The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-08-17


assegais and came at US like fun" 1t.
is the women who always come out af-
ter a fight and afflict the mutilation.
upon the dead, which is so revolving.
a feature of the Kaffir customs.
Apart from the cruelty sometimes,
practiced upon the fallen foe, the mutt
lation of the dead seldom springs from.
mere savage bloodthirstiness. The
Is often used by the Zulus when talking
OF war. In an encounter with num-
Der of the enemy 1t is not only the man
who kills his adversary who Washes
his weapon, but also the natives who
follow him in the rush, for as he passes
each warrior takes the first opportun-
ity Of staining his blade with. blood
by plunging 1t into the body of, the
PROSTATE foeman. The native super.
stition is that, should the corpse of the.
man he has killed follow the ordinary
course of dissolution instact, he him.
self will swell and burst, and the KAT.
frs also believe that If they do not per-
form the vicarious killing which has:
been described their right hands and
arms will wither away.
They carry special pattern of as
segat for the purpose of ripping open:
the bodies of the slain, and thus 1t fol-
lows that II white man Is disabled In.
a hight with the natives it is hundred
chances to one against his getting out
OF 1t alive unless he is rescued. Any
one who has had experience Of warfare
against the South Africa blacks knows
that II the native is not killed when he,
Is overcome he has no respect for the
conqueror, and he carries out the same
principle to the letter against his own
enemies. @s+
When his blood is fairly up the ma
tive-the Zulu especially-is no cow
ard, and he is frequently known. to act
with conspicuous bravery. The Car
bineers in Col. MacKay's column few
days ago were attacked in rebel
stronghold on the banks OF the River
Buffalo. In this part Of Natal the
country is extremely broken and
mountainous, and the natives, instead
of living in ,kraals, inhabit natural
caves In rocky precipices which over
look as wild landscape as GIstave
pore and s. H. Slime could probably
Imagine between them. In order to
reach the vulnerable points OF this
fastness the colonial soldiers had to-
toll under cover of darkness to the
base of the cliff In which most of the
rebels were secreted, and opened ac-
ton at daybreak by Smelling several
large caves known from the reports Of
spies to contain the enemy.
It was evident that the shrapnel did
a good deal Of, execution, for the ma
tives could be. seen running out in
scores bearing their wounded in their
arms, while those who were still un-
hurt commenced. casting great bould-
ers over the hedges which: our; men
were. striving to gain by climbing. and
they would very likely have gained
their safety by this means had not a
'ventuYesome, Lieutenant, with hand
full OF volunteers, made his way to
narrow platform overlooking the reb-
els main retreat, and with his mems
rifles cleared the ledge Of all who
showed themselves.
One native alone remained by the
pile Of stones which formed the rebel's
rude armory, but he made no move
ment, and the little knot of volunteers
on the platform above thought he was
dead. The shower of flying projectiles
had ceased, and our men had RECON-
menced the climb. Suddenly the mo-
tio7less rebel 'leaped up, and running
to cavity little distance farther on
in the rock face disappeared, einerg-
tng a. moment later with two:ismaIl
figures clfnging about his neck.
He waited not second, but, htldine
an assegai between his teeth, commen-
ced to Chamber hand over fist tip the
nearly vertical side of the cliff tbward
a. recess so feet overhead, that would
AFFORD him e safe refuge could he gain
It,. The man was wounded, and badly.
fer stream of blood flowed down his
broad back, trucking from his heels "a
he stepped from one projection to an
other. The daring of the thing anna.
ed our men, any one of whom tconld
have easily picked the fugitive of bv
shot at 400 yards. but the word went
around, Don't shoot"
The colonials watched In silence a.
the brave rebel toiled in face of al
most certain death, step by step and
foot by foot, upward to find safety for
his children. He had won three Huar-
tiers OF the way to his goal when he
showed signs Of weakness. Another
tnree yards up and the man was spent.
ne remained clinging to little tuft of
bush with one hand, while with the
other he released the clutching arms
around his neck, and holding ono n
the infants out at arms length. sus-
tanned 1t In the all until it gained
foothold on the small spur which he
was Just able to reach. Doing the
same with the other, the devoted faith
er painfully made his way to the side
OF MS offspring and there laid himself
gasping, his assegai ready for his d.
Tense and theirs. "e
The attack went on, the rebels vera
dislodged, chased and routed anS
wnen the fight was over some one
thought Of the two children ieft o ne
Inc lonely aerie with their stricken
The troopers and a loyal na.
i've climbed up to them by. the soma
pain that the rebel had followed ana
gaming the spur, shouted to the faith
D., We have not come to xiii vonn
,lsaba. inkoos" Il am not afraid -,
nat, chief, groaned the rebel. shou,
,as.. TWO gaping bullet holes under
leatn nis shoulder blade, and then
'eeing that his children were to he
spared. he staggered to his feet md
,e1oTe ne could be prevented nlacad
ne halt of his assegai against t tha
ock, the blade to his breast ana ~
ioerately drove himself forward M
ne point. His body was lowered NV
n as. same rope with which the little
mes were sent down to safety. -