ble that their future king should be nominated by Sompseu。 It was overe in the following extraordinary fashion。 At a great meeting of the indunas or councillors and chiefs it was announced that Sompseu was a Zulu king； that he stood in the place of Chaka； the African Napoleon and Panda’s uncle； and that the spirit of Chaka had entered into him — not a very fortable possession for a highly respectable English gentleman。 From that day forward； quite independent of his authority as a representative of the Queen； Shepstone had personal sovereign rights in Zululand。 Thus he could have ordered anyone to be killed or have declared war or peace。 It was； I firmly believe； because of this personal authority that he was able to prevent the Zulus from attacking the Boers in 1877； as I shall show that he did。
But of all these and many other events I have told in my book； “Cetewayo and his White Neighbours；” which was first published in 1882； and to that book I must refer the reader who is interested in them。 In these pages I do not propose to write a history of South Africa during the eventful years in which I knew it； but rather to treat of my personal experiences at the time； which perhaps may throw some new light upon parts of that history。
The remainder of my life in Natal； that is as secretary to the Governor — for I returned to that country afterwards in another capacity — can be summed up in few words。 I copied despatches； received guests； and did my other duties； probably not as well as I might have done。 But in connection with these I cannot think of much that is worth setting down。
Perhaps I may add a curious little story。 Captain Cox； my colleague on Sir Henry Bulwer’s staff； who was an officer in one of the regiments in Natal — I think he belonged to the ill…fated 24th — received a blow while playing polo which severed what I believe is called the external carotid artery； a vessel which runs up by the side of the temple。 A serious operation was performed on him by the doctors which necessitated his being kept under chloroform for five hours； but great difficulty was experienced in tying this artery。 He seemed to get better； and at last was allowed to eat a snipe which I went out and shot for him。 That evening some circumstance or other made me uneasy about him； and of my own motion I passed the night sitting up in the office； going in to look at him from time to time。 He slept well； and when the dawn came I thought that I would retire to bed。 By an afterthought I returned to give him another look； and found him still lying asleep； but with the blood spurting from his head in a little fountain。 I pressed my thumb on the artery and held it there until assistance came。 Another operation was performed； and ultimately he recovered； though one of his eyes was affected。
Captain Cox was subsequently wounded at Ulundi； and in the end died； I think； in India when he was Colonel of his regiment。
Chapter 4 THE SPECIAL MISSION TO THE TRANSVAAL
Shepstone appointed Special missioner to Transvaal — Wide powers — H。 R。 H。 on Shepstone’s staff — Umslopogaas attached to mission — To Pretoria by ox…waggon — Thirty…five days — Melmoth Osborn and Major Marshal Clarke on mission — First acquaintance with Boers — “Opsitting” — President Burgers — Danger to Transvaal from Cetewayo’s Zulus and Secocoeni’s tribe — Arrive Pretoria — H。 R。 H。 acpanies Osborn and Clarke on Mission to Secocoeni — Rough journey — Indaba at his kraal — Plot to murder English Mission — Frustrated by an accident — Safe return to Pretoria。
At the end of 1876 Sir Theophilus Shepstone was appointed Special missioner to the Transvaal。 His mission was a wide one； for； although this was not known at the time； it gave him powers； if he thought fit； to annex the country； “in order to secure the peace and safety of our said colonies and our subjects elsewhere。” When the vastness of the territories and the questions concerned are considered； this was a great authority to leave to the discretion of a single man。 But thus was the British Empire made before the days of cables； when everything depended upon the judgment of the officers on the spot。
On his way out to Natal from England he was shipwrecked on the coast not very far from Cape Town； an event that some might have thought a bad omen。 I asked him what he thought of while as yet they did not know whether they would escape。
“I thought that I should like to die decent；” he answered； “and spent the time in hunting for my trousers。”
Exactly how I came to acpany Sir Theophilus on his important and history…making Mission I cannot now recall。 At any rate I went as a member of his staff。 Here is a list of us：
Mr。 Osborn； afterwards Sir Melmoth Osborn。
Major Clarke； afterwards Sir Marshal Clarke。
Colonel Brooke； R。E。
Captain James。
Mr。 Henderson。
Mr。 Mor； afterwards the Attorney…General of Natal。
Mr。 Fynney。
Myself。
Doctor Lyle； medical officer to the Mission； and
Lieutenant Phillips； in charge of the escort of twenty…five Natal Mounted Police。
Of these I believe that with myself Colonel Brooke still survives （1911）； although he must be an old man now。 Phillips also was alive when last I heard of him。 He rose to mand the Natal Mounted Police； and had then retired。 The rest are all dead； Clarke being the last to go； and I may say that I am the only member of the mission left living who was closely concerned with the political side of its work。
There was another individual attached to the mission of whom I must give some account。 He was Umslopogaas； or more correctly M’hlopekazi； who acted as a kind of head native attendant to Sir Theophilus。 Umslopogaas； then a man of about sixty； was a Swazi of high birth。4 He was a tall； thin； fierce…faced fellow with a great hole above the left temple over which the skin pulsated； that he had e by in some battle。 He said that he had killed ten men in single bat； of whom the first was a chief called Shive； always making use of a battle…axe。 However this may be； he was an interesting old fellow from whom I heard many stories that Fynney used to interpret。
4 The Natal Witness of October 26； 1897； when reporting his death； says that he was son of “Mswazi； King of Swaziland； and in his youth belonged to the Nyati Regiment； the crack corps of the country。” — Ed。
As the reader may be aware； I have availed myself of his personality to a considerable extent in various Zulu romances； and especially in “Allan Quatermain。” Here are two stories concerning him。
One day； long after I had left Africa； he had a talk with Osborn； whom the natives called “Mali…mat。”
“Is it true； Mali…mat；” asked Umslopogaas； “that Indanda” （i。e。 myself） “has been using my name largely in books that he has written？”
“Yes； it is true； Umslopogaas。”
“So！ Now what does Indanda do with the books when he has written them？”
“He sells them； Umslopogaas。”
“Then； Mali…mat； say to the Inkoos Indanda when you meet him across the Black Water that； as he makes money by writing about me； it is right and just that he should send me half the money！”
I took the hint and sent him； not money； but a very fine hunting…knife with his name engraved upon it。
The other story is that