Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-09-20

New York Evening Post.
In private letter Mr.. Archibal,
Forbes, of the London News, speak
thus of his famous ride from Ulundi
Many men tried to dissuade me
my enterprise was freely character
lied as "madness" and sd
foolhardiness." Evelyn Wood wa
the last man to urge an objection
and when that had no avail, III
gave me a telegram for his wife
The night was just falling as 1 rode
up the steep, rugged track from the
laager into the bush. / was riding
a dark chestnut horse whose PLUCK
and staying power | knew well
and | meant to test both. Ny great
effort was to traverse as much ground
as possible before it got quite dark
for / did not like the interval Of
pitchy darkness before the moon
should rise about eight o'clock. Sc
/ sent the chestnut along at best
pace. 1t was gruesOme ride, and
/ would sooner be shot at for two
hours at stretch than do it again.
There was no road, only a confusion
of wagon-tracks through the long
grass, made by our vehicles in their
advance. Everywhere the bush, in
detached clumps some ten feet high,
clustered thick around and among
these tracks. / daren't smoke for
fear the striking of a match might
betray me. All that there was for
me was to trust to luck, see that the
flap of my revolver case was open,
and keep the good horses head
straight.
On we went, down into black
gullies, where half a regiment might
have lain hidden, through little
patches of tall thOrn-brake, whose
prickles tore my clothes and lace
rated my skin, stumbling over
fallen trunks, wading through long
rank grass, always with ears cooked
and every sense on its fullest ten
sion. Several fires were visible
through the bush foliage to right
and to left, doubtless the night fires
of struggling bodies of Zulus. Be
hind me seethed the Gehenna of the
blazing Ulundi and the other kraals
fred that day. Their lurid blaze
helped me on after darkness fell,
which they served to mitigate. But
at length l came to a dead halt near
the region where the two columns
on their march between
the ridge of Entongeneni and the
White Umfaloosi. The multiplicity
Of tracks confused me. / had fairly
lost my way. / could dimly see
close to me the charred relics of the
5lipane Kraal, and l knew I must
Dust be near bog, into which, if
'trayed, my horse at least would
never emerge. There was no re-
course but to halt where / was, and
wait with what patience l might,
or the moon to rise. / dare say
The kept her time, but must say l
.hought her shOckingly slow.
At length the great disc showed
lbove the ridge, and illuminated
he basin below. After a few casts
hit off the spoor, and in ten min
ties more was climbing the open
,rassy slope that leads up to the |
tanding camp on the Enlargement. |
Here the chestnut was done, and |
light well had he done; but Major
Jpchor, of the Oath, who was in |
first ordered his men a
OF of rum each in honor of the good |
Jews brought, and then furnished |
ne with a fresh horse, and a party |
O guide me on the devious way.
steadily J rode on all through the
litter night under the moonlight
Without adventure, save an Occa-
ional missing and recovery of the
DAD. [ had an escort for two
tages, and then went on alone. 1
assed within a few miles of the
pot where some days later the
odies, pierced with assegai wounds,
poor young Scott Douglas and
Cotter of the Lancers were
lund. About four in the morning
ne binding fog came down, and
len it was a case of cropping for the
rack. On the hill above Fort Mar
hall the fog was so dense that /
ad to dismOunt and feel in the wet
rass for the wagOn-ruts leading
own the steep slope to the fort.
nee there, dear old Colonel Col
ngWood gave me some tea in the
ray of the morning, and set me up
18th a fresh horse. To make long
ory short, rode into Landmarks
rift between and 3 in the after
Oon of the 5th, having ridden about
De hundred and ten miles, using
X horses, 1t was not much of a
de for speed-One hundred and ten
lilies in twenty hours but look at
le delays in losing and finding the
,ad, in getting fresh horses, etc. l
now that 1 never halted in any 5
ne place more than half an hour,
I'd that / made good speed is evil =
7nt from the following fact: After ]
had left Lord Chelmsford changed
Is mind, and started off Guy Daw- !!
ay an hour later, under escort, ]
ith his formal dispatch. l am
early three stone heavier than {
AWAY, and weight tells Internally
! these colonial ponies. Yet Daw-
ly did not reach Landmarks Drift
II 10 P. NJ. on the 5th inst. Leaving
le Umfaloosi one hour behind me,
, did not reach Landmarks Drift
It'll seven hours behind me.
My riding, it appeared, was not
It over, On the morning Of the
h it occurred to General Marshall, )
command at Landmarks Drift
arshalI is about the clearest-head-
of our chiefs-that some time !
light elapse before direct commu-
cation could be opened up between
FOIseley and Chelmsford, and that
hat | would be able to tell him {
garding details might be of ser {
ce to the former if i were to hurry I
rough with all speed to Port Durn- I
rd. I wasn't in the best case for !
lother long ride, it was true. In |
e fight ! had a thwack on the leg
ith a spent bullet. 1t had not
oxen the skin, but made a GOntq- l
On, and the long ride had set up 6
IT a little inflammation. But it !
as not bad enough to let it beat a I
low, and off ! set for Landmarks |
rift about one in the afternoon of L
e 9th, bent on reaching Pieter- c
a distance of one hun '
ed and seventy miles, before stop ;
ng,
Ny leg by this time had got so =
ID that could barely walk, and Z
Nv the place has sloughed out, and 2
hanged to it. However, it will $
al on board ship, whittier l am 9
ing in a day or two. | mean to (
ek for home; perhaps | shall OUT 2
an for a few days at Capetown r
rhaps | shan't off-saddle at all.
his is fearful long yarn, but once o
began it / could not leave off. !,
CARE you not alarmed at the ap- C
oach of the king of terrors ?" said ?