Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-01-30
CHATTER VI.


was not slow to take lndaba-zimbi's
hint. About hundred and fifty yards
to the left Of the lager was little dell
where had hidden my horse, together
with one belonging to the Beers, and
my saddle and bride. Thither we went,
l carrying the sSooning Tota in my
arms. TO our joy we found the horses
safe, for the Zulus had not seen them.
Now, of course, shey were our only
means of locomotion, for the oxen had
been sent away, AID even had they been
there We could not have found time to
inspan them. | laid Tota down, caught
my horse, undid his knee halter and
saddled up. AS / gas doing so a thought
struck me, and told fndabazimbi to
run to the laager and see If he could
find my double-oarreled gun and some
powder and shot, for had only my ele-
plant ''roer" and few charges of pow
der and ball with me.
He went, and while he was away poor
little Tota came to herself and began to
cry, till she saw my face.
"Ah, have had such bad Dream"
she said, in Dutch; 81 dreamed that the
black Kafirs we're going to kill me.
WINGED at the question. "Your papa
has gone on a journey, dear" / said,
land left mo to look after you. We shall
find him one day, You don't mind go
ing with Heer Allan, do your
mo" she said, little doubtfully,
and began to cry again. Presently she
remembered that she was thirsty, and
asked for water. led her to the river
and she drank. why is my hand red
Heer Allan?n she asked pointing to the
smear Of Bombyane's blood-stained
fingers.
had killed Bombyane
1T is only paint, DEAR said; ''see,
we will wash it and your face"
AS l was doing this Indaba-zimbi re-
turned. The guns were all gone: he
said tho Zulus had taken them and the
powder. But he had found some things
and brought them in sack. There was
thick blanket, about twenty pounds
weight of biltong or sun-dried meat,
few double-handfuls of ships biscuits,
two water bottles, tin pannikin, some
matches and sundries.
'And now, Macumazahn,' he said,
1--WE had best be going, for those
Umtetwas arc coming back. | saw one
Of them on the brow Of the rise"
That was enough for me. / lifted
little Tota on 70 the bow Of my saddle,
climbed into it and rode off. holding her
in front of me. lndaba-zimbi slipped
rein into the mouth Of the best of the
Boer horses, threw the sack Of sundrias
on to its back and mounted also, hold
ing the elephant gun in his hand. We
went eight or nine hundred yards in
silence till we were quite out of range
Of sight from the wagons which we're in
a hollow Then ! pulled up, with such
feeling Of thankfulness in my heart as
can not be told in words; tor now knew
that, mounted as we were, those black
demons could never catch us. But
where were we TO steer for? | put the
question to Indaba-zimbi, asking him if
he thought we had better try and follow
the oxen that we had sent away with
the Kafiirs and women on the preceding
night He shook his head.
"The Umtetwas will go after the oxen
presently he answered, ''and we have
seen enough OF them
Quite enough, | answered, with en-
thusiasm; II never want to see another;
but where are we 70 go? Here we are
with one gun and little girl in the
vast and lonely veldt Which way shall
we turn?'
"Our faces were toward the north be-
Indaba-zimbi; let us still keep them to-
ward the north Ride on, Macumazahn;
tonight when We ofT-saddle | win look
into the matter
So all that long afternoon we rode on,
following the course Of the river From
the nature OF the ground we could only
go slowly, but before sunset l had the
satisfaction 81 knowing that there must
have been at least twenty-five miles
between us and those accursed Zulus.
Little Tota slept most Of the way. the
motion of the horse was easy, and she
was worn out.
At last the sunset came, and we off
saddled in a dell by the river. There
was not much to eat, but soaked some
biscuit in water for Tota, and Indaba-
zimbi and ! made a scanty meal of bill
tong. Whom we had done | took off
Totas frock, wrapped her up in the
blanket near the fire We had made, and
lit pipe. sat there BY the side Of the
orphaned child, and from my heart
thanked Providence for saving her life
and mine from tho slaughter Of that
day. What Asiei0le experience it had
been! 1t seemed like a nightmare to
look back upon- And yet it was sober
fact one among those many tragedies
which dottes the path Of the emigrant
Beers with the bones OF men. women and
children. These horrors are almost for
gotten now; people living ii Natal. for
instance. can scarcely realize that some
forty years ago six hundred white peo-
pie, many IT them women and chill
dren, We're thus massacred BY she Tmpis
Of DinEaan. Eur it was 50, and the
name Of the district. Htabn Or the
Place Of Weeping viii commemorate
them forever.