Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1888-11-08
MAIWA'S REVENGE
Gy H. RIDER HAGGARD.
CHAPTER VII.
THE ATTACK

of water. looked at it, and an idea struci
me. Probably there would be no water OF
the koppie. suggested this to our captain
and aching ON the hint, he directed all The
men TO drink what they could, and also TO I'll
the seven or eight cooking pots which we had
with us with water Then came the crucial
moment. How were we to get possession OF
the koppiel When our captain asked me,
said that | thought we had better march VI
and take it, and this accordingly we went on
10 do. When we came to the narrow gate
way, we were, as expected, stopped by two
soldiers who were on guard there and asked
our business The captain answered that we
had changed ou.' mind, and would follow on
TO Wambe's kraaL The soldiers said no; we
must now wait
ITO this we replied by pushing them to one
side and marching in single file through the
gateway, which was not distant more than a
hundred yards from the koppie. While we
were getting through, the men we had pushed
away ran towards the town, calling for as
slstanee-a call that was promptly responded
to, for in another minute we made out scores
of armed men running hard in our direction
So we ran, too, for the koppie As soon as
they understood what we were after, which
they did not ut first, owing to the dimness of
the light, they did their level best to get to
the koppie before us. But we had the start
Of them, and with the exception of one un-
fortunate man, who stumbled and FELL we
were well on TO it before they arrived This
man they captured, and when fighting began
on the following morning, and he refused to
give any information, they killed him.
Luckily they had no time to torture him, or
they would certainly have done so, for these
Matuku people are very fond of torturing
their enemies.
"Whcn we reached the koppie, the base of
which covered about half an acre of ground,
the soldiers who had been trying TO cut us Off
halted, for they knew the strength of the
position. This gave us few minutes, before
the light had quite vanished, to reconnoiter
the place. We found that it was unoccupied,
fortified with regular labyrinth of stone
walls and contained three large caves and
some smaller ones. The next business was to
post the men TO such advantage as time
would allow. My own men was careful to
put right at the top They were perfectly use 4
less from terror, and what feared was that
they might try TO escape and give information
of our plans to Wambe. So watched them
like the apple Of my eye, telling them that
should they dare to stir they would be shot,
Then it grew quite dark, and presently
out of the darkness ] heard voice; it was
that Of the leader of the soldiers who had es-
corted us, calling to us to come down We
replied that it wqs TOO dark to move; we
should hit our feet against the stones lie
insisted upon our descending, and we fatty
refused, saying that If any attempt was made
to dislodge us we would fire After that, as
they had no real intention of attacking us in
the dark, the men Withdrew, but we saw from |
the watch fires that were Ii -.,,,,,,d that !
they were keeping a strict watch upon our
pt e-..:orn
That night was wearing one for we
neytr quite knew how the situation was going |
10 develop. Fortunately we had some cooked /
food with us, so we did not starve, 1t was,
however, lucky that we had drunk our fill /
before coming up, for, as had anticipated,
there was not drop of water on the koppie.
AT length the night wore away, and with /
the first tinge Of light | began to 60 my |
rounds, and, stumbling along the stony /
paths, make things as ready as l could for
the attack, which / felt sure would be de-
livered before we were two hours older. The
men were cramped and cold, and conse-
quently low spirited, but l exhorted them to
the best of my ability, bidding them remem-
Der the race from which they sprang, and
not show the white feather to a crowd of
Matuku dogs. At length it began to grow
light, and presently saw long columns of
men advancing towards the koppie. They
halted, under cover, at distance of about
hundred and fifty yards, and just as the
dawn broke a herald came forward and
called to us. Our captain stood up on a rock
and answered him
"'These are the words of Wambe, he said
Come forth from the koppie and give over
the evil doors, and go in peace, or stay on the
koppie and be slain.
:" 1t is too early TO come forth as yet an
'wered our man, in fine diplomatic style. 4
When tee sun sucks up the mist, then we
will come FORTH Our limbs are stiff with
cold
Come forth even now said the herald
Not if know it, my boy, said to N.Y.
ielf; but the captain replied that he would
'ome out when he thought proper and not
before.
"'Then make ready to die, said the herald
.or all the world like the villain of a trans
oontine piece, and stalked majestically back
% the soldiers
iAttAN my Allil Arrangements. ana /
ooked anxiously at the mountain crest, a
'ouple Of miles or SO away, from which the
mist was now beginning to lift but no col
INN Of smoke could sec. | whistled, for il
he attacking force had been delayed or
made any mistake, our position was likely to
row pretty warm. We had barely enough
water TO wet the mouths of the men, and
when once that was finished we could not
lold the place long in the burning sun.
AT length, just as the sun rose in glory
'ver the heights behind us, the Matuku sol
iers, of whom some fifteen hundred were
low assembled, set up a queer whistling
loise, which ended in a chant Next some
bots were fired for the Matuku had few
unsl, but without effect though one bullet
assed just by mans head Now they are
DING to begin thought to myself, and /
Tas not far wrong, for in another minute
be body of men divided into three compa-
lies, each about five hundred strong. and. I
GRADED by running fire, charged at us on {
hree sides. Our men were now all well
nder cover, and the fire did us no harm. | {
lounted on rock, so as to command a view
I as much Of the koppie and plain as posi- s
lie. and yelled to orr man fo f-aSarx-a their