ZULUS AS SOLDIERS. IO9 



human beings — -men of forty years of age and up- 

 wards, and women who had about reached the end 

 of their teens. Truly the Zulu kings knew how to 

 produce a stalwart race, whether for defence, in- 

 vasion, or capacity to endure fatigue. Chaka and 

 Dingan adopted exactly the same course in this re- 

 spect as Cetchwayo in his time has followed. Truly 

 these mighty potentates were wise in their genera- 

 tions, and set an example that might well be followed 

 in our beloved home. It cannot be denied that the 

 artizans and lower classes in England, taking the 

 population of our manufacturing towns and capital 

 as examples, are gradually decreasing in stature and 

 stamina, and why is this the case may be well in- 

 quired ? The answer is not far to seek, viz., the 

 appalling frequency of marriages between immature 

 representatives of our race. Finally, immorality 

 scarcely exists among the Zulu people ; can we say 

 the same of Christian lands ? For years I have 

 thought, and the longer I ponder upon the subject 

 the more convinced do I become, of the great benefit 

 that might accrue to the Empire from enlisting five 

 to ten thousand of the flower of the Zulu race for 

 service in India. If such was done, we should 

 then have in our own distant dependency a force 

 that could ever be relied upon, whom Tartar, Cos- 

 sack, or Muscovite would never be physically equal 

 to, men who could love, honour, and obey those 

 who were placed in superiority over them, and 



