The particular statement of the two missionaries Oftebro, concerning the translation of newspapers, also Mr. Colenso specially and distinctly contradicts, saying that he had no newspapers with him nor extracts of newspapers, nor were any such read to Cetshwayo in his presence. Sir H. Bulwer states, at the request of the Messrs. Oftebro (2100, p. 61), that no member of the Norwegian mission had supplied this Government with information as above. But it does not follow that no such communications had been made to Sir B. Frere and Lord Carnarvon. Missionaries had written anonymously to the colonial papers, and the account in _The Natal Mercury_ of the fight at the Umkosi was attributed by Cetshwayo, not without reason, to the Rev. E. Robertson. The tone of this letter, and its _accuracy_, may be gathered from the following extract, referring to the land which, in the opinion of the Commissioners, “was by right belonging to the Zulus.” “Never was a more preposterous demand made upon any Government than that which Cetshwayo is now making upon the English Government of the Transvaal.... For be it remembered that, until very lately, the Zulus have never occupied any portion of it, (!) and even now very partially. It is most earnestly to be hoped that Sir T. Shepstone, while doing all in his power to keep the peace, _will be equally firm in resisting the unjust pretensions of the Zulus_.”[101] How far the Zulu king was justified in his opinion that the missionaries were not his friends may be gathered from the above, and from the replies to Sir B. Frere’s appeal to the “missionaries of all denominations” for their opinions on native politics, as published in the Blue-books (2316), of which the following examples may be given: From letter of the Rev. P. D. Hepburn, December 17th, 1878: “All in these parts are quiet, and are likely to remain quiet, if His Excellency overthrows the Zulu chief, and disarms the remaining Zulus. The Zulus are very warlike; will attack in front, flank, and rear. They are, and have been, the terror of the neighbouring tribes since the days of Chaka.[102] Only the utter destruction of the Zulus can secure future peace in South Africa. May His Excellency not allow himself to be deceived by the Zulu chief Cetywayo.” “On full inquiry it will be found that our late war, (Kaffraria) here was to a great extent attributable to Zulu influence.[103] If our forces suffer defeat at Natal, all native tribes in South Africa will rise against us. I am a man of peace; I hate war; but if war, let there be no dawdling and sentimental nonsense.