Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-10-15
CHAPTER VII.
Continued.


With a yell they sprang upon the
wall, shaking their broad shields, and
with yell they bounded from 1t.
straight into our astonished foes.
Crash! We were in them now, and
lighting like demons.
Crash! from the other side.
Nala's Impi was at its work. and
still the spears and plumes appeared
Tor a moment against the brown back
ground of the mountain, and then
sprang down and rushed like storm
upon the foe.
The great mob of men turned this
way and turned that way, astonished,
bewildered, overborne by doubt and
terror.
Meanwhile the slayers stayed not
their hands, and on every side spears
flashed and the fierce shout of triumph
went up to Heaven.
There, too, on the wall stood Maiwa.
a white garment streaming from her
shoulders, an assegai In her hand, her
breast heaving, her eyes flashing.
Above all the din of battle l could
atch the tones of her clear voice as she
urged the soldiers on to victory.
But victory was not yet.
Wambe's soldiers gathered them
selves together and bore our men back
by the sheer weight of numbers.
They began to give, then once more
they rallied, and the fight hung doubt
fully.
"Slay, you war whelps" cried Maiwa
from the wall.
"Are you afraid, you women, you
chicken-hearted women?
"Strike home or die like dogs!
"What-you give way! Follow me.
children of Nala!
And with one wild, long cry, she
leaped from the wall as leaps stricken
antelope, and holding the spear poised
on high. rushed down into the thickest
Of the fray.
The warriors saw her, and raised
such a shout that it echoed like thun-
der against the mountains.
They massed together, and following
the fiutter Of her white robe, crashed
into the dense heart of the foe.
Down went the Matuku before them
like trees before a whirlwind.
Nothing could stand before such a
rush as that.
1t was the rush of torrent bursting
Its banks.
All along their line swept the wild,
desperate charge, and there, straight in
the forefront of the battle, still waved
the white robe of Maiwa.
Then they broke, and stricken with
utter panic, Wambe's soldiers streamed
away, a scattered crowd Of fugitives,
while after them thundered the foot
falls of the victors.
The fight was over; we had won the
day, and for my part I sat down upon
a stone and wiped my forehead, thank.
Ing Providence that / had lived to see
the end Of it.
Twenty minutes later Nala's warriors
began to return, painting.
"Wambe's soldiers had taken to the
bush and the caves" they said; "they
had not thought it safe to follow
them" adding significantly that many
had stopped on the way.
l was utterly dazed, and now that
the fight was over my energy seemed
to have left me, and 1 did not pay
much attention, till presently I was
aroused by somebody calling me by
name.
l looked up and saw that 1t was the
chief, Nala himself. who was bleeding
from q flesh wound in his arm.
BY his side stood Maiwa, painting, but
unhurt, and wearing the same proud
and terrifying air.
"They are gone. Macumazahn," said
the chief; there is little fear from
them; their heart Is broken.
But where is Wambe, the chief; and
where is the white man thou camest to
saye?"
"I know not" I answered.
Close to where we stood lay Matu.
ku, a young man who had been shot
through the fleshy part Of the calf.
1t was a trifiing wound, but 1t pre-
vented him from running away.
"Say, thou dog" said Nala, stalking
up to him and shaking his red spear
In his face-"say, where is Wambe?
Speak, or I slay thee.
"Was he with the soldiers"
"Nay, lord, know not" groaned the
terrified man.
"He fought not with us.
"Wambe has no stomach for fighting
"Perchance he is in his kraal yon-
der, or in the cave behind the kraal, y
and he pointed to a small inclosure on
the hillside about 400 yards to the right
of where we were.
LET us go and see." said Nala, sum-
moning his soldiers.