Extracts Relating to the Zulu War of 1879
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EXTRACTS RELATING TO THE ZULU WAR OF 1879 From THE GRAPHIC, AN ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY NEWSPAPER, JANUARY TO DECEMBER 1879 EDITOR’S NOTE The extracts in the following pages were made during 2003/4 from my complete collection of original editions of The Graphic, covering the period January to December 1879. Care has been taken to extract every reference having a bearing, directly or indirectly, on the Zulu War. The spelling of personal and place names is the same as used in the original, but there has also been a very wide variety of general spellings, from various journalists. So, for the purpose of clarification of place names, a list of their modern equivalent is set out below. By way of an appendix I have included a treatise on The Zulu Army compiled in 1879 by direction of Lord Chelmsford. A copy of which was made available to me by courtesy of the Durban Municipal Library. It is hoped that a further file of The Graphic pictures can be added to this section in due course. Copyright Debinair Publishing 2005. Permission to use the following material can be obtained from; Debinair Publishing Ltd Sportsman Farm Man of Kent Lane High Halden Kent. TN30 6SY 1 The Graphic; Jan. 4 1879: P.18 In SOUTH AFRICA Cetywayo maintains his sulky attitude, committing himself definitively to neither peace nor war, but it is generally thought that the outbreak of hostilities is only a question of time. The Graphic; Jan. 11, 1879; P.34 Under Foreign – Miscellaneous. In SOUTH AFRICA the preparation for war with the Zulu King Cetywayo continues, though nothing definite has been decided upon. Considerable uneasiness is expressed by many colonists regarding the arming of the native levies, as it is not believed that they are to be trusted. The Graphic; Jan 18, 1879; P.66 Under Foreign – Miscellaneous In SOUTH AFRICA Cetywayo has only partly accepted Sir Bartle Frere’s ultimatum, and has been informed that the terms could not be altered. The time allowed for consideration expired on the 1st inst., and General Lord Chelmsford had gone to Greytown to take command of the forces. Greytown is by 80 miles from Cetewayo’s headquarters, where he is said to be concentrating his forces. The Graphic; Feb 1 1879; P.98 Under Topics of the Week. THE THREATENED ZULU WAR – Many of us are old enough to remember a time when the very name of Cape Colony (including under that head all our South African possessions) stank in the nostrils of the British tax-payer, and when he fervently wished that England had left the Dutch to administer that troublesome country. The reason was than one Caffre War succeeded another, that these wars cost a great deal of money and that John Bull at home had to pay the piper. Gradually, a discovery dawned on John Bull; he learnt that these periods of strife were, for the colonists scattered over a somewhat poor and barren country by no means unmixed calamities, as the presence of British redcoats set money circulating and stimulated trade. Thereupon John waxed wroth, and told the colonists plainly that for the future they must manage for themselves to keep their savage neighbours under control. The result of this decision was that for a long time after 1853 a period of tranquillity set in. Then came the diamond discoveries, and men fondly hoped that after all the Cape was going to thrive as well as Australia (England’s pet child) had thriven. But now there came a cloud across the sky. Dutchmen, like their English cousins, have “ways” of their own, and don’t like to be interfered with. Certain Boers, discontented at being interfered with, did not revolt – it is not the custom at the Cape – but “made tracks” into the interior, where they started a couple of Republics “on their own hook”. And now comes in the peculiarity which distinguishes the Cape from all other big colonies. In Canada and Australia the aboriginal races are few in number compared 2 with the white invaders. Even in New Zealand, where once there was serious trouble, the two races live peaceably side-by-side, and the aboriginals are rapidly dwindling away. But at the Cape the Natives thoroughly hold their own. Even within the colonial limits they outnumber the people of European origin, while beyond the borders there are millions of them. Nor are they a tame, effeminate folk, like the Bengalese. They are sturdy, muscular fellows, loving the chase, and loving war. The Transvaal Republic was hemmed in by these savages, and, being involved in a quarrel with them, was in imminent danger of extinction. We were forced to annex the Republic for its own good, as men kill a sick pig to save its life. Since that date the whole Caffre population has been in an excited state, and war has succeeded to war. By this time probably we are war with Cetewayo, a military despot, who has been for yeas training his Zulu warriors for the express purposes of trying conclusions with the English. We will not here attempt to ascertain who is responsible for this fresh outbreak, though we have little doubt that Cetewayo is not altogether in the wrong. Our object rather is to point out that this Zulu War is a matter of far more important to the South African colonies that it is to England, and, now that the Cape Colony proper is in possession of responsible government, she ought to take the lead among the sisterhood of States, instead of holding aloof, and allowing the poor old over- weighted mother country to bear the brunt of the struggle. If this course be not followed we ought to do one of two things; either let the colonists manage their own wars, contenting ourselves with a naval station or two on the coast, or govern South Africa as India is governed. The Graphic; Feb 1, 1879: P.106 Under Foreign – Miscellaneous The new from SOUTH AFRICA is very serious, for Cetewayo not having vouchsafed a reply to the High Commissioner’s ultimatum on January 6, Lord Chelmsford was instructed to take steps to protect British territory, and to compel the Zulu king to comply with all the demands contained in the High Commissioner’s message for the satisfaction of British interests, and for a better and more peaceable government of the Zulu people. General Lord Chelmsford, however, is willing to wait until January 11, to receive an unqualified and complete acceptance of all the terms of the British Government. Active preparations were being made to cross the Tugela at all points when the mail left, and fighting was daily expected. The Graphic; Feb 1, 1879, P.108 Under – SOUTH AFRICA – ENCAMPMENT OF FINGO LEVIES The strong probability that ere this hostilities have actually begun between the British forces and the military monarchy of the Zulus under Cetewayo (undoubtedly the most formidable nation of Southern Africa) adds much to the interest of sketches from that part of the world at the present time. The engraving now under notice will be best described in the words of our special artist. He says:- “The first thing that the Fingoes do to make themselves comfortable, after having made fires, &c., is to 3 gradually divest themselves of all clothing, which they hang on bushes &c., with the exception of the sheepskin carosse, or blanket, which admits of various styles of wearing. The gentleman with the long feather behind his ear is engaged eating. Having seized the meat in his teeth, and the other end held tight in his left hand, he is sawing off the lump required for immediate consumption by using the sharp edge of the assegai, held in his right hand. Most of the party have already finished their meal, and are enjoying their long pipes, of their own manufacture, which the women would do too if present, but this being a war party, as the assegais stuck in the ground denote, for the defence of the colony against the Caffirs, no women accompany them. The Veldt of the eastern provinces varies much from that of the western, where the bush growth is low and more continuous; whilst in Kaffraria the bush is larger (Mimosa), and more scattered in clumps.” “Veldt” is merely the Dutch of our word “field”, and is used very much in the same extended sense as that word is in the Authorised Version of the Old Testament, as, for example, where Joseph is described as wandering the “field”. The Graphic; Feb 8, 1879: P.126 Under – Our Illustrations A KAFFIR DANCE The usual sign of festivity in a Kaffir kraal is the slaughter of several sheep, which, when the members of the tribe and their friends are collected together, are cooked in their large iron pot, and eaten with great relish and appetite. The women sit apart from the men and elder boys and cook separately, and all await silent and dignified the commencement of the first course, when for a couple of hours it is a continuous eating and cooking. Having consumed a few pounds each, a party of men advance on a small slightly raised circle of the ground. Holding the assegai in the right hand, blanket or sheepskin carosse thrown over the left, they commence going round in a circle, chanting and marking time, the emphasis on the right foot. They strain all the muscles of the body so doing, and contort the features of the face, as they shake their assegais. At times one will leap into the centre of the circle, shooting and going through warlike motions, then, retiring to his former place, the whole party resumes the monotonous circular motion.