EVERARD TUNSTALL, A TALE OF THE KAFFIR WARS. * THE author
of this tale "spent some time among the frontier Farmers, Dutch as well as English, in the interval between the two Feat Caffre wars" of 1834-35 and 1846. He also undertook a Journey into Caffreland, in spite of warnings and predictions. The result ,of the observations he then made on the mode of life and character of the Dutch-descended Boers and English settlers, as well as on the native tribes, the country, and the parties among the colonists, he has thrown into the form of a novel ; op- portune enough in its time of appearance, though entirely written, Mr. Forrester says, before the news arrived of the present outbreak. The plan is well designed to embrace the manners and habits of the colonists from Cape Town to the extreme frontier, as well as to introduce descriptions of the scenery and to exhibit Caffre warfare. The hero, Everard Tunstall, is the son of an English country gentleman, who died leaving very little surplus after all his debts were paid. Colonel Hamilton, the father of Julia, Everard's betrothed, breaks off the engagement on the plea of fortune, but in reality as doubting the young man's steadiness and energy. Everard emigrates to the Cape, and by the influence of Mr. Forbes, a mer- chant there, engages as a kind of manager with Van Arneveld, a frontier Boer of large possessions but embarrassed fortunes. The fact is, the Boer is a scheming Colonial politician, and his mind is enga- ged on other matters than his own business. He is dissatisfied with the British Government, more especially with the management of the frontier; he intrigues for the movement of the Dutch Boers which eventually took place to Natal Bay ; he negotiates with the Caffre chiefs, supplying them with arms, and instigating the inva- sion of 1834, on the promise that his property shall be spared, and hoping that in the confusion something will turn up to his advantage. Besides these elements for Colonial exposition, there are others of a more romantic east. Clu Clu, a Caffre chief with English blood in his veins and English training under the missionaries, is, of course hopelessly, in love with Johanna, Van Arneveld's young sister ; she in her turn falls in love with Everard, not knowing of his en- gagement. And out of all these materials springs the action of the tale. Van Arneveld is mistaken in his calculation. The chiefs keel. faith with him, but a party of independent marauders attack his house, plunder his cattle, waylay his retreat, and in the skir- mish which follows Johanna is killed and the party are dispersed. Everard reaches the British camp ; whither fortune and zeal for the service bring Colonel Hamilton, with -whom he serves through the campaign ; and of course the hero's final reward is Julia's hand. The matter of the book is fresh to fiction, and is obviously drawn from actual observation ; the writer, as the saying is, "knows what he is talking about." The habits of living and the state of society at Cape Town—the difficulties of travel through a South African desert in a drought—the economy of the frontier settlements—the condition and customs of the Caffres—the assault and defence of a farm, and the incidents of Caffre warfare—are all naturally interwoven with the story, and exhibited at large. The question is, whether they are not too largely exhibited; whether
e story is not kept too subordinate to the display of what after all are mere accessories in a fiction. Much of the matter is more of the nature of a book of travels, or travelling sketches, than a romance. Perhaps this, however, arises less from error in judg- ment than a want of imagination. There is nothing poor or ex- treme in the characters, incidents or story, and the distance of the scene prevents the work from being commonplace ; but all is too leveL The tale is by no means devoid of interest, but it wants the engrossing interest of a romance. It is too much like an every- day story, to enchain the reader's attention and hurry him on to the end.
There is, however, a good deal of nice discrimination and delicate handling in the characters, especially of Johanna and of Clu Clu the Caffiv chief. The just conception is not made fully effective from want of dramatic power. Scenes of passion do not come up to the reader's expectation, so that the real power of the writer is best shown in a mixture of description and action. The following
• Everard Tunstall; a Tale of the Kaffir Wars. By Thomas Forrester, Author of "Rambles among the Fjields and Fjiords of Norway,' 8;.c. In three volumes. Pub- lished by Bentley.
adventure introduces Everard to Colonel Hamilton on African ground. The hero, in command of a Hottentot troop, is carrying despatches, and threading his way through a difficult country, an- ticipating an ambush at every step.
" After proceeding thus for the best part of an hour, a period of apparently interminable suspense, shots were heard in advance, intermingled with fear- ful cries and shouts. The troop pushed rapidly on ; though Tunstall still held them well in hand, and the advance was made in perfect order. The scene that now opened upon them, as they rounded a thicket which had hi- therto intercepted their view, was sufficiently startling. "Along the road appeared a train of white-tilted waggons, which had been brought to a sudden stand, the oxen and drivers appearing in a state of the utmost confusion. In front was seen a party of horsemen, the advanced guard of the convoy,—their array broken, and struggling with a cloud of Kaffirs, who, hurling flights of assegais, and stabbing with their shortened spears, were bearing the White men buck, with frantic yells, on the line of waggons. Many of the party—a squad of the Port Elizabeth yeomanry—were lying dead and wounded on the road. Their leader, a fine young man, in plumed hat, a pistol in his breast, with a carbine in one hand and a sword in the other, was doing his best to rally his troop. But they were vastly outnumbered, and the issue must have been most disastrous but for the unexpected aid that was near.
"The Kaffirs were so intent upon following up the advantage they had gained, that amidst the confusion of the fight, and the din of their horrid
cries, they were not aware of the approach of a new enemy, until a volley from the Hottentot troopers, wheeled into line across the road, told with deadly effect on the rear of the band,—a compact mass pressing on with brandished spears to the support of their foremost warriors, who were closely engaged with the yeomanry.
"The latter, encouraged by this unlooked-for diversion in their favour, renewed their efforts to disengage themselves from the enemy ; on whose flank and rear Tunstall, still holding his troop in hand, and firing by sec- tions, continued to pour so murderous a fire that they began to waver, and the issue of the contest, in that quarter at least, was no longer doubtful.
"But it had not escaped the observation of the young captain that a simi- lar conflict was raging at the other extremity of the extended line of wag- gons; and the state of affairs now admitted of his carrying relief to the rear- guard of yeomanry, who it was. plain were there engaged with another party of the Kaffirs. Things being in so favourable a position in front, he took this service on himself, with the leading division of his troop, leaving the other to support the yeomanry they had already reinforced ; with strict orders that they should be kept together, reserve their fire, and not suffer themselves to be entangled with the body of the enemy, who still made a show of resistance.
"Then moving his own division by files to the right, and putting himself at its head, they charged through the now -wavering flank of the Kaffirs, literally riding them down without expending a shot, and galloping along the line of waggons—the troopers being cheered as they passed by. their countrymen, the drivers and voor-loopers of the convoy—a very few minutes brought them to the new scene of action. "It was much the same as that which had been presented at the other end of the line, only that the yeomanry, having been longer engaged without succour, were still more closely pressed. In the midst of the confusion, however, the attention of Tunstall instantly rested on one object. Where the fray was thickest, a single horseman, bareheaded—for he had lost his forage-cap in the scuffle—was bravely struggling with a host of swarthy warriors, who hemmed him in on every side, while he was parrying with his sword the thrusts of their spears, charging some with his well-trained horse, and dealing heavy blows on the foremost of the assailants. His soldierly bearing and undress-frock, his worn and sun-burnt features, and his grey hairs, would have told to any one that his experience of the work in hand had been gained in many and far distant fields ; but in the gallant old officer Tunstall at once recognized Colonel Hamilton, the father of his Julia.
"This might, indeed, have been the last of his fields, for the conflict was very unequal, and two Kaffirs of gigantic stature were now pressing him hard, thrusting at hins on either side with their spears, when as the in- trepid veteran turned to cut down one of them, Tunstall cave in sunder the head of the other,—who wore the Colonel's own forage-cap, which he had picked up in the early part of the fray, — at the moment the savage was in the act of making a desperate lunge at the Colonel's unguarded side. "'Well done, Everard !' exclaimed the Colonel : you have spoiled my cap ; but I believe that Black fellow would have had my frock too. Come, my boy, let us give the rogues no time to rally.' "Even while he spoke, the leading files of the Hottentot troop, men devotedly attached to their young commander, were in the millee, and firing their carbines at point-blank, disposed of the rest of the band which had surrounded the Colonel. Side by side, the veteran, and the young officer who was now winning his spurs, closely followed by his faithful Hottentots., charged dark masses of the enemy, with whom the yeomanry, who had suffered severely, were maintaining an unequal contest ; but, struck with panic at the sudden arrival of fresh troops, and disheartened by the loss of their bravest warriors, the Kaffirs drew off. Some threw themselves into the wood ; a strong body which retreated along the road was pursued for some distance' and many were shot down by the Hottentot troopers. "Tunstall, having prudently drawn them off, was trotting them back in good order towards the convoy, when, as they neared the rearmost of the long train of waggons, a group of females was seen assembled under a tree Well shot its branches over the road. Long before he could distinguish the features of any of the party—which, however, appeared to consist chiefly of Coloured women—in one form, which stood out in strong relief from the rest, his heart told him he could not be mistaken. It bounded within his bosom for joy. It was Julia! crowning blessing of that eventful day.
"Perceiving that she quitted her companions, and was advancing towards him, he suffered his troops to pass on, and flew to her side; and having leapt to the ground, she fell on his breast, weeping."
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