The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1890-04-05

make me into medicine7 I had heard of
such things being done by Zulus and
kindred tribes, and my blood ran cold at
the thought. What an end! To be
pounded up, made medicine Of, and
eatenl
However, had little time for further
reflection, for now the whole impi was
pouring back from the Donga and river
banks where ithad hidden while their ruse
was carried out, and once more formed
up on the side of the slope. I was taken
to the crest of the slope and placed in
the center of the reserve line in the espe-
cial charge Of huge Zulu named Bonn
byane, the same man who had come for
ward as herald. This brute seemed to
regard me with an affectionate curiosity.
Now and again he poked me in the ribs
with the handle Of his assegai, as though
to assure himself that I was solid, and
several times he asked me to be so good
as to prophesy how many Zulus would
be killed before the "Amaboona," as
they called the Beers, were "eaten up"
At first l took no notice of him be-
yond scowling, but presently, goaded
into anger, prophesied that he would
be dead in an hour!
He only laughed aloud. "Oh! white
spirit" he said, sis it SO? Well, I've
walked long way from Zululand, and
shall be glad of rest"
And he got it shortly, as will be seen.
Now the Zulus began to sing again:
We have caught the white spirit, nv brother. nv
brotherl
Iron tongue whispered of him, he smelt him out,
my brother.
Now the blaboona are ours-they are already
dead, my brother.
So that treacherous villain Indaba-
zimbi had betrayed me. Suddenly the
chief of the impi, gray haired man
named Sususa, held up his assegai, and
instantly there was silence. Then he
spoke to some indunas who stood near
him. Instantly they ran to the right
and left down the first line, saying a
word to the captain of each company as
they passed him. Presently they were
at the respective ends of the line, and
simultaneously held up their spears. As
they did SO, with an awful roar Of "Bu-
lata Amaboona' (''Slay the Boers'), the
entire line, numbering nearly thousand
men, bounded forward like buck start
led from its form, and rushed down
upon the little laager. It was splen-
did sight to see them, their assegais gilt
tering in the sunlight as they rose and
fell above their black shields, their war
plumes bending back upon the breeze,
and their fierce faces set intently on the
foe, while the solid earth shook beneath
the thunder of their rushing feet. 1
thought of my poor friends the Dutch
men, and trembled. What chance had
they against so many?
Now the Zulus, running In the shape
of bow SO as to wrap the lager round
on three sides, were within seventy
yards, and now from every wagon broke
tongues of fire. Over rolled number
of the Umtetwa, but the rest cared little.
On they rushed right up the laager,
striving to force a way in. But the
Beers piled them with volley after vol
ley, and, packed as the Zulus were, the
elephant guns loaded with slugs and
small shot did frightful execution. Only
one man ever got on to wagon, and as
he did so saw Boer woman strike
him on the head with an az. He fell
back, and slowly, amid howls of derision
from the two lines on the hill side, the
Zulus drew back.
''Let us go, fatherl" shouted the SOL
,diers on the slope, among whom was,
to their chief, who had come up. "You
have sent out the little girls to fight, and
they are frightened. Let us show them
the way"
"No, mol" the chief sususa answered,
laughing. "Wait minute and the little
girls will grow to women, and women
are good enough to fight against Boers!"
The attacking Zulus heark the mockery
of their fellows, and rushed forward
again with roar. But the Beers in the
laager had found time to load, and they
met with warm reception. Reserving
their fire till the Zulus were packed like
sheep in a kraal, they loosed into them
with the roers, and the warriors fell in
little heaps. But saw that the blood of
the Umtetwas was up; they did not
mean to be beaten back this time, and
the end was near. Seel six men had
leapt on to the wagon, slain the man be-
hind it and sprung into the lager. They
were killed there, but others followed.