Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1890-01-11
CONTINUED FRoM.ePAaE SEVEN.


up to the place where the Zulus are en-
camped, hid myself behind q stone and
listened They are great regiment OF
Umtetwas, as Buar Botha yonder
thought They struck the spoor OF the
wagons three days ago and followed it
Tonight they sleep upon their spears,
tomorrow at daybreak they will attack
the lager and kill everybody. They
are very bitter against the Beers, because
of the battle at Blood river and the other
fights, and that is why they followed the
wagons instead of going straight north
after Mosilikaayye."
A kind Of groan went up from the
group of listening Dutchmen.
''I tell you what it is, heeren," said,
''instead of waiting to be butchered here
like buck In pitfall. let us go out now
and fall upon the impi while it sleeps"
This proposition excited some discus
sion, but in the end only one man could
be found to vote for it. Beers, as rule,
lack that dash which makes great SOL
diers; such forlorn hopes are not In their
line, and rather than embark upon them
laager, however poor that chance may
be. For my own part, firmly believe
that, had my advice been taken, we
should have routed the Zulus. Seven
teen desperate white men, armed with
guns, would have produced no small eff
feet upon a camp of sleeping savages.
But it was not taken, so it is no use talk
ing about it.
After that we went back to our posts,
and slowly the weary night wore on to-
wards the dawn. Only those who have
watched under similar circumstances
while they waited the advent of almost
certain and cruel death, can know the
torturing suspense of those heavy hours.
But they went somehow, and at last In
the far east the sky began to tighten,
while the cold breath of dawn stirred the
tits of the wagons and chilled me to the
bones. The fat Dutch woman behind
me woke with a yawn, then, remember
ing all, moaned aloud, while her teeth
chartered with cold and fear. Hans
Botha went to his wagon and got bot
tie of peach brandy, from which he
poured into tin pannikin, giving US
each stiff draw, and making attempts
to be cheerful as he did so. But his af-
fected popularity only seemed to depress
his comrades the more. Certainly 1t OPP
pressed me.
Now the light was growing, and we
could see some way into the mist which
still hung densely over the river, and
%hara II Woo ESr0,,, tho nfhar
side of the hill, a thousand yards or more
from the lager, came faint humming
sound. 1t grew and grew till it gathered
to chant-the awful war chant of the
Zulus. Soon I could catch the words.
They were simple enough:
We shall STAY. we shall STAY. Is it not 80, my
brothersf
Our spears shall blush blood red Is It not so. my
brothers?
For we are the stockings of Chaka, blood Is our
milk, my brothers.
Awake. children OF the Umtetwa, awakei
The vulture wheels, the jackal snitHs the dir;
Awake. children Of the Umtetwa-cry aloud. 20
Hnged men;
There Is the foe we shall slay them. Is it not so,
my brothers?
Sgeei S'geel Sgee!
Such is q rough Translation Of that
hateful chant which often hear to this
very day in my dreams. It does not
look particularly imposing on paper, but
il the reader could have heard it as it
rolled through the still air from the
Threats of nearly three thousand warriors
singing all to time, he would have found
it impressive enough.
Now the shields began to appear over
the brow of the rise. They came by
companies, each company about hun
bred strong. Altogether there were
thirty-one companies. counted them.
When all were over they formed them
selves into a triple line, then trotted
down the slope toward us. At dis
lance of a hundred and fifty yards, or
just odt of shot of such guns as we had
in those days, they halted and began
singing again:
kraal, my brothers;
We shall eat II up. we shall trample It fat. my
brothers,
But where are the white mans cattle-where are
his oxen. my brotharsf
This question seemed to puzzle them
good deal, for they sang tho song again
and again AT last o herald came for
ward, great man with ivory rings on
his arm. and putting his hax,ds to his
mouth. called out to US asking where our
cattle were.
Hans Botha climbed on to the top of a
wagon and roared out that they might
answer that question themselves.
Then the herald called again, saying
that he saw that the cattle had been sent
away.
1--WE shall go and find the cattle" he
said, "then we shall come and kill you,
because without cattle you must stop
where you are, but if we wait to kill you
before we get the cattle, they may have
trelSked too far for us to follow. But If
you try to run away we shall easily
catch you white men!"
This struck me as very odd speech,
IL