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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