"After a short search, we discovered the bodies of the two Cape Corps men, named Tieman and Dragooner; the latter was noted for the courage he had displayed during the war, and in the action at the Gwanga, saved George Napier's life, by shooting a Kaffir at the moment he had placed the muzzle of a firelock against his breast. It appeared that he and his fellow sufferer, after the rest of the party drove the cattle from the neighbouring kraal, had-lured by some Kaffir women-been induced to return, and that whilst in the act of drinking milk, a large number of the enemy rushed out of the bush, overpowered, and put them to death; this was witnessed from a distance by their comrades, who were too few in number to afford any assistance, and were themselves fortunate to escape with their lives. "Meanwhile, we could see large numbers of Kaffirs assembling on the outskirts of the bush, with which the neighbouring mountains were covered; but, from the nature of the ground, it was impossible to get at them; and we tried in vain, by setting fire to Nonube's kraal, to incite them to come to us; as they, however, showed no disposition to oblige us in this respect, after ungallantly reducing to ashes the Carthage of this modern Dido, we proceeded to bury the remains of the poor fellows who had been killed. They were both Hottentots, a race, even during life, seldom distinguished by personal attractions; but I never recollect seeing any thing so hideous as their appearance after death; the only way you could form an idea of what they then resembled, would be by tightly drawing an old discoloured, dingy black silk handkerchief over a fleshless human skull! "We now retraced our steps to the first rendezvous of the morning, ten or twelve miles distant, which we were not sorry to reach, after having-under a broiling sun-been upwards of twelve hours in the saddle, our gallant old chief, Colonel Somerset, looking as fresh as when he first started in the morning. "On our arrival, we found that the rest of the division, which we had parted from the evening before, had come up; and it was ascertained that the result of the day's work was the capture of 1500 head of cattle, and twelve or fourteen Kaffirs killed-our losses amounting to the two men of the Cape Corps before alluded to, with their arms and horses. "The camp of the second division, forming a large hollow square, with the parade-ground in the centre, and the waggons, as usual in this part of the world, composing a sort of rampart around, was pitched near the Chalumna, a small stream running between the Keiskamma and Buffaloe Rivers; but as no accommodation was apparently provided for the 'amateurs,' and as we received no hospitable invite from any one belonging to the force, I was obliged to set up in the centre of the square a small patrole tent,--which I had fortunately brought with me on the occasion. "This little gipsey tent, weighing about twenty pounds, which I always carry on my sumpter horse, and often find useful on a pinch, is about three feet high, covers a piece of ground six feet long by two and a half wide, and being made of waterproof painted canvass, is, as may be well imagined, not very well adapted for a summer residence during the day, under the scorching influence of an African sun. Having, therefore, piled our saddles and saddle-bags around, as a sort of rampart, should the Kaffirs-according to their common practice-fire at night into the camp, Colonel M― and myself having managed to secure a few slices off a recently slaughtered ox, carried our prize to the shelter of some trees bordering the stream, where, with the assistance of a small gridiron, the culinary talents of Mr. Jacob, my Hottentot "Sam Weller," and some hard biscuit, still left in our saddle-bags, we concocted a meal, which —though it said but little for the hospitality of this portion of the force -was, nevertheless, devoured with all the zest imparted by starvation, and then both of us creeping into our confined domicile, we slept soundly and undisturbed after all the fatigues of the day. "This morning we were roused at an early hour-though we could otherwise have slept much longer-by the sun striking on the painted canvass of our tent, from whence we were soon driven by the excessive heat; we next presented the rather, I should imagine, unusual sight, of two field officers performing their toilet in the open air, for the benefit of every spectator, and then eating their breakfast on a table of saddles, under-even at this early hour-a scorching sun, in the midst of a square formed of waggons containing every requisite, and by numerous commodious tents occupied by their brother officers in the same service! Unprecedented as such a circumstance may perhaps be, it nevertheless befel us unfortunate 'amateurs.' Driven from our rest by the stifling heat of the tent, we were next obliged to seek refuge from the unbearable rays of the sun, by retreating under cover of the thick bush, clothing the ravine through which flows the Chalumna. Here-(for I am now scribbling under its hospitable shelter), we have at least the benefit of shade, and a greater degree of coolness than we could possibly enjoy in the best tent of the camp. We have had a bathe in one of those deep shady pools so often met with in South African streams-and as we carry nearly all our wardrobe on our backs, you may well imagine that our linen by this time, stood much in need of a little cleansing. We therefore thought we could not do better than follow the laudable example set to us by the Hottentot women and other camp followers, who nearly divested of all clothing (for one cannot well have a shirt or petticoat at the wash, and wear it at one and the same time) were busily engaged in purifying the same. Ingratiating ourselves, therefore, into the good graces of the nearest sable nymph, we borrowed a bit of soap, and were soon engaged in rather a novel species of special service!' "Though novices in the art, we flatter ourselves with having made a capital wash,' and are now sitting al fresco' anxiously watching the process of drying, my friend in a brown study, with his rifle by his side, whilst I am scribbling away on the little portfolio I always carry about with me wherever I go. "Camp, Block Drift, Nov. 27, 1846. "Here I am once more safely returned to head-quarters, but must now 'hark back,' and endeavour to fill up the hiatus in my journal from the 24th, when I left off as we sat nearly 'puris naturalibus' awaiting the drying of our newly-washed garments, which we had not yet donned, when a terrible hubbub suddenly occurred amongst the camp followers *The above was written in the situation described, during the course of a long and grilling South African summer's day. along the banks of the rivulet. A report had spread of the Kaffirs being upon us, and the most ludicrous scene took place, as the Hottentot women with piercing screams, and in all the unadorned beauty of their prominent and nearly naked charms, now rushed towards the camp, carrying the bundles of wet clothes under their arms. It proved, however, after all, to be a false alarm, and we therefore had now time to dress ourselves, but M was so heartily disgusted, that he proposed we should apply at once for a tent. "I'll see Jack* Somerset before I ask him,' was my wrathful reply, but if you can manage to get one for yourself I shall be very glad to pay you a visit.' "My friend accordingly went, and in half an hour Mr. Jacob came to announce that a marquee had been pitched, which, to confess the truth, I was not sorry for. "I feel convinced that this inhospitable treatment proceeded not from the gallant chief himself-a gruff, though fine warm-hearted old soldierwho probably knew nothing of our amateur' discomforts, but from some kind friend, who thinking us 'de trop,' took this means of disgusting and driving us away from the second division. Were this, as I imagine, the intention of the individual in question, it fully succeeded, for we resolved on the very first opportunity to leave a scene where our merits appeared to be so little appreciated, and where we had experienced so poor a welcome, though from this charge of inhospitality I must in justice exempt my friend Colonel Mackinnon, and one or two officers of the 73rd, who showed us whatever attention lay in their power. "On the 25th, at day-break-taking advantage of the protection afforded by an escort carrying despatches, we left the 2nd division at the Chalumna, and to prove to you what sharp fellows are these Kaffirs, a few miles from the camp we counted no less than 500 head of cattle which had been driven back by them since the passage of the troops. Shortly afterwards, just as we were about to enter the Keiskamma bush, a couple of Kaffir scouts were seen to dive into the jungle-to carry, as we feared, intelligence of our approach. "These prognostications were soon verified, for we had not proceeded above half way down the wooded descent, when, at a part of the road lined on each side by dense bush, and commanded by an eminence close above it—a large party of Kaffirs suddenly showed themselves on the latter. From the nature of the ground, we appeared to be completely at their mercy; and in expectation of seeing half the party next minute out of their saddles, I gave orders to the escort to trot quickly by without firing, and thus, enveloped in a cloud of dust, we passed close under their noses without molestation, they having probably taken us for the advance of a larger party, and being perhaps unable to distinguish the smallness of our numbers. We continued to advance rapidly through the bush until we had crossed the ford of the Keiskamma and reached the comparatively open country on the other side, shortly after which the escort turned off to the left, towards Fort Peddie; whilst, together with Farley (my Cape Corps orderly) and our two servants, we pushed along Colonel Somerset often went by this "sobriquet." the direct road to Block Drift, leading across the battle-field of the Gwanga, from which I carried in token of memento a Kaffir skull. "A ride of fifty miles, under the influence of a powerful sun and sharp drying wind, both of which combined, peeled the skin off our weather-beaten countenances, brought us, after one or two 'off-saddlings,' to the camp at Phoonahs Kloof, where we luckily got a comfortable tent for the night, which was bitterly cold, and also met with the greatest hospitality (strongly contrasting with our late treatment), at the hands of Lieut. Fitzgerald, of the 91st, who then commanded at this post, and who had greatly distinguished himself by his gallantry during the war. "Ere starting early on the 26th (yesterday) our kind host supplied us with a cup of hot coffee, which thawed us sufficiently to enable us to get into the saddle, and we reached Block Drift just in time for the mess breakfast of the 90th, after nearly a week's absence, during which time we have been enabled to form from experience, a tolerably correct idea of the hardships undergone by our troops, during this unsatisfactory campaign-the more unsatisfactory as little is to be hoped from its results, either in the shape of credit or advantage." My angel! when the morning stars 'Twixt Magdalene, and she who mourned On Judah's Hills her doom, Thou sittest lily-crowned, and wav'st My angel! for mine own thou art— So when He breathed my spirit forth, An anxious fearful mother's love My angel! as a curtain fell Thy bright wings o'er my head, By some seraphic sympathy A night-mare borne on solemn winds- My angel! we shall one day meet- The seraph king shall stand; My angel! when the human swarm My angel! I can image thee, Gazing, as pilot on the bark My angel! when Heav'n's tide of light |