Thomas J Lucas

With the Cape Mounted Rifles-Experiences of Kaffir Warfare, Camp Life and Sport in South Africa Thomas J Lucas

The Cape in the early years of Queen Victoria's reign

The author of this book was a trooper in the Cape Mounted Rifles serving in South Africa-or the Cape Colony-in the middle years of the nineteenth century. The Cape Mounted Rifles were engaged in a succession of small but savage wars-known broadly as the Kaffir Wars-with the indigenous tribes of the region. The author introduces the reader to the South Africa of his time with descriptions of its terrain, inhabitants, including Hottentots, Fingoes and Zulus, and native wildlife. Life on patrol, in garrison and on campaign under the ever present threat of ambuscade by an enemy with no regard for the niceties of 'civilised' warfare is covered in detail. This is a first rate account of life and warfare in the Cape during the 1850's, written by one who experienced the events described within these pages at first hand. Available in softcover and hardcover with dust jacket for collectors.