The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1908-10-16

were taken on every sue.
"Firew 1 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 a good number OF
its defenders.
1t was almost all cold steel w2k
now for we had no time to reload. and
that suited the Buuana 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 a passage, only to perish
Oh the hither side beneath the Butiana
spears.
But still they kept it 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 1 made up my mind to direct
retreat into the caves, and there ex-
pire in a manner as heroic as circum-
stances would allow, and while men-
tally lamenting my hard fate. and re-
f1ecting on my sins, I fought away
like a fend.
1t was then, I remember, that shot
my friend the captain Of our escort Of
the previous day.
He had caught sight Of me, and,
making vicious dig at my stomach
with a spear (which I 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 l 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 shout arose:
look at the mountain" they cried;
"there is an Impi on the mountain
side.''
glanced up, and there. sure enough,
about halfway down the mountain,
nearing the first fortification, the long
plumed double line of Nala's warriors
were rushing down to battle, the bright
light of morning glancing on their
spears.
Afterward we discovered that the
reason of their delay was that they
had been stopped by a river in flood,
and could not reach the mountain crest
by dawn.
When they did reach it, however,
they instantly saw that he fight was
already going on-was Sin 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 fortifications 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 TWEEN
| ty nen, and soon began to open fire
| from them and from isolated rocks.
| 70 hn lat n
! town, which were placed to the nortt
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 a 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 man
left except those who would move nc
more or were too sorely wounded tt
escape.
| felt inclined to calculate, "Savedv
like the gentleman in the play, but die
not, because the occasion was toe
| serious.
What 1 did was to muster all the
men and reckon up our losses.
They amounted to fifty-one killed and
| wounded, sixteen men having beeI
killed outright.
Then 1 sent men with the cooking
| drank.
This done, 1 set my bearers, as being
| the most useless part of the communit!
from a fighting point Of view, to thu
| task of attending the injured, .an(
turned to watch the fray.
| by this time Hala' lmpi had ciImbe,
the first line of Notifications Withou
! opposition and was advancing III
| long line upon the schanses or pit:
which were scattered about between i
| and the second line, singing wal
chant as it came.
| Presently puffs of smoke began tt
start from the schanses, and with ny
| glasses could see several of our mel
| falling over.
| Then. as it came opposite schanse
! that portion of the long line of war
riors would thicken up and charge i
| with a wild rush.
1 could clearly see them leap on t
! the walls and vanish into the depth
beneath, some of their number falling
backward on each occasion, shot o
stabbed to death.
Next would come another act i'll tn
tragedy.
Out from the hither side OF til
schanse would pour such of its defend
ers as were left alive, perhaps thre
or four, and perhaps dozen, running
for dear life, with the war-dogs o.
| their tracks.
One by one they would be caught
then up flashed the great spear, AM
down fell the pursued, dead.