The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-06-12
SURROUNDED BY ZULUS.
A Ride for Life Down Rocky Pass
swarming with the Merciless savages
An English Victory.

"A lcUUer 10 Ullc EulnDurgn OCOCSHbnB
says: l have obtained from trust
worthy source the following graphic
description of the terrible encounter on
the Iiobana mountain, South Africa, by
one who participated in it:
On March 81 we started from our
camp ut Kambula Hill, in Iululand, to
attack Zulu stronghold some twenty
miles away called the Ziobana mountain.
We numbered about eight hundred
mounted men, and were nearly all of us
volunteers, under Colonel Wood nomi-
nally, but the real command was exer-
cised by Colonel Butler. We started
about eight o'clock in the morning, and
very cheerful and lively we all were.
About five o'clock in the evening we
reached the slope of the mountain. We
were here fired at, but took no notice, as
we wanted to get along unperceived.
When darkness set in we bivouacked,
each man holding his horse in hand
while he lay down to rest-not to sleep.
During the night there was terrible
thunderstorm and we got thoroughly
drenched. At four A. NJ. we were all
astir, feeling miserable enough; our sad
dies were nearly as soft and wet as our
clothes. We ascended the hill pretty
easily, but nearly at the top the Zulus
began to make us aware of their presence.
By six o'clock we were at the top of the
plateau and our native allies were setting
fire to some Zulu huts and collecting the
cattle, about 1000 in number. After
time we collected at the opposite end of
the plateau, and here we found the Zulus
in stronger force than we had estimated.
They commenced heavy fire upon us
and we were engaged fully half an hour
with them before we succeeded in silenc-
ing them. About eleven we became
aware of the serious fact that while we
had been engaging a few Zulus at one
side very large number of them had
come the way we ascended, and others to
our right and left, and that we were be-
ing surrounded. A very few minutes
observation was sufficient to convey the
terrible impression to our minds that
once more the Zulus had got us into q
trap and that we were going to have to
fight for our lives to get out of it as best
we could or die. The willy savages be-
gan to appear on every side-not in twos
or threes, but in hundreds and thousands.
Some of them had evidently climbed
what to us seemed positively perpen-
dicular btttress on our left. Our retreat
was cut off, and there was nothing to be
done but either fight it out to the end -
or endeavor to escape down an almost
perpendicular pass few hundred yards
in front of us. There had been too much
lighting it out to the end y in the two
months Immediately preceding lsandula.
There was but one outlet for us, and
toward it we had orders to gallop. Twas
in the rear, and when | reached the
place the sight was sickening. There
was an almost perpendicular pass about
ten feet wide and about 300 or 400 yards
down. 1t was filled with rough, ragged
boulders, between which were crevices
where once the poor horse and rider fell
he was seen no more. 1t seemed full of
horses and men floundering one upon
the other in dire and dreadful confusion,
while the Zulus were pouring n murder
Gus fire among them. How l got down
| do not know; have not met with a
single comrade yet who does. The chief
sensation | experienced was that behind
me. at about 500 yards distance, was a
manner the most bloodthirsty and tiend-
ish. In one or two places progress was
altogether impeded by chasms six or
eight feet wide, and it was only by jump
ing them, or rather by risking the at
tempt for many a poor fellow lost his
footing and his life here), that further
descent was possible. Nearly all the
horses were killed or had to be left before
we reached the bottom. All this time
the Zulus were firing on us, and
amid the most piteous shrieks for mercy
rushing from the sides of the pass and
assegaieing our poor fellows. How any
of us escaped it is to me, and almost
every one else, a miracle. AT last some
how or other, | got to the neck of the
pass, escaping injury from the heavy fire
of the enemy, but only to find that on the
plain in front was a big Zulu army en-
gagged with our men, who were divided
into parties and fighting for dear life
Colonel Weatherly and his corps We're
almost cut up to man. They were
separated from the main body, and the
last that was seen of the gallant colonel
was his commanding figure, sword in
hand, killing the enemy right and left
and selling his life as dearly as possible.
The retreat home was a fight. We
reached the camp in the evening by twOs
and threes, some with arms and clothing,
others almost devoid of either. Some
horses were carrying two men, Others
three; every one was humiliated and
dispirited. This is one picture of the
disaster in 1.-THE DEVILS Pass" on the
Ziobana mountain on March 2S, 1879.
1t was getting considerably into the
forenoon of the 2Sth before | had suffi-
ciently recovered myself to feel exactly
how and where | was. The ordinary
morning duties of camp life had been
going on, and now and then / had come
| across a companion of the previous day
whose haggard face still betokened how
he had been 81 face to face with death. u
Our camp was to all intents and pur-
poses impregnable. It was proof
| against an ordinary European army
learned that Zulu spy had been caught
and informed Colonel Wood that the
Zulus were to attack us during our din
ner hour. Shortly afterward it was
shown plainly enough that this was so
The Zulus could be seen in huge black
mass about five miles away coming OF
very slowly and leisurely. Everything
went on in camp just the same; ever
| the dinner was prepared and cater.
| There were 1900 of us, and we wern con,
| fident and eager to be avenged. Wher
they got within about three miles the
| alarm was sounded, tents struck, the
| forts manned and every one stood to
arms. The Zulus appeared to form
themselves into battle array about three
miles off, the main body advancing
| direct to the camp and the "horns," al
they are termed, stretching to the right
and left. When they got within abou
three thousand yards the cavalry were
sent out and did good service by draw
ing them on (firing and retreating
within range of the artillery. The cav
airy, being very small force, retired
L