TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. Footnote anchors are denoted by [number], and the footnotes have been placed at the end of the book text, in front of the Catalog. The tables in this book are best viewed using a monospace font. Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book. HISTORY OF THE ZULU WAR AND ITS ORIGIN. HISTORY OF THE ZULU WAR AND ITS ORIGIN. BY FRANCES E. COLENSO. ASSISTED IN THOSE PORTIONS OF THE WORK WHICH TOUCH UPON MILITARY MATTERS BY LIEUT.-COLONEL EDWARD DURNFORD. London: CHAPMAN AND HALL, LIMITED, 193, PICCADILLY. 1880. _All Rights reserved._ CHARLES DICKENS AND EVANS, CRYSTAL PALACE PRESS. PREFACE. It is probable that the Bishop of Natal may be held responsible for the contents of a volume written partly by his daughter, and having for its subject the Zulu War; more especially if a general coincidence can be traced between what are known to be his views and those which are expressed in this history. My father’s opinions have, naturally, considerable influence over those held or expressed by his family, and I do not imagine that much will be found in these pages from which he will dissent. Nevertheless, it is desirable that my readers should understand from the first that he is in no sense responsible for their contents. When I left Natal, in September last, the idea of writing upon the subject of the Zulu War had hardly occurred to me; it has developed since to an extent quite beyond my original intentions, and I find that its fulfilment has rather taken my father by surprise. I had no opportunity of consulting him upon the subject, nor has he yet seen a word of what I have written, for on reaching England I found that, to be of any use at all, the book should appear almost at once. I made, indeed, ample use of the pamphlets which the Bishop of Natal has written on behalf of Langalibalele and Cetshwayo, which have saved me many hours of weary search. Consequently, while the Bishop is in no way responsible for such errors or omissions as may occur in this volume, any merit or usefulness which my portion of the book may contain is due chiefly to his labours.