Saturday, September 18, 2021

45. Book Review in Relation to Col Anthony William Durnford and 1873 Bushman's Pass

 

December 6, 1879  The Examiner  Page 1579  A Book Review



 

“My Chief and I”   (Chapman & Hall)

A personal narrative, if the individuals, views, feelings, and doings of the author are  not unduly pressed forward, has always more interest than a mere objective record of adventures.  My Wylde is careful in his preface to disclaim all egotism, and throughout this volume, which he has filled with a lively account of the time he spent in Natal, he tells us, indeed, much about himself, but only because he was the assistant of the late Colonel Durnford, R.E,. who fell at Isandwlana with his face to the enemy.  The book, is, in fact, and episode of Colonel Durnford’s life, and would be valuable for this quality only, even were it not also a touching tribute the eminent qualities of the brave and good man who perished because “some one had blundered.”

The author, formerly in Colonel Durnford’s corps, got into some youthful scapes at Gibraltar, and had to leave the army.  His friends sent him to Natal as a forlorn hope; he arrived there in 1874, friendless, homeless, and almost penniless, a desperate man, not unlikely to fall into the lowest depths of colonial blackguardism. 

Almost the first man he met at Durban was his old chief, Colonel Durnford, who made him tell his whole story, and then gave him charge of a party of “rebels”, who were busy road-making at Pietermaritzburg.  These “rebels” belonged to the unfortunate Putini tribe, whom our Colonial authorities and Colonial troops had driven from their location, harried, plundered, and imprisoned for alleged complicity with Langalibalele.

If, after the evidence which Bishop Colensco brought to England and that supplied by Captain Lucas’s two books on South Africa, more were required to prove how utterly fictitious was Langalibalele’s “rebellion,” and how grossly unjust and barbarous was our treatment of the Putini, such proof is supplied by the book before us, much of which is filled with an account of Colonel Durnford’s exertions on behalf of those oppressed and ill-used people.

It was considered necessary to stop a number of the passes leading across the mountains from the north-west into Natal, in order to put an end to raids on both sides, and an expedition was sent for this purpose under Colonel Durnford’s command, Mr Wylde, after having given evidence of intelligence and industry elsewhere, acting as the chiefs assistant.  The expedition consisted of a hundred Putini, who had been trained to road-making during the  period of their imprisonment, and had become excellent pioneers, a few friendly Basutos, and a half a dozen British soldiers.

The work to be done in a mountain district in the winter months was arduous in the extreme, and its hardships are graphically described by the author.  We have repeated opportunities of admiring the extreme care which Colonel Durnford displayed, both for the rapid and perfect execution of the work, notwithstanding all difficulties, and for the welfare and health of the men of whom he had charge. He rapidly gained the confidence and love of the poor “rebels” whom the Colonial authorities, one and all, had agreed to treat as wild beasts.

The unreasoning terror which prevailed in the more remote parts of the Colony shows that most of the colonials are, like all bullies, co2wards as well as tyrants, and once more proves that none are so incapable of managing their own affairs as the white population of Natal.  The horrors committed by the volunteers (who, however, bolted like hares on more than one occasion before the Zulus) are here duly chronicled without any attempt at exaggeration; and if the author does sometimes give way to his indignation when he finds the mutilated remains of women and children who had been massacred by “British” forces, such expressions of feeling are not at all  too strong for the circumstances.

After this expedition Colonel Durnford obtained for the whole guiltless Putini tribe the permission to return to their district, but the order had been scarcely given when it was countermanded behind his back, and the treacherous Colonial authorities declared that they had never intended to release the whole Putini tribe, but only the ninety-eight men who had worked with Colonel Durnford.  Long and cruel delays followed, and it was several months before the gallant officer at last procured the complete amnesty which had been promised him for his protégés, an amnesty which was subsequently confirmed by Lo0rd Carnarvon’s order.  Even now full restitution has not yet been made for the 8000 head of cattle these poor people were robbed of by Government; and it seems doubtful whether, under the present Administration, entire justice will ever be done.

The difficulties of marching in Natal, and those attending commissariat and transport, are graphically described by Mr. Wylde.  Even so small a force as the one to which he was attached was frequently delayed by a wagon sinking in a “mudhole”, by awkward fords, and by impassable ravines.  The perseverance of its chief overcame all obstacles; but the unremitting attention to details and the incessant activity required to keep even this tiny detachment in proper marching and fighting condition, go far to show with what enormous difficulties our commanders had to contend during the late war.

It is touching to read, in the preface, Colonel Durnford’s reply to Mr Wylde, when the latter required his late chief’s permission to publish his manuscript. “My dear boy, publish your book when I am dead and gone, if you like, but not before.”  Sacrificed to the ineptitude of a General who has been rewarded with the thanks of his Queen, poor Durnford now lies where he fell in defence of an untenable position, buried in the “neck” of Isandwlana.  The miserable negligence and folly which lost his and so many other brave lives have been forgotten in the honours showered on the victors of Ulindi, and we have tacitly agreed to say no more about the heroes who cannot be recalled to life by punishing those to whom their death is owing.

“My Chief and I” is illustrated by two photographs – an excellent one of Colonel Durnford serving as frontispiece – and by several lithographs.  Sir Charles Whetham might object to some of the latter, representing as they do gentlemen and ladies of various Kaffit tribes in their native costume.  But we trust that, being concealed in this volume, they will escape even the piercing eye of the guardians of the morals of the rising generation. 

In conclusion, we may add that even for those not specially concerned with Colonial politice, the book is extremely interesting; written simply, but in good, plain English, without any attempt as “word-painting,” the very first pages gain the reader’s sympathy, and, when the last is reached, he parts from Mr Wylde with regret.

 

 

 

 

 

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