Revisiting Heart of a Zulu

While awaiting the edits of Second Chance, and Heart of a Zulu, I'm revisiting some of the elements in Heart of a Zulu, because there are some things I think I should polish up. One is the use of a telescopic rifle sight. John Dunn, in his notes, never said he used one. But he was known as the best shot in South Africa, and the best hunter, so in my book, he is able to hit targets from great distances. So far in fact, that I think I'd better have him using a scope, otherwise, the shots he makes may not be believable.

So I added a part where he gets a scope as a gift from a British officer in Durban. It's true that Dunn had many friends in the British military, especially the officers who went hunting often with Dunn as their guide. There is one event, relayed by Dunn in his notes, where a Captain Watson was mauled by a lion, and Dunn saved his life by killing the lion and tending to the captain's wounds. I figured that would be a good opportunity for Watson to express his gratitude by giving Dunn a scope, which was invented about a dozen years earlier by a British colonel in the Crimean War.

Another element in the story I added was the fact that Theophilus Shepstone was actually knighted by Queen Victoria in 1876. I did have Shepstone referred to as Sir Theophilus, but I didn't have the moment specified when he was knighted. Now I do.

Little things like that make a novel better. It's good to have the details and it's good to have how, where, and when the details came about. Now, my John Dunn book has all of that. Can't wait for it to be published. It's better than ever.