“The Lieut.-Governor, I am happy to say, has acceded to the request I made some little time ago for the services of six thousand Natal natives. I hope to be in a position to equip and officer them very shortly” (p. 25). “At the time of my arrival in the colony, three months ago, these natives possessed no military organisation, nor had any arms provided for them by Government.” “The Natal Government have within the last fourteen days allowed me to raise and organise seven thousand natives for service within or without the border” (p. 26). “The arrival of these officers (special service officers from England) has also enabled me to place Imperial officers in command of some of the battalions of native levies.”... “The Natal Contingent consists of three regiments, two of two battalions and one of three” (p. 39). “There are in addition five troops of mounted natives and three companies of pioneers.”... “The pioneers have been raised, officered, and equipped under the orders of the Natal Government, and are now placed at my disposal. The remainder of the Contingent have been raised at the cost and under the orders of the Imperial authorities” (p. 40). In none of his despatches is there mention of any special officer in connection with this native force, but the following officers were responsible for the organisation of the various regiments: No. 1 Regiment and mounted contingent, Lieut.-Colonel Durnford, R.E.; No. 2 Regiment, Major Graves; No. 3 Regiment, Commandant Lonsdale. Great difficulties appear to have been thrown in the way of the proper equipment, etc. of the native levies; but by untiring effort and personal determination, better arrangements for pay, clothing, and discipline were made for (at all events, a portion of) the levy than had been known amongst South African troops. The indiscriminate appointment of officers caused considerable trouble, illustrative of which we may mention an anecdote. Men were repeatedly sent to Lieut.-Colonel Durnford with orders from the military secretary that they were to receive commissions, some of these unfitted by disposition and education for the duties required of them. A friend has lately furnished an instance very much to the point. “A young fellow came one day to Colonel Durnford from Colonel Crealock, who said he had served in the old colony, and boasted that _he_ knew how to make Kafirs fight. ‘How is that?’ was the inquiry made. ‘Oh!’ replied the youth, ‘just to get behind them with a sjambok (_i.e._ whip)—that’s the way to do it!’ ‘All right,’ replied the Colonel quietly; ‘I have just one piece of advice to give you though—_make your will_ before you start! If you’re not stabbed by your own men, you will deserve it.’”