Those who doubted the
prophetess, would do nothing to keep within bounds the majority who
accepted her as a divinity. Yet, the chiefs invariably received me with
kindness, and thanked me for the counsel I gave them. Simply, they could
not accept it.'
The Governor adopted every means to place the borders of Cape Colony in a
state of military security. As one detail he had to ensure that, in the
event of war, the frontier settlers should not be massacred. A line of
men was drawn across country, so as to make a buttress against any
advance by the crazy Kaffirs. Each picket had charge of a stretch of
ground, and in the morning soldiers would ride sharply to right and left,
covering it. They could tell, by footmarks on the dewy grass, whether any
Kaffirs had been about in the night. The chief military officer was for
falling back upon a less extended position, where he believed he could be
more secure. He sought the Governor's authority for the step, which fact
well indicates the critical nature of the whole situation. Sir George
scribbled an emphatic 'No,' and resumed the scanty sleep from which he
had been aroused.
'I had several reasons,' he explained, 'for declining to permit of any
change of our military position. First, it would have been an
encouragement to the Kaffirs to attack us, for they would have supposed
us in retreat.
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