gle,
whilst maddened at the thought of falling into the power of his cruel
foe, the poor fellow makes a desperate effort at escape. In so doing,
the ill-omened `chako' is left to its fate; the _wacht-een-beetje_
retains in triumph part of his dress. As he `breaks covert,' the
Kaffirs, with insulting yells, blaze away at him from the Bush; and,
scudding across the plain, towards his party, with the ill-adjusted
pouch banging against his hinder parts, the poor devil,--in addition to
the balls whistling around him,--is also exposed, as he approaches, to
the jeers and laughter of his more fortunate comrades!

"Far be it to attempt here to detract from the efficiency and merits of
our gallant troops, whose services--spite of every obstacle raised in
their way--have been so conspicuous in every part of the globe; I merely
wish to point out how very much that efficiency might be increased, by a
little attention to the dictates of reason and common sense."

Lieutenant-Colonel Napier evidently does not consider a man who carries
weight ought to be matched against one unhampered by such a retarding
influence, and he appears also to believe a man would be able both to
fight and to march better, if he were not half-choked, or half-crushed,
by his accoutrements. In olden times, the armour of a knight, whilst it
so fettered him as to almost prevent him from injuring his enemy, still
protected his own person. The trappings of the British soldier of the
present day merely perform the former half of this service.

The Kaffir is accustomed to act on his own responsibility, is full of
self-confidence, and is a kind of independent machine in himself; the
common English soldier is trained _not_ to think for himself, but to do
what he is ordered,--no more, no less. When, therefore, he finds
himself separated from his companions, which frequently happens in
bush-fighting, surrounded by a dense thicket, a brier under his arm, a
mimosa-thorn sticking in his leg, and half a dozen wait-a-bits holding
his raiment fast, there is but little blame due to him if he is assagied
by his unseen dark-hided foe, who has been long watching for this
opportunity.

When provisions or stores are sent from one part to another, the
ox-waggon of the country is made use of. A convoy of twenty waggons,
and sometimes more, are sent together, an escort of fifty or one hundred
men accompanying it. These waggons, each with its team of oxen, cover a
great dista