by preventing him from overrunning the country, and then by occupying it for the British. He felt especially grieved that this should be done by Somtsen (the native name for Sir Theophilus), whom he considered as his father, and who had crowned him at his coronation. Report said that immediately on the news reaching Newcastle that the Transvaal had been annexed, the chief native constable was sent off according to instructions received from Sir Theophilus Shepstone to Cetewayo to inform him of it, and to tell him, on no account, to attempt the invasion of the Transvaal. On the delivery of the message, Cetewayo flew into a rage, and ordered the messenger to be put to death at once. One of his principal Indunas, however, interfered, and told him that they (the Indunas) could not allow it to be done, as he had only delivered the message he was sent to deliver, and it was not his fault if that message was offensive.

Cetewayo then ordered the Induna to be killed; but the other Indunas objecting to this very strongly, he was obliged to relinquish his intention, and walked off to his hut in a passion. He said that the Natal Government had deceived and outwitted him in annexing the Transvaal, that they had prevented his going to war with the Boers; that they might take the Boers' country to themselves, and close him in, so that there would be no path for his armies to go out to fight with other Kafir tribes. Since this Cetewayo has submitted the question of peace or war to his army. A majority is said to have decided in favour of peace, but these wiser councils having been overruled, and the British Government having sent an ultimatum to Cetewayo, has commenced hostilities against him.

In a few words I have thus endeavoured to explain the necessity which compelled us to annex the Transvaal. Some of the inhabitants resented it, and sent Paul Kruger, formerly a General in the Republican service, with a petition to England against it, but the majority, especially those on the eastern

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WASHING HIS SPEARS.

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side, knew their danger, and that the Republic was perfectly unable to defend itself, so that although a few spoke against the measure from national pride, they were deeply grateful in their hearts to the hand which had saved their homes from destruction.

It may interest my readers to quote a few words from Mr. Fynney's report of an interview which he held with Cetewayo about this period at the request of Sir Theophilus Shepstone. Mr. Fynney says that the King sent most of his chiefs and all his men away, saying, "he had a word for Mr. Fynney's ear alone"

I wish you to ask Somtsen (meaning Sir Theophilus Shepstone) to allow me to make one little raid only, one small swoop; it will not be asking much. Why will he not listen to me? He knows where I want to go, and so do you too, only you won't admit it. It is the custom of our country when a new king is placed over the nation to wash their spears, and it has been done in the case of all former kings of Zulu land. I am no king, but sit in a heap. I cannot be a king till I have washed my assegais.

Cetewayo had never seen a revolver-pistol. Mr. Finney, having shown him one, fired it at a calabash. The chief was much surprised at the power of so small a weapon. "How destructive will it be," he said, "when it has grown up and become a mother?"-which must be understood as meaning a

cannon.

In Zulu land it is considered a great privilege to be made a soldier. All the sons of Cetewayo are made soldiers at the age of six years or thereabouts, and all the children who are born in the same year are also made soldiers at the same time as the dignity is conferred upon the prince of whom they are contemporaries.

Wives are a very valuable property in Zulu land, partly, of course, for the reason that the greatest reward of a soldier is to receive a present of a wife.

The lot of a native wife is often a most unhappy one. Considered as property, and treated well or ill according to the caprice of her husband, she not unfrequently attempts to

escape.

The Zulu laws to prevent these escapes are most barbarous. If any woman runs away, either to Natal or any neighbouring tribe, Cetewayo orders the execution of all the men in the kraal, confiscates the women, and bestows them as wives on his soldiers.

The following story was related to me concerning Cetewayo. Dr. Drummond had lately been invited, at the instigation of Mr. John Dunn, to visit Cetewayo at his great place in Zulu land, to give medical advice to the chief as to his health.

Upon a careful consideration of the circumstances of the case, Dr. Drummond could find no better recipe than a liberal allowance of oysters and porter. Cetewayo was so pleased with the advice that he ordered three hundred head of cattle to be at once presented to the doctor, and that Mr. Dunn should see to it. The value of the cattle may be estimated at about 51. each-a royal reward, no doubt, and fairly earned. But Mr. Dunn had made a private arrangement with the doctor to give him 1007., whatever the remuneration might be. Dr. Drummond only got his 1007. The person perhaps most pleased with the recipe was Mr. John Dunn himself. Had the doctor ordered even the most nauseous compound, Dunn would have been obliged, according to custom, to swallow a considerable portion of it in front of the chief, to prove that it did not contain poison. In the present instance his duty was easy and agreeable.

There is no doubt that the Zulus are the most warlike tribe in South Africa. Their conquests have been extended further

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than those of any other; and but for the arms and organisation of the white man, it is by no means improbable that they would have come as conquerors even to the walls of Cape Town.

They are reported to be ready to offer sacrifices when they consider that their military enterprises will be benefited by them. In Zulu land there is said to be a locality where Chaka buried all the brass ornaments of his tribe, having ordered his Zulus to wear none in future but those made of iron.

CHAPTER XXIV.

TOUR TO THE TRANSVAAL.

THOUGH the Cape Colony has no more to do with the Transvaal than England has with France, the annexation made the Governor at Cape Town Governor of the Transvaal also, and the English troops were charged with protecting the lives and property of the Transvaal colonists no less than the lives and property of the inhabitants of the Cape Colony. As soon, therefore, as the Transvaal had been annexed, it became my duty to propose arrangements for its defence. Early in the spring of 1877, Sir Bartle Frere arrived at Cape Town. I placed before him my views upon the subject, which he entirely approved. I then started for the Transvaal in order to make sure that the arrangements which I thought necessary should be properly carried out.

I will not narrate the incidents of my journey to Natal. Suffice it to say that, having passed through Pietermaritzburg, I reached Frasers on the 31st of May. The British troops under my command did not immediately accompany me, but followed by a somewhat different route. In case of an outbreak I established a military post at Newcastle, a commanding position, and the troops, having reached that point, proceeded to the Transvaal. On the north-east of Frasers is situated the tract of country called New Scotland, which had been purchased by a Scotch company. I was given to understand that it comprised 300 farms, in all about 1,800,000 acres. It is said to have been bought at the rate of 1s. per acre, and paid