Zulu War of 18781879 157 



teams, as many died from overwork and bad feeding, 

 and many were killed at the attack on Kambula 

 camp. On this and other occasions, Fred behaved 

 very well, was mentioned in despatches ; and was to 

 receive a medal, but being only a civilian, I do not 

 think he ever got it. 



Nearly all the Basutos bolted when they saw 

 the Zulus swarming on to the laager. None of ours 

 did, but they behaved pluckily in defending the 

 cattle laager, killing Zulus among the cattle. After 

 the fight General Wood asked them who they be- 

 longed to, and why they did not run away with all 

 the other camp-followers. They said they were 

 afraid of the Zulus but could not run away, as they 

 would be ashamed to meet their master. One poor 

 fellow, who was a distance from camp gathering 

 wood, could not get back, so made for Pretoria, and 

 sent me a messenger explaining his position and 

 asking if I would receive him, which I did. I used 

 to send troops of 500 oxen at a time all the way from 

 Pretoria into Zululand, with only two of my natives 

 in charge and never lost any, except two which 

 were drowned when crossing a swollen river. My 

 natives fully trusted me and I them. I had terribly 

 hard work at this time to keep all these wagons, 

 oxen and men up to requirements, but felt all must 

 help when the savages were on the war-path ; and I 

 worked day and night until I was nearly done up. 

 Commissary General Sir E. Hughes said that ours 

 was the best organised and most honestly run com- 

 missariat train during these wars. It was common 

 knowledge that there was abominable swindling 

 and bribery in Natal, with some of the columns. 



When I had completed the Utrecht laager, at 

 Sir Theophilus' request, I accompanied him to the 

 top of Laings Nek on the Drakensberg, then went 



