The Irish standard., 1888-01-14
NAPOLEON ~. OF FRANCE.
General Alfred Aylward Tells the
y Story Of the Death Of the
Young Prince.
THE PRINCES RECKLESSNESS.

The Prince Died on His Knees, Praying
and Feebly Resisting at the
Same Time.
This very interesting narrative is di-
rectly derived from a recent long talk
of the celebrated Transvaal leader to a
representative Of the New York Times.
Tin 1884," said the general, ''the mat
ters of the Zula war passed under my
own observation, and, with the late
Bishop Colenso, personally inyestiga~
ted the circumstances OF the death of
the prince imperial, concerning which
there never was any concealment. and
which were perfectly reported in detail
by Phil Robinson of the London Daily
Telegraph. The first / saw OF the
prince imperial was in connection with
an incident which bears directly On the
manner of his death. His charger, a
gray horse, with other animals belong.
, ing to the staff, was in front of the
Royal Hotel at Pieterm aritzburg await
ing staff movement by Lord Cheln1s-
ford. The prince, taking q run, vault
ed from the rear on to the back Of his
horse. which, unused u such treat
ment, flung him into the middle OF the
street. He would always mount FROM
any side, from behind or in front, re-
gardless Of the usual aids and always
without regard for discipline or mill.
tary custom, and the spirited gray
charger was most certainly frightened
by the startling mounts. On June l,
1879, the headquarters camp OF the
British army was on Conference Hill,
ZuIuland, and Quartermaster-General
Carey of the Eighth Foot was ordered to
inspect and report On it g. new site
some miles to the front. He proceeded
with two Basutos (Kafirs) and six
Europeans as an escort to DO this duty.
The prince prevailed on Carey to take
him with the party. At this time, the
prince had no rank, honory or other
wise, and no duties to perform in con-
nection with the British army. He was
a visitor to the staff and headquarters
and came in no sense into orders
The patrol. as it must be called, in a
ride of one hour, reached suitable
ground on the lett bank of the 1tyotyo-
ri, a stream running with about six
inches of water in q direction q little
north of east The ground was open
and unobstructed. save by field Of
standing corn and the walls Of few
tlismantled native Kraals There were
ne woods near, but to the left were a
range of hills not exceeding 400 feet
above the stream level, aud the sum-
mits OF which were distant less than
$500 hundred yards. The party intend
ed to sketch, report and return, and
had no impediments with iU--not even
easels or tents-only Carey's field note
book and TIE coffee kettles Of the troop
ers The party halted and dismounted
and made coffee. They sat down for
picnic in Che slight shade afforded by
the shadow falling To the south Of the
tall corn. The horses were turned loose
aud no sentry was posted to protect
the party. After an hour had elapsed
one of the Kafirs warned Carey, saying:
Look out! I have seen Kafr, a Zu
lu.' But even then no effort was made
to watch the surrounding territory
The horses, however, were ordered to
be brought closer, and some Of the men
caught and oaddled them. In nearly
two and one quarter hours after the
picnic had begun Carey consulted the
prince as to his readiness to return to
camp. which was plainly visible from
where the party was, the ground being
level with the slight exception Of the
dip into the ltyotvozi and ordinary
Typographical irregularities. The dis
tance between the prince and the camp
was, as the crow flies, Iess than six
miles. The prince assented, and the
party prepared to mount, the horses
tails being toward the cornfeld and
then heads toward camp. The order
Mount had not died away when there
StaluG VIC ClitCh VI d liIClc fUllCS AlSU
from behind at range of not more
than twenty-four feet. Some had
gained their saddles and some were
still in the air when this startling in
:terruption took place. Those who
were fully mounted galloped off; those
who were half mounted scrambled on
and followed as best they could. Two
were flung wounded to the ground, and
the prince imperial, who was engaged
in his usual vaulting performance, was
left by his gray horse, which dashed
after the other animals, but still In the
rear and liable to be overtaken and
caught. The prince, a swift runner,
did catch the horse and again attempt
S8ed1 q needless method of counting,