Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1894-05-24

White. The columns numbered 300
men. There were only sixteen scouts
in our party, four OF which were Amer
leans, and better fellows I never wish
to be with, all being good shots and
good horsemen. On the 23rd some OF
our thanking party had a little fighting
and we lost one man. About this
time we joined the Salisbury column
and then number 600 white men and
about 800 friendly black of the Ma
kalka tribe, whom we took along to
cut roads, drive loose cattle, etc. On
the evening OF the 25th we laagered on
the Shangani river and just before
daybreak the next morning
the enemy began firing on our
pickets but by the time it was light
we had our Maxim guns playing fairly
on them doing great execution, now
ing them down wherever visible. We
lost two white men and some Maka-
lakas. There were three impies or
regiments OF the Matabeles, 1 900 in
each impy, making 5000 Matabeles
against our GOO whites and 800 blacks.
We continued to burn all their kralls
and villages as we went along, finding
grain buried underneath in huge cart h.
enware pots and calabashes and of
course helped ourselves and horses to
the grain and dined sumptuously on
the stray poultry We found about.
We found very few cattle remaining at
the kralls, the greater number. about
500, 900. having been driyen north by
the Matabeles to prevent them falling
into our hands. This was a great dis
appointment to US as we were entitled
to an equal share with the company
in all we could capture. In one skir-
mish the enemy lost some hundreds
and we only two men with few more
wounded. They were greatly afraid
of our machine guns and as AN in
stance of their ignorance We noticed
that when shell fell near them they
all fired at it to prevent it from burst
ing. We continued to win all the bat
ties, and fortunate it was as should
we be once defeated not one of US
would live to tell the tale, as it is not
a question OF terms with these savages
but determination.
will explain what we mean by the
word laager. The wagons are drawn
up in the shape OF an eclipse, the pole
of one wagon going just by the side of
the one in front with the exception of
where spaces are left for the machine
guns. On Nov. Bird we camped within
twelve miles of Bulawayo and early in
the morning were rather startled by a
loud explosion from that direction.
We afterward learned from a captive
that King Lobengula had left with
10000 men and their families some
days before, setting fire to his kralls
and that tine fire had reached the
magazine which is said to have con-
tanned agreat amount of ammunition.
On reaching the capital we learned
that e25, 900 5,OOO) worth OF
ivory and ammunition had been de-
stroyed by the fire and explosion.
What we most felt on this trip was
the great want of salt, as the choicest
portions of meat were quite unpalat-
able without salt. The officers, real
izing the position OF the men, gave or
ders to retrace our steps bringing on
whatever cattle we had captured,
amounting to 1, 700 head besides 800
goats. These were only the stray
cattle, the Matabeles having gone on
with the main herd.
Having been duped once by the ene'
4 my on our first chase our determine.
tion to follow them up to the bitter
end was proportionately increased
We provisioned ourselves and started
on a fresh chase, which proved to be
a fatal one. On this trip we went al
most due north q distance OF LAC
miles. The natives were around us in
large numbers well armed with Mar
tin Henry rifles and the king had
issued $4,000 rounds OF cartridges
which looked as if they intended to
make one more stand for Lobengula
Still the chief commander (Majol
Forbs) thought they would surrender
so we pushed on into dense forests
and jungles. Some of the older heads
lat Kaffer fighting advised him WI