by the police, the Fingoe levies, and by one of the pieces of artillery. It is impossible to say how many were killed. At first it was thought the number was about 200, but subsequently it turned out to be much larger, as numbers of bodies were discovered hidden in the kloofs and bushes. The loss on our side was insignificant.

From this defeat neither the Gaikas nor Galekas recovered. They never again showed themselves in bodies in the field, but only haunted the bushes and kloofs in small bands, whence it was necessary to hunt them out like animals. Several painful sights were often to be seen on these occasions. Women with infants were shot, and found dead and dying. But in these wars the women take a considerable part; they form the Kafir commissariat; they venture into the towns in peaceable guise and purchase stores; they follow the army both with food and ammunition. It is thus unavoidable that they should be occasionally killed.

On one occasion a woman came forward leading a band of warriors. She had wisps of straw in her ears, a charm which she believed rendered not only her but her party invulnerable. In ignorance of her sex a private of police took aim at her and shot her dead, upon which the natives ran away.

It was after this battle that I most regretted that no sufficient force of cavalry had been placed under my orders. If I had had a larger force of mounted men I am certain that the Kafirs would never have succeeded in getting into the Amatola Mountains, from which both myself and my successor had some trouble in dislodging them. When fighting against savages so swift-footed as these, it is indispensable, in my opinion, to be well provided with mounted men, so that they can be at once launched against the enemy before the happy moment for doing so has passed away.

Under the new Ministry my duties became light compared to what they were before. The divided command, which had

been productive of such confusion, was abolished, and both troops and commissariat, of all kinds, were placed in military hands. To show what a beneficial effect the stoppage of competition in the market between the British and Colonial Commissariat officers had upon prices, I quote, on the authority of the Deputy-Commissary-General, the contract prices of the Colonial and Imperial Commissariat respectively:

The 90th Regiment and a field battery now arrived from England, a welcome addition to our forces. Tini Makomo, who, as I mentioned before, had been allowed to settle in that most dangerous position, the Waterkloof, having shown signs of disaffection, we had to drive him out.

This was the end, my last act, in South Africa. Having by seniority attained the rank of full General, I had become of too high rank to retain my command, according to the rules of the service. It had, however, been intimated to me that it was intended to leave me at the Cape to complete the period of a Lieutenant-General's command. At the latter end of February, however, I was informed that this would not be carried out, and the reason alleged was that there was "a want of cordiality between me and the Colonial Ministry." I have endeavoured to enable the reader to judge how far this want of cordiality came from my side. I will now let Sir Bartle Frere give his opinion upon the question:

My experience, says Sir Bartle Frere, did not induce me to expect from him (Mr. Merriman) consistency or calm judg