THE STORMING OF SECOCOENTS. I I 3 



nesses, and two expeditions had already been foiled in 

 their operations against him ; but we had confidence in 

 our commander, for he had done all things well that 

 were ever committed to him, and we had a sort of feeling 

 that he would do this business well also. He was just 

 the kind of leader that colonists like. He was not 



A leader over-skilled with warlike lore, 

 Crammed full of Aldershot and nothing more ; 



but he knew how to adapt himself to the varying con- 

 ditions of varying kinds of warfare. He was not above 

 taking the advice of the colonial leaders. In his des- 

 patches he did justice to all men who served under him. 

 Where he ruled, there were no aggravating orders and 

 countermanding of orders when the book came round. 

 We felt that he knew what he was about himself, and 

 accordingly we too felt confident that all would go well, 

 or that, at the very least, our energies would not be mis- 

 directed. 



Our column was to advance from Fort Weeber. 

 Another column, commanded by Colonel Bushman, was 

 to advance from Leydenburg. It consisted of a company 

 or two of infantry and 7000 Amaswazi warriors, under 

 Captain Norman McLeod, of Dunveggan. 



These formidable warriors totally differed from our 

 other native allies. They were of Zulu race, though 

 they had never submitted to the power of the Zulu 

 king. They disdained firearms and trusted to the use 

 of cold steel, and their animosity towards Secocoeni was 

 increased by the fact that some years previously one of 

 their regiments had been surrounded and annihilated by 

 the Basutos. They were armed with shield and spear. 



Let not the reader imagine for one moment that I 

 underrate hand-to-hand weapons. On the contrary, 



8 



