Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-17

''No, 1 think that would be useless, ="
Ronald said. ''The massacre is apparently
universal, and evidently began at the same
time ali along the line. We should be too
late to warn anyone now. Still, he said,
rising suddenly from his seat, eve might
not be too late to rescue thUm. There may
be other parties holding out I hadn't
thought of that, and we had better push on
further"
"I doubt if our horses can go any fur
ther." one of the men said. "Mine could
scarcely carry me the last five miles"
Eyes, that is SC" Roland agreed. think
nv horse is good for another 20 miles, and
the horses of our friends the burghers are
quite fresh, so will leave you here and
ride on with them. You will, OF course
keep a sharp lookout; but do not think it
likely that they will renew the attack.
They must have lost between 30 and go men.
will ride on with the burghers to the last
settlement along this line. 1t is not,
think, more than 20 miles further. We
will sleep there and return the first thing
in the morning. By that time, Mr.. Arm
strong, you will, I suppose, be ready to
move into town.
eyes, shall be ready by that time" the
farmer said. "I sent of four loads of wheat
yesterday morning, and the wagons will be
back tonight. 1 viii pack everything 1
want to take, and we shall be ready to start
BY the time you return. OF course, I shall
drive the cattle with us-that is If there are
any cattle LETT to drive"
"I saw them in the kraal behind the
house as we rode up, Ronald said. 81
suppose the Kstfirs thought they might as
we'll finish with you first, and they could
then divide the cattle among them at their
leisure"
"Well, that's good news" the settler
said 81 made sure they were all gone.
But don't you think you have done enough
for to-day"
"Yes; don't go any further" Mary Arm
strong added.
"I feel that it is nv duty to go, Miss
Armstrong. would much rather stay,
can assure you. but it's possible some of
the garrisons may be still holding out"
Eyes, we are wrong to ask you to stay"
Mr. Armstrong said; "but just wait min
ute, NV horses are kraaled with the cattle.
will bring one round and change the
saddles; it would be pityJto founder that
splendid horse of yours. You see he has
got lot of English blood in him, and can't
60 on forever like our Cape horses"
Five minutes later, mounted on fresh
horse, Ronald started with the burghers.
Every farm they visited exhibited specta-
Gle of desolation; many had been forsaken
some time previously, but they had been
broken into, and, in many cases, fired. In
others, the bodies Of the occupants were be-
meath the embers of their homes; in few
che settlers had not been taken unawares,
and stains of blood round the buildings
showed that they had sold their lives
dearly. and inflicted considerable loss on
the Kafirs before they had succeeded in
bursting open the door. In one little clus-
ter of three or four houses, the bodies of
oh l.,
about; but one st0utly-built farmhouse in.
habited by Boer farmer and six sons, had
resisted all the attacks of the Kafirs. The
natives had drawn off before the arrival Of
the troops. The Boer stated that he in
tended to see it out.
"Two of nv sons, he said, shave already
driven off the cattle and horses. have got
a couple of cows in milk in the shed adjoin-
ing the house, and shall bring them inside
at night. The Kafirs will never beat down
my shutters or door, and one of us will
watch by turns, so that we will give it
them hot if they do venture to come on; but
1 think they have had pretty nearly enough
OF u.s.
This was the only house where a success
full resistance was made, and on getting to
the last station the party bivouacked near
the ruins of the house, and placing Two
men on guard, were soon asleep. They
were undisturbed till morning, and mount
ing as soon as it was daylight, rode back to
Mr.. Armstrong; station. Three wagons
had arrived late the night before, and with
the assistance of the troopers were already
loaded with furniture and other effects.
Two of the burghers offered to assist Mr..
Armstrong in driving his cattle and horses
to King WIlliamstown. The party was &C
companied by the other settlers and their
families, several of whom had saved their
wagons and animals, as the Kaffirs had made
their first attack upon Mr.. Armstrong,
knowing from the Hsttentot servants that
the settlers from three or four of the adjoin-
ing farms would be gathered there. Their
defeat, therefore, had saved not only Mr..
Armstrong but the other farms from pillage
Very warm were the thanks that the settlers
before starting bestowed upon Ronald and
the troopers, and Ronald as soon as the car
avan had started rode somewhat thought
fully off with his men to the first place he
had visited.
Here they found that the Kafirs, after
thev had left, had made a determined at
tack upon the place, but had been beaten off
with much loss after several hours fighting
The settlers were now, however, occupied in
preparing to leave their farms, as the attack
might at any moment be renewed, and per-
haps with overwhelming numbers. The
yillage until the following morning, as their
orses, after their heavy work on the pre-
vious day, were not fit to take the long jour
nev back to the camp. On the following
morning they saw the settlers fairly on their
way, and then galloped of to rejoin their
corps at Fort Cox.
As they assembled piece Of rising ground
within a mile of the fort and obtained fair
view of it, they refined in their horses stimuli |
taueously. The fort itself appeared silent
and deserted, but at distance of few hun
dred yards from it they could see large
number of men moving about.
'Those are not soldiers" Ronald ex-
claimed, ''they must be Kafirs. By Jove,
jhe place is absolutely besieged. Look at
the puffs of smoke. Yes, there can be no
doubt about it. I expect the column has
gone out again, and the Kafirs are trying
to take-it before they return. Well, lads,
it's too late in tine afternoon now for us to
do anything. We had better ride back two
or three miles and then camp for the night.
In the morning we must try and find out
what has taken place and where the troops |
have got to.
All agreed that this was the best plan, |
and they accordingly rode quietly back, as |
for aught they could tell keen eyes might be |
upon them. They did not attempt to halt |
until it was quite dark, when they turned |
off at right angles to their former course, |
and after riding for about a mile camped in |
a clump of bushes. They had plenty of |
cold meat with them, for the settlers had. |
before starting, filled their haversacks. |
There was, therefore, no occasion to light a |
fire, which, indeed, they would in no case
have done, as should Kaffr catch sight of |
a light he would assuredly bring an over