The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-10-21
Forbes Ride

Mr.. Forbes of the London Nc,Os, gives
the following account of his ride after tho
battle of Ulandi, Zululand: "NIany men
tried to dissuadc me; MY enterprise was
freely characterized as madness Evelyn
Wood was the last man to urge an objcc-
ton, and when that bad no avail, he gave
me Il telegram for his wife. The night was
just falling as rode up the steep rugged
track from the laagcr into the bush. was
riding dark chestnut horse whose pluck
and staying power knew well and meant
to lest both. My great effort was to ira
verse rs much ground as possible before it
got qailc dark, for did not like tho inter
val of pitchy darkness before the moon
should rise about eight o'clock. so | sent
the chestnut along ut best pace. IL was Il
grllcSOmc ride, and | would sooner be shot
ut for two hours at q stretch than to do it
again. There was no road, only confu-
sion of wagon tracks, through the long
grass, made by our vehicles in their ad-
vance. Everywhere the bush, in detached
clumps some ten feet high, clustered tLicll
around and among these tracks, l darcn't
smoke for fear the striking of Il match
might bctray he. All that thcro was for
ne was to trust to luck, sec that the flap of
my revolver case was open, and keep the
good horses head straight. On we went,
regiment might have lain hidden, through
tho little patches of tall thorn brake, whose
pricklcs tore my clothes and laccratcd my
skin, stumbling over fallen trunks, wading
through long rank grass, always with cars
cooked and every sense on its fullest ten
sion. Several fires were visible, through
the bush foliage to right and left, doubtless
the night fires of Struggling bodies Of Lulus.
Behind me sccthcd the Gchcnna of the
blazing Ulundi and the other kraals fired
that day. Their lund blaze helped nc on
after darkness fell, which they served to
mitigate. But at length CAME to Il dead
halt near the region where the two columns
campcd on their march, between tho ridge
of Eutodgcncni and the White Umfaloosi.
The multiplicity Of tracks confused nc. l
had fairly lost my way; l could dimly sec
close to me tho charrcd relics of the great
Slipanc Kraal, and l knew l must be near
bog, into which, If | straycd, my horse
ut least would never emerge. There was
10 recourse but to halt where was, and
wait with what patience Imight, for the moon
to rise. dare say she kept her time, but
must say | thought her shockingly slow.
At length the great disc showed above the
ridge, and Illuminated the basin below. AZ
ter Il few casts hit off the spoor, and in ten
minutes moro was climbing the open grassy
slope that leads up to the standing camp
on the Entongcncni. Here the chcstnut
was done, and right well he had done; but
Major Upchor, of the 24th, who was in
command, first ordered his men lot of
rum each in honor of the good news had
brought, and then furnished me with Il
fresh horse, and party to guide me on the
devious way. Steadily | rode on all
through the bitter night under the moon
light without adventure, save an occasional
missing and recovery of the road. + had
an escort for two stages, and then went on
alone, passed within few miles of the
spot where some days later the bodies,
pierced with assegai wounds, of poor young
Scott Douglass and Corporal Cottcr of tho
Lanccrs were found. About four in the
morning the binding fog came down, and
then it was case OF cropping for the track
On the Hill above Fort Marshall the foy was
SO dense that had to dismount and feel
in the grass FOR the wagon-ruts leading
down the steep slope to tho fort. Once
there, dear old Colonel Collingwood gave
nc some tea in tho gray Of the morning,
and set ne up with a fresh horse. TO
make long story short, | rode into Land
mans Drift between two and three in the
afternoon of the 9th, having ridden about
ono hundred and tcnmilcs, lsingsix horses
1t was not much of Il ride for spccd--onc
hundred and ten miles in twenty hours;
but look NJ the delays in losing and finding
the road, in getting fresh horses &c. |
know TINT | never halted in any ono place
more than half al hour, and that made
good speed is cvitont from the following
fact: After l had left Lord Chelmsford
changed his mind, and started off Guy
Dnwnay m hour later, under escort with
his formal despatch am nearly three
stone heavier than Dawnay, and weight
tells fcarfuy on these colony ponies. Yet
Dawnay did not reach Landmarks Drift till
10 p. III. on tho 9th inst. Leaving the Un-
faloosi ono hour behind me, he did not
reach Landmarks until seven hours behind
me. My riding, it appeared, was not yet
over. On the morning of the 9th it occur
rcd to General Marshall, in command at
Landmarks Drift-Alarshall is about the
clcarcst headed of our chicfs-lhat some
time might elapsc before direct commun-
cation could be opened up between Wolsc-
ley and Chelmsford, and that what would
be able TO tell him regarding details might
be of service to the former if were to hur-
ry through with all possible speed to Port
Durnford. / wasn't in tho best case for
another long ride, it was true. In tho
fight l had thwack on the leg with a
spent bullet. 1t had not broken the skin,
but made confusion, and the long ride
had set up not little inflammation. But it
was not bad enough to let it beat fellow,
and OIL set for Landmarks Drift abont one
IN the afternoon of the 9th, bent on reach
ing iictcrmartzburg, distance of one
hundred and seventy miles before stopping,
which did.