The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1880-11-13
THE B4SUTO WAR.



Against Great Britain.
Basutoland may be described IS che
Wales of South America 1t is little
province fitted in at the northeast COZ
ner of Cape Colony, between the Orange
free state, the Cape Colony and Natal.
1t is about $50 miles long by fifty broad,
its length running parallel to the Orange
free state. or, roughly speaking. nearly
parallel at some distance inland with
the coast line. Some of the table lands
are nearly 5000 feet above the sea, while
its Hottest mountain is credited with a
height OF 10000 feet. The cold through
out the whole of Basutoland is very
severe in the months of June, July, Au~
gust, and even September. Though
Basutoland may be said to be $50 miles
by fifty miles in size, the eastern side of
its breadth is scarcely inhabited on &C
count of the extreme cold and of the in
accessible character of the mountains.
The most thickly populated districts OF
the little country extend nearly along its
whole length, but are of breadth of
about twenty miles only-the thirty
miles to the northwestern lying next
to the Orange free state. 1t is from the
free state, then, that Basutoland can be
most easily entered, and its chief sta
tons, which lie within q few hours of
the free state border, most safely and
easily reached. There are other routes
from the south, but they present great
difficulties to the march of troops, and
are open to grave objections from mill
tary point of view.
The Basutos are mostly remnants OF
tribes who were driven before the Kaf-
frs. Early in the century they took
refuge in the mountain fastnesses OF
Basutoland to escape the pitiless robbery
of the Zulu conqueror, Cheka. 1t wes
on the steep and rocky hill of Thaba
Bosigo that Moshesh, the first para
mount chief of the Basutos, rallied the
starved and desperate men of the differ
ent clans of his race, made successful
stand against the Zulus, and laid the
foundation of the Basuto nation. To
speak of the Basutos as equal or nearly
equal to the Zulus in fighting qualities
Gas is sometimes done) is mistake.
The Basutos lack the discipline, the
reckless bravery and the taste for fight
ing possessed by the Zulu soldiers. The
Basutos have no military organization,
merely turning out or being turned out
by their chiefs for fighting by tribes or
clans. They are not soldiers like the
Zlus were before the Zulu army was
broken up, but are merely mountaineers.
Unlike the Zulus, the Basutos fight, as
rule, mounted, possessing hardy and
active ponies, which make light the diff
iculties of the mountain tracks of their
| country. Almost all the Basutos have
taken to clothing, partly from their pro"
gress in civilization, and partly from the
severe climate Of their land. The mill
tary trait to be remarked in the Basutos
is their aptitude tor fortifying or en-
schoncing themselves, and the intelli-
gence with which they strengthen any
position they may desire to hold. In
| deed, the colonists' chief difficulty will
probably commence when the Basutos,
worsted in the open, betake Themselves
to their mountain strongholds. Thaba
Boslgo, the stronghold now held by the
chief Masupha, is good example of n
Basuto position. ii is au isolated Hill
about forty feet high, with fiat OF table
top, and with sides scraped away by
natural causes. The table is only ac-
cessible by three or four paths. Some
of these paths are said to have been
rendered inaccessible; others to be
barred by lines Of schanzes, or stone
barricades, loop-holed and possessing
flanking defense. On the mountain are
good pasture to Craze the cattle, plenty
of water, and stores of grain and ammu
nition.-Londo7s telegraph.