Among the Zulus every able-bodied man was enrolled in one or other of
the regiments--even the girls and boys were made into regiments or
attached to them, and though these did not fight, they carried the mats
and cooking pots of the army, and drove the cattle for the soldiers to
eat when on the march. Thus it will be seen that this people differed
from any other in the world in modern days, for whereas even the most
courageous and martial of mankind look upon war as an exceptional state
of affairs and an evil only to be undertaken in self-defence, or perhaps
for purposes of revenge and aggrandisement, the Zulus looked on peace as
the exceptional state, and on warfare as the natural employment of man.
Chaka taught them that lesson, and they had learnt it well, and so it
came about that Cetywayo was forced to allow the army to fight with us
when Sir Bartle Frere gave them an opportunity of doing so, since their
hearts were sick with peace, and for years they had clamoured to be
allowed to 'wash their spears,' saying that they were no longer men, but
had become a people of women. Indeed, had the king not done so, they
would have fought with each other. It is a terrible thing to be obliged,
year after year, to keep quiet an army of some fifty or sixty thousand
men who are too proud to work and clamour daily to be led to battle that
they may die as their fathers died. We may be sure that the heart of
many a Zulu warrior beat high as in dead silence he marched that night
from the heights of Upindo towards the doomed camp of Isandhlwana, since
at last he was to satisfy the longing of his blood, and fight to the
death with a foe whom he knew to be worthy of him.
Doubtless, also, the hearts of the white men beat high that night as
they gathered round the fires of their camp, little knowing that
thousands of Zulu eyes were watching them from afar, or that the black
rock looming above them was destined to stand like some great tombstone
over their bones for ever. Englishmen also are a warlike race, and there
was honour and advancement to be won, and it would seem that but few of
those who marched into the Zulu country guessed how formidable was the
foe with whom they had to deal. A horde of half-naked savages armed with
spears did not strike English commanders, imperfectly acquainted with
the history and nature of those savages, as particularly dangerous
enemies. Some there were, indeed, who, having spent their lives in the
country, knew what was to be expected, but they were set down as
'croakers,' and their earnest warnings of disaster to come were
disregarded.
Now let us return to the camp. It will be remembered that Colonel Glyn's
force, accompanied by General Lord Chelmsford, had left at dawn. About
eight o'clock a picket placed some 1,500 yards distant reported that
Zulus were approaching from the north-east. This information was
despatched by mounted messengers to Colonel Glyn's column.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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