Drakensberg Mountains and Fugitives Drift, South Africa

September-October 2008

Back to Travel Blog

Before the next bit of diving up North it was time for a bit of R&R in the lovely Drakensberg Mountains and then a bit of a history lesson – tales of the 19th century Anglo-Zulu War, both the massive British defeat at Isandlwana and (on the same day) the heroic defence of Rorkes Drift.

Pointing the rental car north I headed for Champagne Castle, one of the loveliest spots in the Drakensberg and spent 3 relaxing days exploring on foot and by vehicle, and whilst the photography was nothing spectacular, I did thoroughly enjoy my time there – especially by a colony of Southern Masked Weavers and chasing a Greater Double-collared Sunbird around the gardens. It was then on to one of the apparent anomalies of my trip, staying at Fugitives Drift a couple of hundred miles east of the mountains, and being taught about a long-ago war. I had very little idea of what to expect, but it exceeded anything I could have imagined.

Fugitives Drift was the brainchild of David Rattray, formerly a guide in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, who was fascinated with the history of the Natal region. Sadly David was murdered a year or so before, but his legacy has been continued admirably by the remainder of his family and the fantastic guides he helped train. During my time there I had three different guides and they were all superb, keeping all the guests intensely interested as they recounted the sad, (to modern-ears) crazy and incredibly brave goings on in Natal in the late 1870’s. Other sources tell the story better, but suffice it to say that I was deeply moved by hearing about Isandlwana – the first big defeat that Britain had ever suffered at the hands of an indigenous people, and then the incredible story of the defence of Rorkes Drift only some few hours later.

Folly, hubris, courage, misfortune and luck all combined to make utterly intoxicating history, and the guides were very even-handed when discussing the two sides of the conflict. As is sadly true throughout history, the leaders (especially on the British side) don’t come across very well as the folly and hubris were often theirs, but the ordeals the average soldier had to overcome boggle the mind. Imaging the courage required by a British soldier (many of which were Welsh in this case) as the stood in their thin picket line watching twenty thousand or so Zulus running straight at them. Or in the counterpoint, these brave virgins (for Zulus could not lie with a woman until their Assegai –spears – had been bathed in the blood of an enemy) racing into the murderous fire of the Martini-Henry rifles. Very very interesting.

(show this location in Google Maps)