3-071-054 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Litlasa's Cave, near Maseru, Basutoland, 1881. 'Four months of desultory and indecisive warfare on the frontier of rugged Basutoland have already cost the [British] Cape Colony a million of money...The...[View] of Maseru which we now publish [is] a view of Litlasa's or Lethlasa's Cave, which is near the top of a rugged hill or cliff, 1200 ft. high, two miles south-south-west of the Residency. This cavern, partly natural, partly artificial, is 40 ft. high, and its interior was spacious enough to shelter three hundred of the Basuto warriors, some of their wounded, and some horses. It was occupied by them many days, while they besieged Maseru. [The sketch was] drawn for the Illustrated London News by Lieutenant W. Nelson, an officer of the Native Levies under Commandant W. J. Nettelton, forming part of Colonel Bayly's forces at Maseru. Mr. W. Nelson was killed in the action of Oct. 28; and we have received from Commandant Nettelton a letter, dated Maseru, Nov. 10, inclosing the two Sketches, which were found among Mr. Nelson's papers, with a note showing that Mr. Nelson meant to send them to us'. From "Illustrated London News", 1881.