Part 30 (1/2)

”I will try,” I answered, ”but it's a long shot” Dis ht, aier A second afterwards the shouter of insults threw his ar fall his spear, and pitched forward on to his face

A roar of delight rose fro Arinned froood os of U's men shall make an excellent end, which is all that we can hope Oh, what a beautiful shot!

It will be so to think of when I a about my own kraal Farewell, Macumazahn,” and he took o to lead the charge The Amawombe have orders to defend you to the last, for I wish you to see the finish of this fight Farewell”

Then off he hurried, followed by his orderlies and staff-officers

I never saw hih I think that once in after years I did e circu to do with this history

As forafraid lest, if I went on shooting, I should miss and spoiled? There were plenty ready to do that

Another an to move, while the other two behind it ostentatiously sat themselves down in their ranks, to show that they did not in with a duel between about six thousand men

”Good!” ”

”Aye,” answered another, ”those little boys” (used as a ter to learn their last lesson”

For a few seconds there was silence, while the long ranks leant forward between the hedges of lean and cruel spears A whisper went down the line; it sounded like the noise of wind anal to prepare Next a far-off voice shouted soain by other voices before and behind , quite slowly at first, thenlifted above the ranks upon eneral aspect of it was that of a triple black wave, each wave croith foam--the white plumes and shi+elds of the Aht--their broad spears were the light

We were charging now--and oh! the awful and glorious excite pluht thousand feet! The Usutu came up the slope to meet us In silence ent, and in silence they came We drew near to each other Noe could see their faces peering over the tops of their mottled shi+elds, and noe could see their fierce and rolling eyes

Then a roar--a rolling roar such as at that ti shi+elds--and a flash--a swift, si spears

Up went the cry of:

_”Kill, Amawombe, kill!”_ answered by another cry of:

_”Toss, Usutu, toss!”_

After that, what happened? Heaven knows alone--or at least I do not

But in later years Mr Osborn, afterwards the residentand foolish in those days, had swuela and hidden in a little kopje quite near to us in order to see the battle, told e breaker--that breaker being the splendid Aht of the ocean behind it, had suddenly struck a ridge of rock and, rearing itself up, subed and hidden it

At least, within three iment was noour lines rose a fierce hissing sound of ”S'gee, S'gee” (”Zhi” in the Zulu) uttered as the spears went hoone, taking nearly a third of our number with it, for in such a battle as this the wounded were as good as dead Practically our first line had vanished in a fray that did not last more than a few ied With a yell of victory we rushed down the slope towards the shi+elds, but this ti in the front rank now, I hadtwo Usutu who stabbed at un renched fro backwards and forwards, the groans of the wounded, the shouts of victory and despair, and then Scowl's voice saying:

”We have beat theiht like devils, even the bearer boys rushed into the fray Fro; every re, not one of the Ah how it came into my hand I cannot remember for certain I think, however, I wrenched it from a man who rushed at me and was stabbed before he could strike I killed a captain with this spear, for as he fell I recognised his face It was that of one of Cetewayo's cou The fallen were piled up quite thick around ether I sal's horse rear into the air and fall He slipped over its tail, and next instant was fighting at lish oaths as he struck

”Beetje varm! [a little hot] Beetje varm, Baas!” I heard hi hit me hard upon the head--I suppose it was a thrown kerry--after which I re through the air

I caain, and found that I was still on the horse, which was ahttoat my side He was covered with blood, so was the horse, and so was I It may have been our own blood, for all three were more or less wounded, or it may have been that of others; I aht I pulled upon the reins, and the horse stopped as and found a large flask of Hollands gin and water--half gin and half water--which he had placed there before the battle He uncorked and gave it topull at the stuff, that tasted like veritable nectar, then handed it to him, who did likewise New life seemed to flow into ood at such a moment

”Where are the Amawombe?” I asked