The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-22
TWO SOLDIERS
FIGHT FOR LIFE
Trapped in Pit While Forag-
ing For RatiOns
USED HUMAN SHIELD
Stuffed Body of Warrior in Mouth of
Shaft to Prevent Natives From
Suffocating Them By Throw
ing Down Burning Grass

From the Wide World Magazine.
1t was a couple of days after our first
fight with the Matabele, on November 4,
1898, at the Inquest river, that small
party of Raafs horse were out foraging.
Rations were very scarce with our COL
umn, which was under command of Maj.
Gould Adams, so we used TO thoroughly
search the Matabele kraals to get sup
plies of grain. In those days the natives
we're in the habit of storing grain in
enormous pits under their cattle kraals,
the entrance being through a narrow
shaft about three feet deep. You dropped
down through that and found yourself
in a vast cavern full of grain. At the
sides there would be big straw baskets
or big clay tubs in which we usually
found nuts and beans.
When | first struck one of these under
ground granares it seemed to me like a
kind of Ali Babas cave. There was
very little fun about exploring it, though.
1t was all solid hard work. Our method
was to send down our thinnest man. He
would make a sack of his shirt and so
send up the grain through the shaft.
for this task, as there was very little
spare flesh about me at that time. The
grain gave out kind of heat, and as
one worked at full pressure it was most
fatiguing.
One day our party had struck large
kraa! and after carefully going through
the huts for any stray Matabele we pro-
ceeded to the cattle inclosure. Here l
shed my tunic and rifle and dropped
through into the pit A couple OF Tel
lows were posted a short distance of TO
keen watch the remainder being at the
mouth of the pit busy filling the nose
bags with the grain that | sent up.
had been at work for about a quarter
of am hour and was thinking 1t time
had rest. when all of a sudden bang
bang, went the rifles, and l could hear
the Matabele yelling.
Left Alone
..stav where you are; the nggers are
right on us!' some one shouted down tc
me, and then off they went, leaving me
alone Above | could hear terriht
racket-shots yells and the pattering ol
feet
AS there was nothing to be done, and
could not get out of the cave Wllhou
assistance, | promptly retired to the farth
the grain baskets in case OF trouple, lo'
had not even a knife on me-
Ry the amount of yelling gong on tllt
Matabele seemed in force and l began u
wonder how things would pan out, ah'
whether our men would be compeheo u
retire. | knew they would return sooner
or later but there seemed chance ina
the interval might prove rather more CA
citing than wanted.
4
ing intentlV. / heard the Matabele
the mouth of the pit Fortunately, /
was only light just under the entrance
The rest of the cave being IN deel
shadow. Unless very thorough searel
was made, therefore, / reckohed
should not be noticed.
Suddenly, plunki down dropped
Matabele into the grim pit. l crouchct
back. hardly daring to breathe, fol
what might happen If he discovered m'
was not pleasant TO contemplate. fron
where | was hidden | could plalhiN
see him-a stalwart young warrior
but what | observed particularly wa
the fact that he had a couple OF mos
businesslike assegais, while | had ne
weapon at all.
Tho Matabele language Is almos
identical with the Zulu, and was there
fore able to understand when the IN
truder shouted up to his people ina
there was no one in the pit. He ther
called to them to reach down and pul
him out, but they told him to seho
them up some nuts first.
Sull>ily he made for one of the
baskets near him, and was soon busy
At the very game | had been occupied
at | was now feeling much more d'
ease as I reckoned that my unwelcome
visitor would soon leave
Presently, however, | heard yen
from the niggers on top. "Amakiwa!
dhe white mem, they shouted and l
could hear the thud of their feet as they
rushed off The young warrior startled,
made a leap for the shaft, but there
was no one to help him up, for all his
friends had bolted. AS he was strug-
Cling hard to try and climb out l
rushed and got him round the waist.
My word didn't he yell. Evidently ne
thought the spirits had got hold OF
him / soon found | had caught Tar
tar, for the beggar managed to get an
arm clear and jabbed me down the