The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-02-26
rae Nation that Routed q Brit i.h
Army.

Inc 9o1io0 limit Bouae0 y nr1tI III
4 Army.
/ An old and tried friend Of mine
who has lived half bis life 10 Soutl
Africa, and is intimately acquainted
with the native character, expressed
q very high opinion of the Zulus
when / called on him the other day
for a little information on the sub
] ject.
The Zulu Caffrcs are,' said be
fine fellows, both physically and in
tellectually; their splendid physiqu.
aud aquiline features are pleasing
contrast to many of the native Afri
can races. For faithfulness, industry
and honesty, you might search the
world over and not find their equals
When / fret took up nv residence
permanently N Natal, some years
ago, / bad the management of one o.
the principal banks in the country
and was astonished to find the I'm
plicit confidence which was placed 10
Zulu bonesty-a confidence which, 10
no single instance that ever / heard
of proved to be the least misplaced
Planters used to send a Znlu ten,
twenty, and even sixty miles to the
bank with check for wages. with,
perhaps, a note instructing what pro-
portion was to be paid in silver and
what in gold l have often seen a
Zulu cheeriully trot eff with little
bag slung over his shoulder, coQtain-
ing as much as f100. Their endur-
ance is wonderful; the distance from
Durham to Maritzberg, or Pietermar-
itzberg, as it used to be called, is ff-
ty-six miles, and the English mail
used to be carried on the backs of
Zulu postmen the entire distance.
Although there is rise of 10000
feet, and the carriers had portman-
teaus strapped on their backs filed
with letters and newspapers, and va
rying in weight from IS to l25
pounds, they used to perform the
journey regularly in twelve hours.
and came in fresh as daisy
Are they cleanly race p
Yes, almost too much 80; used
to wish they would instill their scru-
puloushess in this respect into the
dirty 'Bushmen' and Hottentots. The
fellows are always washing them
selves or their clothes. | had faith
ful servant, who prayed me, with
tears in bis eyes. to take him to Eng
land with me, on my first return to
the old country. | remember once
making him a present of pair Of
black cloth pantaloons. with which
he was highly delighted be used to
wash them three times week regu-
larly-s process which, though not
ts the longevity Of the
spoke volumes for Zulu
cleanliness
What is your opinion Of Lord
Chelmsford, the Commander in
Cbiefg'
The fine, broDzed old colonist gave
q grunt, which l interpreted to be the
Zulu for dissatisfaction. and said
slowly, between meditative puffs of
bic cigar, well, he's good enough in
some respects, and would be the
right man for some places, but he's
hardly the man for South Africa a
sort of square peg in round hole, ,
| supposey' | said interrogatively.
.Exactly,' said the colonist; he'd do
well enough for Malta or Gibraltar,
for the camp at Aldershot or an or.
namertal officer at the Autumn Ma
D9uvres, but he's very little use in
the BUSH | remember he used to
be dreadfully pompous when be was
Colonel rbessiger; | don't know
what be will have biossomed into
now. A friend of mine met him on
the street in Durham some years ago,
and mistaking him for friend, ss-
luted him with Halo, Smith, old
boy, how are your The Colonel
was mighty proud of his personal ap-
pearance, and, moreover, very much
disposed to put down what be con-
sidered as presumption; he cast
withering glance at my friend, and
drawing his handsome person up to
its fall height, remarked. 'Haw, law,
my good fellow do | look like per-
son Of the name of Smith f'
The conversation drif,ed off Lord
Chelmsford to the troops be COM
manded and the Zulu fighting men
who would be opposed to them. I'm
no pessimist,' said the old colonist,
and any map would be q fool to
doubt what the final result of COL
lision between England and Zululsnd
would be, yet fear the authorities
make a mistake in oyerestimsting the
efficiency of the forces at their dis
posal, and undertaking those of Getty,
wayo. There are about 1000 native
troops in Natal and the Transvaal,
aud 5000 whites The number of
Zulu warriors is estimated at 40, 900,
bat | am certain they could throw
60. coo lighting men into Durham In q
single night When reused, tbev
fight ike wildcats, and as nearly
every able bodied man has been sup
piled with a hreeeh-loading rifle by
the traders from Delagoe Bay, it is
most nnuisa tn dasnise their movers