PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS SECTION E. I33 



We g^ive three illustrations, though many more might be 

 cited. The first dates back to the Kaffir War of 1834-35, when 

 a party of soldiers, cut oflf from the main body, were beset 

 in the bush by the Kaffir hordes. Now, it so happened that 

 one of the men had captured a crow during the course of the 

 day, and when the shades of evening were settled over the bush 

 he attached a blazing ember from the camp-fire to the feet 

 of the bird. Terrified by the smoking brand, the crow, flapping 

 its wings and scattering the sparks in all directions, and making 

 a great noise, aroused the whole neighbourhood. Needless to 

 say, the natives, who were lying in the bush in large niuubers, 

 awaiting the moment of attack, were quite sure that some evil 

 spirit was flying through the night air, and accordingly fled from 

 the scene in the moment of triumph. 



The second, example was enacted in the year 1850, when a 

 large army of AmaXosa Kaffirs, having designs upon the cattle 

 of the Fingoes, drove Lord Charles Somerset and his force 

 of six hundred men into Fort Hare for protection. This encounter 

 proved that they were certainly not wanting in courage. Yet 

 a few days later, as these AmaXosas were operating between tht 

 Tyumi and Gaga Rivers, a crested hawk-eagle flew over 

 the army, " uttering shrill, piercing shrieks." This was regarded 

 as a bad omen. But when the army came in sight of the 

 cattle, guarded by five or six Fingoes, and a lucky shot wounded 

 one of their leaders, in a moment this victorious army was 

 stricken with panic, and fled ignominiously, refusing to be 

 rallied. 



The third story still lingers as a tradition in Tsolo EHstrict, 

 though it occurred in the Rebellion of Umhlonhlo in the year 1879. 

 Having murdered the British Resident, Mr. Hamilton Hope, 

 Umhlonhlo, the Pondomisi chief, was leading his army across 

 country. The sky was absolutely clear, until the magicians 

 descried a peculiar cloud on the horizon. It seemed, as they 

 say, to roll upon itself, and eventually it passed across the 

 sun. This was too much for the Pondomisi — the Spirits of 

 the Fathers must be ofi^ended to thus come over the army in 

 shadow at noonday, and the outcome of the expedition could 

 only be disastrous ! 



Their first thought was to go to some place to oft'er sacrifice, 

 and so to appease the angered spirits, and accordingly they were 

 discussing where they should go for the purpose. In the 

 midst of the discussion a small body of horsemen came into 

 view unexpectedly, for they knew full well that the main body 

 of troops was far from the scene ; but the sight of these few- 

 men was quite sufficient, the whole army fled for refuge — and 

 the rebellion was ended ! 



In their unguarded moments, actjng instinctively, the point 

 of view was revealed, and the tribalism asserted itself unmis- 

 takably, so that we see it to be not a communism that is merely 

 the result of deliberate and concerted action, arranged for an 



