The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1890-04-02

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 50. with an awful roar of Blu
lata Amaboona" c:Slay the Boers''), the
entire line. numbering nearly a thousand
men, bounded forward like buck start
led from its form, and rushed down
upon the little lager. 1t 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.
thought of my poor friends the Dutch
men, and trembled. What chance haa
they against so many?
Now the Zulus, running in the shape
of a 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 lager,
striving to force a way in. But the
Beers piled them with volley after vol
lev, 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 a wagon, and as
he did so | saw Boer woman strike
him on the head with an ak He fell
back, and slowly, amid bowls Of derision
from the two lines on the hill side, the
ZuIus drew back.
Let us go, father!" shouted the SOL
diers on the slope, among whom l 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
mo, nor 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,ty Reserving
their fire till the Zulus We're packed like
sheep in 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. See! six men had
leapt on to the wagon, slain the man be-
hind it and sprung into the laager. They
were killed there, but others followed,
and then l turned my head. But could
not shut my ears to the cries of rage and
death, and the terrible S'gee! S'gee! of
the savages as they did their work of
n,urder. Once only looked up and
saw poor Hans Botha standing on a
wagon shifting down men with the butt
ot his rifle. Then assegais shot up to-
wards him like tongues of steel, and
when looked again he was gone.
turned sick with fear and rage. But
alas! what could l do? They were all
dead now. and probably my own turn
was coming, only my death would not
be SO swift.
The fight was ended, and the two
lines on the slope broke their order, and
moved down to the laager. Presently
we were there, and dreadful sight it
was. Many of the attacking Zulus were
dead-quite fifty, | should say--and at
least hundred and fifty were wounded
some of them mortally. The chief, Su-
susa, gave an order, the dead men were