Alcohol or Paraffin

Posts : 600 Join date : 2013-09-18 Location : West Country

Gumpega Qwabe, described how during the ransacking of the camp at Isandlwana many Zulus were desperately thirsty and they searched the camp for drink. They were particularly keen to find 'Canteen', the name by which they called alcohol. uMbongoza of the Umbonambi described how there were dangers in drinking 'Canteen because 'most Zulus were unable to tell alcohol from the medicines stored in the hospital tent, or paraffin found in the camp'. Some men drank the paraffin and died of poisoning. In Ian Knights book he describes how the writer E.V Morton found an echo of this in the 1930s, he met a chief called Nkantini Kasitheku, whose father fought at Isandlwana and had named his son in memory of the terrible surprise sprung by the white mans canteen.

I was wondering what had happened to many of the artefacts that the Zulus had taken from Isandlwana and are there any other stories like the canteen story?

Regards

Waterloo

Posts : 922 Join date : 2011-10-21 Location : Algoa Bay

Hi Waterloo50,
In addition to which the ransackers of the medical tent guzzled a number of demi-johns of medical disinfectant based on carbolic acid. These intrepid warriors succumbed to their bingeing spree shortly afterwards.

regards

barry

Posts : 600 Join date : 2013-09-18 Location : West Country

Hi Barry,

From the reports of the ransacking of the camp that I have read it was a pretty nasty affair, any wounded men surviving the initial onslaught of the camp must have suffered greatly. The thing is, it is easy to understand the Zulu blood lust after the battle, the adrenalin must have been pumping, this along with the Zulus frenzied search for the spoils of war would have created a scene that would have been terrifying even viewed from a distance. I think there is a British eyewitness account somewhere of the ransacking of the camp.

I didn't know that they had tried to drink medical disinfectant, I don't suppose that the disinfectant was alcohol based. How did the Zulus even know what British alcohol was, had they tried it before and if they did what did they drink? I suspect it was either Gin or Brandy. Question

Regards

Waterloo

Posts : 708 Join date : 2012-05-05

They would have known what alcohol was I suppose via John Dunn.

I also guess after Battle they were so thirsty they would have drank just about a form of liquid.

I also read that, dead men were found, who hands had been bound behind their backs. So is that an indication they were looking to take prisoners but changed their minds for whatever reason.

Subject: Re: Alcohol or Paraffin Mon Jul 20, 2015 6:00 pm

I read somewhere that the Zulu's called Gin, "Victoria's Tears".

Posts : 600 Join date : 2013-09-18 Location : West Country

I would have thought that the Horses would have been a valuable commodity but the Zulus killed them because they were the 'White mans feet', I can't imagine why they would have wanted to take prisoners, a bargaining chip maybe? I think they were more interested in Victoria's Tears.

Waterloo

Posts : 2265 Join date : 2010-10-22 Location : France

Cetewayo would have wanted that his warriors make Officers prisonners.
Cheers

Posts : 2265 Join date : 2010-10-22 Location : France

source: "Zulu rising" p.535
"Cetewayo story, Webb and Wright, a zulu king speaks".

Posts : 600 Join date : 2013-09-18 Location : West Country

ymob

Thanks for that, Zulu Rising p.627 in paperback.

Cetshwayo wanted officers for intelligence of British plans and as a bargaining tool, he also wanted cannons for trophies and as a weapon.

Kind Regards

Waterloo