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

longs away, saw the wagons drawn up
in rough laager upon the banks Of the
river. There, too, were my own wagons
trekking down the slope towards them.
In another five minutes was there.
The Boers-for Beers they were--were
standing about outside the little lager
watching the approach of my two wag-
ons. 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 well years
ago In the Cape. He was not bad
specimen of his class, but very restless
person, with great objection to author
fly, or, as he expressed it, ga love of
freedom" He had joined party of the
emigrant Beers some years before, but,
as / learned presently, had quarreled
with its leader, and was now trekking
away into the wilderness to found lit
tie colony Of his own, Poor fellow! 1t
was his last trek.
"How do you do, Meinheer Botha?' l
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
box of the wagon:
"Come here, frau, come. Here Is Al
Ian Quatermain, the Englishman, the
son of the 'Predicant' How goes it,
Heer Quatermain, and what Is the news
down In the Cape yonderS'
~ don't know what the news is in the
Cape, Hans" I answered, solemly; "but
the news here is that there is Zulu
impi upon your spoor and within two
miles of the wagon. That know, for
have just shot two of their sentries," and
showed him my empty gun.
For moment there was silence of
astonishment, and saw the bronzed
faces of the men turn pale beneath their
tan, while one or two of the women
gave little scream, and the children
crept to their sides.
almighty" cried Hans, shat must
be the Umtetwa regiment that Dingaan
sent against the Basutus, but who could
not come at them because of the marshes.
and so were afraid to return to Zululand
and struck north to join Mosifkaaye."
"Laager up, earliest Lager up for
your lives, and one Of you jump on n
horse and drive In tho CATTLE"
At that moment my own wagons came
up. Indaba-zimbi was sitting on the box
Of the first, wrapped In blanket
called him and told him the news.
an tidings, Macumazahn. he said;
"there will be dead Beers about to-mor-
row morning, but they will not attack
till dawn, then they will wipe out the
larger So" and he passed his hand be-
fore his mouth.
"Stop that croaking, you white headed
crow" said, though knew that his
words were true. What chance had a
lager Of ten wagons oil told against at
least two thousand OF the bravest savages
| in the world?
"Macumazahn, will you take my adj
vice this timer Indaba-zimbi said, pres
emily.
"What is it?' asked. ''isrea.
"This. Leave your wagons here.
| jump on that horse, and let rs two run
| for 1t as hard as we can go The Zulus
| won't follow US, they will be looking Of
| ter the Beers"
| II won't leave the other white men,
| I said; eft would be the act of coward.
| II die, die"
Every well, Macumazahn, then stay
1 and be killed." he answered, taking q
I pinch Of snuff. "Come, let us see about
| the wagons" and we walked towards
| the lager.
Here everything was IN confusion
However, I got hold of Hans Botha and
| put it to him IL It would not be best to
desert the wagons and make a run for
life.
"How can we do it?' he answered.
1.-TWO of the women are too fat to go a
mile, one Is sick in childbed. and we
have only six horses among us. Besides,
IL we did we should starve in the desert.
No, Heer Allan. we must fight 1t out
with the savages, and God help u.s."
"God help us, indeed Think of the
children, Hans!"
81 can't bear to think" he answered,
In broken voice, looking at his own
little girl, q sweet, curly haired, blue
eyed child of @, named Tota, whom ]
had often nursed as baby. "Oh. Heer
Allan, your father, the Predicant, al
ways warned me against trckking north,
and never would listen to him because
I thought him cursed Englishman;
now see my folly. Heer Allan. il you
can, try to save my child from those
black devils; If you live longer than I
do, or II you cant save her. kill her.
and he clasped my hand.
lit hasn't come to that yet. Hans"
said.
Then we set to work on the lager
The wagons. Of which. including my
two. there were ten. were drawn
into the form of square, and the
disselboom Of each securely dashed
with reins to the underworks Of
that in front Of it.. The wheels also
were locked, and the space between the
ground and the bed planks OF the wag-
ons was stuffed with branches of the
"wait n bit" thorn that Fortunately orevv