WHAT I SAW IN KAFFIR-LAND BY SIR STEPHEN LAKEMAN MAZHAR PACHA “ Militia est potior. Quid enim? ” WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS EDINBURGH AND LONDON MDCCCLXXX All Rights reserved...

This book contains extracts from the daily record of impressions made on my mind, by men and events, as we performed together our allotted parts, in one short tragical episode at the Cape. Very little has been omitted; nothing has been added. It is a simple narrative, taken from the Book of my Life, of which, if it is not the opening chapter, it is at least one of the first. If by my observations I have hurt any one’s feelings, this may have been caused by these persons having ruffled mine. If I

ATTACHED TO THE FRENCH MILITARY STAFF IN ALGERIA—THE MINIE RIFLE—INTERVIEWS WITH THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON AND OTHERS—WAR AT THE CAPE—I OFFER MY SERVICES—RED-TAPE DIFFICULTIES—START FOR THE CAPE. In the year 1847 I was attached to the French staff in Algeria, and during several expeditions, both against Arabs and Kabyles, I became deeply impressed with the great superiority of the Minie rifle over the old smooth-bore. On my return to England I did all I could to enforce on the military authorities

LAND AT ST VINCENT—SHOOTING EXCURSION ON THE ISLAND—STRANGE DREAM—NARROWLY ESCAPE SHIPWRECK—ARRIVE AT SIERRA LEONE—INTERVIEW WITH THE GOVERNOR—OFFICIAL CEREMONIES—VISIT THE BISHOP—OFFICIAL INSIGNIA—ST HELENA—NEGLECTED STATE OF THE HOUSE WHERE NAPOLEON DIED. In the same ship were the newly-appointed Governor of the Cape, Mr Darling, and a Mr Macdonald, also recently appointed to the Gambia. The voyage was pleasant on all sides—ship, sea, and passengers—until we put into the Isle of St Vincent for

ARRIVE AT THE CAPE—VALUABLE ASSISTANCE FROM LOCAL AUTHORITIES—A CORPS OF VOLUNTEERS FORMED—GENERAL SIR HARRY SMITH’S DIFFICULTIES—DAMAGED STATE OF STORES AND AMMUNITION—OBLIGED TO INVENT A MINIE BALL—HAPPY JACK—THE COMPOSITION OF THE CORPS—REFLECTIONS—COLONEL NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN—HIS PRESENT OF A SWORD AND ITS SUBSEQUENT HISTORY IN TURKEY. We now proceeded in the same pleasant manner on our way to the Cape, and landed there, after what was then thought a rapid passage of thirty-five days. We foun

FIRST ATTEMPTS AT DISCIPLINE IN CORPS—PREPARE TO START FOR THE FRONT—DIFFICULTY OF GETTING MEN ON BOARD SHIP—REVIEW AND SHAM FIGHT—FIRST FEATS OF ARMS—EMBARKATION—ARRIVE AT FORT ELIZABETH—ONWARD MARCH TOWARDS GRAHAM’S TOWN—FIRST ENCAMPMENT IN THE BUSH—MUTINY AND PUNISHMENT—FURTHER ADVANCE—PANIC AND FLIGHT. To return to my men at the Cape;—Happy Jack and I, after many a good look at one another, were gradually nearing the point of trying conclusions as to which of the two really commanded the cor

THE DUTCH AND ENGLISH SETTLERS—FIRST TRIAL OF THE MINIE AT THE CAPE—I PART WITH HAPPY JACK—MARCH INTO GRAHAM’S TOWN—THE OFFICERS OF THE CORPS—COLONEL CLOËTE—SHORTCOMINGS OF THE SERVICE—THE COMMISSARIAT ORDERED TO FORT BEAUFORT—ARRIVE AT HEADQUARTERS. As a rule, I found the settlers—English and Dutch—a fine, generous-hearted set of people; and many of them who read these lines may, I hope, think with pleasure of the happy times we passed together. It was a great relief to get rid of my sick men,

MY REPORT TO GENERAL COMMANDING ON STATE OF THE ROAD—OFFEND THE STAFF, BUT RECEIVE PRESENT OF CHARGER FROM GENERAL—SURPRISED AT CLOSE PROXIMITY OF KAFFIRS—OFFER TO TAKE NEARER VIEW—AM SNUBBED IN CONSEQUENCE—ASSIGNED POST OF ADVANCED-GUARD IN GENERAL ATTACK UNDER GENERAL NAPIER—ASCENT OF THE WATER-KLOOF—ORDERED TO DISLODGE KAFFIRS FROM HORSE-SHOE LINE OF BUSH—IN ACTION—HESITATION—SUCCESS—SECOND ATTACK UNDER ARTILLERY-FIRE—THE MINIE RIFLE AGAIN—KAFFIR DEVOTION—THEIR NATURE, AND HOW TO FIGHT THEM—A

“ Fort Beaufort , Aug. 31, 1852. “ Sir ,—Having submitted your report of the 29th inst., I am directed to convey to you, by desire of the Commander of the Forces, his Excellency’s satisfaction with the constant activity and military energy you have displayed since you have been engaged in the operations in the vicinity of the Water-kloof. (Signed) “ A. J. Cloëte , Quartermaster-General .” A native levy of Fingoes was now adjoined to my command. This strengthened my position considerably; but wha

FORMIDABLE ATTACK ON WATER-KLOOF—THE “BLACKSMITH’S SHOP”—SLIGHTLY WOUNDED OVER THE EYEBROW—DICTATE REPORT TO COLONEL CLOËTE IN PRESENCE OF GENERAL—I AM OMITTED IN GENERAL ORDERS—PROCEED TO GRAHAM’S TOWN TO REQUEST REVISION OF THE ORDER—INTERVIEW WITH GENERAL CATHCART—RECEIVE GENERAL ORDER TO MYSELF—OFFERS OF GRANTS OF LAND FOR THE MEN WHO WISHED TO SETTLE—REMOVE TO BLAKEWAY’S FARM. News now arrived in camp that the Commander-in-chief, with all the forces at his disposal, consisting of several th

KAFFIR CHARACTERISTICS—THE CRUELTIES OF WAR—NO REAL SYMPATHY BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE—KAFFIR CRUELTIES—NIGHT ATTACK ON A KAFFIR VILLAGE—WOUNDED PRISONER—“DOCTOR” DIX—KAFFIRS BECOME RARE—CAPTURE OF NOZIAH, SANDILLI’S SISTER—SUSPICIOUS DEATH OF HER ATTENDANT—SERGEANT HERRIDGE. It was during this period, while all elements of warfare at the Cape were dying of exhaustion, that I had time to observe many characteristics of the Kaffir race. One remarkable trait in their character is their sterling sing

NOZIAH AT BLAKEWAY’S FARM—BECOMES A FAVOURITE WITH THE MEN—WISHES TO RECONCILE ME TO HER BROTHER SANDILLI—EXPEDITION SENT OUT TO FIND SANDILLI AND ARRANGE FOR AN INTERVIEW—RETURNS AFTER TWENTY-THREE DAYS’ ABSENCE—I GO WITH NOZIAH TO MEET HER BROTHER—SANDILLI’S WAR-COUNCIL—ANGRY RECEPTION—I OBTAIN A HEARING—SANDILLI’S REPLY—OFFERS TO MEET GENERAL CATHCART AND MAKE AN EXPLANATION TO HIM—DEMORALISING EFFECT OF EXPOSING LIFE IN FIGHTING. Meanwhile Noziah had made herself very comfortable at Blakeway

RETURN OF GENERAL CATHCART FROM BASUTOLAND—END OF THE WAR—SPORTING ADVENTURES—LOVING TORTOISES—EVENING REVERIES—A SUDDEN ATTACK FROM AN UNKNOWN ENEMY—PLANS FOR HIS CAPTURE—UNSUCCESSFUL—ANOTHER ATTEMPT—NIGHT VIGILS—CLOSE QUARTERS—DEATH OF THE LEOPARD—WILD-BOAR HUNTING—BABOONS—MY PACK OF HOUNDS—THEY ARE ATTACKED BY BABOONS—POOR DASH’S FATE—SNAKES. General Cathcart now returned from his Basutoland expedition, where British soldiers proved once more their many sterling qualities. I shall not, howeve

KAFFIR KNOWLEDGE OF SURGERY—MANNERS MORE ARTIFICIAL THAN NATURAL—PEACE CONCLUDED WITH SANDILLI AND MACOMO—INDIFFERENT CHARACTER OF THE TREATY OF PEACE—THE CORPS DISBANDED—THANKS OF COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF—RETURN TOWARDS THE CAPE—ADDRESSES FROM THE INHABITANTS OF FORT BEAUFORT AND GRAHAM’S TOWN—ENGINEERING TASTES—SAM ROWE—THE MARY JANE—I EMBARK FOR CAPE TOWN. Kaffir witchcraft assumes so many fantastic forms, that it is difficult to give a notion as to any guiding principle in it. Hatred of the Europe

ARRIVAL AT THE CAPE—OPINIONS ON THE WAR THERE—THE CONVERSION OF THE HEATHEN—BAPTISM OF A RECENT CONVERT—CONVERTED JEWS IN BUCHAREST—THE METROPOLITAN OF THE GREEK CHURCH AND AN ENGLISH BISHOP—THE VOYAGE HOME—THE ARETHUSA—NOZIAH VISITS CAPE TOWN TO BID ME GOOD-BYE—AFRICAN TROPHIES—REFLECTIONS ON THE ACTUAL STATE OF THE CAPE. On landing at Cape Town, I soon found that quite a different feeling existed regarding my dealings with the Kaffirs from the views taken of them in the eastern portion of the

ST HELENA—ASCENSION—MONKEYISH PRANKS IN THE “HORSE” LATITUDES—YOUNG BEN’S FATE—AN IRISH WAKE ON THE LINE—NARROW ESCAPE—THE MAURITIUS STEAMSHIP—OCEAN VISITORS—A WESTERLY GALE—SIGHT THE WHITE CLIFFS OF BRIGHTON—SALUTE THE NATIVE SOIL—A GREEDY MOUTHFUL—A DARK IMPRESSION—DIRECT ATTENTION OF GOVERNMENT TO NEGLECTED STATE OF NAPOLEON’S LATE RESIDENCE IN ST HELENA—OBTAIN REPLY IN 1855—DESIRE TO OBTAIN ACTIVE MILITARY EMPLOYMENT—DELAYS OF THE HORSE GUARDS AUTHORITIES—MY RECEPTION THERE. We had a fine pa

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