 205 in our line I was sound asleep in a moment, leaning up against the trunk of the nearest tree. I had had but little sleep for many nights, with generally plenty of work to do in the day-time, and was now beginning to feel it a little. Our day's work had been eminently unsuc- cessful as far as Kafir-hunting was concerned. Neither Lonsdale nor I had seen a sign of one, and the colonel only saw a few in the distance. He reported that there were great numbers of them on the two large pla- teaus in the Perie ; so we knew that they must have again collected there, and that another attack on these rugged and wild regions would soon be the order of the day. We got back to our camp on the top of the Red Hill by sun-down, and I called for my horse at once, and rode down to the Baron's for dinner. How delightful were those charming quiet evenings at the dear old Baron's ! After the cloth was removed came coffee and cigars for our bodily comfort, and quiet civilized conversations for our minds, and not always those eternal Kafirs of which we were 2o6 KAFIRLAND ; OR, all getting horridly sick. Then, perhaps, a rubber at the hotel to finish up the night, and last but not least — oh, luxury ! — a sofa whereon to lay my fagged, weary body. I had a downright good sleep that night, and most thoroughly enjoyed it, not getting up till I believe nearly ten o'clock the next morning. 1 had not, however, turned in till two, so it was not quite such a sluggard's sleep as it sounds. After breakfast I was off to my camp, and there remained till sun-down, being busy with plenty of office work, and then back to the village again. The officers of the 90th quartered here had a gorgeous dinner at the hotel that night, and Lonsdale and I were bidden to the feast. A real merry time we had of it, and when this party broke up we had a general wander round the village, looking up everybody that was "look-up-able," and not getting back to Lonsdale's quiet little abode till long past the witching hour. We were both pretty good hands at sitting up, and never turned in till everything in the shape of recreation had come to a dead stand-still. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 207 Nothing of any importance took place till the next attack on the Perie. I spent my time either in the village or my camp, riding backwards and forwards each morning and evening, and always dining and staying the night in the former. I bought a great many curiosities .at this time of various descriptions, such as pipes, necklaces, assegais, beaded blankets, &c., &c. Whenever I saw a native with anything worth having, I at once proceeded to get an interpreter and have a deal. There was a ridiculous scene one morning when I was buying blankets from Fingo women. I bid very high for them, as I had no time to waste, nor did I desire to " marchander *' with the dirty creatures. Though anxious to obtain the money offered, they were somewhat shy about uncovering their tawny hides, and as they parted with a petticoat or wrapper, they huddled up to the nearest woman, vainly endeavouring to cover their naked- ness with a comer of the blanket of their next neighbour. I got much chaffed on the subject, and was told I was positively indecent in bribing Fingo women to sell their gar- 2o8 KAFIRLAND ; OR, ments, and go about the streets in a state of semi-nudit J. I must say, in self-defence, tliat from all I heard afterwards my conduct was quite seemly and the height of refinement compared to that of Go s set, who a little later upset the whole of the quiet population of Keiskamma Hoek by the reckless daring he displayed in making purchases from the black female inhabitants. The third and, as it turned out, last attack on the Perie was ordered to commence at daylight on the 8th. The plateaus were to be occupied by our troops at the first sign of day, and all the forces had to get into their several positions on the surrounding heights the night before. In this attack I was to serve under Major Buller, of the 60th Rifles, who was out at the Cape on special service. We had been at Eton together, though, he being at the top of the fifth form when I went there, we did not know each other. I had the honour of serving under him a great deal during the latter part of the war, and his company was always the greatest pleasure. He was a splendid worker, and never seemed to tire, A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 209 however great the amount of hard work, and wherever the stiffest place was he was sure to be found. In action, if you could ascertain for certain where most bullets were flying, you would be pretty safe in venturing your last dollar that Buller would be in the middle of it. My orders were to meet my commanding- ofl&cer on the heights north of the Perie in the course of the night, and I was not to begin the ascent of the mountains till after dark. I had in the course of the day, the 7th, brought all my men and encamped them on the outskirts of Keiskamma Hoek. We were going to march in the afternoon to a place called the Gwilli-Gwilli, about four miles off, and there wait till dark, and then go straight up the mountain to the appointed placr, "Gunfire Point," as it was called, from a great deal of shelling having been done from it during the previous attack on the forest. I wished to leave the village at four o'clock in the afternoon, so about one I told the men to " fall in.** I knew well what sort of a state the corps would be in, haung been so p 2IO KAFIRLAND ; OR, close to the village for some hours — viz., to put it mildly, that they would have been " seeing their friends " to a hideous extent. At the words " fall in" there were certainly not more than a quarter of the men on the spot to do so, and for nearly two hours chaos reigned supreme. But as they returned from the village, a few at a time, they were sent to their places in the ranks, and there re- tained by the officers, while others were " drawing " the village, the canteens being certain " finds," and large bags made in these " covers." Half the men, when they did appear, were drunk, stupid, and argumenta- tive, asking for all sorts of things at the last moment they knew it was impossible they could have, such as breech-loaders, coffee, and sugar, an extra blanket, and so forth. I had told off twenty men to accompany Colonel Wood as carriers. These simply struck work, and said no power should make them go. I took away their blankets and arms, and marched them straight off to the gaol, and put them all in one cell without a blanket among them, and told the gaoler to feed them on the bread of affliction and the A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 211 water of affliction, L e, uncooked mealies and water in this particular case, till I sent for them. I released them about a week after- wards, and they returned to camp looking uncommonly tame. — N.B. They did not re- fuse work again. By degrees we began to get a little straighter. The drunken men began to get sober, and the argumentative to see the error of their ways and cool down ; and by four o'clock all the men had marched off decently towards the Gwilli-Gwilli, and the waggons, with all our impedimenta, had taken their departure to Hudson's Store, an officer and Jim going with them, there to await farther orders as to future movements. I waited where I was, till the men were well on the road, so that none of them could slink back into the village without my see- ing, and then put my best foot forward and followed them up. We had sent all our horses to Hudson's Store, as the way we had to go up the mountain that night was not the sort of place to get a horse along either in daylight or darkness if it could pos- sibly be avoided. p 2 212 KAFIRLAND ; OR, We reached the Gwilli-Gwilli, eat our evening meal, the last we should get as we well knew for a long time to come, and when darkness had hidden everything we quietly fell in, and commenced our night-march up the mountain. There were in our corps a few men whose location was in this part of the country, and who knew the way up the mountain well. I had been relying on these men to guide us up to Gunfire Point. I was, therefore, dismayed to find on inquiry that not one of them was with us. I had had occasion during the day to send a message to Major Buller, and had given orders that a strong party should be sent with it, who had been told to rejoin us at Gunfire Point; and these very men had been taken, leaving us without a guide. However, as I hoped would be the case, the Fingoes' instinct in due course led us right, although they all vowed they did not know the way. I chose a sergeant who lived not very far off, and told him to lead the way with his men, and that, whether he knew the country A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 213 or not, he would have to take us to the appointed place. The track we had to follow was, indeed, a bad one even in broad daylight, winding over rocks, and up krantzes, through patches of forest, and occasionally, when near the top, over open veldt. The night was as dark as the grave, and soon after we started it began to rain and kept on steadily through the night, and this did not help to make things more cheerful. It was soon after six when we started, each man carrying, besides his arms, just one blanket. We had no food of any sort with us, and trusted to getting some the next evening somewhere. Food gets in the way so horribly on the march, and neces- sitates the men carrying sacks and old bags and rubbish of every description, which are continually coming to grief and causing delay. We could only advance very, very slowly and in single file, almost feeling our way through the darkness, and doing so entirely when passing through bush, for under the deep shadow of the trees we could see with 214 KAFIRLAND; OR, our eyes sliut just as well as with them open. The noise made by 500 men or more feeling their way with their assegai shafts, sounded like a whole legion of " stops " rapping their little sticks together in pheasant shooting. Once we heard a whistle in the cover and a rustle among the branches. Thinking it was probably Kafirs, for there were plenty about all over the place, I passed back word to the rear to close up as quickly as possible. We waited some time, but hearing nothing more, marched slowly forward again. I could not help thinking, if we did happen to blunder on to the top of a party of Kafirs in the dark, what "a really high old time" it would be; for no man in such outer darkness could have told his own brother from the " old gentleman," barring the brimstone, if their noses had been touching. We lost the path innumerable times when in the open, and the whole column had to halt while the leading men " felt " for it. Thus we got on slowly, slowly, till I was almost be- ginning to think it was a hopeless case, and that we really should never find Major Bui- A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 215 ler*s camp before daylight came. However, at length, to my inexpressible relief, we saw the reflection of a fire in the distance, and on getting up a bit found it was made by some of the Frontier Light Horse, and that BuUer himself was close by. This fire had been made in a hollow, and was totally invisible to any one down in the forest. Buller soon heard my voice, and came to meet me. There were men, rolled in their blankets, lying all over the place, and with great difficulty and circumspection I picked my way to him, not, however, without coming a most frightful cropper over one man and into the middle of another, whom, I trust, I did not hurt. I was warmly congratulated by Buller on having completed our march successfully, for he knew what sort of a time we must have had. I had told the men to lie down where they were for the .few remaining hours, before we moved down to the plateaus, for it was already twelve o'clock. Buller was sharing a patrol-t^nt with Cap- tain M*Naghten of the Frontier Light Horse, and asked me to crawl in between them, which I was only too glad to do, being 2i6 KAFIRLAND ; OR, miserably cold and wet. I got in quietly, and did not wake M'Nagliten. Poor fellow ! little did I tliink as I lay beside him that night that he was having his last sleep in this world ! The next night his body was being taken into King "William's Town, on a bullock waggon, with some other men shot in the attack of. the day that was already begun. I was soon warm, and comfortable, and had a most delicious sleep, till I heard Buller get up and go out, when there was a general move in camp. M'Naghten was surprised when he woke to find me lying beside him, and wondered how on earth I had got there without his knowing. We all fell in quietly before daylight and moved some distance along the edge of the forest, till we came to the path down which we were to go, and which ended on the northern plateau of the two so often men- tioned before. Up till the day before, this plateau, to our certain knowledge, had been crowded with Kafirs, who had made temporary huts at the northern edge of it, and had been living there in great numbers. Both they and their fires A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 217 had been continually seen from the heights around the forest; and we, therefore, fully expected to come on them unawares, take them by surprise and make great havoc among them. 2t8 KAFIRLAND : OR, CHAPTER X. Third attack on Perie Forest — Advance to plateau before daylight — Too late after all — Death of Captain M'Naghten — Captain Whalley wounded and others killed — Back to Raboula Heights again — Officers and men very torpid in the morning — Scouring Buffalo Poort — Cropper into hidden pit — Buller as a Pingo leader — Austin wounded by a mistake — Beautiful scene on Sunday morning — Lonsdale's tent — Colonel Wood down with fever — A long good-bye to Raboula Heights — Haines' Mill again — Meeting with an old friend — Start by moonlight in bush — Weird proces- sion through the forest — Ascending Sandilli's Krantz — Bivouac in the bush. As soon as ever there was light enough to get along at all we began to move slowly down the bush path, as quietly as possible. A few Fingoes led the way, then two com- panies of the 2-24th, after them the rest of the Fingoes, then the Frontier Light Horse and other volunteer corps. As we approached the plateau I extended the Fingoes right and left in the bush, to A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 219 cut off the Kafirs as they took to cover, which we thought they would do, and the rest of the column pushed forward into the open ground. When we got there, instead of seeing hundreds of the enemy, as we had expected, there were only a few disappearing in the distance, and our night-marches, and all the care and trouble that had been taken, were in vain. It appeared that the Kafirs had had timely warning of our approach, and during the night had all got away from the plateau and dispersed over the forest. In the course of the morning I took a Kafir-boy prisoner, who, on being questioned, tolJ me that his people knew perfectly well of our intended movements at all times from their loyal (?) brethren at Ross' Mission Station, on the south side of the Perie. From all I have seen and heard, I believe every word the boy said, and a good deal more too, about this same Ross' Mission Station, from which place the rebels got assistance of every description. I was in the bush for some time with my men, both east and west of the path where 2 20 KAFIRLAND ; OR, we came down, but after a time I left tliem, and returned with a few to the plateau, to see what was going on, having told the detachment I was with to follow me when they had beaten to a certain point. I sent after the others telling them to return at once, as I knew not where thej had got to, the two parties on each side of the path having been working in different directions. Lonsdale had in the meantime come down to the plateau through the bush from Raboula Heights with his men, and several companies of the 90th had also made their appearance. The Frontier Light Horse had gone over to the southern plateau, and the two companies of the 2- 24th were keeping guard over the eastern extremity of the plateau we were on, half a mile away. There was at this time heavy firing on the southern plateau, and while we were all wondering what was going forward, a message came from Wood that I was to go over to him there at once with my men, and Lonsdale was to keep the northern plateau with his. It being impossible for me to go over with my men, as they were all in the bush, with A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 221 the exception of about a dozen, we exchanged duties, and as soon as I could get my men together I went to the required place, but they were so scattered over the bush, that it was a long time before I could get hold of them. On the other plateau they were having some hot work, as we found out afterwards. A number of Kafirs had got into some rocks at the edge of the bush, a most awkward place to get at, and from their natural en- trenchment had been doing great damage among our men. Poor M'Naghten had been shot dead through the chest, Captain Whalley of the same corps wounded, and two troopers shot, besides one or two more of other corps. The position was still un taken when Lonsdale arrived, and he and Buller, with a few white volunteers and Fingoes, went at it in the most dashing manner, rush- ing right in, and themselves getting under cover in the rocks close to the Kafirs, and from thence shooting many of them and putting the rest to flight down the krantz. Twojnen were shot dead in the rush in, and both Buller and Lonsdale had very narrow escapes. 222 KAFIRLAND ; OR, There was fighting going on, more or less, nearly the whole day, all round the plateaus. In the afternoon a few Kafirs, at the northern side of the bush, had some cross-firing with the 2-24th, without much result on either side. By order of Buller, after a bit I sent my men in and hustled those fellows out of it. The 2 -24th had among them killed one strapping great Kafir, whom we found lying in the open not far from them. Towards evening we went up to Eaboula Heights, and were glad to find that enough of our things had been sent up from Hudson's Store to make us fairly comfort- able, and tents, horses, and all the remainder of our property followed in due course. I dined with Colonel Wood that evening, and a short time before dinner saw the poor fellows who had been shot that day laid in a waggon and sent off" to King. I was indeed thankful that neither of my friends, Buller and Lons- dale, were among them, for they had both been face to face with the grim old King in the course of that day. Our party at dinner consisted of the colonel, Lonsdale, Eawlins, of the 90th, who A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 223 was now Wood's staff-officer, and myself. Almost every evening our party remained unchanged. I was quite afraid I should wear out my welcome in the colonel's tent, but if I failed to appear at dinner-time, I always had a message sent over to my own camp, about five minutes' walk off, to tell me that dinner was waiting. I was indeed nothing loath to go, and always enjoyed the quiet evenings and pleasant interesting talk that was sure to go on ; for though the colonel thoroughly enjoyed a good yarn, there never was the amount of what at Eton we used to call " rot " talked in his tent, as is generally the rule wherever men do con- gregate. I had to get my men to Buller's camp again by the first streak of light in the morning for a long day in the Buffalo Poort, with the Frontier Light Horse and two com- panies of the 2-24th. This necessitated a very early turn out on my part, which, by the bye, I was getting pretty well ac- customed to, having been in the habit lately of getting out of my blankets when the night was nearer the beginning than the end. I 2 24 KAFIRLAND ; OR, was obliged to do this in order to rouse tbe men — may I be allowed to add, the officers also ; they were very bad indeed at turning out and took a terrible amount of calling. I invariably went round to all the head men myself, calling them up, and if the men were not pretty smart they got a good sounding kick in the ribs, to "kinder encourage them," as Jonathan would say. I have often called the men round their fire, made them " show a leg," or, in other words, seen that they were thoroughly awake and moving, and then gone on to other fires and done the same ; but on my return to those first called, found them all sound asleep again. This sort of thing was trying to the temper, and occasionally my gorge rose. However, by getting up myself an hour or two before the time to start, I generally succeeded in being up to time pretty well. I can't say more than this, and I must acknowledge that my spirit was vexed within me when I failed to get my "braves " to cover side punctually. No one knows who has not tried the difficulty of moving an undrilled, undisciplined, large body of lazy niggers till they have tried. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN, 225 We were all right, however, and in good time that morning, and, forming a long line outside the bush at the head of the Buffalo Poort, we made our way down through the ravine in open order, with the 2-24th and Frontier Light Horse behind us. This day was like many others — a good scramble, but with no result. Naturally, going through the bush in this way, our pro- gress was very slow, and unless the enemy wished to have a turn up with us, it was almost invariably in their power to get away. Sometimes they would charge us and some- times they got hemmed in, and in all these cases there was some pretty fighting, but as a rule they would not come to terms with us if they could help it, or had got into some place made very strong by natural defences in the shape of rocks and caves. I had the bad luck this day to blunder through some ferns and undergrowth into a deep pit of some sort or other (neither a game nor saw-pit, both of which I well know), and sprained my knee so badly that for some time I could not move. Buller wanted me to be carried back on a stretcher, Q 2 26 KAFIRLAND ; OR, but this I could not submit to, and it would indeed have been awful work for the carriers, having to get a little matter of thirteen stone up through that bush to the open. After a bit, with the help of my stalwart friend Captain D'Arcy, of the Frontier Light Horse — who wont forget that day in a hurry, and having nearly to carry me, for ever so many hours I should think — I managed to hobble along and keep up with the line, getting a rest whenever there was a temporary halt. Buller most kindly rushed about and worked like a brick with my men, making me feel quite jealous of the masterly way in which he came out as a Fingo leader, and showing clearly that his practice with the natives in Ashantee had not been thrown away. Captain Austen, of the 2-24th, had a most marvellous escape in the course of the day. He was getting down some rocks with some other men, one or two of my officers among the number, when a rifle behind him ex- ploded. The bullet passed across his back, cutting his tunic all to pieces for a foot or more, breaking his flask into shivers, and leaving a rather nasty gash, though not A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 227 deep, in his back, from which he suffered for some time. I refrain from saying who fired the shot, for of course it was a mistake ; but the owner of the rifle which went off ought not to have had a cartridge in at the time. We finished our beat by wheeling the whole line to the right, and coming out of the bush on the northern plateau. After a halt for an hour, and some " baccy," we re- turned to our camp on the heights ; and Buller, with his men, went back to the ridges from where we had started. For the next few days I was entirely hors de combat, and could only just crawl about a few yards at a time with the help of a stick. I hobbled over to Col. Wood's tent every evening, and, with the exception of writing a great deal, this was all I did. While writing letters on Sunday, the 12th May, I was much struck by the pecuHarity and beauty of the scene before me, so utterly different to the peaceful, though, I must say, sometimes rather triste Sabbaths in my own dear native land. I take the liberty of making an extract Q 2 228 KAFIRLAND ; OR, from one of my own letters written on that day, whicli I have at hand : — "It is an exquisitely clear day, the sun shining brightly overhead in the deep blue African sky. As I look out of my tent-door I see the forest and the two plateaus below me in the distance. On the northern one is a troop ©f mounted volunteers, watching for Kafirs, who may probably break from the bush, driven out by the Fingoes, who are beating through the forest in hundreds below them. As they move about, or gallop from point to point, I can see their rifles and trappings flash brightly in the sun. " On the other plateau are some vultures on the grass, which look like a small flock of sheep. They are paying delicate attentions to the horses I had shot the other day, which the Kafirs had left wounded in the bush. High up in the sky are some more, soaring round and round, with their glorious wings spread wide, and seeming to move in what- ever direction and at whatever height they choose without the smallest effort. " There is a company of our men cutting a path through the bush, nearly a mile away, A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 229 and I can plainly hear the ring of their axes in the clear air as I am writing. There has just been a shot or two from their direction, perhaps aimed at a KaSr, sneaking up through the bush to have a quiet pot and bolt away back to his hole not far off ; or, more probably, at a buck coming suddenly upon them, as he rushes away from all the firing now going on heavily in the big kloof where Lonsdale and his Fingoes are. Poor brute ! how he must wonder what on earth is happening, when his usually quiet and peaceful haunts are broken in upon by such fearful sounds and sights, so utterly bewilder- ing and unknown to him. " In the foreground are horses and cattle grazing about, watched over by their re- spective guards, and here and there are a few soldiers fetching water and busy with camp work, whose red coats add a beautiful piece of colouring to the scene. On the top of the heights behind me the 90th are building a fort, to be called *Fort Evelyn,* after Col. Wood, which, however, we trust will never be inhabited, but show years hence by merely the outline of the banks and ditches, and 230 KAFIRLAND ; OR, be pointed out to the wanderer througli the Perie Forests as a memorial of the Kafir War of 1878." The first day I took the field again was the 18th. The Colonel had arranged a big beat, which was to start from the other side of the forests on this day. All the Fingoes available, about 1500, had received orders to assemble on the edge of the bush on the north-east side of the Buffalo Poort. On the 17th, Lonsdale was away at Keiskamma Hoek, doing some of his magis- terial work, for he was indefatigable in at- tending not only to his military but civil duties also. Very thick fog and mist had entirely covered the mountains, and we were not much surprised that at nightfall he had not returned, as we well knew the diffi- culty of finding the way in such fog, or rather cloud, as now covered the mountains, for be it remembered we were more than 4000 feet above the sea level. On his return the next day he told us he had made several attempts to get up the heights, but had com- pletely lost the way, and only got back to the main road with difficulty. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 231 The fog continued during the night, but between three and four a.m., as it was begin- ning to clear off, Lonsdale's Fingoes and mine fell in, and before daylight we marched to the appointed place — another corps of about three hundred joining us on the way, as we passed their camp. I was still per- fectly useless on foot, and only went to take command of these Fingoes owing to Lons- dale's absence; and all I could do was to form them in line at the edge of the forest, give them their instructions, and start them with my blessing ; for I need not say it was impossible to take a horse through the bush. The operations of this day were totally upset by an individual who followed the very bad example set by the sons of Levi. To put it mildly, he mistook his instructions, got into the wrong place, and told the Fingo officers to take their men out of the bush be- fore the beat was half finished. I wish to goodness I had been there to speak mildly to that commandant of volunteers ; much as I like and respect him, I think that day we should have had "words." Lonsdale had reached the heights at about eight in the 232 KAFIRLAND ; OR, morning, and started at once to join his men, going a short cut through the forests with his usual pluck; his escort consisting of one dilapidated old Fingo. He reached his men safely, but too late to prevent the mischief that had been done, for the different corps had already separated and could not be got together again. Colonel Wood had for some time been very seedy with fever, and was gradually getting worse, and though still in camp and issuing orders as usual, was quite ill and unfit for any work : the day after this abortive beat through the forest he was entirely knocked out of time, and compelled to go into hospital. There had been a military one established at the foot of the mountains, on the main road, not far from Hudson's Store, at a house called after its owner " Brown's House," and to this was the Colonel carried down on a stretcher. I felt quite down in the mouth when I saw him start, and wondered when we should meet again : for I had already received orders to leave his column, and join Major Buller at Haines' Mill, and so it seemed as though there was a general break-up of our camp and A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 233 an end of all the cheery times we had been having together in the clouds. Though Haines' Mill, in a straight line from our camp, was but five or six miles off, it was by the nearest road along which waggons could go nearly five and twenty. We had to go down the mountain by the so-called road, which had now been made all the way to the top, past Hudson's Store, Bailey's Grave Post, and then turning back sharp to the left, come all along the southern side of the forest, to the ** debouchement " of the Buffalo Poort where Haines' Mill stood. There had been much rain the last few days, and the moun- tain road was in a dreadful state of mud and slush from the continual traffic, and I knew that to get the waggons and their contents down to the bottom in safety would be a tedious job, requiring much care and circum- spection. We had not left camp more than three minutes before one waggon, owing to the driver's stupidity, got stuck in a bit of swampy ground, even on the top of the mountain, and sank in on one side up to the axle-trees. This was a bad beginning, and an hour was wasted 234 KAFIRLAND ; OR, before we could get it out, and then only by dint of unloading it, cutting a path in front of the wheels, and spanning-in nearly forty oxen. Going down the first steep descent, although all four wheels were locked, one of the waggons ran away down the greasy slope and went through the oxen, knocking one over and breaking his leg. Having shot this one and turned him over to the commissariat department, we obtained another, which we spanned-in in his place, and again proceeded, but soon got stuck again in a mud-hole in a little dip on the side of the hill. We had again to dig the wheels out and use levers freely before we could get started. To pre- vent any more occurrences of this descrip- tion, I had reins (raw hide ropes) fixed to the waggons both at the back and sides, and told off scores of Fingoes to prevent them either running away or capsizing altogether. Even then the road was in such an awful state, that the waggons were almost unmanageable, and slid about all over the place in the most fearful manner. However, ab last, after the utmost labour and goodwill on the part of every one, we reached the bottom of the hill A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 235 in safety, and without any further misadven- tures, and proceeded quietly along the road towards Bailey's Grave Post. I stayed some time at Hudson's Store and had a long turn at accounts with Dunne, the commissariat officer, since distinguished by his gallant behaviour in defence of Rorke's Drift, in the Zulu War ; for there were long arrears to be settled for the cattle I had been buying to supply my corps with meat. Our business being concluded and some lunch partaken of, I cantered after my men, and about an hour before sun-down we made our bivouac on the banks of a little stream about ten miles from Haines' Mill, and there passed the night. Early next morning, the road being easy for the waggons all the rest of the way, I rode forward to the mill, and arrived in time for breakfast with the 2-24th, a company of which regiment were still there. I was delighted to find Dr. Reynolds quar- tered with them, whose acquaintance I had made early in the war, at the relief of Fort Warwick. He was a capital fellow and very clever son of Esculapius. We have met in all sorts of different scenes since then — at whist, 236 KAFIRLAND ; OR, in tlie Cape Town Club and certain other cheerful abodes ; we have been a particularly jolly voyage together, its only fault being that it was too short, during which we fre- quently made the saloon of the steamer ring with the touching melody of our manly voices, and I have always found him the most cheery of comrades. I trust we may meet again in many equally pleasant scenes and stirring adventures. He, too, has his name engraven on the pages of History, as one of the de- fenders of the little station on the Buffalo in Natal. Our camp at Haines' Mill was most charmingly situated, being on a grassy flat, on the east side of the river, which was here a beautiful stream, clear as crystal, flowing through a clean rocky bed. Murray's Krantz towered into the sky above us, an open hill and broad belt of forest being between us and the bottom of the precipice. Buller rode up in the course of the morning, having come from the Kwenkwe Valley, about four miles farther east in the range; and during the afternoon the Frontier Light Horse made their appearance, and encamped A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 237 about a mile below the mill, on a branch of the Buffalo River. I think I have omitted to state that some time previous to this, Buller had taken com- mand of this corps, which was originally raised by Carrington, of the l-24th ; and on his being ordered to Natal in April, Buller took command. The corps, always a good one, under Buller's able management soon became a very efl&cient body of men; as indeed has been most amply testified to by the good work they have done during the Zulu War. Buller took the greatest pains with this corps, not only as to the men, but down to the very saddles and bridles. I have seen him myself spend hours in getting sad- dles to fit the horses properly, so as to avoid sore backs as much as possible: and no detail, however insignificant, was too small a matter for him to attend to. I had got my orders to be ready to start into the bush at three a.m. the next morning, and Buller said that he would join me at our camp at that time. We had an idea he knew whereabouts the old chief Sandilli was, and we were going to try and rout him out by a 238 KAMRLAND; OR, different metliod to any that had yet been tried, devised by Buller's fertile brain — which was to sleep in the bush, on the very ground most frequented by the Kafirs. There was a bright moon shining overhead, and by her light we marched on into the forest. There was for the jB.rst two miles a " slip path," and having no fear of an ambush along this we went in single file. A " slip path," I ought to observe, is one made by the continual drawing of timber out of a forest by oxen. There was much felling of trees going on in times of peace in this part of the forest, which were slipped down to Haines' Mill, to be sawn into planks and used for various purposes. Slowly and steadily we marched on, without ever speaking much above a whisper. A strange procession we must have looked, mov- ing regularly on one by one, under the shadow of the trees, sometimes in deep gloom and every now and then coming into patches of bright moonlight. We constantly heard owls hooting in the forest, and their wild, weird cry was echoed back clearly from the rocks and precipices on each side. Occasionally a A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 239 bush-buck would be heard as he rushed away into the cover, doubtless wondering what new horror had come to invade his domain in the still watches of the night. After marching along this path for about two miles, we turned up the large kloof to the right, away from the Buffalo, and soon after began to make the ascent of the preci- pice to the right of Sandilli's Krantz. This was indeed an awfully stiff climb, and my knee, which was not yet well, made it very diffi- cult work for me. I was following BuUer, and at every bad place we came to there was always a helping hand stretched back to give me a pull: with this assistance I got along capitally, and just as daylight was ap- pearing we reached the top, and sat down to get our wind. After this it was most delightfully easy walking, under high trees, with only thin bush at the bottom. As we were making the ascent, we had met four Kafirs coming down the path towards us, who had been duly fired at and missed, and had disappeared like ghosts into the dark- ness. About two hundred of the Finoroes had 240 KAFIRLAND ; OR, made tlie ascent on tlie left of Sandilli's Krantz. We had heard a good deal of firing in their direction, and, on meeting them again at the top, found they had en- countered the enemy in some numbers and been engaged for a few minutes, having killed several. Buller's plan was to make our camp here in the enemy's country, and stay till the follow- ing afternoon, and while here to send out strong parties of Fingoes in every direction, with orders to ascertain the whereabouts of the Kafirs, and to spoor them up, so as to find out their strongholds and lurking-places. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 241 CHAPTER XL Exploring parties sent off — Kafirs in stronghold — Lons- dale's Fingoes sent for — Eight men shot — Lonsdale arrives — Kafirs surrounded — Difficulty of forming a cordon — Night on the watch — Single combat between Fingo and Kafir — Footsteps in the darkness — Don't shoot your friends— Oh ! such a hard bed — Rush on stronghold — Kafirs gone — Return to camp — Amusing scene en route — Wounded men — Fingoes as patients — Sundry anecdotes— Fingoes as shammers, a great success — A dose of Worcester Sauce very efficacious medicine — Excuses to get leave — Post mortem examination — Another night in the bush — On the " bend " in King— The Kwenkwe Valley. Aftkr all hands had had breakfast, the Fingoes were duly despatched, without any officers, in parties of about a hundred and fifty, to make their explorations. We soon heard heavy firing somewhere near the bottom of Sandilli's Krantz, and before long a man came to tell us that there was a strong party of Kafirs entrenched behind some fallen rocks at the foot of the B 242 KAFIRLAND; OR, precipice. The Fingoes had spoored them up and came on them, and at once received a heavy fire ; but, in spite of this, tried to get at them, but found it impossible, owing to the enormous rocks and boulders that intervened, three of their number being shot in the attempt. At the same time another party of Fingoes had met with Kafirs at the top of the krantz, who had retreated down a most break- neck place to get into security, from whence they could fire back, so that any one approach- ing the place where they went down was immediately shot. They had chosen their ground most wonderfully well, so that this was the first time these strongholds had been found, although the bush had been so fre- quently patrolled and beaten through. We had taken a very old Kafir prisoner that morning, and he informed us that Sandilli himself was among the party in the krantz, with one of his sons. This, from all we heard afterwards, was doubtless true. More Fingoes were sent with their officers to the bottom of the krantz, and Buller and I went to the top, to the place where the Kafirs had gone over. It was a most awful- A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 243 looking place, and had I not seen the traces of the Kafirs' feet, I should not have thought there was foofchold for a chamois. We saw that it was perfectly useless to think of getting at the enemy from the top ; and the officer at the bottom of the krantz, reported that the place where the Kafirs were was utterly impracticable, being not only per- fectly defended from all firing, but the ground in front, for forty or fifty yards, being a mass of fallen boulders and rocks, over which one could only proceed with the greatest care ; and at one place, as we found the next mo- ment, it could only be passed by one man at a time, and even then only by crawling on the stomach through a hole in the enormous piled up boulders, which were too high to climb over. Such being the state of the case, Buller sent off for Lonsdale's Fingoes, that the place might be surrounded at night, so as to pre- vent the Kafirs escaping. Starving them out seemed to be the only plan likely to succeed. Storming such a place was out of the ques- tion, for two men in such a position as these Kafirs were in, could with ease have kept any R 2 244 KAFIRLAND ; OR, quantity at bay, being able to shoot them far more quickly than they could by any possi- bility have scaled the rocks to their stronghold. Eight of my men had already been shot in trying to advance, though they had not even seen the people who shot them, or got within forty yards of the place they were shot from. Two of these men were killed on the spot and three mortally wounded. Where the Fingoes were lying was behind rocks about fifty yards away from the Kafirs, and the instant a man showed any part of his person over or at the side of the rock, he was promptly shot at, and there were many very narrow escapes. The day passed away without anything further being done. The Fingoes had learnt wisdom by so many of their number being shot, and remained quietly behind their respective protections. Occasionally a sign of a Kafir was seen in their retreat, in the shape of a hand, arm, or hat, over a rock, which was immediately greeted with a volley. We found the next day that two or three had been killed, probably by shots glancing from the rocks. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 245 Lonsdale arrived with his men soon after sun-down, and continued the cordon already formed to hem the enemy in as well as possible. Let it not be imagined that to form a line round the foot of this precipice was an easy matter, far from it. The bush was in places extremely thick, and in some almost impene- trable from masses of creepers. Enormous rocks, many of them twenty and some forty feet high, were scattered about all over the place, and darkness was coming on. The precipice itself was so rugged and uneven, that it was difficult to tell the real face of it, from the enormous fallen rocks ; and besides this, if your body became for a moment visible to the Kafirs, a score of bullets would instantly come whizzing at you. However, in the face of all these difficulties, the cordon of our men was formed, as we thought satis- factorily, and night came down. BuUer and I, with some of the Fingoes, the Frontier Light Horse, and a company of the 2-24th, kept watch at the top of the krantz, where the passage up was, to prevent the enemy escaping in that direction, as we 246 KAFIRLAND ; OR, thought this was the most likely place for an attempt to be made, as they had gone down this way, and we thought then that it was impossible for them to get away from the bottom. In the course of the day one of the Fingoes, while making his way with a message from our bivouac at the top round to the bottom of the krantz, met a Kafir face to face, and having shot at and missed him, they had a hand-to-hand struggle, in which the Kafir gained possession of the Fingo's gun. The latter then seized a stone, and hurling it with much power and precision full into the middle of the Kafir, knocked him clean out of time, then killed him, got back his gun, and went on his way rejoicing, the flush of victory being still on his face when he re- turned to our camp. While we were going through the bush in the outer darkness, the moon not yet having risen, to take up our position at the top of the krantz for the night, Buller and I walk- ing in front, we heard footsteps coming gently towards us in some numbers. We pulled out our pistols, feeling certain it was A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 247 a party of Kafirs, and were just going to blaze away, when they challenged in English, or rather in the words " Who go dare ?'' and we found that they were a party of Fingoes just come round from the bottom, who had somehow or other got into our locality. This cruising about in the bush at night, where under the deep shade of the trees the darkness can almost be felt, is rather " creepy " work. A footstep, or perhaps a dozen, are heard close to you, and then comes the question what to do. I have read in some ancient book (not the Bible, though there is a good deal about fighting in that) that there are two ways to begin a fight. The first is to knock a man down, and say, "If you hit me back, I'll do it again." The other is to let a man hit you first, and then say, "If you do that again, I'll hit you back.** Personally I should prefer the former method. But in such a case as I have described, if you hit first, which means fire a volley in the direction of the sound of the footsteps, you may possibly kill some of your own men ; and if, on the other hand, you challenge, you give the enemy the chance of 248 KAFIRLAND ; OR, first hit, and may in reply get a volley drawn in the right direction by the clear sound of your challenge. I offer no advice on the subject, and can- didly acknowledge I have been several times puzzled as to what was best to be done ; but I will say this much, that I think it far wiser to chance the volley of the enemy, than run the risk, in reply to a well-directed fire from one's men, of hearing shouts from friends, and on going up find some already closing their eyes in death, who, had one only had the hardihood to run a little risk, would still be cheery, light-hearted soldiers. We made enormous fires all along the top of the krantz, a few yards back from the edge, and kept them blazing the whole night, so that no one could possibly come up and get away without first coming into bright light and a heavy fire from our men. We were all lying back in the gloom, and utterly invisible to any one standing in the light of the fire. Only one Kafir attempted to come up, and he was immediately rolled back dead by a private of the 2-24th. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 249 Buller and I passed the night on a flat rock — oh, such a hard one ! and at the first sign of light, after having made some coffee and partaken of that innocent and innocuous beverage, and some German sausage — supplied by " the Baron " of the Frontier Light Horse, whose bones, poor fellow ! are now, alas ! whitening on the Globane mountain — went, together with the Frontier Light Horse, to join the party at the foot of the krantz, and see if anything could be done. We found Lonsdale and Reynolds lying side by side between two big rocks, and most comfortable they looked, and said they had made a good night of it. There had been no firing from the Kafirs at all that morning, although our men had endeavoured to draw a shot from them with dummies. They all reported that nothing had passed them in the night, and that they had heard no movements among the Kafirs. We did not quite know what to make of it, but began to fear our enemies had been one too many for us. We sent the old Kafir prisoner, taken the morning before, with my pocket-handkerchief 250 KAFIRLAND; OR, tied on a stick as a flag of truce into the stronghold to see what he could, and bring back reports. He started in fear and trembling, vowing his people would shoot him. We anxiously watched him going slowly along, and climbing over the rocks, till he disappeared, flag and all, from our sight. Then exclaimed Buller, " Oh, hang it ! let's go on and take our chance ;" so on we went, Lonsdale and I calling to our lambs to follow us, the Frontier Light Horse not wanting much calling after their leader. We scrambled on, climbing over some rocks, burrowing under others, making progress at about a yard in a minute. Of course we knew the enemy were gone the instant we came from behind our cover, and received no fire. Lucky for ns that they were so. Had they been in their stronghold still, these lines would never have been written ; the Frontier Light Horse and Lonsdale's Fingoes would have lost their commanding- officers, and " many souls of heroes would have gone down to Hades." We found the place wholly beyond the power of man to storm, and had the Kafirs been still in it we should A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 251 indeed have been cut to pieces, and without a chance of getting at the enemy. "We found they had escaped by a back door. What had appeared to us the face of the precipice, and up to which we had made our cordon of Fingoes, was not so, but only an enormous mass of rock, fallen ages ago from above, leaving a small passage between itself and the cliff. Through this the Kafirs had all slipped away in the night, except a wounded man or two, and had made good their retreat in the depths of the forest. We sent a party at once on the spoor, but they had got too long a start for any good to be done. They never returned to the krantz again : but if ever there is another Kafir War, and I am present at any attack on the Perie, I shall make a " dead set " at " Sandilli's Krantz " (christened after him on account of this day and night's work); and I have a hope that there, thanks to the knowledge we gained at this time, operations against any party taking refuge in it will be conducted in a more successful manner. There being nothing further to be done, we strolled at ease back to our camps at Haines' MUl. 2 52 KAFIRLAND ; OR, On the way I saw an innocent and rather amusing incident. One of the Fingoes was pointing about and going through various gymnastics with his rifle, and Buller asked him if he could shoot straight, "/a, boss ! '' was his reply. One of the Fingo officers, who was a first-rate shot at anything thrown up in the air, asked the man to exchange shots at their respective head- gear : the officer had on a felt wide-awake, and the Fingo a red night-cap. The Fingo, thinking he had five to one the best of it, again promptly replied, "Jo., loss / " to the offer. When we got to an open place near the mill, the wide-awake was duly thrown up, and missed. The Fingo then did his night-cap up into a ball and tossed it up only about six feet over his head. Nevertheless, crack ! went the carbine : the night-cap gave a most ominous wriggle and descended to the ground, the bullet having gone clean through the middle of it. The poor Fingo looked very blue, and went away, mournfully regarding the dilapidated top- knot, a sadder and wiser man. I had plenty of work when I got back to camp in looking after the wounded men, A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 253 with Reynolds. The two shot dead were ab*eady buried. One, shot through the hip and stomach, was dying. One had a bullet through his jaw, smashing it frightfully, and into his chest through one lung and out at the back : this man died about a fortnight afterwards. Another man had a ball through the thigh, just above the knee, which had broken the bone all to pieces : this man also died from mortification. Another had five loopers (swan shot) into his shoulder and three through his neck : he recovered very soon. And there was one more slightly wounded, in the leg. My list of casualties that round was very heavy, for we had only killed eleven Kafirs that we knew of alto- gether in the expedition. However, we ascertained afterwards that we had done far more good than we knew of, by finding their stronghold and driving them out of it ; and although we Uttle thought it at the time, it was really the beginning of the end. Reynolds was most kind and patient in attending to the wounded, giving his full time and thought to them, and had they been European oflBcers he could not have 254 KAFIRLAND ; OR, done more. I was with him for many hours, giving him what little help I could. Fingoes are most trying patients, and are enough to rile the most long-suffering surgeon that ever handled a scalpel. If a Fingo does not get a doctor when he asks for one, he will groan and grumble, and make ten times more fuss than a white man, and think he is very badly treated. When, however, the surgeon arrives, he will not do what he is told, but begs for medicine to be given to him not the least suited to his case, and complains if he doesn't get it. I have literally known a man shot through the middle of the stomach, and within a few hours of his death from inflam- mation and mortification, ask for violent pur- gatives, and assure the doctor that he knew for certain they would do him good. Fingoes will never submit to amputation, under any circumstances whatever. I have, over and over again, almost gone on my knees to some of my men, when shot through the bone of the arm or leg, to pray them to have the limb amputated, as the only chance of saving their lives ; and have invariably, without a single exception, been told by A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 255 them that they would sooner die than lose a limb. Whether it is the pain they fear, or the idea of going about for the rest of their lives with a leg or arm gone, I know not — most probably the latter, for, as a rule, they care but little for pain; but I think they have a horror of going about halt or maimed, and seem to think it a disgrace. I know that their friends never think it advisable for them to have a limb amputated, and always recommend them to brave death rather than have an operation performed. On one occasion one of my men was drag- ging his rifle from under a waggon with the muzzle towards him and his hand on it. The rifle exploded and the ball entered the base of his thumb, went right up his arm along the bone, and out again above the elbow, leaving no wound anywhere externally except at its entrance and exit. I saw him an hour or two after the accident and bound him up as well as I could, putting the arm in a sling. Next morning, at daylight, I saw him with the bandages all ofi* and his arm swinging at his side. I again put it in a sling and told him to keep it there, for it was frightfully 256 KAFIRLAND ; OR, swelled, and said that during the day I would manage to get a doctor to come and treat him properly. He fled on the spot and I never saw him more. The man to whom I referred some time back, who was shot through the jaw and chest, got on very well under Reynolds' care, who thought he would pull through if he was kept quiet, in spite of the severity of his wounds. I had caused a separate hut to be built for him near the doctor's quarters, so that he could be well attended to, and he had everything he required. In a few days, however, he said he wished to go home. His home was a good forty miles off, and he would, as I told him, have to be carried the whole way, and this Reynolds assured him would be certain death. The man who had been shot through the thigh also wished to be taken home. He, wonderful to relate, in spite of his wound and smashed bone, was, if no better, certainly not worse than the day he was shot. I told these two fools that by being carried to their homes they were abso- lutely killing themselves, but that if they remained under the doctor's hands they A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 257 would possibly, nay, probably recover. I miglit just as well have spoken to the wind, for they still insisted on going home at any cost. I therefore had the necessary carrying parties told off from among the people of each of them and started them on their re- spective journeys. I need hardly say that the corpse of each man arrived at its destination in due course. The spirits of both of them are doubtless Kafir-hunting, hale and sound in the ** better land *' of the Fingoes, where- ever that may be ; I venture to hope a sepa- rate one from the white man, for I can't say T should look forward with any degree of pleasure to being welcomed to Paradise by my black brethren, or being a Fingo com- mandant with thirty shillings a day, keep for three horses, and rations for myself in the next world. Spero meliora. I was once wrong in teUing a man that unless he had his leg ofF he must die. He was shot through the thigh, the bone being smashed all to pieces. It was hot weather, and I made so bold as to tell him that did he not have his leg taken off he must die, the doctor quite approving^'of what I said. This s 258 KAFIRLAND ; OR, man was for weeks lying in a dirty, fusty Kafir liut, in broiling weather, with a fire always at night, and generally in the day- time, close to him, with the wounds sup- purating and pieces of bone coming away freely. When my corps was ordered to move from that part of the country he was, at his own request, sent home in a cart a distance of about fifty miles, over a very bad country. He reached home in due course, and months afterwards I heard that he was not only still alive but in good health and doing well. Fingoes are most determined shammers, and if I had been weak enough to believe all the stories they told me as to their ailments, I should generally have had half the corps on the sick-list. I was after a time so pestered by men coming to tell me that they were ill, when they were as well as they could possibly be, that I made a rule that every man so coming should pay half-a-crown before his disease could be attended to. After this, none of the shammers came near me, and if a man was really ill I was sure to hear of it directly from his head man, and I need not say that the half-crown was never A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 259 exacted. The complaints that the men used to invent were marvellous ; they were almost always " sick *' in their stomachs and heads, but I never noticed that this sickness inter- fered in any way with their appetites. I occasionally got some medicine from military doctors which must have astonished even Fingo stomachs more than a little. I once had a dose prepared for the special benefit of one inveterate ** malingerer," which had such an effect on him that I never heard of his being ill again. I one day gave a man, who had come to me with a stomach-ache, half a wineglass of Worcester Sauce, the remnant of a bottle, and as hot as cayenne. I told him to drink it down smartly, which he did. The coughing, choking, and splut- tering that ensued for the next five minutes can be better imagined than described. When he had recovered his breath sufficiently to speak, he said (he could talk English), ** Commandant, that's not good for a man !" Need I add, my friend Johnny was ill of stomach-ache no more. Some of the stories told me by my men in order to get leave of absence were most s 2 26o KAFIRLAND ; OR, ridiculous. The following may serve as ex- amples : — A man came to me one morning when in the Keiskamma Hoek district, assuring me that his huts had been burnt down during the night bj Kafirs, and that his wives and children were wandering, hutless and desti- tute. On making inquiries I ascertained that no Kafirs had been near his kraal, and that his huts and domestic circle were un- touched and in the usual state of peace and harmony. Another rogue once told me that he must absolutely have leave to go home, his wife being in that state " that ladies wish to be, who love their lords," and was daily expecting an addition to their family. I replied that she could do very well without him, and that when these little events were imminent, the lord and master of the establishment was very much in the way, and his absence generally much desired by all concerned. He then told me that the last time this particular wife had made an addition to the population, she had been very prolific, and had increased the inhabitants of A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 261 the world by twins, and that he had reason to believe that such would again be the case. I was inexorable, and told him that even did she succeed in earning the Queen's bounty I would not allow him to go to the scene of action, well knowing that his room was better than his company. Had I taken the trouble to inquire I should probably have found out that this ruflfian did not so much as possess a wife, not to mention the twins either present or pro- spective. All Kafir tribes look upon successful lying as a virtue, and are not the least ashamed of themselves when detected in the most glaring falsehoods. The work of the day being done, I strolled over to the camp of the Frontier Light Horse, having sent a roll of blankets before me, to dine and spend the night with Buller. Our conversation was chiefly on our hard lines in having so nearly got the old chief Sandilli into our hands, and having missed him after all. I was again occupied with Reynolds all the next morning over the wounded men, 262 KAFIRLAND ; OR, lielping him to dress their wounds and in having a 'post mortem examination of the body of one of them who had died in the night. Poor lad ! he was a " rara avis in terris,^^ viz. a bond fide loyal Kafir, and had fought manfully and lost his life in fighting under the Queen's flag against his seceding brethren. We started at three a.m. again the next morning for another two days in the bush, our column being the same as before. This expedition was without result, except the worrying of a few Kafirs, whose camp we found. We turned them out, or rather they fled before we got to them, and we left 200 Eingoes on the spot for the night. There was a good deal of firing during the hours of darkness, for Kafirs in very small parties kept returning to their old quarters, without seeing they were already occupied, and as they at least doubtless thought " fell among thieves." There was, however, no one shot on either side, owing to the intense darkness and the Fingoes wisely retaining their fire till the Kafirs were outside their cordon, for fear of shooting each other, and of course by A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 263 that time they could only shoot in the direc- tion in which the enemy had disappeared. This sounds ridiculous, and so indeed it was. One or two of the scenes that took place that night must have been laughable. At one time three Kafirs appeared as from the bowels of the earth, right in among the Fingoes, who knew nothing of their presence till they saw them blowing up the embers of an almost dead fire left by either them or their comrades in the morning. A rush was made at them, but they were off like rabbits, with scores of bullets rattling ineffectually after them. In the course of the night a voice was heard exclaiming, in Kafir, from some distance, " We want water, why do you come and take our ground, that we can't get at the spring?" — (N.B. My men were all round the spring of water, which was the only supply for a very long dis- tance.) — Of course the speaker was greeted with shouts of derision and dozens of bullets, both equally harmless, his black carcass without doubt being tucked tight in behind a big yellow-wood in case of acci- dents. 264 KAFIRLAND ; OR, Lonsdale had paid us a visit during the day, as he was on patrol in the forest with his men, but did not wait long, as he was going back to Raboula Heights again the same day. The next we returned to Haines' Mill, and I went over to BuUer's camp again, and spent the night with him. We made arrangements to ride into King together in the morning to have a " spree" for two or three days. I must say that our ideas of a "spree "did not agree with the usual acceptance of that term in South Africa, both of us being most particularly sober and staid individuals. The " spree " of South Africa, as represented in King William's Town, is one of drunkenness and bad behaviour of no mean order. Though I have frequently seen the results of the same, I am thankful to say it has never been my ill-luck, and I shall take very particular care that it never is, to be pre- sent where these performances are carried on. The usual inhabitants of King are quiet and orderly enough, and are never, with few excep- tions, seen in the blackguard, disorderly can- teens with which that town is crowded ; but during the war, the row, drunkenness, and A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 265 disgraceful behaviour of volunteers and many others was, as Jonathan would say, a *' caution to snakes." Buller and I were, during the three days we spent in King, as busy as possible with office work the whole day, and only saw each other in the morning and evening. He had most kindly procured a bed for me, and put me up in his quarters. I had left my *' kit," when leaving King in January, in one of the pubhc offices, where I thought it would be quite safe ; but nimble fingers had been at work and helped their owners freely to many things I would very much rather they had left alone. On dressing for mess, I found my evening coat was a thing of the past, which was hard luck, and had not Buller happened to have his within reach it would have been a greater nuisance still. It was a nuisance for him as it was, for it was rather a tight fit across the back, and in the excitement of holding four honours, or during some unusually vehement smile on my part, the expansion of my frame was rather more than the stitches were accustomed to and they gave out with portentous cracking. A short 266 KAFIRLAND ; OR time afterwards I was successful in buying a " reach-me-down '' evening coat at an out- fitter's in the town ; but why, oh ! why did he send it up to barracks without having taken the ticket off the back ? I dressed in the dusk ; it was guest-night and I walked into the anteroom perfectly contented with myself and things in general, till I got into the middle of about twenty fellows I knew, and I heard the remark, " Halloo ! what's this on your back ? ' reach-me-down,' by Jove ! " Need I say more ? let me draw a veil over the scene that ensued. I got most properly " roasted ;" and even in thinking of that night, the blushes mantle to my cheeks, as saith the poet, like the red, red rose. I much enjoyed the pleasant evenings we spent in King, for I had only been three nights out of camp since taking the field in January, and it was now the end of May. Two nights we dined at the mess of the l-24th, and the other with General Strick- land, having a most cheery time, as is always the case when in that kind-hearted and most hospitable officer's society. We rode together back to Haines' Mill on A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 267 the 30th, and Buller finding, as he expected, that the Frontier Light Horse had already struck camp and gone back to the Kwenkwe Valley, he followed them, giving me orders to do the same the next day with my corps. The Kwenkwe is about four miles east of Haines' Mill, and nearly at the eastern ex- tremity of the Perie forest, which extends, without a break from this place to Bailey's Grave Post, fifteen miles off at least, and nearly to Keiskamma Hoek in a more northerly direction. A lovely stream flows through the valley, clear as crystal, with trees overhanging the water, and in many places meeting in an arch overhead. We made our camp a little below Buller's,on the stream, some of our men being on one side and some on the other. It was open ground, but with bush at no great distance on three sides of us. On the west, the valley sloped up directly from the stream this side, becom- ing steeper as it neared the summit, and ended in a fine, bold krantz, more than a mile from our camp. On the east the hills were far less steep, and rose gradually in 268 KAFIRLAND ; OR, gentle undulations to some fine forest and crags in the distance. In this charming and picturesque spot we spent very nearly two months of peace and quietness. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 269 CHAPTER XII. Patrolling from the Kwenkwe — Death of Sandilli — Burial at Isidengi — The fair sex in camp— Buck-hunt — Fingo shot— First levy disbanded — Long walk — Mount Kempt — Dead Kafir child — Dissipation in King — Loss of friends in the battle of Isandlana — Cricket — Amusements after dinner — Rifle-shooting — Visit to Sandilli's two sons in prison — Foot-ball — Whist — Photographer in camp— Good-bye to the Kwenkwe — March to Irapetu — Deserters. The first few weeks we were in the Kwen- kwe, I used to go on patrol every two or three days, or send out the men with their ofl&cers in various directions; but before long this was found to be useless and un- necessary, and was discontinued, the Kafirs having totally disappeared from the district. I spent almost every evening with Buller, and I shall always look back with pleasure to the time I was with him. His kindness as my chief, and the cheery welcome he 270 KAFIRLAND ; OR, always gave me as a friend, adding greatly to the comfort and happiness which we, as a rule, but scantily obtained in camp life. When he was ordered to march to Natal, and I was left in the old Kwenkwe, with only my own corps, 1 missed him terribly, and often cast wistful glances across the little gully to where his tent used to stand. Often do I wonder whether I shall ever again see some of those with whom, during this war, I became so intimate and was so continually thrown. I think, during a time of this sort, men got to know each other better in a few months, than in years of ordinary intercourse. Since the beginning of June there had been rumours floating about that Sandilli had been killed, but not till the 7th of that month did we know it for certain. On the morning of the 8th we heard that his body had absolutely been found, and brought to the volunteer camp at Isidengi, which was at the north-east of the Perie, and about six miles from where we were encamped. In the afternoon I rode up, with D'Arcy of the /I TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 271 Frontier Light Horse and some of my own oflBcers, to have a look at the old chief, lying in state. I took the liberty of cutting off a lock of his hair, and another of his beard, and these mementos of the Kafir War are at the present moment gracefully entwined with- in a locket inscribed with the name " Sandilli," and worn round the neck of that one of earth's fair daughters to whom I owe allegiance. How it was the old man met with his death will never be known for certain, but there is not the least doubt that Lonsdale's Fingoes were the men who rid us of one troublesome enemy, and thereby put a de- cisive end to the war; for after his death there was scarcely any fighting whatever, and everything in the country rapidly re- sumed the usual peaceful appearance. It was not known that he was killed till a few days after the event happened ; and the fact was then reported by a Kafir to a volunteer officer, and the man added that he could take him to where the body could be found. This he did, and all that remained of this re- markably rebellious old individual was carried in triumph on a horse to Isidengi. 272 KAFIRLAND ; OR, He was a fine-looking old man, with a large beard for a Kafir, wliich was almost white, while the hair on his head was still black, although he was between sixty and seventy years old. Wild animals of some sort had been at the body, and eaten nearly the whole of the flesh from one arm, and he was also minus an eye, which did not add to the august appearance befitting a chief. The withered leg, so frequently talked about, was perceptibly shorter and smaller than the other. He was to be buried on the morning of the 9th, and I took all the men I had in camp, about three hundred, the others being away on leave, to be present at the ceremony. Crowds of volunteers had assembled from all quarters, and Major Dunbar, with a company of the 2 -24th, strolled drown from his camp near Gunfire Point to see the last rites per- formed over the old rebel. The grave was close to the camp, in the midst of most ex- quisite scenery, and overlooking a great deal of the country where Sandilli had been giving us so much trouble. As he lay in a shed, before the burial, all A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 273 the Fingoes were marclied past to have a last look at their hated enemy. They groaned and shook their assegais over the body in triumph. I almost expected to see it turn at such awful indignity, that the Fingoes, the dogs, the very slaves of the Kafirs in former years, should actually dare to hoot with scorn over their now fallen though lately much dreaded enemy. After this peculiar " march past," the body was wrapped in a piece of old sail-cloth, and borne to the grave, lowered down, and the earth filled in by some Fingoes. It was a lovely day and everything around looked most beautiful. The birds were sing- ing in the waving forest trees, and the white tents shone, and the uniforms and accoutre- ments of those at hand looked bright in the morning sun. In such a scene, and sur- rounded by the country in which he had fought through three rebellions, was the quiet resting-place of SandiUi, the last chief of the Gaikas I Nothing of any particular note took place in the Kwenkwe while we were there, but there was always plenty to do, and time T 274 KAFIRLAND; OR, never liung heavily on my hands. There was much office-work to see after, and I was glad of the time to make out pay-sheets and get money for the various levies under me, each of which had long arrears of pay to receive. One day three fair creatures, under the escort of the stalwart Gosset, came to lunch with Buller. It was indeed a new feature in the scene to see ladies in camp, and did not savour of there being many Kafirs about. We had a merry time, and a stroll in the bush was accomplished ; then, towards even- ing, horses were saddled, adieus said, and these very plucky and charming damsels cantered ofi* to King again. Oh, happy, happy Gosset ! As you once said to me, before going to a heavy night at mess, ^'Soyez sage,'' Grenfell of the 60th and Williams of the 2 -24th came one night for dinner and a rubber ; a very successful evening being the result. I don't mean to say that I won a " hatful of tin ;" au contraire, I lost a little ; but that we all appeared mutually contented. Occasionally I went over to Haines' Mill, A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 275 where the whole of the 2-24th had now as- sembled, and had some whist or mild loo, and these gatherings were always productive of fun. My expeditions to Haines' Mill were not till after Buller had gone away. So passed the time, in the Kwenkwe, in "books and work and healthful play." Whether the author of that line would have considered two-guinea loo, or even whist at shilling points, and half-a-crown on the rub, with occasional odds to the sets in half- sovereigns, " healthful play," history, I be- lieve, deponeth not. From my knowledge of the writings of that author, I know not, and venture to think that the play on which his mind was intent, when penning the above line, though doubtless of an as equally interesting description to a mind of calibre equal to composing the "Busy Bee," required a little less thought even than the advisa- bility of taking " miss," with two before you and that interesting creature " begging," and seventy pounds in the pool, on the question as to leading trumps, with knave and four small ones in your hand and the adver- saries having called. T 2 276 KAFIRLAND ; OR, I was delighted to see Col. Wood again, about tlie middle of June. He had quite recovered from his illness, and looked as well as ever. He came to lunch with BuUer, and stayed an hour or two with us. I met him again a few days later in King, whither I had gone about some office-work, and rode out with him to Haines' Mill, where he and his regiment, the 90th, where then quartered, and stayed the night. We had a nice quiet evening, which reminded me of those on Raboula Heights, and we were, with the ex- ception of the "Little Commandant," just the same party. Colonel Wood rode part of the way back to my camp with me the next morning, as our roads were the same for a couple of miles ; he being en route for Izeli, a village consisting of a canteen and a few shanties, to inspect the ground for making a camp there, which he did a few days later. This was the last time I saw him, for soon after he left for Natal, marching overland with his column. I hap- pened to be passing near Izeli the day he left, and in the early morning I saw the last of his ranks going over the hill, and heard the A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 277 sound of the band getting fainter and fainter as they disappeared in the distance. The Kwenkwe being only twelve miles from King, and the l-24th fellows, all of whom I knew, being most kind and hospitable in asking me to come in, I used to dine at their mess pretty often. One evening, at dinner, an engineer who was quartered in King asked me to get up a buck-hunt with my Fingoes, which I did a few days later, and he came out and took part therein. I put the men across a piece of bush, and told them to beat up towards the other end, a mile or so off ; and the sportsmen, consisting of my guest, some of the oflBcers of our own corps, and myself went there and waited. There were, unfortunately, no bucks to speak of; I think they had all been frightened out of the district, and I'm sure I don't wonder. There was some magnificent file-firing when- ever one was started, but the shooting was as crooked as usual, and the result small. When the men got near the end of the beat we tucked ourselves in behind adjacent rocks, for Fingoes are no respecters of persons, and if a buck gets up, he has at once the contents 2 78 KAFIRLAND; OR, of every rifle after him, and would have if all the generals in the army were in a direct line behind him. I don't think my friend the sapper liked it much, he didn't look happy ; but I will allow that to be in close proximity to four hundred Fingoes beating up towards you with loaded rifles, and ready to loose them off on the smallest provocation, is not the sort of thing to hanker after. There were, I think, only two bucks killed during the day, and one Fin go was very badly winged. We only had two or three beats, and then, having got most frightfully cold by standing about so long, I proposed an adjournment to camp, which otfer was readily accepted. I had received orders to disband the Keis- kamma Hoek Levy at the end of June, and accordingly on the 30th of that month I marched the men composing it into King, and encamped outside the town. I got their pay the next morning, and, having given to each man his due, I dismissed them with my blessing. They had been with me six months, and had done their work well, and, taking the circumstances duly into consideration, had A TEr^ MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 279 behaved well and decently. I had had but little trouble in keeping them in order, and in the way of not firing their rifles till there was occasion for it they were, except just at first, most virtuous. Had there been any more real work to be done, I should have been most sorry to lose them, for they were both in bravery and disciphne incomparably better than any of the other levies I ever had under me. We parted, I am sure, with mutual regret. All the head men came to me together and asked if I would mind shaking hands with them. This, I need not say, I most willingly did, and looked upon it as the prettiest com- pliment they could have paid me. Our corps now consisted of about two hundred and eighty men and six officers. This reduction in our numbers soon made a vast difference in my work. 1 had at this time a detachment on the ridges north of the Perie, not far from Gunfire Point and near Mount Kempt, the highest point of the Buffalo Range, and over five thousand feet above the level of the sea. I thought it behoved me to go and pay them a visit, so I took my men for a long patrol through the bush in that 28o KAFIRLAND; OR, direction, and in tlie afternoon left them to return to camp, and walked on to tlie place wliere the detachment was. I had walked all the way, for I found I was getting abominably out of condition from want of exercise, which I felt all the more from having had such quantities of hard bodily work, from January till June. I very seldom got on a horse at all, all through the Amatola business. It will hardly be believed that one day, when I had served under him for weeks. Colonel Wood was insulting enough to ask me if I had got a horse, as he wanted me to go somewhere in a hurry, and didn't remember ever having seen me on horseback. I never ride if I can possibly help it, and infinitely prefer walking, unless the country is very dull indeed. I am perfectly certain that a man who habitually walks, instead of riding everywhere, keeps in better health and will live longer than one who always has a horse ready to take him even the shortest distances. I have tried both methods, for it has been my lot at times almost to live in the saddle; for besides sitting on one all day long, it has for months been my pillow at night as well. A JEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 281 I arrived at the foot of Mount Kempt a little before dark, having had a real good " grind," — it being fully ten miles from our camp, and up-hill the whole way, — besides having done a little ** bush whacking " with the men. I spent a pleasant evening in this very breezy situation with Gordon, a friend of mine, who had only a short time before come out from England, and had joined our corps as lieutenant. He has since gone to Natal, with Lonsdale, against the Zulus. I wish him well through the business, and trust we shall meet safe and sound in his "ain countree" north of Tweed. We went a stroll the next morning to the top of Mount Kempt, and a delightful walk it was. I thoroughly enjoyed the power we now had of walking about the country quietly and reasonably, without a howling rabble (I beg their pardons) of mercenaries around me, or the chance of a bullet whizzing past, a few inches from my nose, from the rifle of some enterprising, but luckily erratic, shooting Kafir, hidden in the bush close by. On the way up I saw a sheep-skin lying against a rock at the side of the track we 282 KAFIRLAND ; OR, were on, and when I lifted it up, as T ex- pected, I saw a Kafir child lying dead under- neath. It had been there some weeks out in the sun. Gordon, who was not used to these sort of things, turned and fled, and implored me from a respectful distance to come away, or I should get typhus fever or other loath- some diseases ; to which I replied that I was not made of '' such slight elements," and covering the poor little thing up again, followed him up the hill, musing on the mutability of human affairs in general, and that of dead Kafir babies exposed to the sun in particular. Oh, what a view there was from the top of Mount Kempt ! I would I could describe it. Probably, my dear reader (yes, you are dear indeed, if you have waded through these pages as far as this), you are thankful I can't, and more so still, that I am not even going to try. I fear you will already have had too much about the Perie Forest, and what took place therein during the year of grace 1878. But, cheer up, my days in this part of the country were nearly numbered. Both battalions of the 24th regiment being A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 283 now quartered so near each other, the first being at King and the second at Haines' Mill, a cricket match and rifle-shooting match were arranged between them, to come off in King, on two consecutive days. I knew almost every officer in both bat- tahons, and was very glad that I had been asked to come in and assist at the revels. I umpired in the cricket match, which, al- though the form displayed was not quite what I have seen in days of yore, was still suggestive of " there was a time," and pro- ductive of great fun and much chaff. Of course it was difficult to get elevens together composed entirely of officers, and it was not to be wondered at that towards the *' tail " of them, a great expenditure of strength on the part of the batsmen meeting with but slender results on the scoring paper, should be hailed with laughter and cries of derision. It was great fun all through the day, and the "bear fighting" on the way back to bar- racks, between two comparatively old and sober members of the community, would have greatly scandalized their relations and friends could they have seen it. 284 KAFIRLAND ; OR, All, me ! I sigh as I tliink, that of the bright, gallant spirits gathered that night round the merry table, nearly a score have gone down into the dark grave; and although their names are on the tongue of nearly every true Englishman, and shall ever be remembered with pride and glory ; and though the picture of each shall be pointed out with a sad smile of triumph, with the words ''he was killed at Isandlana," long years after Cetewayo and his kingdom have been wiped away for ever, and forgotten, yet shall I never again recall that happy evening in Kaffraria without a sigh, nor think of those who sat around the board, whom in this world I shall see no more. There were, I think, nearly forty at dinner, and both then and afterwards everything went merry as a marriage bell. After dinner, there were cards for the most sober and ancient individuals ; the band outside in the garden, for those who liked to take a stroll and enjoy their cheroots and the martial strains that sounded all over the barracks together ; and '' bear fighting " ad. lib. in the dining-room, in the shape of reels, highland A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 285 flings, sword dances, &c., &c., for the young and hot-headed members of the community. I don't for a moment mean to say that each individual was engaged in the pursuit best adapted to his years and activity. Not at all, for there were some plainly visible to the naked eye at the card-table, whose years, ex- perience and judgment were scarcely equal to the occasion ; and certainly more than one or two in the dining-room engaged in en- deavouring to perform great feats of agility and daring, scarcely warranted by their age and highly respectable appearance, while the stiffness of their knees, painfully apparent to the bystanders, and felt with mournful fore- bodings by themselves, though not for a moment acknowledged, sadly interfered with the grace and elegance of their movements. All, however, were eminently festive, and the morning hours were well advanced towards " reveille '* ere the last of us took his depar- ture, and the mess-house was left to the sole occupation of entomological marauders. The next morning I was busy for two or three hours with ofl&ce-work, before the rifle match began. This was not so interesting 286 KAFIRLAND ; OR, as the cricket, one battalion being greatly superior to the other, although there was some remarkably good shooting by some of both teams. The match being concluded, we adjourned for lunch to the mess of the second battalion, and a very cheerful opportunity it was, and lasted far longer than the period usually allotted for the consumption of that meal. The next move on the iafis was an adjourn- ment to the prison, not, as may perhaps be justly expected, for the incarceration of the most noisy and intractable of the luncheon party, but for a friendly visit to Edmund and Matanzima Sandilli, two sons of the old chief, who had been captured a short time before, and sent to King to be kept in "durance vile" till the time of their trial should come. About half a dozen of us went to pay our respects to these aristocratic rebels, and we had much conversation with them, chiefly on the events of the war. Edmund, the elder of the two, was a fat, unwholesome-looking nigger, with the face of a sneak. He had been in the employment of Government as a A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 287 magistrate's clerk and interpreter, having previously received a good education at its expense. Soon, however, after the outbreak of the Gaikas he disappeared from his place of employment, and was next heard of among the rebels with his father. He has since been sentenced to hard labour for life, and so I trust his chance of ever aofain makinor him- self a nuisance is done away with. The younger, Matanzima, was, though small, a wonderfully well-made fellow, and must have been as strong and active as a tiger. He was by far the handsomest Kafir I ever saw, and had beautiful eyes, with a soft and yet totally fearless expression. He looked to me far more like an Oriental, than an African savage. From all I knew about him, he was a brave and daring warrior, and had fought well against us. Had all the Kafirs been of the same stamp, the rebellion would indeed have been a very different affair to what it was. Having presented the two brothers with some tobacco, and a douceur wherewith to increase their comfort, but scantily provided for in the prison fare, we took our departure. 288 KAFIRLAND ; OR, There liad been a foot-ball matcli arranged for the afternoon between teams of the mother country and colony, and to the field where this was to be played we now directed our footsteps. Our interest in the match was great, as many of the old country team were officers of the 24th. The match turned out but a hollow busi- ness, for although the colony had talked big of what they were going to do, it was evident as soon as ever play commenced that they were "nowhere." They scarcely got the ball near their adversaries' goal the whole time of play, and were, to use the accepted term, " knocked into a cocked hat." Some of the 24th greatly distinguished themselves, and added without doubt much power to the already well chosen team. In the evening two or three of the regi- ment came to dine with me at the hotel in the town, and we played whist till a late hour, being lucky enough to get a room quietly to ourselves, where we had a capital rubber. Early next morning I cantered back to camp, and found plenty of work ready for me, so that there was no fear of my feeling A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 289 ennuye after such a round of dissipa- tion. In the evening of the 22nd I went over to the camp of the 2-24th at Haynes' Mill to stay the night, as I had arranged with a photographer to come out from King to take views there the next day. 1 had also given orders that my own men should come over in the morning from the Kwenkwe, to show up in the photographs taken. It unfortunately happened that this bat- talion had got the route for Natal on this very day, and three companies had to march at daylight next morning, and the remainder the morning after. This of course interfered much with the taking of photographs, which were not nearly as good as they would have been had this move not been on the tajns. However, the little photographer did his best, and took some pretty good views of the camp of 2-24th, with men and Fingoes in the foreground, and MacNaghten's Krantz in the distance, Murray's Krantz, and a sham fight between the Fingoes as Kafirs and officers and men of the regulars. I stayed there till sun-down, and then, having said u 290 KAFIRLAND ; OR, Adios ! and wished them God-speed in their Natalian campaign, I hastened back to my own quarters. I was beginning to "feel hke one who treads alone some banquet hall deserted," for regiment after regiment kept passing away, and corps after corps was disbanded. The photographer had asked to come over to the Kwenkwe to take some views there, which in due course he did, being fairly suc- cessful. He took the Fingoes and their ofl&cers in different groups, a sham fight or two, and a very pretty little piece of the river close to the camp, which however was not improved by the rather too prominent appearance of figures of doubtless manly beauty, but rather questionable decency. I had ere this got orders from head- quarters to march with all my men from the old Kwenkwe to Impetu, near the Chechaba Valley, which place, it will be remembered, is about twenty miles beyond the town of Komgha, and where our camp had been when we made the attacks on the Checaba in January. There had been a corps of Fingoes A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 291 quartered at tliis place for long; and as their time expired the end of July, and they were about to be disbanded, I was ordered to go there with my men to relieve them, and to be there before the 1st of the ensuing month. "We struck camp on the 27th, and marched to King that day, leaving endless Kafir women hunting about among the d^is where our tents had been for any relics they could find in the shape of jam-tins, pocket- knives, old clothes, or in fact anything upon the face of the earth which could by some marvellous contrivance of ingenuity be put to any use whatever. I dined with the 24th, and slept in bar- racks, going out to the men on the outskirts of the town at daylight, and getting them under weigh ; and after breakfast I followed them with Gordon, who had remained with me. We had not gone a mile on the road ere we met seven of our men who had calmly deserted, and were now on their way back to their homes. All the men had made a great fuss at being ordered to march such a long distance away from their own part of the u 2 292 KAFIRLAND ; OR, country, and were proceeding with but ill- concealed displeasure. I had already that morning addressed them in anything but gentle tones as to their want of alacrity in marching; and now that I had got these blackguards caught in flagrante delicto desert- ing, it was high time to come down on them pretty heavily. The day being Sunday, I took them to the prison, and there left them till the next morning, having given orders that they should be brought before the magis- trate as soon as the court opened. I was of course obliged to stay in King to give evi- dence, and bring these offenders to their senses. Had this little piece of insubordina- tion happened anywhere but in town — for it was absolutely in the suburbs I had met the deserters, where I was powerless — I would very soon have brought them to their bear- ings with some infallible medicine I always kept at hand for such diseases. As it was, I had to leave them to the civil arm, which gave them three months with hard labour, with administration of the '^ cat " to be undergone at intervals, to which I added the forfeiture of all pay due to them. I left A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 293 them for a short time after this sentence, and then went into the prison-yard to have an interview. I found them like lambs, and ready to follow me to the world's end. The magistrate allowed them to proceed, and in the afternoon I took them in the train to Kei Road, making them pay for their tickets, rationed them, and started them oflP after their corps, which had left Kei Road that morning. One of my ofl&cers and I stayed the night at the pot-house, and at daylight were on the road to Komgha, and caught up the men about eleven o'clock, two or three miles before reaching that place. I soon found it was high time I was there, for the men were in a frightfully mutinous state, as cheeky as possible, and vowing nothing should tempt them to go beyond Komgha. I told them anyhow to come on so far, and ordered the waggons to be out- spanned a little beyond the village. 294 KAFIRLAND ; OR CHAPTER XIII. Mutiny and disorder — Peace restored — Back again in a hurry — Fort Warwick once more — Hare in fort — North side of Chechaba — Two journeys to King and hack — Puhlic funeral of Taintons and Brown — The Kei again — Amatola and Tynmie levies depart — New levy enrolled — Trollips's hotel in Komgha — Back to Impetu — New levy want discipline — They get it freely— The "cat" put to bed— To Cape Town and back — Orders to disband Fingoes — Day among the bucks at Impetu — Can Englishmen shoot straight ? — Men disbanded — On board the " Anglian " — The hills of KaflPraria in the distance. Aptee a halt of about two hours, during which time I had been up to the camp of the 88th, some of which regiment were still quartered here, and had lunch, I thought it was time to be getting on the road again, and ordered the men to fall in. ISTot they ! they all came crowding round me, talking and vociferating, and making the most fright- A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 295 ful row. I was leaning up against a waggon- wheel, smoking my pipe peacefully, and smiling benignly on them all, not even taking the trouble to have a single word interpreted. Assegais were brandished, the men rushed about, some half, some wholly drunk, and alto- gether it was as charming a little scene as one could wish to witness. By and by, finding I didn't care twopence for their noise and swag- ger, but smoked on as placidly as though they weren't there at all, they cooled down, and their voices becoming lower and more re- spectful, I ordered the sergeants to come to me and state their grievances, which were, that they were tired, and wished to go home ; that they were being brought away to the sea, far from their own country, into a land that they did not know, and that further they would not go. I explained to them, that they had enrolled themselves freely and without compulsion of any sort, and had promised to serve Government on certain terms, for as long as they were required, and wherever Government chose to send them. Government had kept its side of the con- tract, and they must keep theirs, and I 296 KAFIRLAND ; OR, should see that they did. At this point one of them raised his voice, and was beginning to answer with a cheeky air, so I slung my fist into his face with more than a little powder behind, and he went to grass some- what promptly. This had a good effect, and I told the others I could easily accommodate a few more in the same manner, if required. We then proceeded with our discussion ; but they still totally refused to proceed. I then told them there was no reason why they should not fall in, for that was not marching on ; and they, after a bit, fell into their places properly. I had them in my hand now, and, getting on my horse, pulled out my revolver, and said, " The first man who leaves the ranks I'll shoot dead ; right face, — march ! " Ofi* we went like a shot, and T need scarcely say that no one left the ranks ; for they well knew I never broke my word. I fully meant what I said, and had a single one of them moved from the line, it should have been his last step in this world. I had received orders to leave a detach- ment of fifty men in Komgha, and these I had already told off, and sent with an officer A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 297 to make a camp where he thought fit, at the north end of the village, and with these there had been no trouble ; they, I don't doubt, quite approving of quarters near the village. We encamped for the night between Kom- gha and Impetu. Before daylight in the morning I got a note from the ofl&cer in Komgha, saying he was already in difficul- ties, and had not been able to get any rations for himself or his men the night before. I ordered my horse at once, and galloped back to see what was the matter, and found that his difficulty arose from the utter stupidity and pig-headedness of a man who was employed as issuer by the Im- perial Commissariat, who in the press of work during the war had been picked up from some gutter, and was now daring to give himself airs, having no commissariat- officer to keep him in order. He was soon after this again remiss in his duties, and impertinent to one of my officers, and, on my writing to General Strickland about it, was dismissed. Having got matters put to rights, I followed up my men. Before I left them I had given orders that a detachment 298 KAFIRLAND ; OR, of fifty men were to go down to Kei Bridge, whicli is where the high road to Natal crosses the Kei River, and where a bridge was being constructed, and stay there with an officer till further orders ; and another detachment of twenty-five to a farm on the high road, ?\yr% miles on the Komgha side of the river. This only left about 150 to go to Impetu. I caught these up a few miles on the road, for after our small differences of opinion the day before, they had gone along quite amicably, without any further trouble ; and the 31st of July, soon after midday, we arrived at the old place we knew so well, and made our camp on the banks of a wooded stream, about half a mile from the ruins of Fort Warwick. There was not the least chance now of our having any fighting in this district, for the whole country side was perfectly peaceful, and farmers were in many instances return- ing to their homesteads. Sad, indeed, to them must have been the sight of their homes, which they had left comfortable and bright, with flourishing gardens around, — in some cases well-built houses with even signs A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 299 of luxury, — to find on their return only a mass of charred ruins, with everything port- able gone, and what was left hopelessly de- stroyed. It is not to be wondered at, that KafPrarian farmers regard the Kaffirs with unlimited hatred. There were still parties of thieves hidden away in the fastnesses on the banks of the Kei, who hved on whatever stock they could steal, and were continually making raids on the flocks that grazed anywhere within fifteen or twenty miles of their vicinity, occasionally being bold enough to take sheep at night absolutely out of the kraals. These thieves it was our duty to harass and hunt out; and with this object in view we continually went long patrols, often staying out the night, in different directions. I had brought a gun with me from King, and while in this part of the world had some very fair shooting, making good bags of quail and wood-pigeons. There were a few par- tridges and pheasants, as they are called in South Africa, which are really francolins, and lots of bucks about the size of roebucks, called ** duykei's,'* very pretty animals, but 300 KAFIRLAND ; OR, very tasteless, and about as mean food as I ever have had the bad luck to taste. One day, when I was looking about in the old fort, a hare jumped up from some dead bushes, which had been left there by some Fingoes, and cantered off through the en- trance, and over the grass till stopped. How different was the aspect of the place now, to what it was when I first saw it. Then all was life and activity, — soldiers moving about in every direction among the tents, and in and out of the mess -hut, sentries walking backwards and forwards outside the ditch and well-made abattis. Now the bank had fallen into, and partly filled the ditch, the abattis had all been used for firewood, and at my feet, where the mess-hut itself had stood, was the form of a hare that had taken up her abode here for peace and shelter, poor wretch ! little thinking that the smooth- bore of the times of peace was after all going to put an end to her existence. " What a shame to shoot her ! " doubtless you say, my reader. So it was, and had I had time to think one quarter of what I have written, she would have cantered away unharmed by A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 301 me. How often, reader, have you pulled trigger, and seen the result of your keen eye and steady hand combined, with a feel- ing of joy and triumph? Wait a moment, — although even now your pulse beats more quickly, and your blood tingles, as you recall many a deadly shot at the denizen of the forest or the monarch of the glen, — and re- member your feelings on many an occasion when the soft, tender eye of the deer has looked up at you imploringly, with a tear glistening on its lid, saying as plainly as ever words could speak, " Oh, what have I done to deserve this ? " and as you watched the life-blood flowing, and the laboured breath grow fainter and fainter, ah ! where was your feeling of triumph then ? What would you give to be able to recall the inno- cent life that is even now passing away as you gaze ? About the middle of the month I got orders from Griffith, the Commandant-general of Colonial Forces, who was now my chief, to go with my men round to the other side of the Chechaba Valley to Smith's Farm. This place was, in a straight line, not more than 302 KAFIRLAND ; OR, twelve miles off, but we were obliged to fol- low the road to within tbree miles of Kom- gha, before turning round to get to the other side of the valley, the waggon being unable to take any shorter cut. I went with the men till we came to the point where the road turned round, and there left them to continue their march without me, as I had to go into King to get orders about disbanding them. They were almost all anxious to leave and return to their homes at the end of the month; and as they had come to me at Impetu and told me this respectfully and quietly, I was quite willing to do my best to get the authorities to accede to their wishes. I was but a short time in King, and was told that as the Colonial Secretary was expected in a few days, I had better come in and see him, and receive his orders as to my future movements. I was back with my men again on the 18th, having only left Komgha to go into King on the 15th of August. I re- mained with them but three days, two of which we were out on patrol, when I again started back to King and stayed there two nights. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 303 I got orders from the Colonial Secretary to disband the Tynmie and Amatola Levies, and enroll a fresh one of only a hundred and fifty men, which number I assured him was ample to do all the work that was necessary in the district where we were then quartered. While in King William's Town this visit I attended the public funeral of the two Tain- tons and Brown — I say public funeral ad- visedly, for these poor fellows had been buried privately eight months before. It will be re- membered that they were murdered by the Gaikas at the end of December, 1877, in a very foul, treacherous, and blood-thirsty manner, without having committed any act of aggres- sion towards them. Their bodies had been buried not far from where they were killed, at Snyman*s Laager, about forty miles from King William's Town. Who the nasty indi- vidual was that started the idea of burying them over again publicly I know not ; I would not own him as an acquaintance. I certainly think — and I have not heard a single person express any other opinion — that it was a grue- some and disgusting thing to dig up these three poor fellows, who had lain in the grave 304 KAFIRLAND ; OR, eight months without coffins, put their remains, such as they were, into coffins, and then re-bury them, just to make a spectacle for the admiring populace of King William's Town. The three coffins were placed in the Town Hall on trestles, for the inhabitants to inspect. It was difficult, to my earthly mind, to help thinking of the wretched maltreated flesh ; instead of the brave, noble spirits soaring in the better world. What would they care whether people amused them- selves with their old, cast-off bodies or not ? Still it was very touching to see the near rela- tions weeping over the biers, and I could but think, " When sorrow sleepeth wake it not, But let it slumber on ;" instead of opening the half-healed wound, and bidding the tears of the mourner to flow afresh. Surely, instead of this morbid ceremony, a more appropriate, a more touching tribute of honour to the dead, would have been a suitable monument, raised to their memory, either at the place where their bodies were first buried, or, better still, on the spot where they gave away their lives for their country. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 305 murdered by the very people among whom they had lived and ably done their duty, and who never had cause but to love and respect them. The funeral was much like any other. Long procession, muffled drums, " Dead march in Saul,'* firing party, drunken volunteers, &c., &c. The costumes of many of the peo- ple who assembled to do honour to the dead were marvellous in the extreme, and (tell it not in Gath) on the head which ought to have shown an example to all, as being that of the highest civil official in the colony at the time, was a billycock hat with a weeper on it. Such are manners in South Africa ! I heard, and can perfectly believe it, that the town was one vast chaos of drunkenness that night. Volunteers were bidden by the au- thorities to attend the funeral, and so there were hundreds of them present ; and I don't doubt they turned the whole town into a pan- demonium. I am thankful I was peacefully in barracks, with the l-24th, and did not even hear a sound of orgies going on. When I had left our camp at Smith's Farm, I had given orders that the corps was to move X 3o6 KAFIRLAND ; OR, on to the old Police Station above the Kei, where we had been in February, and wait there till I joined them, which I did on the 26th. I had visited our detachments on my way back, and had ascertained which men were willing to serve longer, and which of them wanted to return to their homes. On reach- ing our camp I did the same with the men there, and thus ascertained how many fresh men I should have to enroll to make my number up to a hundred and fifty. The next morning I was off to King again, to get their pay, and see the magistrate of Komgha about getting the men I wanted from his district. I trust it will not be thought that I was using only one horse for this endless gallop- ing backwards and forwards between my camp and King. I had bought a second and borrowed a third, and they all three had about as much as they could well manage in the way of work at that time. I was again in King for two nights this visit; and having completed the pay-sheets and got money, I left on the 30th, spent the night at Kei Road, and, leaving early, was in Komgha soon after breakfast-time next morning, and A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 307 paid the men at once, and sent them about their business. In spite of these men having done what I never heard of Fingoes doing before, viz. presented me with tokens of their esteem, in the shape of a gold signet-ring and a silver pencil-case, I did not like them very much. They could not be compared to the old Keis- kamma Hoek men, either for work, bravery, or discipline, and they used very often to rile me to a great extent. I think I only once had to use the " cat'* to my own men, wliile the Tynmie men and those from the Amatolas used to require it pretty frequently to keep them in order. I stayed the night at the nice orderly little hotel in Komgha, where mine host and hostess, Mr. and Mrs. TroUip, always did their utmost to make me comfortable, and suc- ceeded admirably. I must say I have never in my life met with greater civility and goodwill than this charming old couple have invariably shown me. — N.B. Civility is very scarce in South Africa. I was off early next morning to Thomp- son's Farm, and very soon had my new levy X 2 3o8 KAFIRLAND ; OR, all assembled. They were a rough, rowdy lot, and I knew from the look of some of them that very soon there would be exten- sive differences of opinion between them and their commandant. I had received orders when in King to return to Impetu at once, and this as soon as possible we did, arriving there on the 5th of September. As we were likely to be stationary for a long time, we took a good deal of trouble in arranging our camp. The place we chose for it was at the edge of a beautiful clump of trees, on a nice grassy expanse, which sloped down to a little stream a stone's throw off. The men were some distance on the other side of the stream, and were not allowed to cross it except on duty, and their dogs, (a lot of mangy curs, which could be counted by dozens,) not at all, on pain of death. Many of them suffered the extreme penalty of the law; by far the happiest thing, especially for themselves, that could happen. They were, if possible, bigger thieves than their owners, and lived on what they could steal ; and till they were shot not a A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 309 thing could we keep in the shape of food, either in the tents or out of them. We had a mess-hut built and a table con- structed of two large rifle-chests, and seats of biscuit and other boxes. Here were we most comfortable, and having already worried all the thieves to such an extent, that they had either surrendered themselves to the authorities in despair, or fled to distant and less protected regions, we had but little to do. The Komgha levy at first tried on a few little games, in the shape of stealing meal from the waggon and brandy from one of the tents ; but we soon nipped these offences in the bud. The stealer of the brandy was soon detected by being found dead drunk, with the empty bottle firmly but affectionately clasped to his breast. A small matter of three dozen, ably laid on, taught this indivi- dual that such offences were not allowed in the levy to which he had the honour to belong. The thief of the meal was not discovered, and therefore the rations of the whole corps were stopped for two days. There was an 3IO KAFIRLAND ; OR, awful clamour and wailing at this ; but I told them it was perfectly impossible that fifty pounds of meal could have been taken from the waggon without many of the corps knowing about it, and did they bring me the culprits, rations should be at once served out. However, they are like the Irish, and will not inform against each other. They therefore had to wait for their food till the appointed time; and flat indeed were their stomachs, and loudly crying '' cupboard," before the time came for their craving to be satisfied. One or two more offences, promptly met and severely punished, soon established a feel- ing of amity between us, and in the future we all got on remarkably well together, and the " cat-of-nine" heaved a sigh and retired into the depths of the commandant's tent. At the end of September I went into King "William's Town; and en route at Blaney Junction, which is a station between Kei Road and King, I met, as previously ar- ranged, my dear old friend Sivewright, who was on his way to Natal overland. He stayed two nights in King, and most pleasant A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 311 it was, seeing a home face again, and talking over all the events of the eight months since we had parted in January. He left for Natal, going by train to Kei Road ; and from there was going to ride the whole way to Maritz- burg, a long and dreary journey. The day after he left, I got a letter saying that my wife was coming out in the " Anglian," which vessel was due at Cape Town in about a week's time. Having had no leave at all during the war, I thought I would ask for a fortnight or three weeks, and run round to Cape Town and meet her. The authorities having given me three weeks' leave, I went off at once to East London, and having taken steamer was soon on my way round the Cape. After a most capital voyage, with cheery companions and good whist — the greatest advantage during a voyage — we steamed into Table Bay, only a few hours before the " Anglian " appeared on the horizon and was signalled from the hill. I strolled round the docks to meet her. In she came, gliding along so smoothly and evenly, the bulwarks crowded with faces all 312 KAFIRLAND ; OR, looking eagerly for their friends. I could not see the face I wanted, however, but supposed it was hidden in the inmost re- cesses of portmanteaus down below, while busy hands were putting the finishing touches to the almost endless packing of a lady's "kit" before disembarking. Still, I thought it rather queer, and there was a very unpleasant "himpiness" in my throat. On came the vessel, and past where I was sitting on a coil of rope, round the corner of the dock, without a scrape, and got safely to her berth at the dock- side. People began flocking on and off her, and by and by I strolled on board; and having found the stewardess, asked her, with as unconcerned countenance as possible, " Has any lady of the name of " (mentioning the name handed down to me by my ancestors) " come with you this voyage?" "No, sir, no one of that name," was her reply. To whom, in jocund tone, I said, " Thank you, that's all right. I was half afraid that a letter I wrote to stop my sister coming out might not have reached England in time." Reader, do you think I took the old lady in ? Not one bit A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 313 of it. I became acquainted with her during two voyages in the old " Anghan " a httle later along the coast, and we became great allies, and she assures me she saw through me like glass. I will candidly allow it was a sell — a very finely developed sell. I had come as far as from London to Lisbon all for nothing, and might just go back again by the first steamer. The day being Sunday, I could get no letters, and had to remain in the dark as to the non- appearance of my better half; but in the morning found that a letter, telling me of a change of plans, had not reached me in time. Hinc illce lacrymce, I stayed a few days in Cape Town till the " Anglian '' continued her way, and then started back to Kaffraria in her. Before leaving, I received a telegram from General Thesiger, asking me to go to Natal and serve under him as commandant of native levies. Then, thinking that my wife would not be out for some time, I gladly ac- cepted his offer, and held myself at his disposal ; but receiving news very soon that my wife was after all coming out almost 314 KAFIRLAND ; OR, immediately, I was obliged to ask him to be good enough to cancel my acceptance of his kind offer. He wrote to me in reply, saying he should be most happy to let me off, and thought I was quite right in wishing to attend to my domestic duties, as my wife would so soon be on the shores of Africa; which same shores, are not at all the sort of place that any lady would care to be alone on. I got back to our camp at Impetu on the 25th October, having been detained nearly a week in King owing to a suh^poena, which kept me hanging about at the Court House, waiting for a trial to come on in which I was a witness ; but, after all, my evidence was not required. I had received orders to disband my men at the end of the month, for I had repre- sented to the authorities that it was perfectly useless keeping us enrolled any longer, there being nothing for us to do, and that we were simply an unnecessary expense. I now had my hands full, in getting everything settled by the end of the month. Pay-sheets were already nearly complete, A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 315 as I had done all that could be done away from camp while waiting in King. The men were to be dismissed at Kei Road, instead of bringing them into King, for a drove of Fingoes let loose upon society with their pockets full of money is not a desirable thing. There were a great many blue-bucks in the bush round about Impetu, and I had promised my retainer Jim, who was a most ardent sportsman — many the rabbit he has taken out of a wire in a Hampshire hedgerow, with furtive glance over his shoulder, ere peep of day — that I would go out one day and try to get some of them. Accordingly, we made a start at daylight the morning after I got back, and were out some hours, having a fairly successful day, and bagging I think between fifteen and twenty rabbits. I took all the men who were willing to come as beaters, and walked through the bush with them, the other guns going wherever they thought a shot likely. I was amused that day by a farmer who was with us, asking me if I could shoot in the bush, when he saw me starting with the beaters. The cover was 3i6 KAFIRLAND ; OR, fairly clear at tlie bottom, and not at all difficult shooting. I did not quite understand what he meant till he explained that it was very difficult to shoot bucks in the bush. This was rather humbling to a man who flattered himself he had been a fairly suc- cessful shot in cover in the old country through a longish string of seasons, and had not been used to consider that it required a conjurer to knock rabbits over in the stuff, scuttled they never so smartly. However, he thought better of me by the end of the day. Many people in the colony, especially Dutchmen, think we English can none of us shoot straight. I once saw a most amusing episode, which was an instance of this. I was one of a party who were having a shoot on the farm of a Dutchman which abounded with game of all sorts. There was an Englishman among us, lately from home, who certainly that day had been shooting splendidly, knocking over whatever got up in front of him, whether fur or feathers, with charming regularity and precision. The owner of the farm, who was a very facetious and chaffy sort of cove, had been at all of us A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN 317 about Englishmen being poor shots, and while we were dawdling about at dinner time, in and out of the house, he was very heavy on to this remarkably good shot, about the badness of the shooting of all of us, and his in particular. My friend was very quiet, and didn't say much, except that he thought he knew a few men, in the old country, who could squint pretty straight along a pair of barrels. The chaff being still continued, he said, " Look here, my friend, there hangs your Sunday go-to-meeting hat in the pas- sage; just you chuck that up in the air, and although I don't pretend to shoot straight er than my neighbours, I'll give you ten pounds if I miss it." Up jumped the Dutchman, thinking he was on to a real good thing, the hat not being worth at the outside more than fifteen shillings, puggaree and all. The money was duly posted and up flew the hat into the air, and in due course got to ground again, after an erratic course, a crumpled rag, nearly every shot in the charge having gone through it. Scarcely had the Dutch- man picked up the battered "roof," with doleful visage, when there descended on his 3i8 KAFIRLAND ; OR, head such a ringing slap that he jumped neariy out of his skin, and, turning round, there stood his very much better half, with dire anger depicted on her round and rubi- cund visage at such an awful catastrophe. Her last words audible, as she retired within the dwelling with the tattered head-gear in hand, were, "Oh that it had but been the hat so well worn." If she referred to the one on her husband's head, well worn indeed it was, and an uncommonly valueless asset. But to return to business. All the after- noon and evening were occupied in packing up our "traps," — throwing away many things not worth carriage, and giving away a great many more, apparently worth some- thing to the recipients though valueless to us. The next morning, as early as possible, we spanned-in the oxen, struck the tents for the last time, and having set fire to the mess- hut, bade adieu, probably for ever, to camp life as Fingo officers. I had to go forward to King William's Town to get money to pay off the corps, so I left them with orders to get to Kei Eoad by the next evening, where I would meet them. A TEN MONTHS' CAMPAIGN. 319 We had two days at Kei Road, during which time I gave up all guns, surplus com- missariat stores, ammunition, and all Govern- ment property whatever. On the morning of the 31st of October, I paid all the men and dismissed them to their homes; and having taken leave of the officers, Jim and I went to the Railway Station and took our places in the train, en route for East London and Cape Town. Thus ended my experiences as a commandant of Fingoes, at the very place where I had first gone among the " lambs *' with whom I had dwelt so long. A day or two later we sailed from East London in the " Anglian," she being on her way back to Cape Town and England. I had indeed had a wild, rough life, with much toil and hardship, and, at times a feel- ing of depression and sadness that could scarcely be overcome. But, on the other hand, I had fallen in with many charming companions, and made one or two friend- ships, which I trust will last as long as 1 do myself; and I had been present at not a few pleasant days and cheery nights spent 32b KAFIRLAND. in fun and frolic, both in barrack and in camp. I could not but feel glad that I had taken this work in hand, though I heartily rejoiced that it was now over. As I leaned against the bulwarks, while we were bounding onward and onward over the clear waves, and saw the purple moun- tains of KaflPraria growing fainter and fainter in the distance, my thoughts went wandering back to the time which I had been spending among them. I thought of the health and strength that I had enjoyed the whole time, and the dangers through which I had safely come ; while I silently lifted up my heart in praise to Him, who had thus brought to a prosperous and peaceful end my " Ten Months' Campaigning in Kafirland." FINIS. GILBEBI & EIVINGTON", PEINTEES, ST. JOHN's SQTXABE, LONDON. THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW AN INITIAL FJ^OF 25 CENTS WILL BE ASSESSED FOR FAILURE TO RETURN THIS BOOK ON THE DATE DUE. THE PENAL^ day'' ITr^'l^'r^V'' ^° '"'^''^^ °^ "^"^ '^<^"R™ oCERDr^ ^'''''' ''^ ^"^ ^^^^^^'^ DAY OVERDUE. 7.Jan'58ii REC'D LD DEC 20 1957 REC'D LD FEB 7 4 21-50m-l,'38 YB 344'^'^ yjyj 822359^^777 Syr ^ / UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA UBRARY