Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-10-08
MAIWA'S REVENGE
ALLAN QUATERMAIN'S GREATEST ADVENTURE.
BY II. RIDER HAGGARD.
Author Of "She," "King Solomon's Mines" Etc.

| dint of threats and entreaties, per-
suaded the majority of our people to
cease firing useless shots, to reload and
| prepare for the rush.
Scarcely had l done so when the
enemy came for us with roar.
l am bound to say that should
never have believed that Matukus had
it in them to make such q determined
charge
A large party rushed around the base
of the koppie and attacked us in flank.
while the others swarmed wherever
they could get foothold, so that we
were taken on every side.
"Fire" cried; and we did, with
terrible effect.
Many of their men fell, but though
we checked, we could not stop them.
They closed up and rushed the first
fortification, killing good number of
its defenders.
It was almost all cold steel work
now, for we had no time to reload. and
that suited the Butiana habits of
fighting we'll enough. for the stabbing
assegai was a weapon which they un-
derstoOd.
Those of our people who escaped
from the first line Of walls took refuge
: IN the second, where stood myself. en-
couraging them. and here the fight
ragged fiercely.
Occasionally parties Of the enemy
would force passage, only to perish
on the hlther side beneath the Butiana
spears.
Eut still they kept 1t up. and saw
that. fight as we would, we were
doomed.
We were altogether outnumbered,
and, to make matters worse, fresh
bodies Of soldiers were pouring across
the plain to the assistance Of our as
sailants.
So l made up my mind to direct a
retreat into the caves. and there ex-
p!re in manner as heroic as circum-
stances would allow, and while men-
tally lamenting my hard fate, and re-
fleeing OH my sins, l fought away
like a fiend.
1t was then, I remember, that l shot
my friend the captain Of our escort of
the previous day.
He had caught sight Of me, and.
making a vicious dig at my stomach
with spear (Which l successfully
dodged), shouted out. or rather began
to shout out, one of his unpleasant al
lusions to the Thing that"
He never got as far as "bites," be-
cause I shot him after that"
Well the game was up.
Already saw one man throw down
his spear in token Of surrender-which
act of cowardice cost him his life,
when suddenly a shout arose:
Look at the mountain" they cried:
"there Is an Impi on the mountain
side"
l glanced up and there. sure enough,
about halfway down the mountain,
nearing the first fortifcatiop, the long.
plumed double line of Nalas warriors
were rushing down to battle, the bright
light of morning glancing on their
spears.
Afterward we discovered that the
rea son of their delay was that they
had been stopped by river in food,
and could not reach the mountain crest
by dawn.
l. When they did reach 1t, however.
they instantly saw that he fight was
already going cn-was ''in flower" as
they put it-and SO advanced at once
without waiting 10 light fires.
Meanwhile they had been observed
from the town, and parties of soldiers
were charging up the steep side OF
the hill to occupy the schanses and the
second line of fortiacations behind
them.
The first line they did not attempt
to reach or defend; Nala pressed them
too close.
But they got to the schanses or pits
protected with stone walls, and con.
structed to hold from a dozen to twen-
ty men, and soon began to open fire
from them and from isolated rocks.
turned my eyes to the gates of the
town, which were placed to the north
and south.
Already they were crowded with hun
dreds of fugitive women and children,
fleeing to the rocks and caves for shell
ter from the foe.
AS for ourselves, the appearance Of
Nala's Impi produced wonderful
change for the better in our position.
The soldiers attacking us, realizing
that the town was being assailed from
the rear, simply turned, and Chamber
ing down the koppie, streamed off to
protect their homes against this new
enemy.
In five minutes there was not a man
left except those who would move no
more or were too sorely wounded to
escape.
! | felt inclined to calculate, Saved"
like the gentleman In the play, but did
not, because the occasion was too
| serious.
What l did was to muster all the
men and reckon up our losses.
They amounted to fifty-one killed and
wounded, sixteen men having been
| killed outright
Then l sent men with the cooking
!, pots to the stream for water, and we
| drank.
This done, set my bearers, as being
the most useless part of the community
from fighting point of view, to the
J task of attending the injured, and
turned to watch the fray.