SOUTHERN AFRICA. 83 



the victims of his l)arbarity. He seemed, in short, a being- 

 in human form endoAved with more than the physical capa- 

 bihties of man • a giant without reason 5 a monster created 

 with more than ordinary power and disposition for doing* 

 mischief, from whose withering* g-hmce man recoiled as from 

 the serpent's hiss or the lion's g'rowl. 



Chaka constantly exercised a perfect s^'stem of espionage 

 which served to keep him minutely acquainted with the 

 condition and streng-th of the tribes, whether independent or 

 tributary, b}^ which he ^vas surrounded ; his scouts being* 

 also enjoined to make such observations reg-arding* the coun- 

 try as mig-ht enable them to lead his troops to the scene of 

 action with the least chance of discovery or surprise. Three 

 months before he meditated an attack he discoursed freely 

 on war, and talked with confidence of routing* his enemies — 

 being* M'ithal exceeding'ly wary, and using* every precaution 

 to conceal, even from his g*enerals and chiefs, the real power 

 with which he designed to contend ; precluding*, by this 

 crafty discretion, the possibility of his enemies being* in 

 readiness for the march. Should he not lead the army in 

 person, his plans were confided to a g*eneral-in-chief, who, 

 however, was never selected for command on a second 

 occasion. It was his invariable policy also to harang'ue his 

 Avarriors at their departure, in lang*uag*e calculated to raise 

 their expectations, and elate them in the hour of battle ; 

 but in order to prevent any treacherous communication 

 with the enemy, the true object of the expedition was still 

 studiously concealed, and the soldiers induced to believe 

 that they were about to attack any but the devoted tribe. 

 Achieving* a sig-nal triumph, the spoils were liberally 

 divided among*st them, as a stimulus to further exertion ; 

 but defeat, under any circumstances, was the watchword 

 for a scene of woe and lamentation, and for a massacre of 

 no measured description— hundreds of brave men being* 



G 2 



