Memoirs of the Extraordinary Military Career of John Shipp: Late a Lieut. in His Majesty's 87th RegimentShipp, John
History
Memoirs of the Extraordinary Military Career of John Shipp: Late a Lieut. in His Majesty's 87th Regiment
Shipp, John
India -- History -- British occupation, 1765-1947 -- Biography; Shipp, John, 1784-1834
At every farmer's house on our line of march, we found sad vestiges of
murder and desolation. Whole families had been wantonly massacred by
this wild and misguided race of people, whose devastations it was now
our duty to check, and whose ignorance is so extraordinary, that I am
persuaded they are insensible that murder is a crime. Beautiful
farmhouses were to be still seen smoking; the families either murdered,
or run away to seek refuge elsewhere. Not a living creature was to be
seen, unless, perchance, a poor dog might be discovered howling over the
dead body of his master; or some wounded horse or ox, groaning with the
stab of a spear or other mutilation. The savage Caffre exults in these
appalling sights; gaping wounds, and the pangs of the dying, are to his
dark and infatuated mind the very acme of enjoyment. This barbarous
race, when they have succeeded in any of their murderous exploits,
appear to be so excited to ecstasy, that they will jump about in a sort
of frenzy, hurling their spears in all directions, and in the most
reckless manner, either at man or beast. They are quite insensible to
the value of money, which they would accept on account of its glitter
only; while a more shining gilt button would be prized by them as of
inestimable value. In short, they seem scarcely to possess a rational
idea beyond what may tend to the gratification of the appetite; and I
have myself seen them with women's gowns, petticoats, shawls, &c, tied
round their legs, and between their toes, and in this manner they would
run wildly into the woods, shouting in exultation. These people had got
information that we were their avowed enemies, and come to destroy them
and take from them their enormous herds of cattle; they were, therefore,
driven far into the interior of almost inaccessible parts of the
country, where we could not follow them. Some few stragglers were left
in the neighbourhood, to watch our movements, with whom we had some
slight skirmishes; but, from the extreme intricacy of the woods, we
could do but little with them.
The Caffres may unquestionably be considered as a formidable enemy. They
are inured to war and plunder, and most of them are such famous marksmen
with their darts, that they will make sure of their aim at sixty or
eighty paces' distance. When you fire upon them they will throw
themselves flat upon their faces, and thus avoid the ball; and, even if
you hit them, it is doubtful whether the ball would take effect, the
skins worn by them being considered to be ball-proof. Added to this, as
they reside in woods, in the most inaccessible parts of which they take
refuge on being hard pressed by their enemies, an offensive warfare
against them is inconceivably arduous.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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