Warrior

supposed that Somervile might have had qualms about the presence of Colonel Smith, an upright, professional officer whose responsibilities as deputy quartermaster-general at the Cape would have him look to Bourke, the general officer commanding, rather than to the lieutenant-governor. Indeed, as the general's chief of staff, Colonel Smith was in a position to refuse all military assistance to the venture, and it occurred to Hervey that the Shakan conception might well be stillborn this very evening. He shrugged, pushed his chair back to extend his legs, and lit a cheroot.

Somervile, having sent a small cloud of cigar smoke ceilingwards, gestured with his glass to the colonial secretary. 'Colonel, will you be good enough to tell these gallant officers assembled what it is that you and I have contemplated these past weeks – the cause of it, I mean.'

Colonel Bird, sitting erect and with neither cigar nor glass to hand, bowed. 'I will, Sir Eyre,' he replied, crisply. 'Gentlemen,' (he glanced at each in turn) 'I first came to the Cape in eighteen hundred and seven, and in every year since then there has been trouble with the Kaffirs in the eastern settlements. Not ten years ago there was a most savage, if mercifully short, war – there is no other word to describe it – with the Xhosa. As a result of which the frontier was more thoroughly delineated, and to the advantage of peace. For a year or two the frontier was indeed quite settled, but it has of late – as I hardly need tell you – been troublesome.'

Somervile interjected by waving his cigar at the assemblage. 'For which I will admit that the land grants in the Eastern Cape have been part cause. The settlers there in late years have too frequently been of a low sort; they have not abided by the terms of the grants, and there's cattle beyond the Great Fish River, where there should be none.'

'Just so,' said Colonel Bird, nodding slowly but emphatically. 'The presence of cattle at the frontier, though no justification for the Xhosa raids of course, is a definite cause of the nuisance. Now, if I may address what might be the perfectly reasonable deduction that if we enforce the terms of the land grants, and rid the frontier of cattle, we will eliminate the Xhosa threat . . . Firstly, such a course would be difficult in the extreme. I do not say that it cannot, or should not, be done, but it would bring the government here in Cape-town into a most invidious and possibly bloody quarrel with the colonists – on whom we rely for militia service, I need hardly add. It would be bound to exacerbate, too, the already brittle relations with the burghers.'

Somervile thrust his cigar out again. 'And the whole Dutch question is of course one that must constantly exercise the government here.'

'The second reason,' (Colonel Bird's tone of voice changed to suggest something more discursive) 'is that it might be argued that the terms of the land grants were too restrictive in the first instance. Parliament cannot on the one hand encourage emigration to those wild parts, and on the other restrict the means of subsistence. It is the considered opinion of the lieutenant-governor that the terms are contrary to natural justice, and that they must soon be formally set aside.'

'It is,' echoed Somervile. 'And although I cannot of course speak for Sir Lowry Cole, I confidently expect that very shortly I shall receive authorization from the War and Colonies Office to rescind the terms.'

Hervey took another sip of his brandy. It seemed to him only right that a farmer be allowed to decide for himself what best to do with his land. But what was the object of all this? It appeared that Somervile intended a course which would bring the Xhosa to a fight. Did he wish to enlist Shaka's support?

Somervile suddenly struck the table with his hand. 'Now, to the meat of the matter! It is my opinion, formed of the no little intelligence received, and' (he smiled) 'personal reconnaissance, that the cattle reiving is what I might call a constabulary affair – of no great moment, though undeniably vexing. It poses no threat to the general peace, nor is it necessarily prelude to hostilities of the kind Colonel Bird describes of ten years ago. No, gentlemen, that is not where the threat to the King's peace lies. It lies further east, towards Natal, and with the ambition of Shaka. He is the true cause of the unrest in Kaffraria.'

And for close on an hour, Somervile expounded on his 'colonial stratagem', and his design for the embassy to King Shaka Zulu.

IX

A GOOD JUDGE OF HORSEFLESHNext morning

A fresh south-easterly was whipping up a swell as Serjeant-Major Armstrong descended to the lighter waiting to take him to the East Indiaman Surat. In this wind, she would get out of the bay without a steam tug, and with not too much work with canvas. Hervey was glad of it; a laboured farewell would be yet another trial for his old NCO friend.

Armstrong turned to look back one more time. Hervey touched the peak of his forage cap, and then Armstrong braced himself, and set his eyes resolutely to seaward, as the lighter cast off.

Hervey watched until it rounded Surat's stern, and out of sight, before turning back for the castle.

Colonel Smith was standing a few feet away.

Hervey saluted in the gentlemanlike manner of officers of the same rank – not so very different from the way he had said farewell to Armstrong.

Colonel Smith returned the salute, and inclined his head. 'Tell me, Hervey; I am intrigued.'

'My serjeant-major. His wife died when I was in England.'

'Your bringing him to his ship tells me much.'

'We have been in the same troop since I was a cornet.'

Colonel Smith nodded.

'And you?'

'To say farewell to a King's messenger, an old friend.'

'Ah, yes; he was in the lighter too.'

Colonel Smith hesitated. 'What do you do now?'

'I . . . I think I shall probably go and see what maps there are in the castle. Of Natal, and the Zulus' country.'

Colonel Smith was a severe-looking man, but his face softened just perceptibly. 'I am going to a stud near