The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-07-05 00:00:00

THE ZULU WAR.

SIR BARTLE FRERE AT CAPE TOWN.

The reception of Sir Bartle Frere at Cape Town
surpassed anything witnessed here since the Duke of
Edinburgh's visit (says the correspondent of The
Times, under date June 10). The streets and house-
tops, from the railway station to Government-house,
were crowded with people, who cheered loudly.
Various deputations presented addresses of welcome,
and the Governor's carriage was unhorsed and drawn
by gentlemen to his residence. It was altogether a
strikingly effective manifestation of loyalty and sym-
pathy. Sir Bartle Frere, replying to the addresses,
said :

"Nothing can give me greater satisfaction and strength it
facing what is past or what is before us than the knowledg(
that I have your sympathy. I know it is Impossible foi
those at a distance to Judge of difficulties and the besl
manner of meeting them, and I look upon your expressior
of opinion as foreshadowing what may be the verdict of mi
own countrymen and of history when the circumstances arc
better known."

He touchingly alluded to the untimely end of the
brave young Frenchman who gave his life in the cause
of civilization in South Africa, and desired that the
intended public banquet should be postponed out of
respect to the memory of the Prince.

A Reuter's telegram from Cape Town (via Madetra) under
date June 10, says:—
"The accounts of the manner In which the Prince
Imperial met with his death are conflicting. Accord-
ing to the official statement 50 Zulus surprised the
party, who were resting near a merino field.
In the general flight the Prince Imperial rode intq
donga where a body of Zulus lay concealed. Ac-
cording to independent accounts the alarm wae
given by a Caffre belonging to the party at thd
moment the latter were about to mount, when
the Zulus fired a volley and killed one trooper'
The i r;nce being unable to mount his horse, which
was restive, ran by the horse's side until he was over-,
taken by the Zulus and assegaied. The survivors rode)
in the direction of Brigadier General Wood's camp and
met him and Colonel Buller on the way. Information
was immediately conveyed to Lord Chelmsford
and a strong cavalry party was despatched tol
recover the body, which was found in the)
donga and conveyed to the camp, where the
funeral service was read over the body by the
Roman Catholic chaplain in presence of the whole
division paraded for the occasion. Lord Chelmsford
acted as chief mourner. The body was subsequently
removed to Pietermaritzburg, where it was received'
by the Lieutenant Governor, the Colonial Secretary;
and the officers of the garrison, and placed in the
Roman Catholic Church, where it lay in state."

BRINGING IN THE BODY OF THE PRINCE IMPERIAL.
The Tirn of Monday published the following from
Correspondent, under date Itelezi-hill, June 2 :
ded

"At five o'clock this morning the riveille resoun,
through the camp, and the troops turned out 800.
after daybreak. Two squadzons of the Lancers, und,
Colonel Drury Lowe, and a squadron of Dragoo:
under Major Marter, paraded and immediately af"
wards marched off. It was a relief to be on the

roadl

for the suspense and anxiety suffered by everyone sine
Lieutenant Carey's arrival last night could hardl;
have been exceeded had ho brought news of a secon(
'sandlanai

"The expedition in search of the Prince Imperial era
under the command of Major-General Marshall ce
behalf of Lord Chelmsford. He was accompanied h
Captain Moly n eux, A.D. C., and Surgeon. Major F
while Captain Lane, A.D.C., represented Genera
Newdigate. The regular cavalry was strengthened la:
the presence of 'two companies and a half of Majo
Bengough's battalion of the Native Contingen
Captain Shepstone's Bonitos, and Captain Bettington
Natal Horse. The party made rapid way across th
country, rarely drawing rein unless the nature of t
ground rendered it necessary. On the way we passe
several kraals, in one of which an old woman was foun
We also crossed many dongas, but for the most part th
country was open and easily traversed. Wi
Bettington's Horse rode the Prince Imperial's se
vent. His groom was also there cli:the horse th
Prince himself had ridden the previous day. On th
near side the holster was partially torn from the saddle',
showing where it had given way in the Prince's in.
effectual endeavours to mount. There was a tale iE
this simple fact—a tale which spoke not the less
touchingly for lacking words. Who could tell
whether that trifling rent was not answeraUle
for the fate of the Prince? Mr. Deleage, corre-
pondent of the Paris Figaro, was with us, and wad,
I believe, the only Frenchman of the party. Round-
ing the shoulder of the hill from which Lieutenant
Carey reconnoitred the valley while the Prince
Imperial sketched the principal features of the sure
rounding country, we came in sight of a part of Colonel
Buller's Cavalry, composed of Reefs and frontier Light
Horse, who had been sent out by Brigadier-General
Wood, whose column we could see moving along a ridge
about four miles off; but he hearing that a patrol
would also leave Lord Chelmsford's head-quarters, had
given them orders to disturb none of the evidences of
yesterday's disaster. The kraal itself is situate a few
hundred yards up the valley of the Ilyotozi. On one
side of it is Insulnwana hill, on the other the hill before
referred to. About 200 yards from the kraal is a shallow
donga filled with tall, rank grass. As we neared this
the Basutos and Volunteers spread out to search. A
shout soon apprised us of the fact that something
had been discovered. Men speedily gathered round a
spot near the crossing • their uncovered heads told that
one of the dead had been found. All my apprehen-
sions were confirmed, for there the poor young Prince
lay dead. Surgeon-Majors Scott and Robinson were
Boon present, but their skill was of no avail. Life had
been extinct for hours. All they could do was to
examine the wounds and find that two, at least, of
them would have proved instantaneously fatal. It is
probable that one of them was the first that he re-
ceived, for the face wore a calm and pleasant expres-
sion, not as of one who had died in pain. No bullet
had touched him. The wounds, 19 in number, were all
caused by assegais. Beside the Prince were found his
spurs, and round his neck a small chain with locket
and charms. These were given into the charge of
Captain Molyneux, by him to be handed over to Lord
Chelmsford. It was a mournful sight, aud no one re-
garded it with unconcern. At the Prince's head his
old soldier-servant knelt and wept; and grief like his.
exhibited by one who had served him only a short
time, spoke well for the private character of his master.
Strange fatality! Only a few days before, in conversa-
tion with Captain Lane, he had said, "It is no fun
being fired at; I want a trial with the aFaegai. I
should like a slight assegai wound." By General
Marshall's orders a stretcher was formed of lances and
a blanket; and, wrapped in another blanket, the
corpse was borne to meet the ambulance by the
General himself, Colonel Drury Lowe, Major
Stewart, Captain Molyneux,. and officers of the
17th Lancers. The krall where the party had
been surprised consisted of six huts, collected
round a circular store cattle fence. Gardens of mealies
and Caffre corn surrounded it on three sides, the
fourth being open and facing towards the donga. The
ambulance returned to Itelzi Camp at about two
o'clock. A funeral parade was ordered to take place
within a few hours, and on the morrow it has been de-
cided to send the body under escort to Landman's
Drift. M. Deleage will accompany it to England.
As the afternoon drew to a close and early evening,
approached, the troopa marched silently away to an
open space without the camp. The 21st, 58th, 91st,
the Artillerymen dismounted, Dragoons and Lancers
carrying their lances wheeled regiment after regi-
ment into line until three sides of a great ob-
long square were formed; and as the gun-car-
Huge bringing the covered body of Prince Louis
Napoleon, preceded by Artillerymen with reversed
carbines, moved slowly into the centre, the gloom that
had pervaded the camp since the mournful news was
received grew deeper and sterner. The dull murmur
of voices was hushed. Amid us, simply wrapped and
stretched upon a gun-carriage, was the Prince's dead
body, pierced by nineteen assegai wounds. The
Catholic priest read out the funeral service, and his
words incremed the universal gloom. Beyond the
ranked soldiers and bareheaded multitude was a
strange sky; dull, leaden clouds hung about, and the
near mountains seemed dark and distant in mist.
Just about them, in a small space, lingered the intenee
after-gloom of setting sun, drawing slowly down
cloud-curtain in the west."

Scotg

The Correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, gives the;
following graphia account of the arrival of the bony
of the Prince Imperial at Maritzburg -
"Sunday, June 8, will be a day long remembered In the
annals of Natal. Since Thursday it has been known that the
remains of the Prince Imperial would reach this city yester-
day. The two intervening days were spent by every one In
preparations for the sad occasion. Owing to the recent ex-
tension of the telegraph along the country roads, the pro-
gress cf the cortege from point to point was traced with the
greatest nicety. No veins were spared by the military
authorities and the citizens to make the reception 53