Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-04-17
The War In South Africa.

The character OF the country in Zulu
land is thus described by the London
Ne,ps:
Mpuntain.sides are furrowed by dark
FlenB and gloomy "klo0fs" OF fasures.
These merge downward into deep ra.
vines, forming al their base sometimes
the beds Of small streams, sometimes
those OF roaring torrents. These are
generally overhung by luIuriant vege
tation in tropical profusion. The woods
through which these rivers run are
formed frequently OF tall and noble trees.
among which are met apes and baboons.
Here and there may be observed the
bare and leahess branches Of the en-
pborbia, tho cactus, the aloe and the
mimosa. On reaching the mountain.
side, we are still surrounded by i'm.
/ peretrable bush, though OF different
kind from that just described. Here
the thicket is chiefly composed of the
mimosa aud portulecca tribes, high snd
thorny. This kind Of bush is even
more impenetrable than the ordinary
| Jungle Of India, and cannot be fired.
/ owing TO the number Of succulent plants
and parasites which it contains. Such
/ is the Cahre'g never-falling place Of
/ refuge in time Of peace or war. "In
his naked hardihood I've again quote
/ from Colonel Sapier's excellent book.
he either, Enake-like, twines through
and creeps beneath its denest raazes.
/ or, shielded with the kaross. securely
deiies their most thorny and abrading
/ opposition. Under cover Of the bush
IN war, he, panther like, steals upon his
| Toe; IN peace, upon the farmers flock.
I secure IN both instances from pursuit,
/ he can, in the bush, set European pow
or, European skill and European disci-
/ pline at naught; and hitherto vain has
been every effort 10 destroy this, his i'm
pregnable stronghold" Happily for US,
the CafIre cannot permanently occupy
the bush. He can only betake himself
there occasionally and for q short space
Of time. The bush supplies no means OF
support for a single man, much less for
q number Of men; and the CAffre iF com
PEELED 10 spend most Of his time Oh those
vast plains which support the staple
element of bie veslth-his cattle.
Az to the military performances Of the
Iulus. this is said
The Zulus form in the imponetrahle
bush a kind of seTni-circle. with tie
iian ks pushed forward, around the s;rag-
Cling column; and if the unwary col
umn advances sufficiently far into this
fatal circle its doom is sealed. It is at
tackct st once in front and on both
hsDkH, and the men from the rear are
shot as they gradually come up, without
any hope of resistance.
While in the bush, or forming an am
bufcade, The CsfIes and Zulus are
led and fupplied with All necessaries fer
var .hy their women, who perform all
the druageTy of the most harsh and
cruel scrvitudc. These women, when
possible, hover about The enemy, and
have frequently gained most important
information for their maRters--one can
hardly say husbands. To such an eI-
tent was this system carried in tie last
Cafre war that Colonel Narier proposed
TO capture oil women found lurking
about the line OF march and remove
thom into the interior Of the country
where they could De apprenticcd as do
mestIc servants 10 the farmers and other
inhabitants until the end OF the war.
To avoid falling into the ambuscades
laid by these savRges, there is one, ard
one only wsy--the constant and careful
use OF outposts, vedeites and spies. II
is mere madness 10 engage a naked saw
age on his own chosen ground, the bush,
through which English soldiers, clothed,
and with knRpsacks, cannot Chamber.
He must be enticed 10y whatever means,
or driven though hunger (by the cap.
ture of his women) TO take 10 the open,
and then his defeat is inevitable.