The Iola register., 1880-11-12
RECENT OCCURRENCES.


49,
BAsuToLAND may be described as the Wales
of South Africa. It Is q little province fitted
In at the northeast corner Of Cape Colony, be.
and Natal. It is about one hundred and fifty
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 its table
lands are nearly five thousand feet above the
sea, while its lOftiest mountain is credited
with height of ten thousand feet. The cold
throughout the whole of BasutOland Is very
severe in the months of June, July, August
and even September. One of the wings Of the
Cape Mounted Rifles marching up from
KOkstad, in Griqualand East, to Mas
cru, the chief station in Basuto-
land, was delayed some days by
q heavy fall of snow, which blocked the passes
and rendered marching slow and tedious.
Though Basutoland may be said to be one
hundred and fifty miles by fifty miles in size,
the eastern side of its breadth Is scarcely in
habited on account of the extreme cold and of
the inaccessible character of the mountains.
The most thickly populated districts of the
little country extend along its whole length,
but are Of a breadth Of about thirty miles only
the thirty miles to the northwest-and lying
next to the Orange Free State. 1t is from the
Free State, then, that Basutoland can be most
easily entered, anG its chief stations, which lie
within 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 military
point of view.
The Basutos are mostly remnants of tribes
who we're driven before the Kafirs. Early In
the century they took refuge in the mountain
fastnesses of Basutoland to escape the pitiless
soldiery of the Zulu conqueror, Chaka. Itwas
on the steep and rocky hill of Thaba Bosigo
that Moshesh, the first paramount chief Of the
Basutos, rallied the starved and desperate
men of the different 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 (as is some
times done) is q mistake. The BasutOs lack
the discipline, the reckless bravery and the
taste for fighting possessed by the Zulu sold
iers. The BasutOs have no military OrganiZa-
ton, merely turning out or being turned out by
their chiefs for fighting by tribes or clans.
They are not soldiers like the Zulus were be-
fore the Zulu army was broken up, but are
merely hardy mountaineers. Unlike the Zu-
lus, the Basutos fight, as a rule, mounted,
possessing hardy and active ponies, which
make light Of the difficulties of the mountain
tracks of their country. Almost all the Basu-
tos have taken to clothing, partly from their
progress in civilization, partly from the severe
climate of their land. The military trait to be
remarked in the Basutos is their aptitude for
fortifying or enschoncing themselves, and the
intelligence with which they strengthen any po-
sition they may desire to hold. Indeed, the col
onists chief difficulties will probably COM
mence when the Basutos, worsted in the open,
betake themselves to their mountain strong
holds. Thaba Bosigo, the stronghold now held
by the Chief Masupha, is a good example of a
Basuto position. 1t is an isolated hill about
four hundred feet high, with a Hat or table
top, and with sides scraped away by natural
causes. The table is only accessible 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 barri-
cades, lOopholed and possessing flanking de-
fense. On the mountain is good pasture to
Craze the cattle, plenty of water and stores Of
grain and ammunition.-ChicdgO Times.