formed a line before the bush, Sir Andries on the right of our force, myself on the left. Sir Andries took off his hat and said, “Fall in, brave men." The men all cheered, called out, “Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah !” charged the bush at full speed, and rushed in. The Kaffirs soon perceived that this was another species of mice-not of those which come out of their holes, look about, and turn into them again. They fled on all sides; we then scoured the whole of this miserable steep stronghold, killed several Kaffirs, destroyed 250 head of cattle, brought out 300 head and 300 goats, then rested a few minutes. At the same time Colonel Hare had moved out with his 3,000 men, but effected nothing. After dark Sir Andries and himself visited Colonel Hare's camp, when the following conversation took place :–His honour said to me we should not attempt to enter the Amatola with less than 6,000 men, for the Kaffirs were very strong in these strongholds. While we were clearing the Chumie Hoek thousands came out on the range, on horseback, and looked

I said, “Oh, what a pity it is, your honour, you did not fight them.”,

The attack on the famous Amatolas is then described :

on.

We arrived about three o'clock on the range of the Amatola, where we tied all the horses together and laid down, waiting for dawning of day. It was a horrid sight to look down into the valley of the Amatola : very dark, the fires glittering by thousands through the thick forest as the stars in heaven. Knowing that Sandilli, Macomo, Botman, and all their forces were in these fastnesses, at daybreak Sir Andries said: “Now, my dear friends, take courage; trust in the Lord, and do not hesitate. Rush into your enemy and fight bravely. Rather die than surrender. Here I saw that there were two sorts of commanders. The one sort, to which Sir Andries belongs, says, 'Come on, my brave boys ; ' the other sort, as in the affair of Burns-hill, I suppose must have said, *Go along, my brave boys,' else the Kaffirs must have been conquered at that spot, being quite an open field. And we then rushed in, as a large dam of water which suddenly broke and overflowed the earth as far as it reached. We pursued into all kloofs and forests, the Kaffirs shouting from all rocks. Some said,

Fly! fly! There is Stocko! All the Kaffirs will now be done.' The dogs howled, our men cheered, the clefts and rocks resounded from the noise and reports of arms. The Kaffirs fled in numbers ; we killed forty-three, took some goats, destroyed some cattle, found two waggons which the Kaffirs had taken at Burns-hill, but were obliged to leave them, being without oxen. We kept possession of this stronghold. We have lost to-day seven brave men on

our side.

While these operations were proceeding, the military column came up to the edge of the Amatola and fired a few cannon shots into the wooded fastness, and moved on, keeping well in the open.

The Kaffirs very quickly perceived the difference between the two modes of warfare. They took a prisoner, who said that the Kaffirs were deceived by Sir A.'s commando, else their plan was to rush on the troops and stab them all in one heap." I said to the prisoner, “You are mistaken. The troops are the bravest men on earth; they would have conquered you and killed all.” “No," says he; "they ran from the Kaffirs at Burns-hill.” “Well, that is the commander's fault. The men must obey the orders; if the bugles sound to lay down, they must do so.''

Mr. Molteno now proceeded with Sir A. Stockenstrom and Mr. Du Toit to Fort Beresford, where they met Sir Peregrine Maitland. Upon coming up with this force, Commandant Du Toit, of Beaufort, said, ““ Well, gentlemen, you were not at the appointed place;” and they both answered me, “ that they had never seen such fighting.” About ten o'clock in the morning the bugle is sounded, they commence and go with a strong force before the poorts, sound the bugle, fire two or three cannon shot into the kloofs, and then says the colonel in command, “It is too late now; we must come back to-morrow and attack the Kaffirs;” and would not allow any of the burghers to go in the bush and fight the Kaffirs or take their cattle, and kept

74TH HIGHLANDERS STORMING THE AMATOLA HEIGHTS ON THE 161H OF JUNE 1851. From a sketch by Captain W. R. King.

a

all the force outside to protect the large guns. As they turned the Kaffirs shouted from the ridges, “We have gained the battle, for you run.'

A conference now took place as to the course to be pursued. After a long consultation between Sir Andries Stockenstrom, Mr. Molteno, and the other commandants, who all agreed in the plan of proceeding straight to Kreli and dictating terms to him at his great place, the Governor agreed to the advance, insisting, however, though Sir Andries Stockenstrom was ready to do the work by himself, that Colonel Johnstone with a detachment of the 27th and some burghers of his division should accompany him.

A very strong feeling prevailed between the military and the burghers at this time, and Du Toit gives a conversation which shows this feeling :— When this plan was settled, Mr. Charles Devenish and myself stood before the tents of the Governor and the military secretary, son of the Governor, a little distance off, speaking to Captain Verriker and some other young officers. One of the artillery then said to that officer : “So you are all going with Sir Andries; I hope

Ι the Kaffirs will give you all a damned good licking.” This artillery officer said: “I wish you may get your head broken somewhere else.” Mr. Devenish then answered: “I hope the burghers will show the military that they won't allow themselves to be licked by the Kaffirs, as the military were licked at Burns-hill.” “Well,” says I to Devenish, “what

. · sort of a man may this be- a young fool? We are serving her gracious Majesty in the same service; we did not ask Government to come out here; they were not able to resist the Kaffirs. What a scandalous jealousy !

He gives a shrewd argument of Kreli during the conversation to which

we have already alluded :--Colonel Johnstone said to Kreli: “Three prisoners were taken at the mouth of the Kei, and they said that all the colonial cattle were in your country.” Kreli replied: “You have been