What I Saw in Kaffir-Land

WHAT I SAW IN KAFFIR-LAND
BY SIR STEPHEN LAKEMAN MAZHAR PACHA
“Militia est potior. Quid enim?”
WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS EDINBURGH AND LONDON MDCCCLXXX
All Rights reserved
This book contains extracts from the daily record of impressions made on my mind, by men and events, as we performed together our allotted parts, in one short tragical episode at the Cape. Very little has been omitted; nothing has been added. It is a simple narrative, taken from the Book of my Life, of which, if it is not the opening chapter, it is at least one of the first.
If by my observations I have hurt any one’s feelings, this may have been caused by these persons having ruffled mine. If I have said but little good of any one with whom I have been brought into contact, it is because I failed to perceive any more than I have mentioned. The reader will be able to some extent to judge whether or not this has arisen from my want of perspicacity, or from their incapacity.
I can only add, that this narrative is true. I have thought, in having it published, that it might interest those who seek by reading some information about the realities of life in this artificial world of ours, wherein time-serving hypocrites present themselves so often as shams when Heaven and country call for men.
WHAT I SAW IN KAFFIR-LAND.
ATTACHED TO THE FRENCH MILITARY STAFF IN ALGERIA—THE MINIE RIFLE—INTERVIEWS WITH THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON AND OTHERS—WAR AT THE CAPE—I OFFER MY SERVICES—RED-TAPE DIFFICULTIES—START FOR THE CAPE.
In the year 1847 I was attached to the French staff in Algeria, and during several expeditions, both against Arabs and Kabyles, I became deeply impressed with the great superiority of the Minie rifle over the old smooth-bore. On my return to England I did all I could to enforce on the military authorities the advantages of this new weapon.
The Duke of Wellington gave me to understand, in several interviews he honoured me with, that he was perfectly satisfied as to the principle on which the Minie was constructed, but hesitated in giving effect to this opinion, on the conviction that the rapid twist of the rifling would so increase the recoil as to render this new weapon useless to the British soldier.