KAFFIRS' SYSTEM OF WARFARE. 29 



It is a difficult thing to surprise Kaffirs, for their 

 spies are always on the alert, and the movements of the 

 main body are made with great rapidity. If a large force 

 invades their country, the Kaffirs will retreat with their 

 cattle to the most inaccessible places ; if attacked there, 

 the men fight as long as is prudent, and then beat a retreat, 

 leaving some of their cattle and driving away others. 

 Thus they harass the attacking parties of their enemies 

 during their return, lining every drift (crossing of river) 

 and every bit of cover, firing away like fury, and ready 

 for a rush should an opportunity occur. 



After this the Kaffirs break into small bands and invade 

 the colony, burning, murdering, and cattle-lifting. They 

 are sometimes gainers by this system of reprisals, at least 

 until a large force is raised, or extra troops arrive from 

 England. The Kaffirs then eat a little humble-pie, pay 

 a fine in cattle, which they most probably steal again 

 soon, and peace is once more restored. No great punish- 

 ment is inflicted on these rascals, they being difficult to 

 catch. And when they are caught, and such a lesson 

 could be given them as would act as a caution for years, 

 the English authorities have great fear that any severe 

 punishment which they might inflict would bring the 

 whole of the good but mistaken peace-loving folks of 

 Exeter Hall in full cry on their heels. Moreover, although 

 these philanthropists have a splendid field in England 

 upon which to exercise their feelings, such as prisoners in 

 Newgate who have committed crimes small by comparison 

 with those of the Kaffirs, still the far-off land of Africa 

 must be chosen by them, and the savage, whose great delight, 



