Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-09-22
SOUTH AFRICAN PIONEER.
His Desperate Hand.to. Hand Fight
With a Zulu Warrior.

His Desperate Hand.to. Hand Fight
With a Zulu Warrior.
I'VE have had in our South African
country just as fearless and hardy pion-
eers as you had In America during the
epoch when the white men were en-
gagged in constant struggles with your
Indians" remarked w. A. Campbell Of
Natal.
There are today living in our COM
munities men who have matched the
exploits Of your Boones and Crockets
and Codys. know personally the
most daring Of them all, the celebrated
Col. Collinbrander, whose name Is q
household word throughout South Afri-
ca, and the record Of whose desperate
fights with the natives would fill vol
ume. Back in the '70s the colonel COM
mitted some political offense which put
him in disfavor ' ith the Natal govern
ernment, and he was practically out
lawed. With q bold heart he went to
Zululand to live. and found speedy
favor in the eyes Of old Spear
bold, one Of the greatest Of the Kafir
sub kings At that time there were a
dozen or more petty sovereigns, and
they were continually raiding one an
others dominionS, stealing women, af-
ter the fashion OF the ancient Romans,
and likewise driving of herds Of cat
tie.
Shortly after Collinbrander became
associated with this Zulu chief raid
was made into his country by a neigh
boring king. at a time when old Spear
bold was not suspecting attack. Sew
eral towns were laid waste, many men
were killed and hundreds Of women
were captured. Then the assailants
beat a retreat, knowing well that the
whole martial force Of the invaded ter
ritory would soon be on the warpath
to get revenge and rescue the prison.
ers. Here was where Collinbranders
genius for war came In, and he imme-
diately put himself at the head Of all
the horsemen OF his friend Spearbold
and started out in pursuit Of the flee
ing warriors. The battle that ensued
was a complete triumph for the pur-
suing party, but one incident OF 1t Is
to this day told in every Kafiir hut.
THAT was the hand to hand fight
between the Englishman and a Zulu
warrior of herculean strength and des-
perate courage. The duel was for blood
from start to finish. Collinbrander was
knocked Off his pony by battleax hurled
from boulder by the savage, the blow
also breaking the stock Of his rife and
leaving him with no weapon. Before he
could rise the stalwart Zulu was upon
him brandishing stabbing assagai,
which he thrust into the Engiishman
as he lay PROSTATE, but which luckily
found no vital spot
There ensued one Of the most ter
rife battles ever waged between two
men. Luckily. Collinbrander was as
strong as he was brave, and he had the
advantage Of scientific athletic train
ing. Grasping the Zulu by the'throat
he choked him almost to death. and
finally he slew the native with his own
assagai. In the strange encounter.
which lasted fully half an hour the
principals were left absolutely alone,
theifs position being such that. outside
interference was impossible, To this
hour the survivors, face shows an enor-
nous scar where the battleax struck,
and on his person are still other scars
to remind him how close he was to
death when he lay in the grip Of the
black savage. e."-Washingto Post.