Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-01-07

dently been the sites of the Kafir kraals. Now the kraals were ashes and piles of tumbled stones, and strewn about among the rank grass were the bones of hundreds of mon, women and children, all of whom had kissed the Zulu asScgai. I remember that in one of these desolate places found the skull of child in which a ground lark had built its nest. It was the twittering of tho young birds inside that first called my attention to it. Shortly after this event we met with our second great adventure, much moro serious and tragic one than the first.
 We wero trekking parallel with the Kolong river when herd of blesbock crossed the track. I fired at one of them and hit it behind. It galloped about thousand yards with tho rest of the herd. then lay down. As we were in want of meat, not having met with any game for few days past, jumped on to my remaining horse, and, telling 1ndaba-zimbi that would overtake the wagons or meet them on the further side of a riso about an hours trek away, started after the wounded buck As soon as 1 came within a hundred yards of it, however, it jumped up and ran away as fast as though it were un- touched, only to lie down again at e distance. I followed, thinking that strength would soon fail it. This hap pened three times. On the third oc- casion it vanished behind ridgo, and though by now was out of both tenn per and patience, I thought I might as well ride to the ridge and see if I could get shot at it on the further side.
 I reached tho ridge, which was strewn with stones, looked over it, and saw-a Zulu 1mpi.
 1 rubbed my eyes and looked again. Yes, thero was no doubt of it. They were halted about a thousand yards away, by the water; some were lying down, some were cooking at fires, others Were stalking about with spears and shields in their hands; there might havo been two thousand of them in all While was wondering that with 10 littlC uneasiness-what on earth tLcT could be doing there, suddenly I heard wild cry to the right and left of me. l glanced first one way, then the othcr From either side two great Zulus were bearing down on me, their broad, stabbing assegais aloft and black shields in their left hands The man to the right was about fifteen yards a~hy, he to the left Was not more than ten. &n they came, their fierce eyes almost starting out of their heads, and 1 felt, with a cold thrill of fear, that in another three seconds those great "bang-wans" might Ee buried in my vitals. On such occa- sions we act, 1 suppose, more from in- stinct than any thing else-thorc is no timc for thought. At any rate, I dropped my reins and, raising my gun, fired point blank at tho left-hand man. The bullet struck full in tho middle of his shield, pierced il and pas. | through him, and over he rolled upon tie ycl,:t. l swung round in the saddle; most i;2 j. oily my horse vas accus:u.ll2d to stand ing still when 1 fired from lis back, also he was so surprised he C;l not !c,.oyy which way to shy. The cthl. S"...ie,.,, was almost on mo; his ou:ati C tc.ied shield touched tho muzzle of ny gun as pulled tho trigger of the left barrel. It exploded, the warrior sprung high into the air and fell against my horse dead, his spear passing just in front of my face.
 Without waiting to reload, or even to look if the main body of the Zulus had seen the death of their two scouts, turned my horse and drove my heels into his sides. As soon as I was down tho slope of the rise pulled little to the right in order to intercept the wag- ons before tho Zulus saw them. I had not gone three hundred yards in this new direction when to my utter aston ishment struck a trail marked with 4ho af Ofwagons there must have been at least eight, and several hundred cattle. More- over, they had passed within twelve hours; could tell that by the spoor. Then understood the Impi was follow ing the track of the wagons, which, in all probability, belonged to 8 party of emigrant Boers.
 Tho spoor Of the wagons ran in the direction wished to go go followed it. About mile further on I came to the crest of 8 rise, and there, about five fur longs away, I saw the wagons drawn up in rough laager upon the banks of the river. There, too, were my own wag- ons trekking down the slope towards them.
 In another five minutes was there. The Boers-for Boers they were-were standing about outside the little laager watching tho approach of my two wag- ons. l called to them, and they turned and saw me. The very first man my eyes fell on was Boer named Hans Botha, whom had known we'll years ego in the Cape. He was nota bad spec inen of his class, but very restless person, with great objection to author ity, or, as he expressed it, "a love of freedom" He had joined party of tho emigrant Boers some years before, but. as I learned presently, had quarrclcd with its leader, and was now trekking away into the wilderness to found little colony of his own. Poor fellow! It was his last trek.
 How do you do, Meinheer Botha?'' I said to him in Dutch.
 The man looked at me, looked again, then startled out of his Dutch stolidity, cried to his wife, who was seated on the oox of the wagon: