The young colonists; a story of the Zulu and Boer Wars

A TALE
OF THE

ZULU

AND

BOFR

C.A.

UNIV

. OF CALIF- LIBRARY, LOS ANGELES

City of Birmingham Education Committee.

* . i » ^L . j* -.

resented to

.Head Tfacher.
JNO. ARTHUR PALMER.

Secretary of the Education Committee.

"TOM FIRED INTO THE THICK OF THE DEER AND
ONE OF THEM FELL."

THE YOUNG COLONISTS

A STORY OF

THE ZULU AND BOER WARS

BY

G. A. HENTY

Author of " With Clive in India " " The Cat of Bubastes " "In the Reign of Terror "
' In Freedom's Cause " "By England's Aid " " By Pike and Dyke " "Held Fast for England '

WITH SIX ILLUSTRATIONS BY SIMON H. VEDDER

LONDON
BLACKIE & SON, LIMITED, 50 OLD BAILEY, E.G.

GLASGOW AND DUBLIN

UNIV. OF CALIF. LIBRARY, LOS ANGELES

StacK
Annex

PR

PREFACE.

As a rule the minor wars in which this country has been
from time to time engaged, have been remarkable both for
the admirable way in which they were conducted and for
the success that attended them. The two campaigns in
South Africa, however, that followed each other with but a
brief interval, were notable exceptions. In the Zulu War
the blunder, made by the General in command, of dividing
his army and marching away with the greater portion with
out troubling himself to keep up communication with the
force left behind, brought about a serious disaster at Isan-
dula. In the Boer War we also suffered two defeats, —
one at Laing's Neck, the other at Majuba Hill, — and when
at last a British force was assembled capable of retrieving
these misfortunes, the English government decided not to
fight, but to leave the Boers in possession of the Transvaal.
This unfortunate surrender has, assuredly, brought about the
troubled state of things now existing in South Africa.

After having written upwards of fifty records of almost
unbroken success to the British arms in almost all parts of
the world, I have found it painful to describe these two
campaigns in which we suffered defeat. I trust, however,
that this story will prove of great interest to the reader
because of the characteristic English pluck and daring of its
hero.

G. A. HENTY.
ill

CONTENTS.

CHAP. Page

I. A SNOW-DRIFT, i

II. THE RED FLAG, 16

III. THE FARM, 31

IV. THE OUTBREAK OF WAR, 47

V. ISANDULA, 64

VI. ZLOBANI, 80

VII. KAMBULA, 96

VIII. THE SECOND ADVANCE, 113

IX. ULUNDI, 129

X. A TRADING EXPEDITION, 144

XI. A TROOP OF LIONS, 161

XII. AN ATTACK BY ELEPHANTS, 177

XIII. A BRUSH WITH THE NATIVES, 193

XIV. TRAPPED IN A DEFILE, 209

XV. A MOUNTAIN TORRENT, 224

XVI. A FIGHT WITH THE BOERS, 240

XVII. A TERRIBLE JOURNEY, 252

XVIII. THE BOER INSURRECTION, 266

XIX. THE GARRISONS IN THE TRANSVAAL, 277

XX. LAING'S NECK 288

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page
"TOM FIRED INTO THE THICK OF THE DEER AND ONE

OF THEM FELL," Frontispiece. 43

TOM AND DlCK HURRY FORWARD TO RESCUE THE
WOUNDED OFFICER, 100

"THE CONTINUOUS ROARING SHOWED THAT THE LIONS
WERE STILL CLOSE AT HAND," l66

"DlCK FIRED INTO THE ELEPHANT'S OPEN MOUTH, AND
THEN LEAPT BEHIND THE TREE," 174

"BLACKING BROKE OFF THE ARROW'S FEATHER-HEAD
WITHOUT PAUSE IN HIS FLIGHT," 2O2

"THE TWO SHOTS RANG OUT TOGETHER, AND BOTH THE
BOERS FELL LIFELESS," 269

vtt

THE YOUNG COLONISTS.

CHAPTER I.

A SNOW-DRIFT.

THE country round Castleton, in Derbyshire, is
greatly admired by summer tourists, for it lies in
the wildest part of that county ; but in winter the
wind whistles sharply over the bleak hills — where
there are no trees to break its violence, — the sheep
huddle under the shelter of the roughly-built stone
walls, and even lovers of the picturesque would at
that season prefer a more level and wooded country.
The farm of Mr. Humphreys was situated about a
mile from Castleton. It consisted of 100 acres or so
of good land in the bottom, and of five or six times as
much upland grazing on the hills. Mr. Humphreys
owned as well as farmed his land, and so might have
claimed, had he chosen, the title of gentleman-farmer ;
but he himself would have scoffed at such an idea. He
was a hard-working, practical farmer, about over his
ground from morning to night, save when the hounds
met within easy distance in winter ; then he would
mount " Robin," who served alike as hunter, or hack,

(M264) 1 B

T/ie Young Colonists.

or to drive in the neat dog-cart to Buxton market ;
and, although there were many handsomer horses
in the field, Mr. Humphreys was seldom far off when
the fox was killed.

His family consisted of his wife and two sons,
the eldest, Richard, was about fourteen years old.
His brother, John, was three years younger.
Both went to school at Castleton. The younger
boy was fond of his books ; he had always been
weak and delicate, and, being unable to spend his
time in active exercise out of doors, he was gene
rally to be found reading by the fire in winter, or
lying on the ground in summer under a tree in
the orchard, with his chin on his hand, and the
book before him. Richard had no literary taste ;
he managed to scrape through his work and keep
a moderate place in his class, somewhere about
half-way down ; but he threw his whole heart into
outdoor exercise, and was one of the best bats in the
school, although there were many there older by years.
He knew every foot of the hills, could tell every bird
by its note, and knew all about their nests and eggs.
Except in school, or perhaps during the long winter
evenings, it was rare indeed to find Dick with a
book in his hand.

*' You will never set the Thames on fire, Dick," his
father would say to him.

"I shall never want to, father," he would reply.
" I do not see that learning will ever be much good
to me."

The Young Colonists.

"That is a foolish idea, Dick. A great deal
of the learning that boys get at school is of no
actual value in pounds, shillings, and pence. It is
not the fact of knowing Latin, and Greek, and
mathematics which benefits a man ; but it is the
learning of them. It is the discipline to the mind,
which is of benefit. The mind is like the body.
There is no use in cricket, or in boating, or in
hunting, but these things strengthen the body and
make it active and healthy, and able to do better
everything which it undertakes, and it is exactly
the same thing with the mind ; besides, the days are
coming when farmers must farm their land with
science and intelligence, or they will be left behind
in the race. We are being rivalled by the farmers of
America. Not only do we have to pay rent, but by
the tithes and rates and taxes they put upon us
government makes the English farmer pay a heavy
tax upon every bushel of corn he produces, while
they allow the American corn to come into the
market tax-free. This may be all right, but it does
not appear fair to me. However, there it is, and
we have got to meet it, and if we are to keep our
heads above water, it can only be by farming up to
the very best lights of the day."

" Well, father," Dick said, " then it seems to me
that when we grow up, John and I must farm
together. He shall be the scientific partner ; I will
do the work."

" That is all right enough, Dick, but you must

The Young Colonists.

have some science too, else you and he will never
get on. You would want to go on in the old-
fashioned groove, and would call his ideas new
fangled. No, I intend you, when you get old enough,
to go to Cirencester College, where you will learn
the theory and science of farming thoroughly. You
will get the practical part at home. As to John, he
is a child yet, and, I trust, will grow up strong
and active ; but if his tastes remain as they now are,
I do not think it likely he will take to farming, and
we must find some other career for him."

One afternoon in the beginning of December
two of Dick's school-fellows said to him, —

" We are going over the hills to our uncle's farm,
Dick. Will you go with us ? "

When there was nothing better to do, Dick was
always ready for a walk, and he at once agreed
to accompany the Jacksons. The elder boy was
about his own age, the younger two years his
junior.

The Jacksons called for him directly he had
finished his dinner, and they started away together
for a farm which was about four miles distant.
They struck right across the hills, as it would have
been two miles longer by the nearest road.

"I should not be surprised," Dick said, "if it
were to snow to-night ; it is bitterly cold, and the
clouds look very heavy."

" I hope it won't snow until we get back," James,
the younger of the brothers, remarked.

The Young Colonists.

"I don't know," Dick answered, looking at the
clouds. " I should not be surprised if it began at
any moment."

The wind was blowing strongly. The hills
were high and steep, and, although the boys made
their best speed, it was considerably over an hour
before they reached the farm. They had started
at two, and it was now a quarter past three. Mr.
Jackson was out. The boys delivered the message
with which they had been charged to their
aunt.

" Now," she said, " I will cut you each a hunch
of cake, and when you have eaten that and had
a glass of fresh milk you had best start at once.
It is bitterly cold, and we are going to have snow.
The sooner you are home, the better."

The boys now ate their cake. Mrs. Jackson
came to the door with them. Then she said, as
the first flake of snow fell, —

" I am not sure, boys, that you had not better
stay here all night."

The boys laughed.

" Why, what would they say at home ? They
would just be in a way about us."

"Well, at any rate, you had better go by the
road."

" Oh, that is two miles farther at least. We should
not get home until long after dark. We shan't be
an hour by the hills. We know every foot of the
way."

The Young Colonists.

" Well, good-bye, then. Make as much haste as
you can."

For half a mile their way led along the road, then
they scrambled over a wall and began to ascend
the barren hill-side. The snow was falling fast now.
Thicker and thicker it came down, and when, hot and
panting, they reached the top of the hill, the wind
blew the flakes so fiercely into their faces that they
were half-blinded, and were obliged to turn their backs
to the gale while they got breath. For half an hour
they struggled on. They could scarcely see ten
paces before them through the driving snow, and in
every sheltered spot white patches rapidly began to
form.

" How different things look in a snow-storm ! "
Dick said, as they stopped for breath and shelter
under the lee of a wall. " I don't know, Tom, but
I am not quite sure that we are going straight ; I do
not know what wall this is."

" No more do I," Tom Jackson replied. " I felt
quite sure that we were going right at first, but some
how I don't think so now."

" I wish the snow would stop for a minute," Dick
said, "just to let us have a look round. If I could
see a hundred yards I am sure I should know where
we are. What is the matter with you, James j what
are you blubbering about ? "

" My feet are so cold ; they hurt dreadfully."

" Oh, never mind," Dick said. " Come, boys, push
along, and we shall soon be home."

The Young Colonists.

Again they started with heads bent to face the storm.

"It is getting dark awfully fast," Tom Jackson
said.

" It is, and no mistake. Come, let us have a trot.
Come on, young one."

But, although Dick spoke hopefully, he was not as
confident as he appeared. He was sure now that
they had lost the way. They might not, he hoped,
be far off the track ; but he knew that they were not
following the precise line by which they came.

it was now nearly dark. The snow was falling
thicker than ever, and the ground, except upon the
uplands exposed to the full force of the wind, was
covered with a white mantle.

On arriving at the bottom of a steep hill, they
stopped again.

" Do you know where we are, Tom ? "

M Not in the least," Tom answered.

"This ought to be the last valley," Dick said,
" and after one more climb we ought to go straight
down into Castleton. Don't you remember in
that valley there were a lot of sheep in a fold, with a
wall round it ? If we can find that, we shall know
that we are right. It is near the bottom, so
we shall not miss it. Which way shall we turn, left or
right?"

" Let us try the left first," Tom said.

They walked for half a mile, gradually ascending.

" It is not this way," Tom said at last. " We are
getting to the head of the valley. What are you

8 The Young Colonists.

doing, James?" as the young boy, who had been
sobbing for some time, threw himself on the snow.

" I cannot go any farther," he murmured. " I am
so cold, and so tired, and so sleepy."

" Oh, nonsense ! " Dick said. " Here, take hold of
his arm, Tom, and lift him up ; give him a good shake ;
he must go on ; he would die if he stopped here."

The two lads raised the younger boy, and half-sup
porting half-dragging him turned and retraced their
footsteps.

It was pitch dark now, and they could not see a
yard before them. For some time they continued
their way.

" There is no shepherd's hut. Certainly, this is not
the valley. What on earth are we to do ? "

" I don't know," Tom said, beginning to cry.

" Shut up, Tom Jackson. What are you thinking
about ? This is no time for howling like a baby ; you
have got to think of what is best to do. It is no use
climbing the next hill, for we might be going away
from home, instead of getting nearer. Besides, we
should have to haul Jimmy up, for he can scarcely
stand now ; and, although it is bitterly cold here, it
would be worse on the top of the hill. No, we have
got to stop here all night, that is clear."

" We shall be dead before morning ! " Tom roared.

" I will hit you in the eye, Tom Jackson, if you
don't shut up ; you are as bad as a girl ; I am ashamed
of you. Now, what we have got to do, is to find some
sort of shelter, either a wall or bush, and we must

The Young Colonists.

keep on until we come to something. Keep awake,
Jimmy ; we shan't have much farther to go, and then
you can lie down quietly."

They went on for a bit.

" It is no use," Dick said. " They don't put walls
across bottoms ; more likely to find one either to the
right or left. Now, Tom, you stop here for a minute
or two, and I will look about ; you keep shouting every
minute, so that I can find my way back to you."

Turning off, he began to ascend the next hill,
and in two or three minutes shouted the glad news
to Tom that he had found the wall ; then he
returned.

Jimmy, cheered at the prospect of lying down, made
an effort, and they soon reached the wall.

Like most of the walls in Derbyshire, it was formed
of flat stones laid without mortar, some four feet high.

" Now, Tom, set to work ; get some stones off the
wall on both sides, and build up two other walls
against this ; three feet wide inside will do, and just
long enough to lie in. Here, Jimmy, you help ; it
will keep you awake, and, you see, the higher we
make the walls the snugger it will be ; we will have
quite a nice house."

The boys all set to work, and in half an hour three
walls were built. At the point where the two side
walls touched the other, they were three feet high,
and sloped down to two at the lower end.

" Now, Jimmy, you chuck the snow out. Tom and
I will go, one each way, along the wall ; likely enough

io The Young Colonists.

we may come upon some bushes — they often grow
in shelter of the walls : if we can find a few sticks we
will cover the house over. Lots of these stones are
a couple of feet long, and we will manage a sort of
roof. The snow will soon cover it, and we shall be
as warm as possible."

A quarter of an hour later the two boys returned ;
both had been successful and brought a bundle of
sticks ; these were laid across the top, interspersed with
smaller twigs, the ends being kept down with stones to
prevent their being blown away. The last were placed
in position after the boys had crept inside. They did
not attempt to roof it with stones, for the supply of
sticks and brushwood was large enough to catch the
snow-flakes as they fell, and these would soon form
a covering, while it would have been difficult to
balance the stones.

Jimmy was by this time in a state almost of
lethargy ; but the others were fairly warm from their
exertions. They now lay down close beside the
younger boy, one on each side. At first they felt the
cold extremely.

" Let us keep awake as long as we can," Dick said.

" I don't feel inclined to sleep at all," Tom answered ;
" my hands and feet feel frozen, but I am warm enough
everywhere else, and the ground is precious hard and
bumpy."

" I am only afraid about Jimmy," Dick said ; " he is
sound asleep, and he was so awfully cold ; lie as close
as you can to him, Tom, and put your arm ovet

The Young Colonists. 1 1

him and keep your legs huddled up against
his."

" It feels warmer than it did," he went on, after a
pause of half an hour ; " don't you think so, Tom ? "

" A lot warmer," Tom said. " I expect the snow
has made a good thick roof."

"Yes, and the wind does not blow through the
stones as it did. I expect the snow is drifting up all
round ; it was getting very deep against the wall when
we got in, and if it goes on all night, Tom, I should
not wonder if we are covered deep before morning.
The wind always sweeps it off the hills, and makes
deep drifts in the bottoms."

" What shall we do, then ? "

"I don't know," Dick answered; "but there will
be plenty of time to think of that in the morning.
I think Jimmy is all right, Tom ; I have just put my
hand inside his waistcoat and he feels quite warm
now. Say your prayers, and then let us try to get off
to sleep."

This they were not very long in doing, for the air in
the little hut was soon heated by the action of their
bodies. Outside the storm was still raging, and the
wind, laden with swirling snow from the uplands,
was piling it high in the valleys. Already the hut
was covered and the wall behind it.

All night and all next day the snow continued to
fall ; the next day, and the next, it kept on. Old
folks down in Castleton said they never remembered
such a storm. It lay three feet deep in the fields, and

12 The Young Colonists.

there was no saying how deep the drifts might be in
the hollows. For the first two days the wind had
tried its best to keep the hills clear, but it had tired of
the work, and for the last two had ceased to blow,
and the great feathered flakes formed steadily and
silently.

Tom was the first to wake.

" Holloa ! " he exclaimed, " where are we ? Oh !
I remember. Dick, are you awake ? "

" Yes, I am awake now," Dick said. " What is it ?
It is not morning yet. I seem to have been asleep
a long time, and don't my bones just ache ? Jimmy,
old boy, are you all right ? "

" Yes," Jimmy grunted.

" It is quite warm," Dick said. " It feels very close,
and how still it is ! The wind has quite gone down.
Do you know, Tom, I think it must be morning. There
seems a faint sort of light. I can see the stones in the
wall behind you."

" So it must," Tom assented. " Oh ! how stifling it
is!" and he raised himself into a sitting position.

" I am afraid we are buried deep in the snowdrift.
Put your hand up, Tom ; don't you feel some of these
sticks are bent in the middle ? "

"Ever so much; there must be a great weight on
them. What are we to do, Dick ; shall we try and
dig a way out ? "

" That will be no good," Dick answered ; " not if it
is deep ; and if it has been snowing all night, there is
no saying how deep it may be this morning down

The Young Colonists. 13

In this bottom. This drift-snow is like dust. I re
member last winter that Bill Jones and Harry Austin
and I tried to make a tunnel in a deep drift, but
the snow fell in as fast as we scraped it away. It
was just like dry sand."

" We are all right for warmth," Tom said ; ".but it
feels quite stifling."

" Yes, we must try and get some air," Dick said.
" The roof-sticks are close together down at our feet.
There were three or four left over when we had finished,
so we can take them away without weakening the
roof. We might shove one of them up through
the snow."

The sticks were removed carefully, but a quantity
of fine snow fell in on their feet One was then
shoved up through the top, but the only effect,
when it was removed, was that it was followed by
some snow powdering down on their faces.

" Let us tie four of them together," Dick said. " I
have plenty of string in my pocket."

This was done, fresh sticks being tied to the bottom
as the first were shoved up through the snow.

" Now, Tom, help me to work it about a bit, so as to
press the snow all round, and make a sort of tube."

For some time a shower of little particles fell as
they worked, but gradually these ceased. Then
the stick was cautiously lowered, being untied joint
by joint, and looking up the boys gave a shout of
pleasure. At the top of the hole, which was some six
inches wide at the bottom, was a tiny patch of light

14 The Young Colonists.

a We have only just reached the top," Dick said ;
"the snow must be near fifteen feet deep."

Small though the aperture was, it effected a
sensible relief. The feeling of oppression ceased ;
half an hour later the hole was closed up, and they
knew that the snow was still falling.

Another length of stick was added, and the day
light again appeared.

The boys slept a good deal ; they had no sensa
tion of cold whatever, the heat of their bodies keep
ing the air at a comfortable temperature. They did
not feel so hungry as they expected, but they were
very thirsty.

" I shall eat some snow," Tom said.

" I have heard that that makes you more thirsty,"
Dick remarked ; " hold some in your hands till it
melts, and then sip the water."

Four days passed ; then they found that the snow no
longer continued to cover up the hole, and knew that
the snow-storm had ceased. The number of sticks
required to reach the top was six, and as each of
these was about four feet long they knew that,
making allowance for the joints, the snow was over
twenty feet deep.

Very often the boys talked of home, and wondered
what their friends were doing. The first night, when
they did not return, it would be hoped that they had
stayed at the farm ; but somebody would be sure
to go over in the morning to see, and when the
news arrived that they were missing, there would be a
general turn out to find them.

The Young Colonists. 15

" They must have given up all hope by this time,"
Dick said, on the fifth morning, " and must be pretty
sure that we are buried in the drift somewhere ; but,
as all the bottoms will be like this, they will have
given up all hopes of finding our bodies till the thaw
comes."

" That may be weeks," Tom said ; " we might as
well have died at once."

" We can live a long time here," Dick replied con
fidently. " I remember reading once of a woman
who had been buried in the snow being got out
alive a tremendous time afterwards. I think it was
five weeks, but it might have been more. Hurrah !
I have got an idea, Tom."

" What is that ? " Tom asked.

" Look here ; we will tie three more sticks — "

"We can't spare any more sticks," Tom said ;
" the snow is up to our knees already."

"Ah! but thin sticks will do for this," Dick
said ; " we can get some thin sticks out here. We
will tie them over the others, and on the top of all
we will fasten my red pocket-handkerchief, like a
flag ; if any one comes down into this bottom they
are sure to see it."

1 6 The Young Colonists.

CHAPTER II.

THE RED FLAG.

DICK'S plan was soon carried into effect, and the
little red flag flew as an appeal for help ten feet
above the snow in the lonely valley.

Down in Castleton events had turned out just
as the boys had anticipated. The night of the
snow-storm there was no sleep for their parents, and
at daybreak, next morning, Mr. Humphreys and
Mr. Jackson set out on foot through the storm for the
distant farm. They kept to the road, but it took
them four hours to reach the farm, for the drifts
were many feet deep in the hollows, and they had the
greatest difficulty in making their way through.

When, upon their arrival, they found the boys
had left before the gale began, their consternation
and grief were extreme, and they started at once on
their return to Castleton.

Search-parties were immediately organized, and
these, in spite of the fury of the storm, searched the
hills in all directions.

After the first day, when it was found that they
were not at any of the shepherds' huts scattered
among the hills, all hopes of finding them alive
ceased. So hopeless was it considered, that few
parties went out on the three following days ; but

The Young Colonists. 17

on the fifth, when the snow-storm ceased and the
sun shone out, numbers of men again tramped
the hills in the vague hope of finding some sign of
the missing boys ; they returned disheartened. The
snow was two feet deep everywhere, twenty in many
of the hollows.

The next day but few went out, for the general
feeling was, that the bodies could not be discovered
until the thaw came, and at present it was freezing
sharply.

Among those who still kept up the search were
several of the boys' school-fellows. They had not been
permitted to join while the snow-storm continued,
and were therefore fresh at the work. A party
of four kept together, struggling through the deep
snow-drifts, climbing up the hills, and enjoying
the fun, in spite of the saddening nature of their
errand.

On arriving at the brow of a deep valley five
miles from home, they agreed that they would
go no farther, as it was not likely that the missing
boys could have wandered so far from their track.
That they had in fact done so was due to a sudden
change in the direction of the wind ; it had been
driving in their faces when they started, and with bent
down heads they had struggled against it, unconscious
that it was sharply changing its direction.

" Just let us have a look down into the bottom," one
of the boys said ; " there may be a shepherd's hut
here."

(M264) C

1 8 The Young Colonists.

Nothing, however, was seen, save a smooth, white
surface of snow.

" What is that ? " one exclaimed suddenly. " Look,
there is a little red flag flying down there — come
along."

The boys rushed down the hill at full speed.

"Don't all go near the flag," one said; "you
may be treading on their bodies."

They arrived within ten yards of the flag, in
which they soon recognized a red pocket-handker
chief. They were silent now, awe-struck at the
thought that their companions were lying dead
beneath.

" Perhaps it is not theirs," the eldest of the party
said presently. "Anyhow I had better take it off
and carry it home."

Treading cautiously and with a white face, for he
feared to feel beneath his feet one of the bodies of
his friends, he stepped, knee-deep in the snow-drift,
to the flag. He took the little stick in his hand
to pluck it up ; he raised it a foot, and then gave a
cry of astonishment and started back.

* What is the matter ? " the others asked.

" It was pulled down again," he said in awe-struck
tones. " I will swear it was pulled down again."

" Oh, nonsense ! " one of the others said ; " you are
dreaming."

" I am not," the first replied positively ; " it was
regularly jerked in my hand."

" Can they be alive down there ? " one suggested,

The Young Colonists. 19

" Alive ! How can they be alive after five days,
twenty feet deep in the snow ? Look at the flag ! "

There was no mistake this time ; the flag was raised
and lowered five or six times. The boys took to
their heels and ran and gathered in a cluster fifty
yards away on the hillside.

" What can it be ? " they asked, looking in each
others' pale faces.

The behaviour of the flag seemed to them some
thing supernatural.

" We had better go back and tell them at home,"
one of them said.

" We can't do that ; no one would believe us. Look
here, you fellows," and he glanced round at the bright
sky, " this is nonsense ; the flag could not wave of
itself ; there must be somebody alive below ; perhaps
there is a shepherd's hut quite covered with the drift,
and they have pushed the flag up through the
chimney.'*

The supposition seemed a reasonable one, and a
little ashamed of their panic the group returned to
wards the flag. The eldest boy again approached it.

" Go carefully, Tomkins, or you may fall right
down a chimney."

The flag was still continuing its up and down move
ment ; the boy approached and lay down on the snow
close to it ; then he took hold of the stick ; he felt a
pull, but held fast ; then he put his mouth close to the
hole, two or three inches in diameter, through which
it passed

2o The Young Colonists.

" Halloa ! " he shouted ; " is any one below ? "

A cry of " Yes, yes/' came back in reply. " The
two Jacksons and Humphreys."

" Hurrah!" he shouted at the top of his voice, and his
companions, although they had not heard the answer,
joined in the cheer.

" Are you all right ? " he shouted down again.

" Yes, but please get help and dig us out."

" All right ; I will run all the way back ; they will
have men here in no time ; good-bye ; keep up your
spirits."

" They are all there below!" he shouted to his friends.
" Come on, you fellows, there is not a moment to lose."

Wild with excitement the boys made their wayhome;
they rushed down the hill-sides, scrambled through
the drifts in the bottoms, in which they sometimes dis
appeared altogether, and had to haul each other out,
struggled up the hills, and, panting and breathless,
rushed in a body into Mr. Humphreys' farmhouse, that
standing nearest to them, on their way to Castleton.

" We have found them ; we have found them," they
panted out. " They are all alive."

Mrs. Humphreys had risen from her seat in a
chair by the fire as the boys entered, and uttering a
faint cry fell back insensible.

At this moment the farmer, who had but five minutes
before returned, having been out since daybreak on
the hills, hurried into the room ; he was taking off his
heavy boots when he heard the rush of feet into the
house. " We have found them, sir ; they are all alive 1 "

The Young Colonists. 2 1

" Thank God ! thank God ! " the farmer exclaimed
reverently, and then seeing his wife insensible hurried
towards her, uttering a shout for the servants. Two
women ran in. " Look to your mistress," he said ;
" she has fainted ; the good news has been too much
for her — the boys are found alive."

With mingled exclamations of gladness and dismay
the servants raised their mistress.

" Now, boys, where are they ? " Mr. Humphreys
asked.

The lads gave a rapid narrative of what had
happened.

"Under the snow all this time!" the farmer exclaimed;
" they must be, as you say, in a hut. Now, will one of
you stay and show me the way back, and the others
go on to Mr. Jackson's and other places, and bring a
strong party of men with shovels on after us ? "

The lad who had spoken with the prisoners re
mained to act as guide, the others hurried off.

" Come with me, my boy, into the larder. There,
help yourself ; you must be hungry and tired, and you
have got to do it over again."

Mr. Humphreys then ran into the yard, and bade
the four labourers provide themselves with shovels
and prepare to accompany him at once.

He then went back into the parlour. His wife was
just opening her eyes ; for a time she looked confused
and bewildered, then suddenly she sat up and gazed
beseechingly at her husband — memory had come back
to her.

22 The Young Colonists.

" Yes, wife, thanks be to God, it is true — the boys
are alive ; I am just going with these men to dig them
out. They are snowed up in a hut. Now, Jane, get
a large basket, and put in it lots of bread and bacon —
the men who are working will want something ; fill the
largest stone jar with beer ; put in a bottle of brandy
and a bottle of milk, and set to and get some soup
ready ; bring three small mattresses downstairs and a
lot of blankets."

Five minutes later the search-party started, Mr.
Humphreys and the guide leading the way ; the
men followed, one carrying five shovels ; another, the
basket and jar ; the other two, three hurdles on which
were placed the mattresses and blankets.

It was no easy matter so laden making their way
over the hills and through the deep drifts. Mr.
Humphreys took his share of the labour ; but it was
two hours from the time when they started before
they arrived at the spot where the flag was waving,
and the night was already closing in.

Mr. Humphreys hurried forward to the flag; he
knelt down beside it.

"Are you still alive, Dick? — it is I, your
father ! "

" Yes, father, we are all alive, and we shall be all
right now you have come. Don't get too near the
stick ; we are afraid of the hole closing up, and
smothering us."

" Which side is the door," Mr. Humphreys asked,
" so that we can dig that way ? "

The Young Colonists. 23

" There is no door, father ; but you had better dig
from below, because of the wall."

" There must be a door," Mr. Humphreys said to
himself, as he rejoined the men. " There can't be a
hut without a door ; Dick must be a little light
headed, and no wonder. Now, lads, let us set to work
from below."

The five men were soon at work, throwing aside the
snow. In a short time the other parties arrived.

Mr. Humphreys had brought with him a stock of
candles. These were lit and stuck in the snow, where,
as there was no wind, they burnt steadily, affording
sufficient light for the search. The work was all
the more difficult from the lightness of the snow, as
the sides fell in like sand as they worked upon it,
and they were obliged to make a very broad cutting.

At last there was a cheer, as they struck the ground.

" Now, working up hill we must be at the hut in a
few feet."

Twenty willing hands laboured away incessantly,
but to their surprise no hut was met with ; they
worked and worked, throwing the snow behind them,
until Mr. Jackson struck his shovel upon something
hard.

" Here is a wall or something," he said.

Another minute uncovered a low wall of two feet in
height, and directly afterwards a leg was popped up
through the snow. A loud cheer broke from the men.

But again the snow-drift fell in from the sides, and
it was another quarter of an hour before the lads were

24 The Young Colonists.

lifted from the narrow shelter where they had for five
days lain.

The Jacksons were too weak to stand, but Dick
was just able to keep on his feet. A cup of milk
mixed with some brandy was given to each. Then
Dick in a few words told the story, and the surprise
of all, as they examined the little hut and heard the
details of the almost miraculous preservation of the
boys, was almost unbounded.

They were now wrapped in blankets and laid on
mattresses placed on the hurdles ; the contents of the
baskets — for others besides Mr. Humphreys had
brought a stock of provisions, not knowing how long
the search-party might be engaged — were distri
buted among the workers, and then four men lifted
each hurdle and the party started for home, a mes
senger having been sent back at full speed directly the
boys were got out, to bear the glad news to Castleton.

It was just midnight when the main body returned.
A second cup of brandy and milk had done much to
revive the two elder boys, and Dick had been able to
eat a piece of bread. James, however, had fallen
asleep directly he was wrapped in the blankets, and
did not awake until he was set down at his father's
door.

At both houses doctors were in waiting for their
arrival. Dick was at once pronounced to be none the
worse for his adventure, except that his feet were
frost-bitten from long contact with the snow ; indeed
had it not been from this cause he could, on the

The Young Colonists. 25

following day, have been up and about As it was, in
a fortnight, he was perfectly himself again.

Tom Jackson was confined to the house for many
weeks ; he lost several of his toes, but eventually
became strong and hearty again. James, however,
never recovered — the shock to his system had been
too great ; he lingered on for some months, and then
sank quietly and painlessly.

The events of the snow-storm left a far deeper
trace upon Mrs. Humphreys than upon her son. The
terrible anxiety of those five days had told greatly
upon her, and after they were over she seemed to
lose strength rapidly. She had never been very
strong, and a hacking cough now constantly shook
her. The doctor who attended her looked serious,
and one day said to Mr. Humphreys, —

" I don't like the state of your wife ; she has
always been weak in her lungs, and I fear that the
anxiety she went through has somehow accentuated
her former tendency to consumption. The air of
this place — you see she was born in the south — is too
keen for her. If I were you I would take her up to
London and consult some first-rate man in lung
diseases, and get his opinion."

The next day Mr. Humphreys started for London.
The celebrated physician examined his wife, and
afterwards took him aside.

" I cannot conceal from you," he said, " that your
wife's lungs are very seriously affected, although con
sumption has not yet thoroughly set in. If she remains

26 The Young Colonists.

in this country she may not live many months ; your
only hope is to take her abroad — could you do that ? "

" Yes, sir," Mr. Humphreys said. " I can take her
anywhere. Where would you advise ? "

" She would benefit from a residence either in
Egypt or Madeira," the doctor said ; " but for a
permanency I should say the Cape. I have known
many complete cures made there. You tell me that
you are engaged in agricultural pursuits ; if it is
possible for you to settle there, I can give you every
hope of saving her life, as the disease is not yet
developed. If you go, don't stay in the lowlands,
but get up into the high plateaus, either behind the
Cape itself, or behind Natal. The climate there is
delicious, and land cheap."

Mr. Humphreys thanked him and left, returning
the next day to Castleton. The astonishment of the
boys, and indeed of Mrs. Humphreys, was unbounded,
when the farmer announced in the evening at supper
that he intended to sell his land and emigrate at once
to the Cape.

The boys were full of excitement at the new and
strange idea, and asked numerous questions, none of
which the farmer could answer ; but he brought out
a pile of books, which he had purchased in town,
concerning the colonies and their resources, and
for once Dick's aversion to books vanished, and he
was soon as much absorbed as his brother in the
perusal of the accounts of the new land to which they
were to go.

The Young Colonists. 27

On the following Saturday, to the surprise of all
Castleton, an advertisement appeared in the Derby
shire paper announcing the sale by auction at an
early date of Mr. Humphreys' farm.

Dick and John were quite heroes among their
companions, who looked with envy at boys who were
going to live in a land where lions and elephants
and all sorts of wild beasts abounded, to say nothing
of warlike natives.

" There always seem to be Kaffir wars going on,"
one boy said, " out at the Cape ; you will have all
sorts of excitement, Dick."

" I don't think that sort of excitement will be nice,"
Dick replied ; " it must be horribly anxious work to
think every time you go out to work that the place
may be attacked and every one killed before you get
back. But that is all nonsense, you know ; I have
been reading about some of the Kaffir wars ; they are
in the bush-country, down by the sea. We are going
up on to the high lands at the back of Natal. Father
says very likely we may buy a farm in the Transvaal,
but mother does not seem to like the accounts of the
Dutchmen or Boers, as they are called, who live there,
and says she would rather have English neighbours ;
so I expect if we can get a farm somewhere in
the Natal colony, we shall do so."

" You seem to know all about the place," the
boy said, surprised.

" Well, we have had seven or eight books to read
about it, and I seem now to know more about South

28 The Young Colonists.

Africa than about any other country in the world.
There are the diamond-fields, too, out there, and
I hope, before I settle down regularly to a farm,
that father will let me go for a few months and try
my luck there. Would it not just be jolly to find a
diamond as big as a pigeon's egg and worth about
twenty thousand pounds ? "

" And do they do that ? " the boy asked.

** Well, they don't often find them as big as that ;
still, one might be the lucky one."

The news that Mr. Humphreys and his family
were about to sell off and emigrate naturally caused
a great deal of talk in and around Castleton, and
put the idea into the minds of many who had never
before seriously thought of it. If Mr. Humphreys,
who had one of the best farms in the neighbourhood,
thought that it would pay him to sell his land and go
out, it would surely be a good thing for others to
do the same. He was considered to be a good
farmer and a long-headed man ; one who would
not take such a step without carefully looking into
the matter — for Mr. Humphreys, in order to avoid
questioning and the constant inquiries about his
wife's health, which would be made, did he announce
that he was leaving for that reason, did not think it
necessary to inform people that it was in the hopes
of staving off the danger which threatened her that
he was making a move.

A great many of the neighbouring labourers
would gladly have gone with him ; but he found by

The Young Colonists. 29

his reading that Kaffir labour was to be obtained
out there very cheaply. He determined, however, to
take with him two of his own hands ; the one a strong
active young fellow named Bill Harrison, the other a
middle-aged man named Johnson, who had been
with him from a boy. He was a married man
with two girls, aged fifteen and sixteen, the eldest
of whom was already employed by Mrs. Humphreys
in the house. Johnson's wife was a superior woman
of her class, and Mr. Humphreys thought that it
would be pleasant for his wife, having a woman
at hand, whom she could speak to. The girls
were to act as servants — indeed Mr. Humphreys
thought it probable that the whole party would
live under one roof.

Among those whom Mr. Humphreys' decision to
emigrate had much moved was Mr. Jackson. He
was not in so good a position, as he did not farm
his own land ; but he had sufficient capital to start
him well in the colony, where a farm can be bought
outright at a few shillings an acre. He talked the
matter over with his friend on several occasions,
and at last said, —

"Well, I think I have pretty well made up my
mind ; the doctor is telling me that my poor little
chap is not likely to live long ; his mother is wrapped
up in him, and will never like the place again ; — so I
think on all grounds a change will be good. I can't
come out with you, because I have got a lease of
the farm ; but I fancy that it is worth more than it

30 The Young Colonists.

was when I took it, and if I can get a good tenant to
take it off my hands I don't suppose the landlord
will make any objections. I shall look about at once,
and, when my poor little chap is gone, I shan't be
long before I come after you. You will let me know
how you find the place, and whether these book-
accounts are true?— I have heard that many of these
chaps who write books are awful liars. I should
like to get a farm as near you as may be."

It was early in the spring when Mr. Humphreys
and his party embarked at Plymouth in the Dunster
Castle. The farm had sold well, and Mr. Humphreys
possessed a capital of several thousand pounds — a
sum which would make him a rich man in the
colony. None of the party had ever seen the sea
before, and the delight of the two boys and the
wonderment of the labourers at all they saw was
very great. Mr. Humphreys had taken first-class
passages for himself and family, while the others
of course were steerage passengera.

The Young Colonists. 31

CHAPTER III.

THE FARM.

THE voyage to the Cape passed without any
incident whatever. The weather was fine the
whole distance. Without even a single storm to
break the monotony they touched at Capetown
and Port Elizabeth, and at last arrived at Durban.
The journey had not been too long for the boys ;
everything was so perfectly new to them that they
were never tired of watching the sea and looking
for porpoises and the shoals of fish, over which
hovered thousands of birds.

Once or twice they saw a whale spout, while
flying-fish were matters of hourly occurrence. They
had prodigious appetites, and greatly enjoyed the
food, which was altogether different to that to which
they had been accustomed. They had stopped
at Madeira and St. Vincent, where great stocks of
delicious fruit had been taken on board. Altogether
they were quite sorry when they arrived at the end of
the voyage.

The landing was effected in large boats, as the
Dunster Castle drew too much water to cross the
bar at the mouth of the harbour.

They stopped only one day at Durban, where Mr.
Humphreys hired a waggon to take the party to

32 The Young Colonists.

Fieter-Maritzburg, the capital. He was not en
cumbered with baggage, as he had decided to buy
everything he wanted in the colony.

" You may pay dearer," he said, " no doubt ; but
then you get just what you want. If I were to take
out implements, they might not be suited to the
requirements of the country. As for clothes, they
would of course be pretty much the same everywhere ;
still, it is better to take out only a year's requirements
and to buy as we want, instead of lumbering over the
country with a quantity of heavy baggage."

The party were greatly amused at their first
experience of a Cape waggon ; it was of very large
size, massively built, and covered with a great
tilt ; and it was drawn by sixteen oxen, spanned
two by two. This was an altogether unnecessary
number for the weight which had to be carried, but
the waggon had come down loaded from the interior,
and Mr. Humphreys therefore paid no more than he
would have done for a waggon with a small number of
oxen. They took two days to accomplish the journey,
the women sleeping at night in the waggon, and
Mr. Humphreys and his sons in blankets on the
ground.

The driver, who was an Englishman, had been many
years in the colony, and from him, upon the road,
Mr. Humphreys gained much valuable information
about the country. The driver was assisted by two
Kaffirs,one of whom walked ahead of the leading cattle,
the other alongside, shouting and prodding them.

The Young Colonists. 33

The boys were astonished at the power and
accuracy with which the driver whirled his whip ; thws
had a short handle and a lash of twenty yards long,
and with it he was able to hit any animal of the
team with absolute certainty, and indeed to make
the thong alight on any part of their bodies at which
he aimed.

Ontheirarrival at Pieter-MaritzburgMr. Humphreys
hired a house, and here he placed his party while he
set to work to make inquiries after a suitable loca
tion. He soon heard of several places which seemed
suitable, and having bought a horse started for New
castle, a small town situated close to the frontier-
line between the Transvaal and Natal.

He was away for three weeks, and on his return
informed his wife that he had purchased a farm of
2000 acres, with a substantial farmhouse, at a dis
tance of ten miles from Newcastle, for the sum of
I5OO/.

The farmhouse was already roughly furnished, but
Mr. Humphreys purchased a number of other articles,
which would make it comfortable and home-like. He
laid in a great stock of groceries, and then hiring a
waggon, similar to that in which they had before
travelled, started with his party for the farm, having
also hired four Kaffirs to assist there. Travelling
by easy stages, it took them twelve days to get to
Newcastle. The country was undulating and the
road rose steadily the whole distance.

Near Pieter-Maritzburg the population was com-

(M264) D

34 The Young Colonists.

paratively thick. The fields were well cultivated
and the vegetation thick and luxuriant, but as they
ascended the character of the country changed. Vast
stretches of rolling grass everywhere met the eye.
This was now beautifully green, for it was winter.
In the summer and autumn the grass becomes dry
and burnt up ; fire is then applied to it, and the whole
country assumes a black mantle. But the first shower
of rain brings up the young grass and in a very short
time the country is covered with fresh verdure.

Mr. Humphreys told his wife that, before fixing
on the farm, he had ridden into the Transvaal, and
found that land could be purchased there even more
cheaply than in Natal ; but that he had much conversa
tion with English settlers on the frontier, and these
had for the most part strongly advised him to settle
inside the Natal frontier.

" It may be that all will be right," one had told him,
"but the Boers have not yet recovered from their
scare from Secoceni."

" Who is Secoceni, father ? " Dick asked. " The
books we have say nothing about him."

" No," Mr. Humphreys said ; " they were all pub
lished a few years since, and none of them treat
much of the affairs of the Transvaal, which, as an
independent state, had comparatively little interest
to English settlers. There are in the Transvaal,
which is of immense extent, a very large number of
natives, enormously outnumbering the Boers. In the
southern districts, where the Boers are strongest, they

The Young Colonists. 35

cruelly ill-treat the natives, making slaves of them,
and thinking no more of shooting one of them down
than they would of shooting a dog. In the outlying
provinces they live almost on sufferance of the natives,
and, were these to unite their forces and rise, they
could annihilate the Dutch. Secoceni is a powerful
chief, who lives with his tribe in a natural stronghold ;
he has always held himself as independent of the
Dutch. As his men used to make raids upon the
Boers' cattle, the latter attacked him, and in alliance
with Swazis, another powerful tribe, endeavoured to
carry his fortress ; they were, however, badly beaten ;
it being only by the gallantry of their native allies that
the Boer contingent was saved from destruction.
Secoceni then took the offensive. A perfect panic
seized the Boers ; they refused to obey the orders of
their government, and to turn out to resist the in
vaders. The treasury was empty, for their govern
ment had never been enabled to persuade them to pay
taxes. They applied for aid to Natal, but finally their
plight was so bad that they were glad to accept the
offer which Mr. Shepstone made them, of annexation
to England, by which they secured our protection
and were safe from annihilation. Secoceni was not
the only enemy who threatened them. They had a
still more formidable foe in the Zulus on the eastern
frontier. These are a very warlike people, and it was
known that their king meditated the conquest of the
Transvaal. But, glad enough as the Boers were at the
moment to accept the protection of England, now

36 The ¥oung Colonists.

that the danger is over a great many of them would
like to kick down the bridge which has helped them
over the stream. They make no secret of their dislike
to Englishmen, and although they are glad enough to
sell their land at prices immensely in advance of the
former value, for indeed land was previously almost
unsaleable in the Transvaal, they are on bad terms
with them. One of my informants describes them
as a sullen, sulky people, and predicts that sooner or
later we shall have trouble with them ; so I thought it
better altogether to pay a little higher for my land,
and to be within the boundaries of this colony."

On arriving at the farm Mrs. Humphreys was
glad to find that the house, though rough, was sub
stantial. It was built of stone. The walls were of
great thickness, as the stones were laid without mortar,
with which, however, it was faced inside and out.
One large room occupied the greater portion of the
ground floor ; beside this was a small sitting-room.
Upstairs were four bedrooms. For the time the small
room downstairs was turned into a bedroom, which
Mr. and Mrs. Humphreys occupied. The four bed
rooms upstairs just held the rest of the party. The
out-houses consisted only of a large barn and a rough
stable.

Mr. Humphreys at once rode over to Newcastle,
and obtained the services of a mason and six Kaffirs,
and proceeded to add a wing to the farmhouse.
This was for the use of Johnson and his wife, and
Harrison. The whole party were, however, to take

The Young Colonists. 37

their meals together in the great kitchen. A hut was
also built for the Kaffirs, and another large stable was
erected.

A few days after his arrival Mr. Humphreys went
across the border into the Transvaal, taking Harrison
and two of the Kaffirs with him, and returned a fort
night later with a herd of 400 cattle, which he had
purchased. He also bought three yoke of oxen,
broken to the plough. Hitherto the farm had been
purely a pastoral one, but Mr. Humphreys at once
began to break up some land for wheat and Indian
corn. The Kaffirs were set to work to fence and dig
up a plot round the house for vegetables, and to dig
holes near it, over a space of some acres, for the recep
tion of 3000 young fruit-trees — apples, pears, peaches,
and plums, — which he had bought at Pieter-Maritz-
burg, and which were to come up in two months' time.
He also bought six riding-horses.

In a few weeks the farm assumed quite a different
appearance. A gang of Kaffirs, ten strong, had been
hired to hurry on the work of preparing the orchard
and erecting a fence round it. Wood was, Mr.
Humphreys found, extremely scarce and dear, the
country being absolutely bare of trees, and wood for
fuel was only obtained in kloofs or deep hollows, and
had to be fetched long distances.

"I suppose," Mrs. Humphreys said to her husband
one evening, " you mean to make cattle-raising your
principal point ? "

" No," he said ; " every one raises cattle, and the

38 The Young Colonists.

Dutch can do it cheaper than we can ; they have
immense tracts of land, and their Kaffir labour
costs them next to nothing. I do not say that we
could not live and to a certain extent thrive on cattle,
but I think that there is something much better to be
done. Wood is an awful price here, and all that is
used has to be brought up from the coast. I think
therefore of planting trees. The climate is magnifi
cent, and their growth will be rapid. They will of
course require fencing to keep out the cattle, but I
shall do that, as I am doing the orchard, with wire
fencing and light iron-uprights. Labour is plentiful,
and there are large nurseries near Pieter-Maritzburg,
where I can procure any number of young trees ; so I
mean to plant 200 acres a year — in ten years the whole
farm will be planted, and the loppings for poles and
fire-wood will in a very short time after planting begin
to pay well. In fifteen years the first 200 acres will
be fit to fell, and the property will be worth a very
large sum of money. Of course we can sell out before
that if we like. But at the present price of wood up
here, or even should it fall to a quarter of its present
price, the value of the 2000 acres of wood will in
twenty years be extremely large."

The boys were delighted with their new life. Mr.
Humphreys had, before leaving England, bought for
Dick a Winchester repeating-rifle. These arms are
very light, and Dick was able to carry his without
difficulty ; and very shortly after their arrival his
father had a mark erected at a distance from the

The Young Colonists, 39

house, at which he could practise with safety. Game
was abundant all over the country. Herds of
deer and antelope of various kinds often swept past
in sight of the farmhouse, and winged game also
abounded.

Mr. Humphreys had at home been considered a
first-rate shot at partridges, and had for four or five
years belonged to the Castleton volunteers, and had
carried off many prizes for rifle-shooting. He was
now able, by going out for a few hours once or twice
a week, to keep the larder well supplied, and the
little flock of fifty sheep, which he had bought for
home-consumption, was but seldom drawn upon.
The Kaffirs were fed upon mealies, as they call Indian
corn, ot which Mr. Humphreys had no difficulty in
purchasing sufficient for his wants from the neigh
bouring farmers.

His next neighbours were two brothers, Scotch
men, named Fraser, who lived at a distance of four
miles. They rode over the day after the travellers'
arrival, and offered their services in any way. Mr.
Humphreys, however, was well supplied with stores
of all kinds, and his two white labourers, being both
handy men, were able to do all that was required about
the house.

The Frasers proved pleasant neighbours, and often
rode over and spent Sunday with the Humphreys,
and the boys sometimes went over and spent the day
with them.

A Kaffir lad, son of one of the men engaged upon

40 The Young Colonists.

the farm, was hired by Mr. Humphreys as a special
attendant for Dick. On these vast undulating plains,
where there are no trees to serve as a landmark,
it is exceedingly difficult for a stranger to find his
way. Dick was told by his father that, whether
riding or walking, he was always to take the Kaffir
boy with him ; and except when he was indulging in
a gallop the lad was easily able to keep up with him.
He had been born a hunter, and soon taught Dick
how to stalk the timid deer, and, as the lad improved
in his shooting, he was ere long enabled to keep the
larder supplied — a duty which Mr. Humphreys gladly
handed over to him, as every minute of his own time
was occupied by his work on the farm.

Of an evening after supper, which was partaken of
at the conclusion of work, the men retired to their
own wing and Mrs. Humphreys and the two girls
sat down to their sewing by the fire ; for upon the
uplands the evenings are quite cold enough to find a
fire a comfort in winter. Then the boys would take
out their lesson-books and work steadily for three
hours. Under the changed conditions of their life, Mr.
Humphreys felt that Dick might, if he chose, well dis
continue his study of the classics, and his work there
fore consisted in the reading of history, travels, and
books of scientific knowledge.

" Next to being a learned man," his father said to
him, "the best and most useful thing is to be a
thoroughly well-informed man on all general sub
jects."

Tke Young Colonists. 41

John, however, continued his studies as before ; his
life of outdoor exercise strengthened and improved
him, and he no longer wished to be always sitting with
a book in his hand — still, he had a natural love of
study, which his father encouraged, deeming it possible
that as he grew up he might be unwilling to embrace
the life of a colonist, in which case he determined to
send him home to finish his education in England,
and afterwards to start him in any profession he
might select.

Finding that the cost of carriage up the country was
very high, and as he would yearly require many wag
gon-loads of young trees and fencing Mr. Humphreys
determined to do his own teaming ; he therefore bought
two of the large country -waggons and set a Kaffir to
work to break in some young steers to the yoke.

Six months after their arrival in the colony they had
for the first time visitors to stay at the farm — Mr.
Jackson, his wife, his son Tom, and two daughters com
ing out to settle near them. This was a great delight
to the boys, and fortunately Mr. Jackson was able to
buy a farm of 500 acres adjoining that of his friend ;
the house, however, was but a cabin, and while a fresh
one was being erected the family remained guests of
the Humphreys. Mr. Jackson had, at his friend's
advice, brought with him from England a labourer
with his wife and family, who at once took up their
residence in the hut on the farm.

To Dick the coming of the Jacksons was a source
of special pleasure. Tom was just his own age, and

4? The Young Colonists.

the two boys had become inseparable friends at home
after their adventure in the snow, upon which
occasion Tom, as he freely owned, had owed his life
to Dick's energy and promptness of suggestion. Dick
was fond of his brother, but three years make a great
difference at this period of life, and, as their tastes were
wholly dissimilar, John had never been a companion
for him. Since their arrival in South Africa they
had got on very well together ; still, they had not the
same ideas or subjects of thought, and it was an
immense delight to Dick to have his old friend and
companion with him.

It must not be supposed that Dick's time was
occupied solely in amusement ; from early morning
until dinner-time he worked steadily. Sometimes he
assisted to erect the hurdles and strain the wires of
the fencing ; at others he aided in the planting ot
the fruit-trees ; then he would be with the Kaffirs who
were breaking in the oxen for the waggons. At
all times he took off his coat and worked with the
rest, for, as his father said, —

" If a farmer is to be able properly to look after men
at work, he must be able to do the work himself."

While Dick was at work with the men, John, who
was too young to be of any use, remained indoors at
his books, and, although of an afternoon he would
stroll out, he seldom went far from the house. The
other boys generally went for long rides when work
was done. One day they sighted a herd of steinbock.
Leaving their horses with the Kaffir lad in a hollow,

The Young Colonists. 43

they crept round so as to get the deer between them
and the wind, and managed to reach unobserved
a brow within a hundred yards of the herd. Dick
had by this time become a good shot, and the buck
at which he aimed fell dead in its tracks. Tom
was not much of a shot, but he had fired into the
thick of the deer and gave a shout of delight at seeing
one of them fall. The rest of the herd dashed off at
full speed. Tom ran, shouting, forward, but to his mor
tification the stag that he had hit rose again to its feet
and went off at a trot in the direction taken by the
others ; a minute later the Kaffir boy was seen running
towards them at his full speed, leading the horses.

The two boys on his arrival leapt into their saddles
and started in pursuit of the wounded stag, which was
still in sight, thinking at first they could easily ride
it down. But the animal seemed rather to gain than
to lose strength, and, although they had considerably
lessened the start he had obtained of them, he still
kept steadily on. Active and wiry as their horses were,
they could not overtake it, and the boys had at last
the mortification of seeing that the stag was now
gaining upon them, and they presently drew rein, and
their panting horses came to a standstill.

"What a horrid sell!" Tom Jackson exclaimed
angrily. " I can't understand his going like that
after I fairly brought him down."

" I expect," Dick said, " that your bullet can only
have grazed his skull ; it stunned him for the moment,
but after he had once come to himself he went on as

44 The Young Colonists.

briskly as usual. If he had been hard hit we should
certainly have ridden him down."

" Well, I suppose," Tom said more goodhumouredly,
" there is nothing for it but to ride back."

" But which is our road ? " Dick said in some dismay.
" I am sure I have no idea, and now that the sun is
gone in there is nothing to steer by."

While they had been riding, the day had changed ;
the sky, which had for weeks been bright and fine,
was now overcast with heavy clouds.

" We are in for a storm, I think," Dick went on, " and
it is coming on fast. I have not an idea which way
to go, and I think our best plan will be to halt. Joel
will track us, and the farther we go the longer he
will be in overtaking us. There is the first drop !
The best thing to do, Tom, will be to take off our
saddles and tether our horses, and then to wait. This
storm is a nuisance ; in the first place we shall be
drenched, in the second it will wash out our tracks, and
the darkness will come so quickly that I am afraid
Joel will not be able to trace us. You see we do not
know whether we have been riding straight or not ;
the stag may have been running in a circle for any
thing we know, and as we have been riding for some
thing like two hours, we may be within five miles of
home or we may be five and twenty."

Scarcely had the boys got the saddles off and
tethered their horses when the rain came down in a
sheet, accompanied by the most tremendous thunder
and the most vivid lightning Tom had ever seen.

The Young Colonists. 45

" This is awful, Dick," he said.

" Yes," Dick agreed ; " thunderstorms here are fright
ful. Houses are often struck ; but, lying down here in
the open, there is not much fear."

For hours the storm continued unabated ; the rain
came down in a perfect deluge. The boys had put
their saddles together and had covered these with the
horse-cloths so as to form a sort of tent, but they were
nevertheless soaked to the skin, and, to add to their
discomfiture, the horses had been so frightened by
the blinding glare of the lightning that they tugged
at the ropes until, as the wet penetrated the ground,
the pegs became loosened, and they scoured away
into the darkness.

After continuing for five hours the rain suddenly
ceased.

" What are we to do in the morning, Dick ? "

" If it is fine it will be easy enough ; we shall put
our saddles on our heads and walk eastward. I have
got a little pocket-compass which father gave me in
case I should at any time get lost, so we shall have
no difficulty in keeping our way, and sooner or later
we must strike the road running north to Newcastle."

They did not, however, wait till morning ; so wet
and chilled were they, that they agreed they would
rather walk than lie still. Accordingly they put the
saddles on their heads as soon as the rain ceased and
the stars shone out, struck a light and looked at their
compass, fixed on a star to steer by, and then set
out on their journey.

46 The Young Colonists.

Fortunately, after two hours' walking, they struck
the road at a point some ten miles from the farm, and
were home soon after daybreak, just as their fathers
were about to set out with a body of Kaffirs in search
of them. Joel had returned late at night, having
turned his face homeward when it became too dark
to follow the track ; the horses had both come in
during the night

The Young Colonists. 47

CHAPTER IV.

THE OUTBREAK OF WAR.

As soon as the Jacksons' house was finished, they
went into residence there ; but two or three times a
week Dick and Tom managed to meet, one or other
being sure to find some excuse for riding over.

The Humphreys had arrived in Natal at the end of
April, 1877, and by November in the following year
their farm presented a very different appearance to
that which it had worn on their arrival — sixteen months
of energetic labour, carried on by a considerable
number of hands, will effect wonders. Possessing ample
capital Mr. Humphreys was able to keep a strong
gang of Kaffirs at work, and for some time had thirty
men upon the farm. Thus the house which, when he
took it, stood solitary and lone in a bare plain, was now
surrounded by 200 acres of young trees. Of these,
twenty acres were fruit-trees ; the remainder, trees
grown for their wood. These were planted thickly, as
they would every year be thinned out, and the young
poles would fetch a good sum for fencing. Although
they had only been planted a few months, they were
already green and bright ; they were protected from
the cattle by a wire fence encircling the whole.

The cattle had thriven and were doing well, and a
large field of Indian corn had been harvested for the

48 The Young Colonists.

use of the Kaffirs. The cattle had nearly doubled in
numbers, as Mr. Humphreys did not care about
selling at present. The expenses of living were slight.
Meat, fowls, and eggs were raised upon the farm, and
the guns of Mr. Humphreys and Dick provided them
with a plentiful supply of game. Four milch cows
were kept in a paddock near the house, and supplied
it with milk, butter, and cheese. Groceries and flour
had alone to be purchased, and, as Mr. Humphreys
said, he did not care if he did not sell a head of cattle
for the next ten years ; but he would be obliged to do
so before long, as the farm would carry but a small
number more than he already possessed, and its
available extent for that purpose would diminish
every year, as the planting went on.

Mr. Humphreys was fortunate in having a small
stream run through his farm. He erected a dam
across a hollow, so that in winter a pond of two or
three acres in extent, and fifteen or sixteen feet deep,
was formed, affording an ample supply for the sum
mer ; this was of great utility to him, as he was thereby
enabled to continue his planting operations, filling up
each hole with water when the trees were put in, and
then, as this subsided, filling in the earth ; by this
means the young trees got a good start, and seldom
required watering afterwards. He had a large water-
cart built for him ; this was drawn by four oxen, and
brought the water to the point where the Kaffirs were
engaged in planting.

Steers sufficient for two waggons had been broken

The Young Colonists. 49

in, and when these were not employed in bringing up
young trees and fencing from Newcastle they worked
upon the road between Newcastle and Pieter-
Maritzburg, there being a great demand for convey
ance, as numbers of traders were going up into the
Transvaal and opening stores there. Mr. Jackson had
also two waggons engaged in the same work. When
trees and goods were wanted for the farm, Dick went
down with the waggons to see that these were properly
loaded, and that the young trees, which were often in
leaf, were taken out every night and set with the roots
in water until the morning.

One evening, early in October, Mr. Jackson rode
over with Tom.

" I have heard," the former said to Mr. Humphreys,
" that the government have determined on moving
the troops down to the Zulu frontier ; the attitude of
Cetewayo is very threatening."

" He is a troublesome neighbour," Mr. Humphreys
said. " They say that he has 30,000 fighting-men, and
in that case he ought to be able to overrun both
Natal and the Transvaal, for there is no doubt that
Zulus fight with great bravery. As for the Dutch, I
really can't blame the Zulus. The Boers are always
encroaching on their territory, and any remonstrance is
answered by a rifle-shot. Had it not been for our
annexation of the Transvaal, Cetewayo would have
overrun it and exterminated the Dutch before now.
We have a strong force in the colony just at present,
and I think Sir Bartle Frere means to bring matters

(M264) E

50 The Young Colonists.

to a crisis. The existence of such an army of warlike
savages on the frontier is a standing threat to the very
existence of the colony, and the constitution of the
army renders it almost a necessity that it should fight.
All the men are soldiers, and as none are allowed to
marry until the regiment to which they belong has
distinguished itself in battle they are naturally always
burning for war. The Pieter-Maritzburg paper says
that it understands that Sir Bartle Frere is about to send
in an ultimatum, demanding — in addition to various
small matters, such as the punishing of raiders across
the frontier — the entire abandonment of the present
system of the Zulu army, and cessation of the bloody
massacres which constantly take place in that country.
If a man offends the king, not only is he put to death,
but the whole of the people of his village are often
massacred. Altogether an abominable state of things
prevails ; there seems to be but one opinion through
out the colony, that it is absolutely necessary for
our safety that the Zulu organization shall be broken
up."

"I see," Mr. Jackson said, "that there is an
advertisement in the papers for waggons for the
transport of stores, and the price offered is ex
cellent. A large number are required ; I was
thinking of sending down my two teams— what do
you think ? "

" I have been turning it over in my mind," Mr.
Humphreys replied, " and I am inclined also to offer

The Yoiing Colonists. 51

my waggons. The rate of pay is, as you say, high, and
they certainly will have a difficulty in obtaining the
number they require. I shall not have need for mine
for home purposes for a considerable time now. The
hot weather will soon be setting in, and planting is
over for the season. I shall of course go on digging
holes for my next batch, but I shall not want them
up until after the end of the hot season. So I think,
as I can spare them, I shall hire them to government.
I think we ought all to do what we can to aid it at
present, for every one agrees as to the necessity of the
steps it is now taking."

" And do you think that there will be any fighting,
father ? " Dick asked eagerly.

" That no one can say, my boy. The Zulus are a
proud as well as a brave people, and believe that they
are invincible. I hardly think that they will consent
to break up their army and abandon their customs
at our dictation ; I should not be surprised if it comes
to fighting."

" Oh, father, if you hire the waggons to govern
ment, may I go with them ? I can see that the
Kaffirs look after the oxen, you know, and that
everything goes straight. I have picked up a little
Kaffir from Joel, and can manage to make them
understand."

" Well, Dick," Mr. Humphreys said, after a little
thought, " I don't know that I have any objection to
it ; it will be a change for you, and of course there will
be no chance of the waggons being near if any fighting

52 The Young Colonists.

goes on. What do you think, Jackson ? I suppose
your boy will want to go if mine does ? "

"Well, I don't mind," Mr. Jackson answered. "I
suppose it will not be for long, for the boy is useful
on the farm now. However, as you say, it will be
a change, and boys like a little excitement Well,
I suppose I must say yes ; they are fifteen now, and
old enough to keep out of mischief."

The boys were delighted at the prospect of the
expedition, and at once went out to talk matters over
together. They cordially agreed in the hope that
the Zulus would fight, and promised themselves
that if possible they would see something of it.
Their fathers would, they thought, allow them to take
their horses, and it would be easy, if the waggons were
left behind, to ride forward with the troops, and see
what went on.

Two days later the four teams started together for
Pieter-Maritzburg. Contrary to their expectations the
boys were not allowed to take their horses.

" No, no, Dick," Mr. Humphreys had said, when his
son asked him, " no horses, if you please ; I know what
you will be up to. Galloping about to see what is
going on, and getting into all sorts of mischief and
scrapes. No, if you go, you go with the waggons, to
see that everything goes straight, to translate orders to
the Kaffirs, and to learn something of waggon-driving
across a rough country. For between this place and
Pieter-Maritzburg it is such a fair road that you really
learn nothing in that way ; once get into a cross

The Young Colonists. 53

country, and you will see how they get waggons
down steep kloofs, across streams, and over rough
places. No, you and Tom will stick to the waggons. I
have been fixing a number of rings to-day underneath
one of them, and your mother and the women have
been at work, making a sort of curtain to hook on all
round ; so at night you will have a comfortable place
to sleep in, for the waggons will likely enough be
so filled with cases and stores that there will be no
sleeping in them. You can take the double-barrel
as well as your Winchester, as of an evening you
may be able to get a shot sometimes at game, which
will vary your rations a bit. You must take with you
a stock of tinned meats from Pieter-Maritzburg, for I
do not suppose they will issue regular rations to you.
So long as you are this side of the Tugela, you will
be able to buy food ; but if the troops cross into
Zululand, you may have to depend on what you
carry."

Tom with his two waggons arrived at daybreak,
and the four teams set off together, Mrs. Humphreys
— who had now completely lost her cough and was
quite strong and well — laying many injunctions upon
Dick against exposing himself to any danger, and
Dick promising to be as careful as possible.

Upon their arrival at Pieter-Maritzburg the boys
went at once to the government transport-yard, and
on stating their errand were shown into the office of
the officer in charge.

" We have brought down four teams of sixteen oxen

54 The Young Colonists.

each," Dick said, " from near Newcastle, to be hired
to the government."

" That is right, my lads," the officer said, " we
have room for plenty more. This is the form of con
tract. You engage to serve the government by the
month ; you bear any damages which may take place
from wear and tear of the roads, breakdowns, and
the other ordinary accidents of travel ; the govern
ment engages to make good any loss or damage which
may occur from the action of the enemy. This is not,"
he said, smiling, " likely to take place, but still those
are the terms. Have you any authority from your
fathers, to whom, I suppose, the teams belong, to
sign the contracts for them ? "

" Yes, sir," Dick said. " Here is a paper from my
father, and one from Tom Jackson's father, saying
that they agree to be bound by the terms of the con
tract, and that they authorize us to sign in their
names. We are going with the waggons, sir, to look
after the Kaffirs."

"Well," the officer said, "you can do as you like
about that ; but if you speak Kaffir it will be useful —
only, mind, you will have to provision yourselves.
From the day the teams are taken up, rations of
mealies will be served to the Kaffirs at the various
halting-places, but there is no provision for rations
of white men. The cattle, too, will be fed, but you
will have to see to yourselves."

" Yes, sir ; we expected to do so."

" Well, you had better fetch the teams up to the

The Young Colonists. 55

yard. I must inspect and pass them before they are
taken up. Bring them round at once ; then they
will be loaded to-night, and start at daybreak to
morrow."

The teams were brought round to the yard,
and immediately passed by the officer, who indeed
remarked upon the excellence of the animals. The
Kaffirs were directed to outspan or unyoke the oxen,
for whom rations of hay and grain were at once
issued.

The boys returned to the town and made their pur
chases, which were carried down by two Kaffirs and
stored in the waggons, which were already in process
of being loaded — two with boxes of ammunition, the
others with miscellaneous stores for the troops. They
slept at an hotel, and next morning at daybreak pre
sented themselves at the yard. The Kaffirs were
already harnessing up the oxen, and in a quarter of
an hour the four waggons, with sixteen others, started
for the Tugela.

It was now the middle of December. Early in the
month commissioners had been sent to Cetewayo
with the terms decided upon by Sir Bartle Frere.
The first clauses of the document contained the
settlement of the disputed frontier, and fines were
fixed to be paid by the chiefs whose men had com
mitted forays across the borders ; it then went on to
demand that the whole of Cetewayo's army should at
once be disbanded ; freedom of marriage was to be
allowed, when the parties thereto were of age ; justice

56 The Young Colonists.

was to be impartially administered ; missionaries to be
allowed to reside in the Zulu country ; British resi
dents to be appointed ; all disputes between Zulus and
Europeans to be referred to the king and resident ;
and no expulsion from Zulu territory was to be carried
into effect without the distinct approval of the resident.

It was intimated to the king that unless these
terms were accepted by the nth of January the
army would at once invade the country. Few men
expected that the Zulu king would tamely submit
to conditions which would deprive him of all the
military power in which he delighted, and would re
duce him to a state of something like dependency
upon the British.

During the month of December General Thesiger,
who commanded the British forces in South Africa,
made every effort to prepare for hostilities. The
regiments which were at the Cape were brought
round by sea ; a brigade of seamen and marines was
landed from the ships of war ; several corps of
irregular horse were raised among the colonists;
and regiments of natives were enrolled. Before the
date by which the king was to send in his answer the
troops were assembled along the frontier in the follow
ing disposition : —

No. i COLUMN.

(Headquarters, Thring's Post, Lower Tugela.)
Commandant— Col. C. K. Pearson, the Buffs.
Naval Brigade. — 170 bluejackets and marines of

The Young Colonists. 57

H.M.S. Active (with one Catling and two 7-pounder
guns), under Captain Campbell, R.N.

Royal Artillery. — Two /-pounder guns and rocket-
battery, under Lieut. W. N. Lloyd, R.A.

Infantry. — 2nd battalion, 3rd Buffs, under Lieut.
Col. H. Parnell.

Mounted Infantry. — 100 men under Capt. Barrow,
1 9th Hussars.

Volunteers. — Durban Rifles, Natal Hussars, Stanger
Rifles, Victoria Rifles, Alexandra Rifles. Average,
forty men per corps — all mounted.

Native Contingent. — 1000 men under Major Graves,
the Buffs.

No. 2 COLUMN.

(Headquarters, Helpmakaar, near Rorke's Drift.}

Commandant. — Col. Glyn, 1st battalion, 24th
Regiment.

Royal Artillery. — N. battery, 5th brigade, Royal
Artillery (with /-pounder guns), under Major A.
Harness, R.A.

Infantry. — Seven companies 1st battalion, 24th
Regiment, and 2nd battalion, 24th Regiment, under
Lieut.-Col. Degacher.

Natal Mounted Police. — Commanded by Major
Dartnell.

Volunteers. — Natal Carabineers, Buffalo Border
Guard, Newcastle Mounted Rifles — all mounted ;
average, forty men.

Native Contingent. — 1000 men, under Commandant
Lonsdale, late 74th Highlanders.

The Young Colonists.

No. 3 COLUMN.
(Headquarters, Utrecht.}

Commandant. — Col. Evelyn Wood, V.C. C.B.,4Oth
Regiment.

Royal Artillery. — nth battery, /th brigade, R.A.
(with four 7-pounder guns), under Major E. Tremlett,
R.A.

Infantry. — ist battalion I3th Regiment, and QOth
Regiment.

Mounted Infantry. — 100 men, under Major J. C.
Russell, 1 2th Lancers.

Frontier Light Horse. — 200 strong, under Major
Redvers Buller, C.B., 6oth Rifles.

Volunteers. — The Kaffrarian Vanguard, Comman
dant Schermbuicker, 100 strong.

Native Contingent. — The Swazis, our native allies,
some 5000 strong.

In the first fortnight of their engagement the
waggons travelled backward and forward between
Pieter-Maritzburg and Grey Town, which for the time
formed the base for the column of Colonel Glyn.
The distance of the town from the capital was forty-
five miles, and as the waggons travelled at the rate of
fifteen miles a day, they were twelve days in accom
plishing two double journeys. When they were
loaded up the third time, they received orders to go
straight through to the headquarters of the column
at Heipmakaar. The boys were pleased at the change,
for the road as far as Grey Town was a good one.

They reached Grey Town for the third time on the

The Young Colonists. 59

2nd of January. Here they found the place in a state
of great excitement, a mounted messenger having
arrived that morning with the news that Cetewayo
had refused all demands and that large bodies of
the Zulus were marching towards the frontier to
oppose the various columns collecting there.

On arriving at the government-yard the lads re
ceived orders at once to unload the waggons and to
take on the stores of the 2nd battalion of the 24th, which
was to march from Grey Town the next morning. The
start was delayed until the afternoon, as sufficient wag
gons had not arrived to take on their baggage. The
road was rough, and it was late in the afternoon before
they arrived at the Mooin River.

The weather had set in wet, the river was in
flood, and the oxen had immense difficulty in getting
the waggons across. Two teams had to be attached
to each waggon, and even then it was as much as
they could do to get across, for the water was so high
that it nearly took them off their feet.

The troops were taken over in punts, and, after
crossing, a halt was made for the night.

After seeing the cattle outspanned and attended to,
the boys wandered away among the troops, as they
were to start at daybreak, and it was long past
dark before all were over. The tents were not pitched,
and the troops bivouacked in the open. Brushwood
was collected from the rough ground around, and blaz
ing fires were soon burning merrily. It was all new and
very amusing to the boys. The troops were in high

60 The Young Colonists.

spirits at the prospect of an early brush with the
enemy, and songs were sung around the fires until the
bugle rang out the order, " Lights out," when the men
wrapped themselves in their blankets and lay down,
and the boys retired to their snug shelter under the
waggons, where their Kaffirs had as usual laid piles
of brushwood to serve as their beds.

The next morning they were off early, and reached
the Tugela after five hours' march. This river does
not here form the frontier between Zululand and Natal,
this being marked by the Buffalo— a much larger and
more important stream — from the point where this
falls into the Tugela, some fifteen miles below the spot
where they crossed the latter river, which here runs
towards the southwest.

Two more days' marching took the column to
Helpmakaar. The weather was wet and misty, and
the troops now marched in close order, with flankers
thrown out, for the road ran parallel with the Buffalo,
about five miles distant, and it was thought possible
that the Zulus might cross the river and commence
hostilities. A cordon of sentinels had, however, been
placed all along the river from Rorke's Drift down
to the point of junction of the Buffalo and Tugela ;
below the stream was so wide that there was no fear
of the Zulus effecting a crossing.

Most of the troops which had been stationed at
Helpmakaar had already marched up to Rorke's
Drift, and after staying two days at Help
makaar the 2nd battalion of the 24th marched

The Young Colonists. 61

to that place, where the ist battalion of the same
regiment were already encamped.

Two days later the remainder of the force destined
to act under Colonel Glyn had assembled at Rorke's
Drift — the term " drift " meaning a ford across a
river.

This column was the strongest of those which had
been formed for the simultaneous invasion of Zulu-
land, and General Thesiger was himself upon the
spot to accompany it. Many of the waggons which
had brought up stores were sent back to Grey Town
for further supplies ; but those of the boys, being
laden with the spare ammunition and baggage of a
portion of the 24th, were to accompany the column in
its advance.

The last two days of the term granted to Cetewayo
to accede to our terms were full of excitement ; it had
been reported, indeed, that the king was determined
upon resistance, but it was thought probable that he
might yield at the last moment, and the road leading
down to the drift on the other side of the river was
anxiously watched.

As the hours went on and no messenger was seen
approaching, the spirits of the troops rose, for there
is nothing that soldiers hate so much as, after enduring
the fatigues preparatory to the opening of a cam
paign, the long marches, the wet nights, and other
privations and hardships, for the enemy to yield with
out a blow. Men who had been in the campaigns of
Abyssinia and Ashanti told their comrades how on

62 The Young Colonists.

both occasions the same uncertainty had prevailed as
to the intentions of the enemy up to the last moment ;
and the fact that in both campaigns the enemy had
at the last moment resolved to fight, was hailed as a
sort of presage that a similar determination would be
arrived at by the Zulu king.

To the boys these days passed very pleasantly ;
they had nothing to do but to wander about the camp
and watch the proceedings. There was a parade of
the two native regiments before the general, who was
much pleased with their appearance, and who ex
horted them on no account to kill women, children,
or prisoners.

Among these native regiments were curiously many
Zulus ; for great numbers of this people had at various
times been obliged to take refuge in Natal, to avoid
the destruction threatened them by their despotic
king, and these were now eager to fight against their
late monarch.

Some of the bodies of volunteer horse were very
smart and soldier-like in their appearance. They
were for the most part composed of young farmers,
and Dick and Tom bitterly regretted that they had
not been a few years older, in which case, instead of
looking after a lot of bulls, as Dick contemptuously
said, they might have been riding in the ranks of the
volunteers.

By the regulars the two days were spent in
cleaning their arms and accoutrements, whose
burnish and cleanliness had suffered much in the

The Young Colonists. 63

long wet march, and from the bivouacs on the damp
ground.

After marching from Grey Town with the 24th the
boys had been placed regularly on the roll of the army,
as conductors, and, although they drew no pay, had
now the advantage of receiving rations as white men.
They had upon the line of march frequently chatted
with the young officers of the regiment, who, finding
that they were the sons of well-to-do farmers and
were cheery, high-spirited lads, took to them very
much, and invited them of an evening to join them
round the camp-fire.

The last day came, and still no messenger arrived
from Cetewayo, and in the evening orders were
issued that the column should at daybreak pass the
drift and advance into the enemy's country. The
troops laid down that night in high spirits, little
dreaming of the disaster which was to befall them in
the campaign which they thought of so lightly

64 The Young Colonists.

CHAPTER V.

ISANDULA.

AT two o'clock on the morning of the I ith of January
the bugle sounded the reveille", and the troops pre
pared to cross the Buffalo. Tents were struck,
baggage piled on the waggons, and the regiments
stood to arms at half-past four. The native contingent
crossed first. The cavalry brigade under Lieut. -Col.
Russell placed their ammunition on a pontoon and
rode over. The river was in some places up to the
necks of the infantry, and even the cavalry were nearly
swept away. The first and second battalions of the
24th crossed on the pontoons. The third regiment
of the native contingent threw out skirmishers, but
could find no trace of the enemy.

A heavy storm had come on at daybreak, but this
left off at nine o'clock. Lieut.-Col. Buller, commanding
the Frontier Light Horse, now rode in from the camp
of Colonel Wood's force, which had crossed the Blood
River and had encamped in Zululand at a spot about
thirty-two miles distant. Lord Chelmsford rode over
there with an escort of the Natal Mounted Police and
the Natal Carabineers, who on their return captured
three hundred head of cattle, several horses, and a num
ber of sheep and goats. During the day the waggons,

The Young Colonists. 65

oxen, and ambulances were brought across the river
on the platoon.

Early next morning the 1st battalion of the 1st
Native Regiment, four companies of the 1st battalion
of the 24th, and 300 of the irregular horse started
on a reconnaissance towards the kraal of Sirayo,
the chief whose sons had been the greatest offenders in
the raids into Natal. The cavalry were thrown out
in skirmishing order, and after marching nine miles
they descended into the slope of the valley in which
Sirayo's kraals were situated. The enemy were heard
singing their war-songs in one of the ravines, and the
3rd Native Regiment advanced against them with the
24th in reserve. The Zulus opened fire as they ap
proached, and so heavy was this that many of our
natives turned and ran ; they were rallied, however, and
with a rush carried the caves in which the Zulus were
lurking.

In the meantime the 24th's men had moved round to
the head of the ravine, and cut off the enemy's retreat.
There was a skirmish between the cavalry and some
mounted Zulus, and six of these, including a son of
Sirayo, were killed. Thirty horses and 400 head of
cattle were captured.

The next day was spent in cleaning up arms and
accoutrements, after the heavy rain which had fallen
the preceding week, and several days were spent in
making the roads passable for the waggons.

On the 2Oth the force moved forward, leaving one
company of the 2nd battalion of the 24th, under

( H 264 ) F

66 The Young Colonists.

Lieutenant Bromhead, with some engineers and a few
natives to guard the ford and look after the platoons,
and garrison the store and hospital. The column
camped at Isandula, or, as it is more properly called,
Isandwhlana, ten miles distant from Rorke's Drift.
A portion of the road was extremely rough, and the
waggons had the greatest difficulty in making their
way forward.

The spot selected for a camping-ground was a wide
flat valley, with hills on the left and undulating ground
on the right ; almost in the centre rose an isolated
hill, perpendicular on three sides, and very steep and
difficult on the fourth. The camp was pitched in
front of this hill, looking down the valley, with a mile
of open country between it and the hills on the left

The camp was formed in the following order : on
the left were the two battalions of the 3rd Native
Regiment ; the Royal Artillery were in the centre ;
next to these was the 2nd battalion of the 24th.
The line was then taken up by the cavalry, with the
1st battalion of the 24th on the right of the whole.
The waggons were all placed between the camp and
the hill at the back.

By a strange and criminal neglect no attempt was
made to intrench this position, although it was known
that the column might at any moment be attacked by
the Zulus.

It was determined that the greater part of the
force should advance the next morning towards a
stronghold, ten miles distant from the camp, straight

The Young Colonists. 67

down the valley. News had come that a large number
of Zulus were at this spot, and it was supposed
that these would fight. The column consisted of
eight companies of each of the battalions of the 3rd
Native Regiment, with the greater part of the cavalry.

The force started early and marched for three hours
down the valley. Here they came on much culti
vated ground, but the kraals had been deserted by
the enemy. At four o'clock, as the cavalry were
skirmishing at a distance on both flanks, they came
upon a body of Zulus about 2000 strong. The horse
fell back upon the infantry, but, as it was now late,
Major Dartnell decided to encamp for the night, and
to attack in the morning. A messenger was despatched
into camp with a report of the day's proceedings, and
some provisions and blankets were sent out, with news
that the general would join the troops with reinforce
ments in the morning.

At daybreak he left the camp at Isandula with
seven companies of the 2nd battalion of the 24th,
and orders were sent to Colonel Durnford, at Rorke's
Drift, to bring up 200 mounted men and his rocket-
battery, which had reached that spot.

The Zulus were seen in all directions, and a good
deal of skirmishing took place. By a gross neglect,
equal to that which was manifested in the omission to
fortify the camp, no steps whatever were taken to
keep up communication between the column, which
now consisted of the greater part of the troops, and
those who remained at the camp at Isandula. No

68 The Young Colonists.

signallers were placed on the hills, no mounted videttes
were posted, and the column marched on, absorbed in
its own skirmishes with the enemy, as if the general
in command had forgotten the very existence of the
force at Isandula. Even in the middle of the day,
when the firing of cannon told that the camp was
attacked, no steps were taken to ascertain whether
reinforcements were needed there, and it was not until
hours after all was over that a party was despatched
to ascertain what had taken place at the camp.

Upon the day on which the two native regiments
advanced, the two boys felt the time hang heavy on
their hands ; they would have liked to take their guns
and go out to shoot some game for their dinners, but all
shooting had been strictly forbidden, as the sound of a
gun might cause a false alarm. After hanging about
the camp for an hour or two, Dick proposed that they
should climb the hill which rose so steeply behind them.

" If the columns have any fighting," he said, " we
should be sure to see it from the top."

Borrowing a telescope from one of the officers of the
volunteer cavalry, they skirted round to the back of the
hill, and there began their climb. It was very steep,
but after some hard work they reached the summit,
and then crossed to the front and sat down in a com
fortable niche in the rock, whence they could command
a view far down the valley. They could see the two
battalions of infantry marching steadily along, and
the cavalry moving among the hills and undulations
on both flanks. They had taken some biscuits and a

The Young Colonists. 69

bottle of beer up with them, and spent the whole day
on the look-out. The view which they gained was a
very extensive one, as the hill was far higher than
those on either side, and in many places they could
see small bodies of the enemy moving about. At
sunset they descended.

" I vote we go up again," Tom said the next
morning. " The general has gone forward with most
of the white troops, and there is sure to be fighting to
day. We shall have nothing to do, and may as well
go up there as anywhere else."

After the general's departure there remained in
camp five companies of the ist battalion of the 24th,
and one of the 2nd battalion, two field-pieces with
their artillery-men, and some mounted men.

Just as the boys were starting at eight in the
morning, there was a report in the camp that the
Zulus were gathering in force to the north of the
camp. This quickened the boys' movements and
half an hour later they gained the top of the hill,
and from their old position looked down upon the
camp lying many hundred feet below them. There
was considerable bustle going on, and the Kaffir
drivers were hastily collecting the cattle which were
grazing round, and were driving them into camp.

" There is going to be a fight ! " Dick exclaimed,
as they gained their look-out ; " there are crowds of
Zulus out there on the plains."

Could the boys have looked over the hills a mile
away to their right, they would have seen that the

7O The Young Colonists.

number of Zulus down in the valley in front was but
a small proportion of those gathering for the attack ;
for 15,000 men had moved up during the night, and
were lying quietly behind those hills, 3000 or 4000
more were taking the road to Rorke's Drift, to cut off
any who might escape from the camp, while as many
more were showing down the valley. Altogether
some 24,000 of the enemy had gathered round the
little body in the camp. To the boys, however, only
the party down the valley was visible.

At eleven o'clock Colonel Durnford came into camp
with his 350 mounted men from Rorke's Drift, and
advanced with them to meet the enemy threatening
the left flank, while two companies of the 1st bat
talion of the 24th moved out to attack their right.
The Zulus, now reinforced from behind the hills,
moved forward steadily, and Colonel Durnford with his
cavalry o/uld do little to arrest them. For an hour the
infantry stood their ground, and the two field-pieces
swept lines through the thick ranks of the enemy.
The Zulus advanced in the form of a great crescent.

"Things look very bad, Dick," Tom said ; " what
do you think we had better do ? "

" I think we had better stay where we are, Tom, and
wait and see what occurs ; we have a splendid view of
the fight, and if our fellows meet them we shall see
it all ; but if— oh, look there, Tom ! "

Over the hills on the left thousands of Zulus were
seen pouring down.

"This is terrible, Tom. Look here, I will crawl

The Young Colonists. 71

along over the crest, so as not to be seen, and look
behind to see if it is clear there. If it is, I vote we
make a bolt. It is of no use our thinking of going
down for a couple of horses ; the Zulus will be in the
camp long before we could get there."

Five minutes later he again joined his friend.

" They are coming up behind too, Tom. They
have really surrounded us. Look, they are close to
the camp ! "

It was a scene of frightful confusion. Nothing could
be seen of the companies of the 24th, which had
gone out to meet the Zulus. The great wave of the
advancing army had swept over them. Below, the
panic was complete and terrible, and soldiers, native
drivers, and camp-followers were running wildly in all
directions.

One party of the 24th's men, about sixty strong, had
gathered together and stood like a little island. The
incessant fire of their rifles covered them with white
smoke, while a dense mass of Zulus pressed upon them.
Many of the soldiers were flying for their lives ; others
again, when they found that their retreat was cut off, had
gathered in groups and were fighting desperately to
the last. Here and there mounted men strove to cut
their way through the Zulus, while numbers ol fugi
tives could be seen making for the river, hotly pursued
by crowds of the enemy, who speared them as they
ran.

" It is frightful, frightful, Tom 1 I cannot bear to
look at it."

72 The Young Colonists.

For a few minutes the fight continued. The crack
of the rifles was heard less frequently now. The
exulting yell of the Zulus rose louder and louder.
On the right Colonel Durnford with his cavalry
essayed to make one last stand to check the pursuit
of the Zulus and give time for the fugitives to escape ;
but it was in vain, showers of assegais fell among
them, and the Zulu crowd surged round.

For a time the boys thought all were lost, but a
few horsemen cut their way through the crowd and
rode for the river. The artillery had long before
ceased to fire, and the gunners lay speared by the
cannons. The first shot had been fired at half-past
eleven, by one o'clock all was over. The last
white man had fallen, and the Zulus swarmed like
a vast body of ants over the camp in search of
plunder.

Horror-stricken and sick, the boys shrank back
against the rock behind them, and for some time
sobbed bitterly over the dreadful massacre which had
taken place before their eyes. But after a time they
began to talk more quietly.

" Will they come up here, do you think, Dick ? "

" No, I don't think so," Dick replied. " They could
hardly have seen us come up here; even if they had
been on the look-out on the hills, and as they reached
the back of the mountain before the camp was taken,
they will know that nobody could have come up after
wards. Lie back here; we cannot possibly be seen from
below. They will be too much taken up with plundering

The Young Colonists. 73

the camp to think of searching this hill. What on
earth is the general doing ? — I can see his troops right
away on the plain. Surely he must have heard the
guns ? Our only hope now is that when he hears it he
will march straight back ; but, even if he does, I fear
that the Zulus will be too strong for him. The
whole force which he has with him is no stronger
than that which has been crushed here, and 1
don't expect the native regiments can make much
stand if attacked by such a tremendously strong
force."

So long as the daylight lasted, the boys, peering
occasionally over, could see the Zulus at the work of
plundering. All the sacks and barrels were taken
from the waggons and cut or broken open, each
man taking as much as he could carry of the tea,
sugar, flour, and other necessaries ; many of the yoke-
oxen were assegai ed at once, and cut up and eaten,
the rest being driven off towards the north by a party
of warriors.

At nightfall the tents were set on fire; they soon
burnt out, and the boys could no longer see what was
taking place. Rising from the shelter, they walked
back to the other side of the crest.

" I can hear firing now," Dick said ; " it seems to
me that it is back at Rorke's Drift."

They were soon sure that they were not mistaken ;
as it grew darker a flittering light was seen in that
direction, and a continued fire of distant musketry was
heard. Later on there was a broad glare in the sky.

74 The Young Colonists.

" 1 fear it is all over there too," Dick said, " and
that the place has been burnt."

Still, however, the firing continued, as heavy as ever,
and long on into the night the lads sat listening to
it. At last they fell asleep, and when they awoke
the sun was already high. Thus they missed their
chance of escape.

At nine o'clock in the evening Lord Chelmsford's
force, hearing at last what had happened, marched
back into the camp, and before day had fairly broken
continued their way down to Rorke's Drift. The
defenders here, a little garrison, under Lieutenant
Bromhead of the 24th, and Chard of the Royal
Artillery, had made an heroic defence against some
4000 of the enemy. With mealy bags and boxes
they built up a breastwork, and this they held all
night, in spite of the desperate efforts of the Zulus to
capture it. The hospital, which stood at one end of
the intrenchment, was carried and burnt by the Zulus,
but the little garrison held out till morning in an
inner intrenchment round the store-house.

Here was seen what could be done in the way of de
fence by the aid of hastily-thrown-up intrenchments;
and had breastworks been erected at Isandula, as they
ought to have been the instant the troops arrived
there, and still more so when the major portion of
the column marched away, the force there, small as it
was, would doubtless have made a successful resistance.
Even had the step been taken, when the Zulus were
first seen approaching, of forming a laager — that is,

The Young Colonists. 75

of drawing up the waggons in the form of a hollow
square — at the foot of the steep mountain, the disaster
might have been averted. It may be said that the
massacre of Isandula was due entirely to the over-
confidence and carelessness of the officers in command
of the column.

The boys on waking crawled back cautiously to
a spot where they could obtain a view over the
valley, and, to their surprise, the force which, on the
afternoon before, they had seen out there had entirely
disappeared. Many bodies of Zulus were seen moving
about, but there was no trace of the white troops.
They made their way to the back of the hill, and
then, to their horror, saw the column moving away
from them, and already half-way on its road to
Rorke's Drift.

Their first impulse was to get up and start off" in a
run in pursuit of it, but this feeling lasted but a
moment, for between the hill and the column many
scattered parties of Zulus were to be seen. The boys
looked blankly at each other. It was but too clear that
they were cut off and alone in the enemy's country.

" Whatever shall we do, Dick ? "

"I have not the least idea, Tom. At any rate there
is nothing to be done at present We should be asse-
gaied in a moment if we were to go down ; let's go
back to our old look-out."

After much talk they agreed that it would be hope
less to attempt to make south and cross the Buffalo,
as many of the fugitives had done. There were sure

76 The Young Colonists.

to be strong bodies of Zulus along the river, and even
if they passed these without detection they would be
unable to cross the river, as they would find no ford,
and neither of them was able to swim.

There were great numbers of Zulus in the camp
below, and these seemed to be pursuing the work of
plundering more minutely than they had done on the
previous day. The stores scattered recklessly about
were collected, placed in empty barrels, and loaded
up on the waggons. Presently a number of cattle
were brought down ; these were harnessed to the
waggons and driven off, and by nightfall nothing save
scattered remnants marked the place where the British
camp had stood. But from their post the boys could
see that the ground far and near was dotted with
corpses, black and white.

After nightfall the boys descended to the camp, and
having marked the exact spot where the waggons had
stood were able to collect a number of pieces of the
broken biscuit scattered about ; they were fortunate
enough to light upon a water-bottle still full, and with
these treasures they returned to the post on the moun
tain. They had agreed to wait there for three or four
days, in fact as long as they could hold out, and then
quietly to walk into one of the native kraals. If
caught in the act of flight they were certain of being
killed, but they hoped that when the Zulus' blood had
cooled down after the conflict their lives might possibly
be spared.

This plan was carried out ; for four days they

The Young Colonists. 77

remained on the hill of Isandula, and then descending
'ate one evening to the plain walked for ten or twelve
miles north, and waiting until daybreak showed them
a large native kraal at no great distance, they made for
it, and sat quietly down at the door of the principal hut
Presently a girl issued from a neighbouring hut, and,
upon seeing them, gave a scream and ran back again.
The cry brought others to the doors of the huts.
When the boys were seen, a perfect hubbub of tongues
broke forth, and many of the men, running out with
their spears, advanced towards the lads. They sat
perfectly quiet, and held up their hands to show that
they were unarmed. The Zulus hesitated. Dick went
through the motion of eating and drinking, and in his
best Kaffir begged for a glass of water.

The Zulus, seeing that the boys were alone,
approached them, and began to ask them questions,
and were evidently much surprised at hearing that
they had escaped from the massacre of the British.
From the door of the hut in which they were sitting
a chief, evidently of high rank, for the others greeted
him respectfully, now came out.

After the cause of the tumult was explained to
the chief, he ordered the boys to be bound. This
was done and they were put into an empty hut while
their fate was decided upon ; after much deliberation
it was agreed by the Zulus that, as they were but
boys and had come into the camp unarmed and
of their own accord, their lives should for the
present be spared.

78 The Young Colonists.

It happened that in the village were a party ol
men who belonged to the tribe of Umbelleni, whose
territory lay to the north-west, and these volunteered
to take the prisoners to their chief, who was one of
the strongest opponents of the English. His country,
indeed, lay just within the Zulu frontier, and, having
been engaged in constant skirmishes and broils with
the Dutch settlers, he was even more disappointed
than the other chiefs at the taking over of the Trans
vaal by England, just at the time when the Zulus
were meditating its conquest.

The road from Itelezi, the village at which the boys
had given themselves up, to Umbelleni's country ran
along between the Blood River and the lofty hill-coun
try ; and, although they were ignorant of the fact,
Colonel Wood's force was at that moment lying on
this line. They were therefore taken up over a moun
tain-country, crossing Mount Ingwe, to the Zlobani
Mountain, a stronghold ten miles south of Umbel
leni's chief kraal, and where at present he was resid
ing. After three days' journey the lads, exhausted
and footsore, ascended to the plateau of the Zlobani
Mountains.

Upon their way they passed through many
villages, and at each place it needed' the efforts of
their guards to prevent their being seriously mal
treated, if not killed. The Zulus, although victorious
at Isandula, had suffered terribly, it being estimated
that nearly 3000 had fallen in the attack.

Thus there was not a village but had lost some of

Trie Young Colonists. 79

its members, for, although the Zulu regiments have
local denominations and regular military kraals,
each regiment consists of men drawn from the
population at large.

Every four or five years all the lads who have
passed the age of eighteen since the formation of the
last corps, are called out and formed into a regi
ment, or are embodied with some regiment whose
numbers have fallen in strength. Thus a regiment
may consist of men differing considerably from each
other in point of age, the great distinction being
that some corps consist entirely of married men,
while others are all unmarried. A regiment remains
unmarried until the king formally gives the permis
sion to take wives, and the corps to whom the
boon has been granted are distinguished from the
others by their hair being arranged in a thick ring
round the head. So great is the enmity between these
married regiments and their less fortunate comrades
that they are never encamped in each other's view,
as fighting in that case would inevitably take place.
Thus it happened that, although some of the corps
had suffered far more than others, the loss was spread
over the whole of Zululand.

80 The Young Colonists.

CHAPTER VI.

ZLOBANI.

WHILE disaster had fallen upon the centre column,
the division under Colonel Evelyn Wood had been
showing what could be done when care and prudence
took the place of a happy-go-lucky recklessness. It
had advanced from Utrecht on the 7th of January,
and had moved up to the frontier at Sandspruit. At
two in the afternoon of the loth it moved forward,
halted at six, and again advanced by the light of the
moon at half-past one in the morning ; a mounted
advance-guard was thrown out, flanking patrols were
organized, and the troops moved in the greatest silence.

The next day Colonel Buller, with his irregular
horse, went out, and after a skirmish with the Zulus
brought in a thousand cattle, and Captain Barton, with
a party scouting in another direction, captured 550.

On the following morning a reconnaissance in force
was made, and a good deal of skirmishing took place ;
but, as Colonel Wood never allowed his men to follow
the Zulus into rough ground, the latter were unable to
effect anything against the column. This division
advanced forward but slowly, as it was intended that
they should keep within reach of the leisurely-moving
central column.

After several slight skirmishes the news reached

The Young Colonists. 81

them on the 24th of the disaster of Isandula, and with
it Colonel Wood received orders to fall back ; and on
the 26th he encamped at Kambula. Raids were made
in all directions with great success ; the great military
kraal of Manyamyoba was captured and destroyed by
Colonel Buller and his cavalry. As Colonel Wood's
was now the most advanced column, Colonel Rowlands,
with a wing of the 8oth and a couple of guns and 200
Swazis, together with Raaf's Horse and Wetherby's
Borderers, were sent as a reinforcement to him.

The Zulus were not idle, and Umbelleni and
Manyamyoba made several successful raids across the
border and destroyed the kraals of natives friendly to
the English. These two chiefs were not regular Zulu
chieftains ; both were adventurers who had gathered
under them numbers of broken men, and had for
years carried on raids on their own account from their
mountain-stronghold, in much the same way that
the Scotch borderers of olden times harassed the
country on the English side of the frontier.

Oham, the king's brother, with his own following,
came into Colonel Wood's camp, and gave himself up,
saying that he was altogether opposed to the war.

The boys on their arrival at Zlobani were brought
before Umbelleni. That chief briefly gave orders
that they should be killed ; but two or three of his
headmen represented to him that they might be of
use ; they would be able to carry a message to the
British camp, should he desire at any time to send
one ; by their appearance and dress, they could tell

(M264) Q

82 The Young Colonists.

him the nature of any troops they might intend to
attack, and could read and explain any letters which
might be captured on messengers ; finally, they might
be an acceptable present to send to Cetewayo, who
might not be pleased if he heard that prisoners had
been killed in cold blood.

Umbelleni assented to the reasoning, and ordered
the boys to be taken to a hut. The Zulu dwellings
resemble in form great bee-hives. They are circular
and dome-roofed ; the entrance is but three feet
high, and people can only enter by crawling. A
woman was ordered to cook for them. No guard was
placed over them, and they were permitted to wander
about freely, as escape from such a position was
considered impossible.

Six weeks passed slowly, and on the nth of March
a messenger arrived, and there was a sudden stir in the
camp. In a few minutes the fighting men assembled.
The boys were ordered to take their place in the
column, and at a swift march, with which they had
the greatest difficulty in keeping up, the column moved
away.

" Where are they taking us now, I wonder ? " Tom
said.

" I suppose they are going to attack some English
party on the march ; our men are hardly likely, I
should think, again to be caught napping, as they were
at Isandula."

Crossing two rivers, the Bevana and Pongola, they
at night halted in another mountain-kraal of Umbel-

The Young Colonists. 83

leni, about three miles from the Intombe River. On
the bank of the river could be seen twenty waggons.
These waggons had come down from Derby, on their
way to Luneberg, a town situated four miles from the
Intombe. Major Tucker, who commanded there, sent
Captain Moriarty with a company of the 8oth, seventy
strong, down to the river to protect the waggons
whilst crossing, and that officer had orders to neglect
no precaution, and above all to keep an incessant and
vigilant look-out.

The river was in flood, and no crossing could be
effected, and for four days the waggons remained on
the northern bank. Captain Moriarty placed the
waggons in laager on the bank, and took post there
with forty of his men, leaving Lieutenant Harwood
with thirty-four on the south bank with directions to
cover the sides of the laager with a flanking fire, should
it be attacked. The position of the waggons was a
dangerous one, as the ground rose immediately behind
them, and was covered with bush.

In the middle of the night of the I ith Umbelleni's
men arose, and, accompanied by the boys, started from
the kraal, and Dick and Tom were filled with forebod
ings of what was about to happen. Dick had already
gathered from the natives that theguardof the waggons
was an extremely small one, and, as the body moving to
attack them were between 4000 and 5000 strong, the
chance of a successful resistance appeared small.

When within a short distance of the waggons two
of the Zulus motioned to the boys to stop. In ten

54 The Ifoung Colonists »

minutes they heard a sentry challenge ; his shout was
answered by a loud yell, and the Zulus poured down
to the attack. Unfortunately Captain Moriarty had
not taken sufficient precaution against surprise, and
before the men were fairly under arms the Zulus were
upon them.

The force on the other side of the river were now on
the alert, and their rifle-fire opened before that of
the defenders of the waggons. For a moment or two
there was a sharp rattling fire from the waggons ; then
there were shouts and screams, the firing ceased,
and the boys knew that the laager had been captured.
Many of the soldiers indeed were assegaied before
they could leave their tents, most were slaughtered at
once, but a few managed to swim across the river.
The Zulus swarmed after them. Lieutenant Harwood
jumped upon his horse and rode off to Luneberg to
fetch assistance. The little detachment was broken
by the rush of the Zulus, but a serjeant and eight men
fell back into a deserted kraal, and succeeded in re
pelling the attacks of the enemy.

Lieutenant Harwood was afterwards tried by court-
martial for his conduct ; he was acquitted, but the
general in command refused to confirm the verdict,
and the commander-in-chief at home approved of the
view he took of the matter, and issued a general order
to the effect that "An officer, being the only one
present with a party of soldiers actually engaged with
the enemy, is not under any pretext whatever justified
in deserting them, and thus by so doing abandoning
them to their fate."

The Young Colonists. 85

Apprehensive of the arrival of reinforcements from
Luneberg, Umbelleni did not continue his attack upon
the little party in the kraal, but, after hastily plunder
ing the waggons, retreated with his force, and the next
day returned to Zlobani.

A few days passed and the boys learnt that two
regiments from Ulundi were expected shortly to re
inforce Umbelleni's men. The chief himself, with the
majority of his followers, was now at his kraal, four
miles distant, but the boys remained in the village on
the Zlobani plateau. Several times they saw parties
of British horse riding over the plains and from a dis
tance reconnoitring the position, and they wondered
whether there could be any intention on the part of
Colonel Wood to attack it. There was on the plateau
a large number of cattle, part the property of Umbel
leni's men, but the great majority spoil taken in raids
It seemed to the boys that an attack could scarcely
be successful. The sides of the mountains were ex
tremely precipitous, covered with bush, and contained
large numbers of caves. There was but one path up
which mounted men could ride ; this was about hall
way along the west side, the hill being a much greater
length from north to south than from east to west.
Up the southern extremity of the plateau was a path
by which footmen could descend to the plain, but it was
exceedingly steep and altogether impracticable for
cavalry ; a handful of men should have been able to
hold the position against an army.

Colonel Wood having heard of the large quantity
ol cattle concealed on the Zlobani Mountain had de-

86 The Young Colonists.

termined to attack it, and at three o'clock in the morn
ing of the 2/th of March a cavalry party started. It
consisted of 150 mounted infantry ; the Frontier Light
Horse, 125; Raaf's Troop, 50; Piet-Uys' Boer Con
tingent, 50; Wetherby's Horse, 80 ; Schermbrucker's
Horse, 40 ; — a total of 495 men. They were com
manded by Colonel Russell, and Colonel Wood was
himself to join them in the evening. The party was a
picked one, all being well mounted and good rifle-shots.

The track led across a rough sandy country with
deep nullahs, and thickly covered with trees and bush.
At five o'clock they halted for half an hour, and then
again advanced. After five miles' travelling across
a very rough country they came out into a large culti
vated flat, which terminated in a long, dark, winding
gorge, black with bush and skirted by precipices of
sandstone and granite. They turned into this and
followed a rivulet until they came to the end of the
gorge, where they discovered a steep path which
seemed cut out of the solid rock, and was only wide
enough for one horseman to pass. After three quar
ters of an hour's climbing they gained the summit.

The country was wild in the extreme. The plateau
upon which they found themselves extended for seven
or eight miles. Huge masses of scrub and boulders,
peaks, terraces, and ledges of rock appeared every
where, while caves and immense fissures formed re
treats for the cattle. It was now late in the afternoon,
and the force bivouacked for the night, having brought
with them three days' provisions. At seven in the

The Young Colonists. 87

evening Colonel Wood joined them with his staff,
eight mounted men of the 5Oth regiment and six
natives under Untongo, a son of Pongo, a friendly
chief. Untongo had by some means obtained infor
mation that seven strong regiments had marched from
Ulundi seven days before, and was most anxious that
the column should return to Kambula.

Colonel Wood, however, could not carry out this
advice, for Colonels Buller and Wetherby and Piet-
Uys, with their commands, who were in front, had
moved forward a long distance, and a retreat now
would leave them to be surrounded and cut off. The
troops lay down and slept, and at hall-past three
o'clock again prepared to advance. Distant shots
were heard, showing that Colonel Buller was attacked,
and just as the party was setting off, Colonel
Wetherby with his troopers rode in, having in the
night got separated from Buller's men in the wild and
broken country. As the troops advanced they came
here and there across the bodies of Zulus, showing
that Buller had had to fight his way. Captain Ronald
Campbell ascended a rock and scanned the country
with his glass. Far away, almost in the centre of the
gigantic and apparently inaccessible cliff of Zlobani,
the remains of Buller's column could be seen slowly
advancing, driving some dark masses of cattle and
Zulus before them.

Colonel Wetherby obtained permission to lead his
men on at once to Buller's assistance, while Colonel
Wood followed with the remainder of the force.

88 The Young Colonists.

Wetherby moved by a terribly difficult path to the
right, while Wood kept to what seemed the main
track. About half a mile further the latter came on a
party of 200 Zulus, armed with rifles ; these crossed
in front of him, taking an occasional shot at the leading
files of the party, who on account of the difficulties of
the road were compelled to dismount and lead their
horses. Their object was evidently to cut off
Wetherby's troop from the main column. Lieutenant
Lysons, leaving the column, reconnoitred the ground,
and found that Wetherby's party was already divided
from them by a deep and impassable ravine, at the
bottom of which was the pathway by which Buller had
made his way to the summit of the cliff. A strong party
of Zulus were seen faraway in front, working as if to cut
off Buller's horse. It was clear that there was nothing
to do but to press forward in hopes that the line taken
by Wetherby and that which the main column was
following would come together.

At this moment a heavy fire was opened by a party
of the enemy from a narrow ledge of rock a hundred
yards above them. Untongo and two of his men
guided a party of eight marksmen to a still higher
point, and their fire speedily drove off the Zulus.
Half an hour's march brought Wood upon Wetherby's
track, and high above them to the right the rear of
Buller's column could be seen. No more unsuitable
ground for the operation of mounted men could be
found ; perpendicular rocks rose in all directions,
while steep precipices fell away at their feet. Killed

The Young Colonists. 89

and wounded horses were seen at every turn of the
road, showing how stoutly the enemy had held their
ground, and how difficult an operation Buller had
performed. Sending fifty men to work upon the
right flank and endeavour to take the Zulus in the
rear, Colonel Wood kept his men for a few moments
under cover of a friendly ledge of rocks, to take breath
and look to their rifles, girths, and ammunition, and
then pressed rapidly forward and joined the Border
Horse.

The scene was now most exciting. The firing was
almost continuous, and the yells of the savages rose
from every rock and bush, mingled with the loud cheers
of Buller's men far up in front, as they saw the co
lumn approaching to their aid. The ground was now
more level and practicable for riding, and Colonel
Wood mounted his horse and, accompanied by his
own little escort of a dozen men and the Border
Horse under Colonel Wetherby himself, with his
gallant boy, aged fifteen, who was fighting by his
side, galloped forward for the front, leaving Colonel
Russell in command of the column. When within a
hundred paces of the summit of the cliff a rain of fire
opened upon their front and flank from a mass of
Zulus firing from caves, crevices, and behind enormous
boulders. From one cave to the right front an exces
sively heavy fire was kept up, and Colonel Wetherby
dashed at this with his men just as Colonel Wood's
horse staggered from a deep assegai wound in the chest.
At the sa'me moment a native from behind a boulder

go Tlie Young Colonists.

fired at that officer at ten paces' distance ; the bullet
missed him and Lieutenant Lloyd rode at the man, but
fell, shot through the head. Colonel Wood and Cap
tain Ronald Campbell rode forward to cover his body.
Two more Zulus fired at the same instant and the
colonel's horse fell dead. Colonel Wetherby's men
were hotly engaged at close quarters with the Zulus,
and were unable to join the colonel. Captain Camp
bell, Lieutenant Lysons, and the eight 9<Dth men of
the escort rushed at the opening. Captain Campbell
fell, shot through the head, but the rest dashed
forward.

There was a movement in the cave and a sudden
shout in English of " Come on ! " and as the little
band dashed in and fell upon the Zulus they saw, to
their astonishment, two English boys, armed with
assegais, attacking these in the rear. In another
minute the Zulus were all cut down, and the party
returned to Colonel Wood.

On the previous afternoon Zulu scouts had arrived
at Zlobani with the news that an English column was
on its way towards it. Messengers were despatched
to Umbelleni's kraal, and at night his force there
came to the assistance of those at Zlobani. Early
in the morning the boys proceeded with a number of
Zulus to the edge of the plateau, and were placed
with eight of their guards in a cave. From its mouth
they watched anxiously the events 01 the day.

Colonel Buller's party had struck upon the right
road, and after hard fighting gained the summit oi

The Young Colonists. 91

the cliff. Here a great quantity of cattle were col
lected, and these were sent off in charge of a body
of friendly natives, which accompanied the force.
This column in the advance had not passed near the
cave in which the boys were placed. Their hearts
beat high as they saw Colonel Wood's column sud
denly turn off from the line which Buller had fol
lowed, and make straight for it. Their excitement
grew higher and higher as the conflict increased in
vigour.

Soon the Zulus in the cave were at work. When
Captain Campbell charged forward with his handful
of men, Dick and Tom exchanged a glance. They
stood quiet until it was evident that the English at
tack would be pushed home; then, as the men of the
QOth, led by Lysons, dashed at the entrance of the
cavern, the boys seized two assegais and each pinned
one of the crouching Zulus to the ground. Before
the others could turn round upon them Lysons and
his men were among them.

The fire of Buller's men from above drove the
Zulus from their hiding-places. But Colonel Wood,
finding it impossible to make his way up at this point,
moved round at the foot of the rocks, to try and find
the point at which Buller had ascended the cliff.
Before doing so, however, the bodies of Captain
Campbell and Lieutenant Lloyd were carried down
the hill, and buried in a hastily-made grave. As,
carrying their wounded men, the little party made
their way to the foot of the cliff, Untongo, who had

92 The Young Colonists.

been reconnoitring the rocks on both sides, ran down
to him and began to talk rapidly, pointing over
towards the plain.

Colonel Wood did not understand Kaffir, but Dick,
who was standing by, said, —

" He says, sir, that there is a great Zulu army
marching below."

Colonel Wood mounted a fresh horse, and making
his way with great difficulty across some broken
ground reached a point where he could see
the plain. There, in five continuous columns, the
Zulu army from Ulundi, 20,000 strong, was sweeping
along at its usual rapid pace. It was evident at
once that only by a speedy retreat could any of the
force hope to escape. Colonel Wood despatched a
message at once to Colonel Russell, who had with his
force by this time commenced the ascent at the
extreme westerly point, to retrace his steps instantly,
and to cover as far as possible the retreat of the
native allies with the cattle.

Colonel Buller above had also seen the coming
danger. So far he had accomplished his work ad
mirably. The Zulu position had been triumphantly
stormed, and a large number of cattle taken and
driven off.

Had Colonel Wood's force and Wetherby's troop
arrived on the scene of action immediately after
Buller had ascended to the plateau, the retreat could
have been made in time, and the expedition would
have been successful at all points. The unfortunate

The Young Colonists. 93

incident of their losing the track, the delay caused
thereby, and their inability to rejoin him had given
time for the Ulundi army to come up.

Colonel Buller found that it was impossible now to
descend to the plain by the path by which he had
ascended. Not only would he have to fight his way
back through the whole force of Umbelleni, but his
retreat by that route would be cut off by the Ulundi
men. Consequently, pursued by a great body of
exulting Zulus, he made his way along the plateau
to the steep path at its extremity.

The scene here was terrible. The Zulus blocked
the way in front and lined both sides. Buller himself,
with Piet-Uys, defended the rear, assisting the
wounded, and often charging desperately into the
ranks of the Zulus pressing upon him. The path was
slippery with blood and strewn with dead. As the
last of his troop made their way down it, Piet-Uys, a
most gallant Dutchman, fell dead across the body of
his horse, with six Zulus, whom he had shot with
his revolver, around him.

Wetherby's troop was surrounded, and forty-five
out of his eighty men killed. The colonel himself
and his boy both fell, the latter refusing to leave his
father, although the latter urged him to gallop off and
join the column, which appeared to be making its
way through the Zulus. Colonel Russell's command
got through without so much opposition ; but Buller's
horse, Piet-Uys' troop, and Wetherby's command
suffered terribly.

94 The Young Colonists.

Fortunately the Ulundi army did not follow the
retreat ; first, because the tremendous three days'
march which they had made had in a great measure
exhausted the men, who had started in such haste
that they had brought no provisions with them, and
secondly, on account of the steady attitude and
resolute bearing of Russell's command.

Buller's force reached Kambula camp at half-past
seven at night. It had set in stormy, and torrents of
rain were falling. Although he had been in the saddle
for forty-eight hours, Colonel Buller, on hearing that
a small party of the survivors had taken refuge in
hiding ten miles away, collected a party of volun
teers, and, taking led horses, set out to rescue them.
This was effected ; the fugitives were found to be seven
in number, and returned with their rescuers safely to
camp.

The boys had both escaped, two of Wetherby's
men, who accompanied Colonel Wood, taking them
on their saddles behind them. The total loss was
ten officers and seventy-eight men.

For the night the boys were handed over to the
charge of one of the officers of the staff, but in the
morning Colonel Wood sent for them, and they then
told him the story of their adventures since the battle
of Isandula, with which he was greatly interested.
He said that he would at once have sent them to
Utrecht, but that the camp would probably be attacked
during the day.

The troops had been on the alert all night, expect-

The Young Colonists.

ing an attack. Before daylight Captain Raaf was sent
out with twenty-five men to reconnoitre, and returned
with one of Oham's natives. This man had joined
the Zulu army as it advanced, and was, fortunately
for himself, not recognized by them as being one of
Oham's people. In the night he had slipped away.
He reported the Zulus 20,000 strong, a great por
tion of them being armed with rifles.

Fortunately little preparation was necessary at
Kambula Nothing had been left to chance here, and
there was therefore no fear of a repetition of the
Isandula disaster. Each corps, each subdivision,
each section, and each man had his place allotted to
him, and had been told to be in that place at the
sound of the bugle.

The little fort was in a strong position, laid out
upon an elevated narrow reach of table-land. A
precipice, inaccessible to a white man, guarded the
right flank ; on the left a succession of steep terraces
had been utilized and carefully intrenched, each
successive line commanding that below it. At one
end there was a narrow slip of land swept by two
7-pounders. Immediately in the rear, upon an
eminence 120 feet higher than the fort, was a
small work, armed with two guns. The camp con
sisted of an outer defence of 100 waggons, and an
inner one of fifty — the whole protected by earth
works and ditches.

96 The Young Colonists.

CHAPTER VIL

KAMBULA.

IMMEDIATELY Oham's Zulu had made his report,
the bugle sounded, and the garrison quietly and
quickly took up the places assigned to them. Mes
sengers went out to order a fatigue-party, which
had gone out wood-cutting, to return at once.
These men reported that they had seen the Zulus
scouting, about five miles to the west. The tents
were struck, the men lined the shelter-trenches, and
ammunition was served out by fatigue-parties told off
for this duty. The white conductors and commis
sariat men, most of whom were old settlers and
good shots, were told off to the different faces of the
laager. A small party were provided with stretchers,
in order to carry the wounded to the hospital in the
centre.

Dick and Tom, having no duty and being without
arms, thought that they might as well make them
selves useful at this work, and therefore, taking a
stretcher, they proceeded to one of the outer shelter-
trenches.

It was nearly eleven o'clock when the Zulus were
seen approaching, and halted just out of musket-range.
Here apparently a council of war was held, and
it was more than an hour before any forward move-

The Young Colonists. 97

ment was made. Then a body of them, about 7000
strong, ran at a tremendous pace along a ledge
situated at the edge of the cultivated land. The
troops were ordered not to fire, as it was thought
better to wait until the Zulus came on in earnest.
At half-past one a cloud of skirmishers advanced
from the Zulu army, and fed by supports began to scale
the north front of the English position. Here, behind
the outermost line of intrenchments, some of Buller
and Russell's dismounted men, and a portion of the
band of the gallant Piet-Uys were stationed, and
these opened fire upon the Zulus. Scarcely one of
them but was a dead-shot, and no sooner did a
head or a shield appear above rock or boulder or
tuft of grass than the deadly rifle rang out, and
in most cases there was an enemy the less to
encounter.

The Boers particularly distinguished themselves at
this work. Most of these men are certain shots, being
trained from childhood in the use of their large single-
barrelled guns, carrying an enormous bullet, and suited
for the destruction of big game. Animated by a hatred
of the Zulus, and a longing for vengeance for the
death of their late leader, the Boers picked off their
foes with unerring aim. The enemy's skirmishers now
retired, and a more solid line took their place, sup
ported by a dense column in its rear. The cavalry
remounted and fell slowly back, and Major Russell,
with twenty of his men, made a brilliant charge on a
party of Zulus who were running to take possession

(M264) H

98 The Young Colonist*.

of a sheltering ledge of rocks, and, after cutting down
a great many, retreated without the loss of a man.

Buller and Russell now retired slowly within the
laager, their retreat being covered by Colonel Gilbert
and four companies of the 13th, who were posted at
this face of the works. One company of the I3th,
under Captain Cox, held the cattle-laager, which was
situated outside the line, and so were able to take the
enemy in flank, as they attacked the main work. This
little garrison and Colonel Gilbert's men poured a
tremendous fire upon the Zulus, who still, however,
pushed forward.

Major Hackett was now ordered to take a couple
of companies of the goth, and to advance up the slope,
round the rear of the cattle-laager. Taking post here,
they opened a deliberate and deadly fire upon the
enemy, and then advancing drove back the Zulus with
great loss. The Zulu general, however, led a party
of his best marksmen round to his right, and opened
a heavy fire upon the cpth, as they fell back upon
their intrenchments. Lieutenant Bright fell mortally
wounded, and in running forward to pick him up
Major Hackett was struck by a ball sideways, which
passed through both eyes and destroyed his sight for
ever. Meanwhile, from the works on the heights,
Captain Nicholson was doing great execution with his
two /-pounders. The Zulu main body had now come
within range, and grape and canister were poured into
their heavy masses. As Nicholson was standing on
the parapet, field-glass in hand, directing the pointing

The Young Colonists. 99

of two guns, a bullet struck him on the temple and
he fell dead. He was seen from the laager to fall, and
Major Vaughan was sent to take his place. Major
Tremlett, R.A., now took the four guns, hitherto held
in reserve, to a small piece of rising ground outside
the laager, and opened fire upon the masses of the
enemy with immense execution. From time to time
Buller and Russell, as they saw openings for a charge,
swept down and drove the enemy's skirmishers back
on to their main body ; the Zulus, altogether unac
customed to cavalry, always falling back precipi
tately at these assaults.

At three o'clock a hot cross-fire was opened upon a
company commanded by Captain Woodgate, which
was stationed half-way between the laager and the
upper fort, keeping open a communication between
them, the enemy's fire from a height commanding
this line being particularly galling. Two of Trem-
lett's guns were brought to bear on the point, and the
enemy's fire speedily slackened. For another hour
and a half the troops continued to be hotly engaged,
for the enemy, when driven back from one flank, swept
round in most perfect order and attacked another.

At half-past four the Zulus, concentrating again,
attacked the northern side, and made some desperate
rushes up to the muzzles of the English rifles, and the
fighting for a time was almost hand to hand.

The boys had worked round with their stretchers
wherever the fire was hardest, and had carried many
wounded men into hospital. They were at the north

ioo The Young Colonists.

face when the Zulus swarmed up towards it, and
Woodgate's men fell back into the shelter of the
laager. As they came in, a young lieutenant, who
was commanding the rear, fell, apparently dead. Being
in the rear of the company his fall was unnoticed
by the men. Dick, who was peering over the intrench-
ment, saw him fall, and saw too that he moved slightly.

"Quick, Tom!" he exclaimed; and, carrying the
stretcher, the boys scrambled over the breastwork and
ran towards the officer. He had fallen some twenty
yards outside, and the Zulus, rushing on, were but
eighty yards away.

On reaching the side of the young officer, the boys
laid their stretcher on the ground, rolled him upon it,
and, lifting it, turned towards the camp. A ringing
cheer from the men had greeted this action, mingled
with shouts of " Run ! run ! " for by this time the
Zulus were but twenty yards behind.

A stream of fire broke out from the top of the
breastworks ; an assegai whizzed over Dick's shoulder,
and another grazed Tom's arm, but they hurried on
until they reached the ditch, and then threw themselves
and their burden down. There for five or six minutes
they lay, while the fight raged above them. Then the
British cheer rose, and the boys knew that the Zulus
had fallen back.

A minute later a dozen men leapt from the in-
trenchment into the ditch outside, and lifted the
wounded lieutenant over it into the arms of those
behind.

TOM AND DICK HURRY FORWARD TO RESCUE THE
WOUNDED OFFICER.

The Young Colonists. 101

" Bravo ! boys, bravo ! " a hundred voices shouted,
as the boys scrambled back into the works, while the
men crowded round to pat them on the shoulder and
shake their hands.

It was evident now that the Zulu fire was slacken
ing, and three companies of the I3th went out, and,
taking posts by the edge of the slope of the cattle-
laager, opened fire upon them, as they retired. Every
gun was brought to bear upon them, and as, disheart
ened and beaten, they fell back, Buller and Russell,
with every mounted man in camp, sallied out and fell
upon them, and, burning with the desire to wipe out
their misfortune of the preceding day, chased them
for seven miles, like a flock of sheep, cutting down
immense numbers.

It was ascertained afterwards from prisoners that
the Zulu force which attacked was composed of 25,000
men. It was commanded by Tyangwaiyo, with Um-
belleni as his second. Many of the leading chiefs
of Zululand and 3000 of the king's bravest and best
troops fell in the attack on Kambula, and this battle
was by far the hottest and best-contested which took
place during the war.

Upon our side two officers and twenty-one men
were killed. The difference between the result of
the action at Kambula and that at Isandula was due
entirely to the fact that in one case every precaution
was taken, every means of defence utilized ; while in the
other no more attention was paid to any of these points
than if the troops had been encamped at Aldershot-

IO2 The Young Colonists.

Upon the day following the battle Colonel Wood
set his men to work to erect further defences at the
points which the recent action had shown to be weak,
and never ceased work until the place had been made
almost impregnable against an assault of savages,
however brave.

The messenger who carried to Natal the news of
the victory of Kambula also took letters from the
boys to their parents, acquainting them of their safety;
and with the first convoy of wounded on the following
day the boys started for home, Colonel Wood having
given to each a flattering testimonial as to their gallant
conduct in the action, and having presented them
with two horses belonging to men of Buller's corps
who had fallen in the action, ordering that the horses
should be entered as bought for the Queen's service,
and the value paid to the relatives of their late
owners.

Three days' march took the convoy to Utrecht, and
the next morning the boys rode home, the distance
from there to Newcastle being about forty miles. They
were received as if they had risen from the dead, for
their letters had not arrived before them, and their
parents had of course assumed that they had been
killed at Isandula. Both the mothers were in mourn
ing, and their joy at the restoration of their sons was
unbounded.

Mrs. Jackson fainted from surprise and delight, as
Tom rode up ; but Dick, remembering the effect which
the news of his being alive in the snow had produced

The Young Colonists. 103

upon his mother, was careful to save her the shock.
Accordingly, instead of riding direct to the house, he
made a detour and rode across the farm until he met
Bill Harrison. The man was delighted at the sight of
his young master, and could hardly believe his eyes,
as he saw him riding towards him.

After the first warm greeting was over, Dick learned
that his mother had been seriously ill, and was now
recovering, and that his father had been much shaken.
Dick told Harrison to go to the house, and, under the
excuse of some question about his work, to call
Mr. Humphreys out, and to tell him of his return,
leaving it to him to break the news to his wife.

This Mr. Humphreys, after recovering from his own
emotion at the joyful intelligence, did so gradually
and quietly, that the tale produced no injurious effect
upon the mother.

He began by saying that he had heard that a
rumour was afloat that some of those that were
supposed to have been killed at Isandula had been
kept captives by the Zulus.

Mrs. Humphreys for a time doubted the news, but,
upon her husband's assurance that the intelligence
was well founded, a faint feeling of hope began to
spring up ; then gradually, step by step, he told her
that it was reported that these captives consisted chiefly
of non-combatants, men who had taken refuge among
the rocks and bushes when the fight was seen to be go
ing against the troops. This still further raised Mrs.
Humphreys' hopes ; for, from the presence of mind and

IO4 The Young Colonists.

shrewdness which Dick had shown on the occasion of
the snow-storm, it seemed probable that he would be
quick to avail himself of any chance of escape there
might be. Then Mr. Humphreys said that the report
affirmed that among the prisoners were two or three
quite young lads, and so step by step he went on,
until the delighted mother learned that her son was
already upon the farm, and was only waiting until he
knew she would be strong enough to see him.

Mr. Humphreys now went to the door and gave a
loud shout, and Dick, who had been waiting the signal
agreed on at a short distance from the house, ran
up and was soon in his parents' arms. A minute
or two later his younger brother ran in, having just
heard the news from Harrison, and it was indeed
a happy party which that night assembled in the
sitting-room of the farmhouse, and listened to Dick's
account of the adventures he had gone through. Not
a little proud were the father and mother, as they
read Colonel Wood's testimony to the gallant conduct
of their son.

The next day Mr. and Mrs. Jackson drove over
with Tom, and the warmest congratulations were
exchanged.

" Have you been paid for the waggons, father ? "
Dick asked.

" Yes, my boy, for there was a notice that the
owners of all waggons and teams destroyed at Isan-
dula would be paid at once. As there was a re
cord kept of the ownership of those which accom-

The Young Colonists. 105

panied the column, there was of course no difficulty
in proving the loss, and both Mr. Jackson and myself
received orders on the public treasury for their value
last week. You see more transports were required, and
there was such a panic after Isandula, that if govern
ment had not promptly paid for their losses there, they
would have got no more waggons from farmers for
their work. We have already four more building for
us at Newcastle."

" I suppose there was a great fright in the colony
after the defeat ? "

"Terrible!" Mr. Humphreys answered. "Everyone
imagined that the Zulus would at once cross the fron
tier, and carry fire and sword throughout the colony.
The rest of the 4th Regiment instantly went forward
to Colonel Glyn's column, and this restored it to some
thing like its strength before the fight. The rivers
were high, which may have accounted partly for the
Zulus not taking the offensive. Probably too the great
loss which they themselves must have suffered had
some effect ; while they might not have liked to have
advanced in force across the frontier, being, as they
were, threatened on the one side by the column of
Colonel Wood at Kambula, and on the other by that
of Colonel Pearson at Ekowe."

" I have not heard about that column, father.
What are they doing ? "

" I will tell you about it this evening, Dick, as it is
rather a long story."

After the Jacksons had driven off in the evening,

io6 The Young Colonists.

Dick again asked his father about the doings of
Colonel Pearson's column.

"Well, my boy, they have neither suffered a great
defeat, like that under Lord Chelmsford, nor obtained
a decisive victory, like the column of Colonel Wood ;
they have beaten the enemy in a fight, and are at
present besieged in a place called Ekowe, or, as it is
sometimes spelt, Etckowi. The column consisted of
eight companies of the 3rd Buffs under Colonel Parnell ;
six companies of the 99th, under Colonel Welman ;
one company of Royal Engineers and two /-pounder
guns ; they had, besides a naval brigade consisting of
270 blue-jackets and marines of her Majesty's ships
Active and Tenedos, with three gatling-guns, 200
mounted infantry ; 200 colonial mounted riflemen
also formed part of the column, with about 2000 men
of the native contingent. They had great difficulty in
crossing the Tugela, which was nearly 400 yards wide.
But, thanks to the exertions of the sailors, a flying
bridge was constructed — that is, a boat with ropes
attached to both shores, so that it can be pulled back
wards and forwards, or, as is sometimes done, taken
back wards and forwards by the force of the stream itself

" It was the 1 3th before the crossing was effected.
The enemy were in considerable force near the river.
A small earthwork, called Fort Tenedos, was thrown
up on the Zulu bank of the river. On the i8th the
leading division started on its march into the enemy's
country, followed the next day by the second division,
a small detachment being left to garrison the fort

The Young Colonists. 107

Every precaution was taken in the advance, and the
cavalry scouted the country in front of the column.
At the end of the first day's march the Inyoni, a
small stream ten miles north of the Tugela, was
reached.

" The second day they encamped on the Umsin-
dusi. The third day's march brought the column to
the Amatikulu ; beyond this the country became
covered with bush, and great care was then taken, as
it was known that a large force was marching from
Ulundi to oppose their farther advance. Early on
the morning of the 22nd, the day which proved so
fatal to Colonel Glyn's column, the first division had
just crossed the Inyezane River and was halted for
breakfast, when they were attacked by a large force
of the enemy, who, having chosen this position, were
lying in wait for them. The ground chosen for the
halt was not a favourable one, as it was surrounded
by bush. But as no other place could be found by
Major Barrow, who commanded the horse, near water,
the halt had been made here. Scarcely had they begun
their preparations for breakfast, when Captain Hart, who
was out scouting in front with the advance company of
the native contingent, discovered the enemy advanc
ing rapidly over the ridge in his front and attempting
to gain the bush on both flanks of the halting-place.
The Zulus at once opened a heavy fire upon the
native contingent, and of these one officer and four
non-commissioned officers and three men fell almost
immediately.

io8 The Young Colonists.

"The native contingent was called in, and the
naval brigade and two guns, under Lieutenant Lloyd,
and two companies of the Buffs were ordered to take
up a position upon a knoll close to the road, on which
they were halted. The sailors at once opened fire on
the enemy with two /-pounders and two 24-pounder
rocket-tubes, while the Buffs poured a heavy fire with
their rifles upon them. The waggons were still com
ing up, and these were parked as they reached the
ground ; and two companies of the Buffs, who were
guarding them on the march, being now free to act,
were ordered to move out in skirmishing order,
and draw the enemy out of the bush, when, as they
retired, they were exposed to the fire from the knoll.

" The engineers and mounted troops moved forward,
with the infantry skirmishers, supported by a half-
company of the Buffs and a half-company of
the 99th. The enemy tried to outflank their left,
and Captain Campbell with a portion of the naval
brigade and some of the native contingent went out
and drove them from a kraal of which they had taken
possession. A still farther advance was now made,
and the Zulus took to flight, leaving 300 dead upon
the ground. The attacking party were 5000 strong,
and against these some 500 or 600 of our troops were
engaged. We had only eight Europeans killed and
four natives, and about twenty wounded. The next
day Colonel Pearson reached Ekowe. The position
was a strong one, as theplace stood upon rising ground ;
it had been a missionary station, and there was a

The Young Colonists. 109

church which could at the worst be converted into a
citadel.

" Colonel Pearson at once set to work to fortify the
position. The same evening the news arrived of the
disaster at Isandula. After a consultation with his
officers Colonel Pearson decided to hold the spot at
which he now was, convinced that, without further
supplies of reinforcements, he could hold the place
for two months. In order to economize food, the
mounted men and most of the natives were sent back,
and there remained 1200 British troops.

" Colonel Pearson at once commenced his pre
parations for a siege. Three moderate-sized brick
erections were turned into store-houses, and the
church into a hospital, the tower making a capital
look-out ; from this a splendid view was obtained, the
hill by the Tugela being clearly visible. The men
set to work to fortify the place. The intrenchments
were of a six-sided form, about sixty yards across,
with a ditch outside them eighteen feet deep and
twelve feet wide. Assegais were planted in the
bottom. Added to the south side was a kraal for
cattle and horses, also defended by a small wall.
Outside the fort were entanglements of rows of felled
trees and bushes. The supply of water was obtained
from a good well, outside the walls, but covered by
the fire of the fort. The guns were placed in position,
and the garrison was ready for any attack that might
be made upon them. All these details we learned
in the early days of the siege by occasional messen-

1 10 The Young Colonists.

gers, who managed to find their way through, but
these had been few and far between ; of twelve messen
gers sent out the first week of February, only one got
through. The garrison had made several sorties, and
had destroyed Dabulamanzi's kraal. They also went
out and cut off a large convoy of cattle on its way to
Ulundi."

" But how have they found out what is being done
at Ekowe, if the first week only one messenger got
through out of twelve ? " Dick said.

" By a very ingenious plan, Dick. For three weeks
we knew nothing of what was going on, and then it
struck an engineer that communication might be
established by flashing signals."

" What are flashing signals, father ? "

" Well, my boy, as a general rule they are made by
showing a light either for a long or short period. Thus,
one long and one short might be A ; one short and
one long, B ; two short and one long, C ; and so on
all through the Alphabet. The distance was so great
that ordinary lights would not have answered, but it
struck one of the engineers that with a looking-glass
the sunlight might be reflected. You know at what a
distance the sun's reflection on a window can be made
out. Well, it was tried in vain for a whole week by
Lieutenant Haynes, of the Royal Engineers, but at the
end of that time he was delighted at seeing answering
flashes from the hill on which Ekowe stands. Since
that time news has been regularly received every day
by this means of what is passing in the fort.

The Young Colonists. 1 1 1

" In the meantime preparations were being made for
the relief of the garrison. The news of the defeat at
Isandula was sent home by a swift ship, by which the
particulars were telegraphed from St. Vincent. The
people at home did not lose an hour. The Shah,
which was on her way home, heard the news at
St. Helena, and Captain Bradshaw, who commanded
her, at once, on his own responsibility, turned his
ship's head south, and steered for Durban, bringing
with him the garrison of the island. Some draughts
from the 4th, 88th, and Q9th Regiments were brought
down from the Cape ; the Boadicea also arrived, and
every man who could be spared from her and the
Shah was landed and sent up to the Tugela.

"In the second week in March the 57th and pist
Regiments arrived from England. One hundred and
sixty men were brought over from the garrison of
Mauritius, and a few days later the 3rd battalion of the
6oth Regiment also arrived. These assembled on the
Tugela on the 27th, and that day set out. The van
guard was composed of the seamen and marines of the
Shah and Tenedos — 640 men and two gatlings, the
9 ist regiment of 900 men, 400 men of the 99th, 180
men of the 3rd Buffs, 150 mounted infantry, 200 of
the mounted native contingent, and 1600 men of
the native infantry contingent. The second division
consisted of 200 men of the Boadicea with gatlings,
the 37th Regiment, and the 3rd battalion of the 6oth,
900 men, and two troops of mounted natives. That
is all I can tell you, my boy. The news only arrived

ii2 The Young Colonists.

here yesterday that they had started. In the course
of three or four more days I hope that we shall hear
that they have given the Zulus a thorough licking.
It is a strong force, and as there are about 3300
white troops among them, and there is no fear of their
being taken by surprise this time, we need not have
any anxiety about the result. I understand that, in
accordance with the advice which Colonel Pearson
has flashed from Ekowe, they are not going to follow
the road he took, but to keep along on the lower
ground near the sea."

" And do you think, father, that they will push on
for Ulundi when they have rescued the garrison of
Ekowe?"

" No, Dick ; I think they are quite strong enough
to do so, but as there are at least half a dozen more
regiments on their way out from England, including
some regiments of cavalry, it will be more prudent to
stop until our whole fighting force is here, when we
ought to be enabled to make short work of them, and
to do the work completely and effectually. And now,
Dick, I am thoroughly sleepy — the sooner we are in
bed the better."

The Young Colonists. 113

CHAPTER VIII.

THE SECOND ADVANCE.

IT was some days before the news reached Newcastle
of the complete success oi the relieving column. On
their first day's march no difficulty was met with.
The road was a good one, and the Zulus did not
show in any force. The column halted for the night
near the junction of the Inyoni and Amatikulu rivers.
The waggons were placed in laager and a ditch and
parapet formed round the camp. The ground was
open and the waggons were able to travel six abreast.
Numerous Zulu kraals were passed, but these were
found deserted.

On the afternoon of the 1st they encamped at
Ginghilovo. From this point Ekowe was visible ;
signals were exchanged with the besieged, and
Colonel Pearson warned Lord Chelmsford that the
Zulus were moving forward to attack him. The
night passed quietly, but the greatest vigilance was
maintained.

At daybreak dense masses of Zulus were seen in
the distance, and at six o'clock they approached the
camp. They came on in their usual order, with a
massive centre and advanced horns on either flank.
The British were kept lying down behind the shallow
trenches they had thrown up. The Zulus advanced

(M264) I

1 14 The Young Colonists.

in splendid order with a sort of dancing step. Their
white and coloured shields, their crests of leopard
skins and feathers, and the long ox-tails dangling
from their necks gave them a wild and strange
appearance. Every ten or fifteen yards the first line
would halt, a shot would be fired, then a loud yell
burst forth, and they again advanced with a humming
sound, in time to which their dancing movement was
kept up. The 6oth, who lay opposite to the point
against which they advanced, withheld their fire until
the first line of skirmishers came to within 300 yards.
Then a deadly sheet of flame flashed along the ridge of
the shelter-trench, and a number of the Zulu warriors
fell.

The main body now rushed forward, and although a
tremendous fusilade was kept up on them, the Zulu
advance pressed on, ever fed by those in the rear,
which deployed in excellent order as they reinforced
the first line. For twenty minutes the fire of the 6oth
never ceased. Again and again the Zulus pressed
forward, but their leading ranks were swept away by
the storm of bullets.

At half-past six the Zulu masses, without the
smallest confusion, faced to their right, ran round
in columns, and fell upon the face of the laager held
by the 5 7th and gist. Here they were as hotly
received as they had been by the 6oth. Notwith
standing the deadly fire, the Zulus pressed forward
with noble courage. They had ceased to shout now,
and seemed only anxious to reach the square. Four

The Young Colonists. 115

times they rushed forward ; each time they fell back
with terrible loss. The fire of the soldiers was assisted
by that of the native contingent, who, posted in the
waggons behind, added their fire to that of the 9ist
and 5/th.

The last attack was led by Dabulamanzi in per
son, and arrived within five yards of the muzzles
of the men's rifles ; indeed one or two of the chiefs
actually seized the hot barrels with one hand, while
they stabbed at the men with their shortened
assegais.

This was their final repulse, and they now began to
fall back. The moment that they did so, the cavalry
dashed out in pursuit, and chased them far across the
plain. The gatlings and 9-pounders added in no
slight degree to the effect of the rifles. The entire
English loss was but two officers and four privates
killed, and three officers and thirty-four privates
wounded ; while the Zulu loss exceeded 1000. The
force under Dabulamanzi was about 11,000, and a
similar force was close at hand, but fortunately had
not joined that of Dabulamanzi before he attacked the
British.

On the following day the 57th, 6oth, and 9ist,
together with the mounted men and several of the
mounted brigade, taking with them three days' provi
sions, marched for Ekowe. Major Barrow scouted the
ground, and reported that everywhere assegais, shields,
feathers, ear and head ornaments, skins, furs, blankets,
and even guns were lying about in confusion,

1 1 6 The Young Colonists.

evidently cast away in their headlong flight by the
Zulus, but that none of these had been seen.

The column, however, advanced with every precau
tion, as it was possible that Dabulamanzi might pro
cure reinforcements. No enemy, however, was met
with, and the column continued its march until they
were met by Colonel Pearson with 500 men, coming
out to lend a hand to them in case they should be
attacked. The united column then marched into
Ekowe. The health of the garrison had suffered
much from exposure to the sun and rain, and from
the want of vegetables and useful medicine. Beef
they had plenty of, as it was considered advisable
to kill and consume the waggon-oxen rather than see
them die from want of forage.

The great event of the siege had been the discovery
of certain strange flashes of light on the white walls
of the church-tower ; these, after puzzling many of the
officers and soldiers, were at length brought under
the notice of an officer of the naval brigade, who had
been trained in the use of the heliograph, and he was
able at once to explain the mystery. They were
three days before they could contrive an apparatus,
which could be worked, to reply. Fortunately an old
mirror was found, and communication was opened.
The effect of their renewed intercourse with the outer
world, and of learning the preparations which were
being made for their relief, acted more beneficially on
the health of the imprisoned garrison than all the
tonics the hospital could afford, Nevertheless between

The Young Colonists. 117

the commencement of the siege and the arrival of the
relief thirty deaths had occurred.

To the great regret of the garrison they found that
it had been determined by the general to abandon the
fort which they had held so long, as the whole force
was required in Natal for operations in the field
in conjunction with the reinforcements on their way
out. Before leaving, however, it was determined to
strike another blow at Dabulamanzi, whose private
residence had escaped at the time that his kraal
was burnt. A small party of about 200 men there
fore went out and fired the place without resistance.
Ekowe was evacuated, and, having left a garrison
at Ginghilovo, Lord Chelmsford retired with his force
across the Tugela.

Every day for the next fortnight news reached
Newcastle of the arrival of one or more transports
with reinforcements, and in a month from the date of
the arrival of the first from England, seventeen
transports came in, bringing more than 9000 soldiers
and 2000 horses. The force consisted of two regi
ments of cavalry, 1250 sabres, two batteries of artil
lery with 540 men, 190 men of the Royal Engineers,
six regiments of infantry, 5320 bayonets, draughts
of the regiments already in the colony and Army
Service Corps' men, 1200. Most of the regiments
brought their equipments complete and ready for the
field — tents, waterprool -sheets, cooking utensils, and
camp stores. The Army Service Corps brought with
them 100 light but strongly-built waggons.

1 1 8 The Young Colonists.

Among the arrivals was the Prince Imperial of
France, who had come out as a volunteer.

To convey the baggage and stores of so numerous
a force an immense number of waggons was required,
and a very urgent appeal was made to the loyalty of
the :olonists to furnish transport for the troops engaged
in fighting their battles.

In answer to this appeal Mr. Humphreys and Mr.
Jackson decided to send down the new waggons
which had just been finished. Immediately they
heard of the decision, Dick and Tom begged for
permission again to accompany the waggons. Their
mothers at first refused even to listen to the request,
but their fathers, talking the matter over between
them, agreed that harm was not likely this time to
come of it.

The force was so overwhelmingly strong that there
was not the slightest prospect of a repetition of the
disaster of Isandula. At that time several hundred
English soldiers had been surprised and crushed by
some 20,000 of the enemy, but in future every pre
caution would be taken, and the British force would be
ten times as strong as that which fought at Isandula.
The colonists thought that it would be really an
advantage to the boys to take part in the expedition ;
it was quite possible that if they remained in the
colony they might have occasion to take part in wars
with one or other of the native tribes, and the
experience that they would gain in the campaign
would in that case assuredly be useful to them.

Jhe Young Colonists. 119

Having thus decided, Mr. Humphreys and his friend
succeeded in obtaining their wives' consent to the
boys accompanying the waggons, and in high glee
they started for Durban on the 2Oth of April.

The campaign was arranged on a new plan.
The numerous columns in which the strength of the
force had been frittered away were abolished, and the
following was adopted as the designation of the forces
in the field, under the lieutenant-general commanding,
viz.: — ist Division South African Field-forces, Major-
General Crealock, C.B., commanding, consisting of all
troops on the left bank of the Lower Tugela ; 2nd
Division South African Field-forces, Major-General
Newdigate commanding, consisting of all troops in
the Utrecht district other than those attached to the
Flying Column under Brigadier-General Wood, V.C.,
C.B., which was designated as " Brigadier-General
Wood's Flying Column." Major-General Marshall
assumed command of the cavalry brigade, and Major-
General the Hon. H. H. Clifford, C.B., V.C., took
up the command of the base of operations and
superintendence of the lines of communication.
The forces were divided as follows : —
FIRST DIVISION (GENERAL CREALOCK'S),
LOWER TUGELA COMMAND.

Naval Brigade 800

M. Battery, 6th Brigade, Royal

Artillery 90

Detachment, n-7th Royal Artillery. 25
2-3rd Regiment 836

I2O The Young Colonists.

57th Regiment . - . ... . 830

3-6oth „ ..... 880

88th „ 640

9ist „ 850

99th „ ...... 870

Mounted Infantry, 2nd Squadron . 70

Army Service Corps .... 50

Army Hospital Corps ... 20
Royal Engineers . . . .150

8-7th Royal Artillery ... 80

O-6th „ , 50

Lonsdale's Horse .... 84

Cooke's Horse 78

Colonial Volunteers .... 105
Native Contingent : —

Foot 2556

Mounted 151

Total strength, effective and non-
effective . . . . . .9215

SECOND DIVISION (GENERAL NEWDIGATE'S.)

1st Dragoon-Guards ) attached to . 650

1 7th Lancers } 2nd Division . 626

N-5th Royal Artillery ... 76

N-6th „ .... 80

io-7th „ .... 70

io-6th „ .... 30
Royal Engineers . . . .60

2-4th Regiment 790

Detachment, i-i3th Regiment . . 63

2-2ist (two companies at Maritzburg) 820

The Young Colonists. 1 2 1

I -24th Regiment .' . . . 530
2-24th „ . .... 586
58th (one company at Durban) . . 906
Both (several companies in the Trans
vaal) 300

94th (one company at Grey Town) . 870
Army Service Corps .... 60
Army Hospital Corps ... 30
Grey Town District Colonial Volun
teers 139

Natal Mounted Police ... 75

Natal Carabineers .... 27

Newcastle Mounted Rifles . 18

Buffalo Mounted Guard ... 20
Native Contingent : —

Europeans 41

Natives (foot) 3128

Natives (mounted) .... 243
Total strength, effective and non-
effective 10,238

GENERAL WOOD'S FLYING COLUMN.

1 1 -7th Royal Artillery ... 87

Royal Engineers . . . . 13
i-i3th Regiment . . . .721

QOth „ . ... 823

1st Squadron, Mounted Infantry . 103

Army Service Corps . ... 9

Army Hospital Corps ,• . . 13
Frontier Light Horse . . .173

122 The Young Colonists.

Baker's Horse . . • . . 179

Transvaal Rangers . . . . 141
1st Battalion, Wood's Irregulars : —

Europeans ..... 14

Natives 377

2nd Battalion, Wood's Irregulars : —

Europeans ..... 5

Natives ...... 355

Natal Native Horse : —

Europeans ..... 4

Natives ...... 75

Total strength, effective and non-
effective 3092

GRAND TOTAL.
1st Division . . . ; .9215

2nd 10,238

General Wood's Flying Column . 3092
Total, effective and non-effective : namely,
Europeans, 15,660, and natives,
6885 22,545

Out of this grand total there were about 400 sick
and non-effective with the 1st Division, 300 with the
2nd Division, and 600 (including some of Wood's
Irregulars, absent and not accounted for since the
28th of March) with Wood's Flying Column. So that
altogether, deducting, say, 1500, Lord Chelmsford
had at his disposal, from the middle of April, a total
of 21,000 troops, of which over 15,000 were European.
Colonels Pearson and Wood were made brigadier-
generals, and the former was to command No. I

The Young Colonists. 123

Brigade, ist Division, and Colonel Pemberton, 3~6oth,
the other. They both, however, had to give up their
commands through sickness, and Colonels Rowland,
V.C., C.B., and Clark, 57th Regiment, succeeded them.

Major-General Clifford, V.C., C.B., had the following
staff for the management of the base of the opera
tions and the maintenance of the lines of communi
cation between Zululand and Natal : —

Lieutenant Westmacott, //th Foot, aide-de-camp ;
Major W. J. Butler, C.B., assistant-adjutant and quar
termaster-general, stationed at Durban ; and Captain
W. R. Fox, Royal Artillery, deputy assistant-adjutant
and quartermaster-general.

On the arrival of the boys with the waggons at
Pieter-Maritzburg, they reported themselves at the
headquarters of the transport corps, and were told
that they were not to go down to Durban, but were to
load up at once and accompany the Dragoon-Guards,
who were to march the next morning for the front.

This time the lads were mounted, as their fathers
thought that they would gain more benefit from their
experience if they were able to move about instead
of being confined to the sides of their waggons, and it
was a satisfaction to their mothers that, in case of
any untoward event again happening, they would be
in a better position for making their escape.

General Newdigate's columns were encamped at
Landmann's Drift ; the cavalry, under General
Marshall, was also there. The march was altogether
without incident.

Some days passed quietly, when a small party of

124 The Young Colonists.

horse made an expedition to Isandula ; they reported
that nearly a hundred waggons were still standing upon
the field of battle. On the i/th of May, three days
later, the rumour ran through the camp that the
cavalry were to start on the iQth, to bury the dead
and bring away the waggons. The Army Service
Corps and waggons were to accompany the party,
which was to consist of the Dragoon-Guards
and Lancers, with a party of native mounted
scouts.

In the afternoon of the 1 8th the two boys went to
Colonel Marshall's tent ; they waited patiently until
he came out, accompanied by two or three other
officers.

" We have come to ask, sir, if you will allow us to
go with your column. We are in charge of waggons
here, but they are not going. We were at the battle,
and saw the whole thing, and were taken prisoners
afterwards and carried to Umbelleni's kraal, where we
were liberated when Colonel Wood's cavalry attacked
the Zlobani hill. We are well mounted, sir, and are
good shots ; so, if you will let us go, we could keep
with the scouts and not be in your way."

" How did you see the fight ? " General Marshall
asked.

" We had gone up to the top of the hill, sir, before
it began, and fortunately the natives did not notice
us."

" Oh, yes, you can go," the general said. " Pro
bably you can give us a better account of the action
than any one else, as others who escaped were occupied

The Young Colonists. 125

by their own business, and could not mark the general
progress of the battle. So you were taken prisoners !
Well, I am going out now, but if you will call in this
evening at about half-past eight, I shall be glad to have
a talk with you."

In the evening the boys called upon the general,
one of the most popular and dashing officers in the
service. Three or four of his staff were there, and all
listened with great interest to the boys' account of
their adventures.

" You seem to have plenty of pluck and coolness,
youngsters," the general said, when they had finished.
" In future you need not trouble to ask for permission
to accompany me whenever the cavalry go out, provid
ing we have natives mounted with us ; you must go as
recruits, and can either keep with them or ride with my
orderlies."

Much pleased with the permission given, the lads
returned to the waggons, and the next morning they
started on their way.

The column bivouacked that night at Dill's Town,
and reached Rorke's Drift between three and four
o'clock in the morning, and were there joined by the
Natal Carabineers and Colonel Harness, R.A., with
guns.

At daybreak on the 2Oth the reconnoitring force
crossed the river. No signs of the enemy were
seen until they neared Isandula ; then signal-fires
blazed up on the hills to the right, and spread quickly
from hill to hill far into the interior. Pushing
steadily on, the plain of Isandula was reached by ten

126 The Young Colonists.

o'clock. The whole scene of the conflict was overgrown
with long grass, thickly intermixed with growing crops
of oats and Indian corn. Lying thickly here, and scat
tered over a wide area, lay the corpses of the soldiers,
The site of the camp itself was marked by the
remains of the tents, intermingled with a mass ol
broken trunks, boxes, meat-tins, papers, books, and
letters in wild disorder. The sole visible objects,
however, rising above the grass, were the waggons, all
more or less broken up.

The scouts were placed in all directions to give
warning of the approach of any enemies. The
Army Service Corps set to work to harness the
seventy pairs of led horses they had brought
with them to the best of the waggons, and the
troops wandered over the scene of the engagement,
and searched for and buried all the bodies they
found, with the exception of those of the 24th Regi
ment, as these, Colonel Glyn had asked, should be left
to be buried by their comrades. The bodies of the
officers of Colonel Durnford's corps were all found
together, showing that when all hope of escape was
gone they had formed in a group and defended them
selves to the last. The men of the Royal Artillery
buried all the bodies of their slain comrades who
could be found, but the shortness of the time and the
extent of the ground over which the fight had extended
rendered anything like a thorough search impossible.

The object of the expedition was not to fight, and
as at any moment the Zulus might appear in force

The Young Colonists. 127

upon the field, a start was made as soon as the
waggons were ready. Forty of the best waggons
were brought out, with some water-carts, a gun-
limber and a rocket-battery cart. Twenty waggons
in a disabled condition were left behind. Some
seventy waggons were missing, these having been
carried off by the Zulus, filled either with stores
or with their own wounded. Having accomplished
this work the cavalry rejoined headquarters at Land-
mann's Drift.

On the 27th of May the column advanced, New-
digate's division leading the way. By two o'clock in
the afternoon the men had crossed the Buffalo and
marched to Kopje-allein through a bare and tree
less country. One of the most popular figures in the
camp was the Prince Imperial of France, who, having
received a military education at Woolwich, and being
anxious to see service, had applied for and obtained
leave to accompany the expedition. The young prince
had been extremely popular at Woolwich, and was
indeed an immense favourite with all who knew him
— high-spirited and full of life, and yet singularly
gentle and courteous in manner. He was by nature
adapted to win the hearts of all who came in contact
with him. His abilities too were of the very highest
order, as was proved by the fact that, although suf
fering under the disadvantage of being a foreigner,
he yet came out so high in the final examination at
Woolwich as to be entitled to a commission in the
Rcyal Engineers. When it is considered how keen

128 The Young Colonists.

is the competition to enter Woolwich, and that all
the students there, having won their places by com
petitive examinations, may be said to be considerably
above the average of ability, it will be seen that, for
one who had previously gone through an entirely
different course of education, and had now to study
in a language that was not his own, to take rank
among the foremost of these was a proof both of
exceptional ability and industry.

A splendid career was open for the young prince, for
there is little doubt that, had he lived, he would sooner
or later have mounted the throne of his father, and
there are few pages of history more sad than those
which relate to his death in a paltry skirmish in a
corner of Africa. To Englishmen the page is all the
more sad, inasmuch as, had the men accompanying
him acted with the coolness and calmness generally
shown by Englishmen in a moment of danger,
instead of being carried away by a cowardly panic,
the Prince Imperial might yet be alive.

At Kopje-allein Newdigate's column was joined
by that of General Wood. Three days were spent in
carefully exploring the country, and on the 1st of
June the division, as nearly as possible 20,000 strong,
with a baggage-train of 400 native waggons, moved
forward and encamped near the Itelezi River. The
flying column of General Wood went on one march
ahead, and the country was carefully scouted by
Buller's horse for twenty miles round, and no Zulus
were found.

The Young Colonists. 129

CHAPTER IX.

ULUNDI.

ON Sunday, the ist of June, General Wood with a
small escort was out reconnoitring in advance of his
column, which was about five miles in front of the
force of General Newdigate. The morning was clear
and fresh, the ridges of the hills on either side were
dotted with Buller's horsemen. They crossed the
river by a ford, and having ridden about another
mile forward they observed some of the vedettes on
the high ground signalling that horsemen were ap
proaching.

Riding on to see who they could be, they were
joined by Colonel Buller and a dozen of his men,
and together they rode forward to meet the five
men who were seen approaching. In a few seconds
Lieutenant Carey and four troopers of Bettington's
Horse rode up, and when they had told their story
English soldiers had the shame and humiliation of
knowing that an English officer and four English
troopers had escaped unwounded from a Zulu
ambush, in which they had left a gallant young
prince, the guest of England and the hope of France,
to be barbarously slain.

Early in the morning the prince had learnt that a

(M264) £

130 The Young Colonists.

patrol was to be sent out in advance of the column, and
had applied for and obtained permission to accompany
it. Colonel Harrison, acting as quartermaster-general,
granted the permission, and had an interview with the
prince.

Six men of Bettington's Horse and the same
number of Shepstone's Basutos were to form the
party ; but unfortunately the Basutos did not come
up at the appointed time, and the patrol consisted
therefore only of the prince, Lieutenant Carey, the
six men of Bettington's Horse, and one Zulu. Con
sidering the importance of the safety of the prince, a
grave responsibility attaches to the staff- officer who
allowed him to go with so small a party.

After an hour's ride they reached the crest of
a hill and dismounted to fix the position of some dis
tant points by the compass. Here Colonel Harrison
overtook them, and remarked that the whole of the
escort was not with them, and that they had better
wait for the Basutos to come up. The prince said, —

" Oh, we are quite strong enough — besides, we have
all our friends around us, and with my glass I can
see General Marshall's cavalry coming up."

Unfortunately Colonel Harrison did not insist that
the party should wait until the Basutos arrived, and
they proceeded another seven miles, and then halted
in an isolated kraal in a valley. A worse spot could
not have been selected for a halt, as it was surrounded
by long grass, six or seven feet high ; here the saddles
were taken off the horses, and coffee was prepared.

The Young Colonists. 1 3 1

Without any search being made they sat down to
make coffee, although it was clear, from the burnt
embers, bones, and other dtbris, that the place had
been but recently occupied

The Zulu was the first to see the enemy in the
long grass, and the horses were at once saddled. The
escort stood ready by them, and just as the prince
gave the word, " Prepare to mount," the Zulus' war-cry
burst out, and some guns were fired from the grass.

The horses started at the outburst, and some broke
away. Never were a body of troops in an enemy's
country so unprepared for the attack. Not a carbine
was loaded ! not a sentry placed ! Each of the
troopers, including the officer, was seized with a wild
panic, and thought only of flight, — one indeed had
fallen at the first shot. The prince's horse was ill-
tempered and badly broken, and, frightened by the
firing and yells, he was so restive that the prince was
unable to mount. Had one of those men stood for
an instant at his head the prince might have gained
his saddle, but all had galloped away, leaving him
alone. Running by his horse, he in vain endeavoured
to mount ; he had not had time to tighten the girth,
the saddle slipped round, and the horse galloped
away. Unfortunately the prince's revolvers were in
the holsters, so he was unarmed, save with his sword,
and with this he stood bravely at bay, and died nobly
facing his foes, who pierced him with assegais at a
distance.

According to Zulu accounts afterwards obtained,

132 The Young Colonists.

there were but five or six men engaged in the attack,
and had the Englishmen accompanying the prince, nay
even had one of them, possessed but the smallest
amount of presence of mind and courage, the Prince
Imperial might have been saved. There is no blacker
page in the annals of English military history.

The feeling of indignation, shame, and regret in the
English camp, when this shameful episode was
known, was indescribable. Of all the party the friendly
Zulu was the only one who came out with honour ; he
had gone towards the river to fetch water when he
discovered the enemy, and might have instantly taken
flight. He returned, however, and gave warning
that the Zulus were lurking round. Even then it does
not appear that he attempted to fly, but fought the
foe until overcome by numbers. His body was
afterwards discovered not far from that of the prince,
riddled with wounds, together with a number of his
own assegais broken, but stained with the blood of
his assailants.

The next morning the cavalry rode out to find and
bring in the prince's body. When it was discovered, it
was tenderly brought into camp. It was afterwards
taken over to England, and laid by the remains of his
father atChislehurst. A court-martial was held on Lieu
tenant Carey. The sentence was kept secret, but it
was generally understood that he was dismissed from
the service with ignominy. He was sent home under
arrest, but on his arrival there the proceedings of the
court-martial were declared null and void on account of

The Young Colonists. 133

some technical irregularity, and he was ordered to
resume his duties. It was reported that this extra
ordinary leniency was shown by the special desire of
the Empress, who made a personal request to the
Queen that nothing should be done in the matter.

Early in June some messengers arrived in Lord
Chelmsford's camp from Cetewayo. Lord Chelmsford
told them that before any negotiations could be entered
into, the whole of the spoil taken at Isandula,
especially the two captured 7-pounder guns, must
be restored.

Considerable delays now took place, and for three
weeks a force of Englishmen sufficient to march
through and through Zululand in every direction was
kept doing nothing at a distance of three days' march
from the enemy's capital. So extraordinary and un
accountable was the delay that the English govern
ment appointed Sir Garnet Wolseley to go out to
supersede Lord Chelmsford. Upon the receipt of this
news preparations for an advance were at last made.
On the 2 1st General Newdigate's column reached the
right bank of the Umlatoosi. General Crealock, who
commanded the division which was operating by the
sea, also moved forward about this time, but met with
such difficulties, owing to the sickness which attacked
his transport-train, that he was unable to co-operate
with the first division, although his force did service
by occupying a large number of the enemy, who
would otherwise have been free to act against the
main column.

134 TJie Young Colonists.

Between the 24th and 26th General Newdigate's and
Wood's columns advanced but six miles. But Buller
with his horse scouted ahead, and cut up a number
of Zulus who were engaged in burning the grass, to
hinder the advance of the horses and cattle. On the
26th Colonel Drury-Lowe, with the light cavalry,
450 of Buller's men and two guns, went out and
attacked and burnt five large military kraals. On the
27th the column advanced five miles towards Ulundi,
leaving their tents behind them, and taking only
200 ammunition-waggons and ten days' rations ; 500
infantry were left to guard the stores.

On the afternoon of that day some messengers came
in from Cetewayo, bringing 150 of the cattle captured
at Isandula, together with a pair of elephant's tusks,
and a letter written in English by a trader captured
at Isandula. The letter said that the king could
not comply with all Lord Chelmsford's commands,
as the arms taken from us at Isandula were not
brought to him, and that it was beyond his power
as a king to order or compel any of his regiments to
lay down their arms. He said the cannons should
be sent in, and on the receipt of the cattle and these
weapons the English must retire from Zululand. The
trader had written in a corner of the letter, in pencil, a
few words of warning, and an intimation that Cete
wayo had with him at Ulundi a picked force of
20,000 men.

Lord Chelmsford refused to receive the tusks, and
told the messengers to inform Cetewayo, that before
he should think of retiring, all the conditions must be

The Young Colonists. 135

complied with, and the Zulu regiments lay down their
arms. Late in the evening several large bodies of
the enemy, amounting to some thousands, were
noticed moving from the direction of Ulundi, passing
by their left flank.

The next morning General Wood moved forward
as far as the left bank of the White Umvolosi, and New-
digate's column followed in the afternoon. Wood's
division bivouacked on the farther side of the river,
Newdigate's halted on the right. The most vigilant
watch was kept, with pickets in every direction, and
patrols of cavalry beyond these.

At daybreak on the 2/th the main body crossed
the river, and joined Wood on the left bank. They
were now but fifteen miles from Ulundi, and the king's
five kraals were visible to the naked eye. Three days
were given to Cetewayo to comply with the conditions,
but the original terms were altered so far, that Lord
Chelmsford consented to receive 1000 captured rifles
instead of insisting upon the regiments laying down
their arms. While waiting, the army remained on the
Umvolosi, having retired to the right side, pending the
decision of peace or war.

During these three days the Zulus had made many
hostile demonstrations against us. On the first and
second they kept up a scattered fire at distant
ranges at our men, and on the third, growing bolder,
pushed their skirmishers down to the rocks on the
opposite side of the river, and fired upon the men, as
they were watering their horses in the stream. One
horse was killed and several men wounded.

136 The Young Colonists.

Buller therefore asked and obtained permission to
make a raid on the other side. A couple of guns
were brought into requisition to defend his crossing,
and two or three rounds of shrapnel sent a crowd of
Zulus, who had approached the opposite heights,
stragglingin all directions. Buller's horse, the mounted
infantry, and Baker's horse dashed over the river
at once. At full speed they raced across the country ;
Baker's men, guided by their leader, inclined to the
left front, by Buller's orders, to carry and hold a
hillock which commanded the ford.

Colonel Raaf, with a portion of Buller's horse, was
halted near the kraal of Unodwingo to act as a reserve,
and Buller, with 100 of his best mounted men, pushed
on with the intention of exploring the ground as far as
possible towards Ulundi. He knew that the bulk of
the king's army was away upon Lord Chelmsford's right
flank, and thought therefore that he might push on to
Ulundi without opposition. The country consisted of a
plain, across which ran some stony undulations, and at
one point were two hollows, united at a right angle.
The Zulu general disposed his men in shelter, and as
Buller with his little band of horsemen rode up they
rose and poured a very heavy fire into the ranks of
the horsemen. Sudden and unexpected as was this
attack, Buller's men were too well used to native
fighting to evince the slightest confusion. In the most
perfect order they began to fall back in alternate ranks,
keeping up a steady fire upon the enemy, who were
eagerly advancing. Raaf and his men rode up to the

The Young Colonists. 137

assistance of the hotly-pressed party, and Baker's
horse, upon their hillock, opened a steady fire upon
the Zulus. Gradually and steadily the cavalry fell back
towards the river, the two guns on the opposite bank
aiding them by their fire of grape and shrapnel upon
the Zulus, who pressed forward with extreme bravery.

Many gallant deeds were done. Lord William
Beresford, who had accompanied the party as a vo
lunteer, distinguished himself by his bravery and cool
ness. Seeing upon the ground a dismounted and
wounded trooper, surrounded by a dozen Zulus, he
wheeled his horse and dashed down among them,
knocking over three with the rush of his horse, and
cutting down two with right and left strokes of his
sabre ; in another moment he had the wounded
man on his horse behind him, and carried him off
in safety.

Commander D'Arcy, also seeing a wounded man
on the ground, tried to carry him off, but his horse,
being restive, reared and fell back upon him, so that
the unfortunate trooper was overtaken and assegaied ;
while D'Arcy, who was severely bruised by falling on
his revolver, was able to get back safely, but was
unable to take part in the next day's fight.

A little before daybreak Wood with his flying
column crossed the river, followed by the main
army. The whole of the baggage was left in
charge of the 24th, and nothing was taken, save the
ammunition and water-carts, each man carrying
four days' supply of biscuits and preserved meat in

138 The Young Colonists.

his havresack. The crossing of the river was made
without any opposition, but the movements of the
troops were watched by a party of Zulus from a
hillock on the left.

As soon as favourable ground had been reached,
Wood was signalled to halt and wait for the main body,
and when the junction was effected the order was given
to form a large hollow square. Inside this square were
two companies of engineers, together with the ammu
nition-carts, water-carts, and ambulance waggons,
carts with intrenching tools, stretchers and bearers,
together with two gatling-guns in a reserve. The
front face of the square was formed by the 8oth
Regiment, with two gatling-guns in their centre and
two /-pounders on their right. The right face of
the square was formed of seven companies of the 1 3th
Regiment. Next to these came two 7-pounder and
one Q-pounder guns ; four companies of the $8th
completed the line on this side. The rear face was
composed of two companies of the 2ist, and three
companies of the 94th, with a Q-pounder gun. On
the left or west flank were three companies of the 94th,
two /-pounder guns, eight companies of the 9Oth,
and two 9-pounders. Buller's cavalry were away,
scouring the country on the flanks. Colonel Drury-
Lowe, with two squadrons of the I7th Lancers and
Captain Shepstone's Basutos, formed the rear-guard.
The square moved forward for a few miles, when they
began to near the smaller kraals. Towards the left
front the Zulu columns could now be seen across the
plain, with the sun glancing down upon their long lines

The Young Colonists. 139

of white shields. Upon reaching the first kraal the
square was halted while it was fired. The next kraal
was a very large one, called Unodwingo. This was also
fired ; but, as it was found that the smoke drifted across
the plain so as to act as a screen to the Zulus, Lord
Chelmsford ordered its extinction. Strong columns of
the enemy could now be seen moving out in good order
from Ulundi, and the square halted on some slightly-
rising ground.

The Zulus soon opened a dropping fire on the right
front, and from a strong force operating on some
broken ground near Unodwingo on the left. By nine
o'clock the Zulu attack was fairly developed. Buller's
men then made a strong demonstration on the left,
driving the Zulus from the hollow where they were
sheltered back to the Unodwingo kraal. This move
ment was well supported by Shepstone and the
Basutos.

The Zulus now brought up a strong reinforcement
from the right, so as to assist those engaged with
the cavalry. Buller's men fought in the Dutch fashion,
in two ranks ; the first mounted and ready to dash in a
moment upon any weak point in the enemy's line, the
second on foot, using their saddles as a rest for their
rifles. As soon as the front rank became too hardly
pressed, they cantered to the rear and dismounted and
opened fire, while the second rank mounted in readiness
to charge. Gradually Buller and Shepstone fell back,
the Zulu column pressing upon them until well
within reach of the gatlings and Martinis. The cavalry
then took refuge in the square, and over the ridges

140 The Young Colonists.

of the front and left the Zulu column with loud shouts
swept down upon the square. The British infantry now
opened fire. Catlings and rifles poured in their deadly
hail of fire, while the guns swept the Zulu ranks with
shrapnel and grape. Terrible as the fire was, the
Zulus pressed bravely forward, filling up the gaps made
in their ranks, their wild war-cry rising even above
the roll of the rifle-fire. The fiercest attack came
from the Unodwingo kraal. Forming under cover of
the kraal, a large body, led by a chief on a white
horse, and formed in a hollow square, dashed at the
right rear angle of the British formation. Tremen
dous as the fire was, they pressed forward until it
seemed as if they would come to close quarters with the
column ; but, brave as the Zulus were, it was impossible
to withstand the fire which the 2ist, 94th, 58th,
and Royal Engineers poured into them. The square
was broken up, and after a moment's pause the Zulus
turned and sought shelter from the leaden hail.

While the fight was raging here, another Zulu
column had attacked the front ; but here the assault
was speedily repulsed, the cool and steady fire of the
8oth having so deadly an effect that the Zulus never
attempted to make a rush upon them. It was now
a quarter to ten — but a quarter of an hour from the
firing of the first shot, but the combat was .virtually
at an end. The Zulus, astounded at the storm of fire
by which they had been received, were everywhere
wavering ; Lord Chelmsford gave the order, and the
two squadrons of lancers burst from the square,

The Young Colonists. 141

greeted with a loud cheer from the infantry, and with
their pennons fluttering in the breeze, and their long
lances in rest they dashed upon the flying Zulus, and
drove them headlong into a little ravine. But flanking
this, and hidden by the long grass, half a Zulu regiment
had been posted to cover the retreat, and as the
squadrons of lancers came on a volley was poured in,
which emptied several saddles and killed Lieutenant
Wyatt-Edgell, who was leading his men. In another
moment the line of lancers dashed down upon the
Zulu ranks, and before the level line of lances the
enemy went down like grass. Shattered and broken
in an instant, the Zulus fought in stubborn knots,
stabbing at the horses, throwing themselves on the
men, and trying to dismount them.

In a meUe like this the lance was useless, and the
troopers drew their swords and fought hand to hand
with the foe ; and now a troop of the King's Dragoon-
Guards and Buller's horse took up the charge, and
the flying Zulus were cut down in scores before they
could gain the crest of the hill. The Zulus here
fought with far less determination than they had ex
hibited at Kambula. There for four hours they had
striven in vain to carry General Wood's strongly-
intrenched position ; here they made one great effort,
and then all was over. Their force was estimated at
23,000, and of these they lost only about 1500, of
whom at least one-third were killed in the retreat.
The battle over, the remaining kraals were burnt.

Most unfortunately, the day after the battle of

142 The Young Colonists.

Ulundi, the news of the arrival of Sir Garnet
Wolseley reached the front, and the movements of
the army were paralyzed by the change of command.
Instead therefore of a vigorous pursuit of the enemy,
nothing was done, and the army halted until the new
commander-in-chief should arrange his plans of action.
Lord Chelmsford at once resigned command of his
column, and left for England.

The two boys had been present at the battle of
Ulundi. They had, during the weary weeks which pre
ceded the advance, made the acquaintance of most of
the officers of the cavalry, and Colonel Lowe had re
peated the permission given them by General Marshall.
They had therefore, when on the morning of the fight
the column marched out, attached themselves to
Shepstone's mounted Basutos, and had fought in the
ranks of that corps during the cavalry action which
preceded the attack on the square.

After the action was over, great quantities of cattle
and corn fell into the hands of the troops, and so large
a transport-train was no longer necessary. Orders were
therefore issued that a certain number of the waggons
could take their discharge from the service, and the
lads at once applied to be placed on the list of those
whose services could be dispensed with.

Two days later they started for the rear with a
convoy of sick and wounded, and in due time, without
further adventure, arrived home, to the great delight
of their parents.

The victory of Ulundi virtually put an end to the

The Young Colonists. 143

war ; a great portion of the troops were sent home ;
the Zulu chiefs came in and surrendered with their
followers, almost to a man. Cetewayo succeeded in
concealing himself for some time, but after a long
chase he was captured by Major Marter and Lord
Gifford, and was sent a prisoner to the Cape.

144 The Young Colonists.

CHAPTER X.

A TRADING EXPEDITION.

AFTER dividing Zululand into districts and appoint
ing a chief to rule over each, General Wolseley
marched his force against Secoceni, the chief whose
hostile attitude had caused the Boers to accept the
protectorate of England. This chief had maintained his
defiant attitude, and, relying upon the strength of his
hill-stronghold, had kept up an irregular war upon
them, aided by the Swazis who came down from the
north to assist him.

Sir Garnet Wolseley attacked Secoceni's mountain.
His men fought bravely, but were altogether unable
to resist the attack of the English. The place was
carried, his warriors killed or dispersed, and his power
altogether broken. As the lads were not present at
this affair — being well contented to stay for a while
and assist their fathers in the farm — it is not neces
sary to enter into further details of it.

A few months later three teams of waggons drove
up to the farm. It was late in the evening, and their
owner, who had met Mr. Humphreys several times at
Newcastle, knocked at the door.

" I have made a long march/' he said, " to-day, and
the oxen are knocked up ; so if you will take me in,
I will halt here for the night instead of going on. The

The Voting Colonists. 145

roads have proved heavier than I had expected, and I
have done a very long day's journey."

Mr. Humphreys at once invited the speaker to enter.
Mr. Harvey was a trader, one of those who are
in the habit of taking long expeditions far into the
interior, with his waggons laden with cotton, beads,
tower-muskets, powder, lead, and toys prized by
the natives, returning laden with ivory, ostrich
feathers, and skins. He was now about to start
upon such a journey, having stocked his waggons at
Durban.

After supper was over, the trader told many stories
of his adventures among the natives, and the profits
which were gained by such journeys.

" Generally," he said, " I go with six waggons, but
I was very unlucky last time ; the tzetze-fly attacked
my animals, most of which died, and the natives took
advantage of my position to make an attack upon me.
I beat them off, but was finally obliged to pack all my
most valuable goods in one waggon, to make my way
back with it, and abandon everything else to the
natives. Now, Humphreys, why don't you join me ?
You have got a waggon, and you can buy stores at
Newcastle, not of course as cheap as at the seaside,
but still cheap enough to leave a large marginal
profit on the trip."

" I cannot leave the farm," Mr. Humphreys said.

" Nor can his wife spare him, Mr. Harvey," Mrs.
Humphreys put in.

" Well, why don't you send your son, here, with the

(M264) L

146 The Young Colonists.

waggon ? " Mr. Harvey asked. " The man who gene
rally travels with me as partner broke his leg the other
day, down at Durban, and I should be very glad of one
or two white companions. Two or three white men
together can do anything with the natives, but if there
is only one, and he happens to knock up, it goes very
hard with him."

" Well, I don't know," Mr. Humphreys said, as
Dick looked eagerly towards him ; " it is a sort of
thing that wants thinking over."

" Oh ! father," Dick exclaimed excitedly, " it would
be a glorious trip, especially if Tom Jackson would go
too. I heard Mr. Jackson only yesterday say that his
draught-oxen are eating their heads off, and that he
must put them on the road to do some freighting. You
see, if Mr. Jackson did not care about going in for the
trading himself — and I know, from what he said the
other day, that his money is all employed on the farm
— you might hire his waggon for the trip. In fact
that and your own — "

" That sounds easy and satisfactory enough, Dick,"
Mr. Humphreys said, laughing ; " but one does not
jump into these things in a moment. There, you
go off to bed, and I will talk the matter further over
with Mr. Harvey."

Dick went to bed in high glee. When his father
once said that he would talk a thing over, Dick felt
that the chances were very strong that he would give
in to his wishes. Mr. Humphreys was less influ
enced by the idea of making a good trading specu-

The Young Colonists. 147

lation than by the consideration that a journey of this
kind would not only give great pleasure to his son, but
would be of real benefit to him. It was Mr. Humphreys'
opinion that it is good for a lad to be placed in posi
tions where he learns self-reliance, readiness, and
promptness of action. For himself his farm-work
occupied all his thoughts, and he needed no distrac
tion ; but for a lad change is necessary. Had Dick
had — as would have been the case at home — a number
of school-fellows and companions of the same age,
he would have joined in their games and amusements,
and no other change would have been necessary, or
indeed desirable ; but in the farm in Natal it was alto
gether different. The work of looking after a number
of Kaffirs planting and watering trees was monotonous,
and unbroken, as it generally was, by the sight of a
strange face from the beginning to the end of the
week, it was likely to become irksome to a boy.

Occasionally indeed Dick and Tom Jackson would
meet and go out on a shooting expedition together ;
but Tom could seldom be spared, as his father, being

shorter-handed than Mr. Humphreys, found him of

«
considerable use.

Soon after daylight Dick was aroused by his father.

" Jump up at once, Dick ; I want you to ride over
with a letter to Mr. Jackson. We have pretty well
settled that you shall go with Mr. Harvey, and I am
writing to make an offer to Mr. Jackson for the use oi
his waggon for six months."

Dick gave a shout of delight, and in a very short

148 The Young Colonists.

time had dressed himself, and, having saddled his
horse, was dashing at full speed across the veldt. Early
as the hour was when he arrived, Mr. Jackson was
already out in his fields. Dick soon found him, and
handed him the letter, and while he was reading it
explained in low, excited words to Tom the mission
on which he had come.

" Well, I don't know," Mr. Jackson said, when he
had finished the letter ; " your father makes me a very
liberal offer, Dick, for my waggon and team for six
months, on the condition that I allow Tom to accom
pany them, and he points out that in his opinion a
journey of this kind will be likely to develop the
boy's character and teach him many things that may
some day be of use to him. It comes upon me
suddenly, and it seems he wants the waggon and
team to be at Newcastle this evening, ready for a start
in the morning. He himself is going to ride over
there to purchase goods to freight it directly he
receives my reply. I must go in and consult with
mother before I come to any decided conclusion."

So saying he strode off towards the house.

Dick, leading his pony, walked after, by the
side of Tom, to whom he explained all he knew of
the character of the proposed journey.

" Mr. Harvey says, Tom, that of course he goes to
trade, but that at the same time he does a lot of shoot
ing, both for the sake of the skins and for the meat for
the men. He says that he often meets with lions,
hippopotami, and sometimes elephants — sometimes
they meet with hostile natives."

The Yoimg Colonists. 149

Altogether the expedition promised an immense
variety of adventure. The boys remained chatting out
side the house until Mr. Jackson came to the door and
called them in.

" So you are not contented to stop at home, Dick,"
Mrs. Jackson said, "and you want to take Tom
rambling away with you again ? Of course I can
not say no, when my husband is inclined to let him
go, but I shall be terribly anxious until he is back
again."

" I wont let him get into any scrapes, Mrs. Jack
son," Dick said confidently.

"I have no faith whatever," Mrs. Jackson said,
smiling, " in your keeping him out of scrapes, but I
do think it possible that you may get him out of
them after he is once in them. Do be careful, my boys,
for the sakes of your fathers and mothers ! I know
Mr. Harvey has been making these journeys for a good
many years and has always got back safely, and I have
great faith in his experience and knowledge, — but
there, Dick, I must not keep you. Here is my husband
with an answer to your father's letter, and as you will
have lots to do, and your father will be waiting for
this letter before he starts for Newcastle, you had
better ride off at once. Good-bye, my boy, for I
shan't see you again before you start. I trust that
you will come back safe and well."

Two minutes later Dick was again galloping
across the country, arriving home in time for break
fast.

Mr§ Humphreys was in better spirits than Dick

150 The Young Colonists.

had feared he should find her ; but her health had
improved immensely since her arrival in the colony,
and she was more active and energetic than Dick
ever remembered her to have been. She was able
therefore to take a far more cheerful view of the pro
posed expedition than she could have done the year
before, and her husband had had comparatively little
difficulty in obtaining her consent to Dick's accom
panying Mr. Harvey.

" Your father thinks that it will be for your good,
my boy," she said, " and I have no doubt that you
will enjoy yourself greatly, — but be sure to be
careful, and don't let your high spirits get you
into scrapes ; — remember how valuable your life is
to us ! "

" While you are away, Dick," his father said, " you
will remember that you are absolutely under Mr.
Harvey's orders. As the head of the expedition he
stands in the position of the master, and he must receive
ready and explicit obedience from all. He is not a
man unnecessarily to curb or check you, and you may
be sure that he will not restrain you unless for the
good of the expedition. You must beware how far
you stray from the caravan ; the country you are
going to is very different from this. Here, go where
you will, you are sure in a short time to come upon
some farmhouse, where you may get directions as to
your way. There, once lost, it is upon yourself alone
you must depend to recover the track. The beasts of
prey are formidable opponents, and a lion or an

The Young Colonists. 151

elephant wounded, but not killed, could rend you into
pieces in a moment ; therefore you must be prudent
as well as brave, obedient as well as enterprising.
You have already shown that you have plenty of
presence of mind, as well as of courage, and in nine
cases out of ten the former quality is even the more
necessary in a country such as that you are now
going to. Courage will not avail you when a
wounded leopard is charging down upon you, and
your rifle is already discharged, but presence of mind
may point out some means of escape from the danger.
And now, if you have finished breakfast, you had
better ride over with me to Newcastle — I have a very
large number of goods to buy. Mr. Harvey, who went
on the first thing, will meet me there and show me
the kind of goods most likely to take with the natives ;
it will be well that you should not only know the price
of each article, but that you should see everything
packed, so as to know the contents of each bale by its
shape and markings — a matter which may save you
much trouble when you begin to trade."

The shopping did not take up so long a time as
Mr. Humphreys had anticipated ; the large store
keepers all kept precisely the kind of goods required,
as they were in the habit of selling to the Boers for
barter with the natives.

In the afternoon the waggon was sent away, and
an hour before daybreak next morning Dick, having
bade farewell to his mother, started with Mr.
Humphreys.

152 The Young Colonists.

Tom and Mr. Jackson arrived there a few minutes
later, and the work of loading the waggons at once
commenced, and was concluded by nine o'clock ; then
they joined the waggons of Mr. Harvey, which were
already waiting outside the town.

Their fathers rode with them to the ford across the
river, and then after a hearty farewell returned to
their farms, while the caravan of five waggons crossed
into the Transvaal.

Each waggon was drawn by sixteen oxen, with a
native driver and leader to each. There were three
Swazis who had accompanied Mr. Harvey on pre
vious expeditions, all good hunters and men who
could be relied upon in every emergency. The eldest
of these natives was a very tall and muscular man, of
some five and forty years of age ; the left side of his face,
his shoulder, and side were deeply seamed with scars,
the relics of a fight with a wounded lioness. He
had a very long and difficult name, which had been
Anglicized and shortened by Mr. Harvey into
" Jack."

The second of the trio was a man so short as to be
almost deformed, a very unusual circumstance among
the natives. His head was set low between his
shoulders, and his long sinewy arms reached almost
to his ankles. Mr. Harvey told the lads he was im
mensely strong, and the expression of his face was
quick and intelligent. He was about twenty-four years
of age ; he had been found by Mr. Harvey's father,
who had also been a trader, deserted and apparently

T/ie Young Colonists. 153

dying, a baby of only a few months old. Among
savage people infants who are in any way deformed
are generally deserted and left to perish, and this
was the fate evidently intended for the child when the
mother became convinced he would not grow up tall
and straight, like other men. Mr. Harvey had picked
it up, fed and cared for it, and it grew up full of a
passionate attachment for him, following him every
where, and ready at any moment to give his life for
him. He was called Tony, and spoke English as
fluently as the native language.

The third of the hunters was a tall, slight figure,
a man of about five and thirty, with muscles like
whipcord, who could, if it were needed, go for 100 miles
without a halt, and tire out the swiftest horse. In
addition to these were ten natives, who assisted with
the cattle, pitched the tent, cooked and skinned the
game, and did other odd jobs.

The road was fairly good, and two days after leav
ing Newcastle they arrived at Standerton, a rising
place, inhabited principally by English traders and
shopkeepers. Here three roads branched : the one
led to Utrecht on the east ; another to Pretoria, the
capital, to the north-west ; while the third, a track
much less used than the others, led due north. This
was the one followed by the caravan.

As they proceeded, the Dutch farmhouses became
more sparsely sprinkled over the country, and several
large native kraals were passed. Over the wide
plains large herds of deer roamed almost unmolested,

154 The Young Colonists.

and the lads had no difficulty in keeping the caravan
well supplied with provisions. One or two of the
Kaffirs generally accompanied them, to carry in the
game ; but Mr. Harvey and the three hunters, accus
tomed to more exciting sport, kept along with the
caravan, the former well content that the lads
should amuse themselves with furnishing food for the
party.

At Newcastle Mr. Humphreys had purchased a
couple of small pocket-compasses, one for each of the
boys, and the possession of these gave them great
confidence, as, with their guidance, they were always
enabled to strike the trail of the caravan.

The road had now altogether ceased, and they were
travelling across a bare, undulating country, dotted
occasionally by herds and flocks of Dutch settlers,
and by the herds of wandering deer, but unbroken
by a tree of any size, and for the most part covered
with tall grass. The deer met with were for the
most part antelopes of one or other of three kinds,
all of which abound on the higher plains. These are
known as the " wilde-beest," the " bless-buck," and
the " spring-buck."

The venison which these creatures afforded was
occasionally varied by the flesh of the " stump-pig,"
which abounded in considerable numbers, and, as
they ran at a great speed, afforded the boys many a
good chase.

Generally the caravan halted for the night — while
they were still in a country occupied here and there by

The Young Colonists. 155

Boers — near one of the farmhouses. It was not that
these habitations added to the pleasure of the halting-
place, for the Boers were generally gruff and surly, and
their dogs annoyed them by their constant barking
and growling, but for the most part it was only at these
farmhouses that water could be obtained. A small
sum was generally charged by the Boers for the
privilege of watering the oxen of each waggon.

It would seem a churlish action to charge for
water, but this fluid is very scarce upon the veldt.
There are long periods of drought, of which, in a dry
season, thousands of cattle perish ; it is therefore only
natural that each farmer should hoard his supply
jealously, for he cannot tell how great his own need
of it may shortly be. The water is for the most part
stored in artificial ponds, made by damming up
hollows through which the water runs in the wet
season.

Sometimes, as the caravan made its slow way
along, a young Boer would dash up upon his horse,
and, reining in, ask a few questions as to their
route, and then ride off again. Already the boys
had admired the figures and riding of the Boers whom
they had seen in action in Zululand, but they were
much more struck by their appearance as they saw
them now. There are no finer men in the world than
the young Boers of the Transvaal ; in after-life they
often become heavy, but as young men their figures
are perfect. Very tall and powerfully built, they sit
their horses as if man and animal were one, and are

156 The Young Colonists.

such splendid marksmen thatt while riding at full
speed, they can, with almost absolute certainty,
bring down an antelope at a distance of 150
yards.

But the abodes of the Boers, and their manner of
living, impressed the boys far less favourably. How
ever extensive the possessions and numerous the
herds of a Boer, he lives in the same primitive style
as his poorest neighbour. The houses seldom contain
more than two, or at most three, rooms. The dress
of the farmer, wife, and family is no better than that
of labourers ; whole families sleep in one room ; books
are almost unknown in their houses, and they are
ignorant and prejudiced to an extreme degree. Upon
his horse and his gun the Boer will spend money
freely, but for all other purposes he is thrifty and
close-fisted in the extreme. Water is regarded as
useful for drinking purposes, but its utility for
matters of personal cleanliness is generally altogether
ignored. Almost all sleep in their clothes, and a
shake and a stretch suffice for the morning toilet.

The power of a Boer over his sons and daughters
is most unlimited, and he is the hardest and cruellest
of masters to the unfortunate natives whom he keeps
in slavery under the title of indentured apprentices, and
whose lives he regards as of no more importance than
those of his sheep, and as of infinitely less consequence
than those of his horses or even of his dogs. To the
unhappy natives the taking over of the Transvaal
by England had been a blessing of the highest kind.

The Young Colonists. 157

For the first time the shooting of them in cold blood
had come to be considered a crime, and ordinances
had been issued against slavery, which, although
generally evaded by the Boers, still promised a happy
state of things in the future.

At the native kraals the travellers were always
welcomed when it was known that they were English.
The natives looked to Queen Victoria as a sort of
guardian angel, and not a thought entered their heads
that they would ere long be cruelly and basely aban
doned to the mercies of the Dutch by the govern
ment of England.

Slowly and without incident the caravan made
its way north, and at last encamped upon the banks
of the great river Limpopo, the northern boundary of
the Transvaal. This river was too wide and deep to
be forded, but at the spot where they had struck it,
there was a large native kraal. Here Mr. Harvey,
who had many times before followed the same route
to this spot, was warmly welcomed, and preparations
were made for effecting a crossing. The oxen were
first taken across ; these were steered by ropes
attached to their horns and fastened to a canoe, which
paddled ahead of them. The beasts were delighted
to enter the water after their long dusty journey, and
most of them, after reaching the opposite bank, lay
down for a long time in the shallow water at the
edge. Most of the stores were carried across in
canoes. Inflated skins were then fastened to the
waggons, and these also were towed across the stream

1 58 The Young Colonists.

by canoes. The passage had commenced at early
morning, and by nightfall the whole of the caravan
and its contents were safely across the stream.

" We are now," Mr. Harvey said, " in the Matabele
country ; the natives are for the most part friendly,
as they know the advantage they derive from the
coming of English traders, but there are portions of
the tribe altogether hostile to us, and the greatest
caution and care have to be exercised in passing
through some portions of the country. To the east
lies a land said to be very rich in gold, and there
can be little doubt that it is so, for we frequently find
natives who have traded with that country in posses
sion of gold-dust, but they allow no white men to
pass their frontier on any pretext whatever. They
have become aware in some way how great is the
value of gold in the eyes of Europeans, and fear that if
the wealth of the country in that metal were but known
a vast emigration of Europeans would take place, which
would assuredly sooner or later end in the driving
out or extirpation of the present inhabitants of the
land."

The news which they had learned at the village
where they had crossed, of the state of affairs among
the tribes of the north, was not encouraging. The
natives said that there had been much fighting. Not
only had eruptions taken place with tribes still further
north, but the Matabele had also been quarrelling
among themselves.

" This is bad news indeed," Mr. Harvey said ; " these

The Young Colonists. 159

tribal wars make journeying very difficult; for,
although none of the tribes may be hostile to Euro
peans at ordinary times, they view them with distrust
when coming from a tribe with whom they are at war.
In peace-time, too, when each section of the tribe is
under some sort of control by the head chief, each
will hesitate to rob or attack an European caravan,
because the whole would consider themselves aggrieved
and injured by such a proceeding. In war-time, on
the other hand, each thinks, ' If we do not rob this rich
caravan some one else is sure to do so ; we may as
well have the plunder as another.' War is injurious to
us in other ways ; instead of the tribes spending
their time in hunting, they remain at home to guard
their villages and women, and we shall find but little
ivory and few ostrich feathers gathered to trade for
our goods. I had not intended to have encumbered
myself with a larger following, but I think, after what
I have heard, it will be wise to strengthen our party
before going further. I will therefore hire twenty
men from the village here to accompany us ; they
will be useful in hunting, and will cost but little ; their
wages are nominal, and we shall have no difficulty
in providing them with food with our rifles. In one
respect they are more useful than men hired from
time to time from among the people farther north for
the purpose of driving game, for, as you see, many of
them carry guns, while beyond the river they are
armed only with bows and arrows."

" I am surprised to see so many guns," Dick said ;

1 60 The Young Colonists.

" where could these people have got the money to buy
them?"

" It is the result of a very bad system," Mr. Harvey
replied. " The Cape authorities, in spite of all the repre
sentations which have been made to them, of the ex
treme danger of allowing the natives to possess firearms,
allow their importation and sale to them, simply on
account of the revenue which they derive from it, as a
duty of a pound is charged on each gun imported into
the colony. From all parts of South Africa the natives,
Pondos, Basutos, Zulus, and other Kaffirs, go to the
diamond-fields and work there for months ; when
their earnings suffice to enable them to buy a gun,
a stock of ammunition, and a blanket, they return
to their homes. All these fellows you see carrying
guns have served their six or eight months in the
diamond-mines ; a dozen of them would be a strong
reinforcement to our fighting power, in case of an
attack."

There was no difficulty in engaging the required
number of men. Each was to be paid on the con
clusion of the journey with a certain quantity of
powder and lead, a few yards of cotton, some beads
and other cheap trinkets, and was to be fed on the
journey. Thus reinforced the caravan proceeded on
its way.

The Young Colonists. 161

CHAPTER XL

A TROOP OF LIONS.

THE country across which the waggons now made
their way differed somewhat from that over which
they had previously passed ; it was not so undulating,
and the herbage was shorter and more scanty ; the
soil was for the most part sandy ; trees were much
more abundant, and sometimes there were thick
growths of jungle. Even before leaving the Transvaal
they had at night often heard the roar of lions, but
these had not approached the camp.

" We must look out for lions to-night," Mr. Harvey
said, when the caravan encamped near a large pool
which in the wet season formed part of a river, and was
now for the most part dry. " We must laager our
waggons, and get as many cattle inside as we can,
and must keep the rest close together, with fires in
readiness to light in case of an attack."

" But surely the lions would never venture to attack
so large a party ? '' Dick said in surprise.

" They will indeed," Mr. Harvey answered. " These
brutes often hunt together, as many as twenty or
thirty ; they are nothing like such powerful beasts as
the North African lions, but they are formidable
enough, and the less we see of them the better. But
there are numerous prints on the sand near the water,

(M264) jf

1 62 The Young Colonists.

and probably large numbers of them are in the habit
of coming to this pool to drink. I expect therefore
that we shall have a stirring night." •

As soon as the oxen were unyoked, they were
driven a short distance out to pasture. Five or six of
the natives looked after them, while the remainder set
to work to gather sticks and dried wood for the fires.

" I think," Tom said, " that I will go and have a
bathe in the pool."

" You will do no such thing," Mr. Harvey remarked ;
" the chances are that there are half a dozen alligators
in that pool — it is just the sort of place in which they
lurk, for they find no difficulty in occasionally taking
a deer or a wild hog, as he comes down to quench his
thirst. There ! don't you see something projecting
above the water on the other side of the pool ? "

" I see a bit of rough wood, that looks as if it were
the top of a log underneath the water."

" Well, just watch it," Mr. Harvey said, as he took
aim with his rifle.

He fired ; the water instantly heaved and whirled at
the spot the boy was watching ; the supposed log rose
higher out of the water, and then plunged down again ;
five or six feet of a long tail lashed the water and
then disappeared, but the eddies on the surface
showed that there was a violent agitation going on
underneath it.

" What do you think of your log now ? " Mr. Harvey
asked, smiling.

" Why, it was an alligator," Tom said. " Who would

The Young Colonists. 163

have thought it ? — it looked just like a bit of an old
tree."

" What you saw," Mr. Harvey said, " was a portion
of the head ; the alligator often lies with just his eyes
and nostrils out of water."

" Did you kill it, sir, do you think ? " Dick
asked.

" Oh ! no," Mr. Harvey replied ; " the ball would
glance off his head, as it would from the side of an
ironclad ship. It woke him up, and frustrated him
a bit ; but he is none the worse for it. So you see,
Tom, that pool is hardly fit to bathe in."

" No, indeed, sir," Tom answered, turning a little
pale at the thought of the danger which he had
proposed to incur. " I would rather fight half a dozen
lions than get into the water with those brutes."

" I don't know about half a dozen lions," Mr.
Harvey said ; " although certainly one lion is an easier
foe to tackle than an alligator. But one can never be
too careful about bathing in this country. In the
smallest pools, only a few yards long and a few feet
wide, an alligator may be lurking, especially if the
weather is dry and the pools far apart. Even when
only drawing water at such places it is well to be
careful, and it is always the best plan to poke the
bottom for a short distance round with a pole before
dipping in a bucket. Remember, if you should ever
happen to be seized by one of these animals, there is
but one chance, and that is to turn at once and stick
your thumbs into his eyes. It requires nerve when a

164 The Young Colonists.

brute has got you by the leg, but it is your only
chance, and the natives, when seized by alligators, often
escape by blinding their foes. The pain and sudden
loss of sight always induces them to loose their hold."

"I hope I shall never have to try," Tom said,
shivering.

" It is safer not, certainly," Mr. Harvey agreed ; " but
there, I see dinner is ready, and Jumbo has got a
bucket of water, so you can douse your heads and
wash your hands without fear of alligators."

At nightfall the cattle were all driven in. The
horses and a few of the most valuable oxen were
placed in the laager formed by the waggons ; the
rest were fastened outside to them, side by side, by
their horns ; at each corner the natives had piled up
a great heap of firewood. An hour after sunset the
roar of a lion was heard out on the plain ; it was
answered simultaneously in six or eight directions,
and the stamping of the oxen announced that the
animals were conscious of danger.

" There are a troop of them about," Mr. Harvey
said, "just as I feared. Put a little more wood on the
fires, boys ; it is as well to keep them burning briskly,
but it will probably be some hours before they work
themselves up to make an attack upon us."

As the time went on, the roaring became louder
and more continuous.

"There must be a score of them at least," Mr.
Harvey said ; " they are ranging round and round the
camp ; they don't like the look of the fires."

The Young Colonists. 165

By ten o'clock the roaring had approached so
closely that Mr. Harvey thought that it was time to
prepare for the defence ; he took post at one side of
the square, and placed the boys and Jumbo at the
other three ; Tony and the other hunter were to
keep outside the cattle, and walk round and round.
The armed natives were scattered round the square.
The drivers and cattle-men were to move about
among the animals, and do their best to pacify
them, for already a perfect panic had seized upon
the draught-cattle, and with starting eyes and coats
ruffled by fear they were tugging and straining at
their ropes.

" Quiet, you silly beasts," Dick said, leaning out of
the waggon in which he had taken his place ; " you are
safer where you are than you would be anywhere else.
If you got away and bolted out into the plain, as
you want to do, you would be pulled down and killed
in no time."

The fires were now blazing brightly, throwing a
wide circle of light round the camp and making visible
every object within fifty yards.

It had been arranged that so long as the lions kept
at a distance and only approached singly the
defenders of the various faces of the square should
retain their positions ; but that, should a formidable
attack be made upon any one side, the white men
with two of the natives with them should hasten to
the point attacked.

Several times, as Dick stood in the waggon, rifle in

1 66 The Young Colonists.

hand, straining his eyes at the darkness, he fancied he
saw indistinct shadowy forms moving at the edge of
the circle of light. Two or three times he raised his
rifle to take aim, but the objects were so indistinct
that he doubted whether his fancy had not deceived
him.

Presently the crack of Mr. Harvey's rifle was heard,
followed by a roar of a sharper and more angry nature
than those which had preceded it. As if a signalhadbeen
given, three or four creatures came with great bounds
out of the darkness towards the side where Dick was
posted. Taking a steady aim, he fired. Tony, who was
outside with the cattle on that side of the square, did the
same. The other natives had been ordered to retain
their fire until the lions were close enough to ensure each
shot telling. The lion at which Dick had aimed paused
for a moment with a terrific roar, and then bounded
forward again. When he came within twenty yards of
the oxen, the four natives posted by Dick's side fired.
The lion for a moment fell ; then, gathering itself
together, it sprang on to the back of a bullock, just
in front of where Dick was standing. The lad had a
second rifle in readiness, and leaning forward he
placed the muzzle within two yards of the lion's
head and fired. The animal rolled off the back of the
bullock, who, with the one standing next to him, at
once began to kick at it, endeavouring to get their
heads round to gore it with their horns. The lion,
however, lay unmoved ; Dick's last shot had been
fatal

"THE CONTINUOUS ROARING SHOWED THAT THE LIONS
WERE STILL CLOSE AT HAND."

The Young Colonists. 167

The other lions on this side had bounded back
into the darkness. From the other sides of the square
the sound of firing proclaimed that similar attacks
had been made ; but, as there was no summons for
aid, Dick supposed that the attacks were isolated ones,
and so, after recharging his rifles, he remained quietly
at his post.

For some hours the attack was not renewed, though
the continuous roaring showed that the lions were
still close at hand. Mr. Harvey went round and
advised the boys to lie down at their posts and get a
little sleep, as the natives would keep watch.

" I don't think we have done with them yet," he
said ; " we have killed three, but I think, by the roar
ing, the number has considerably increased within
the last hour. It is probable that an attack will be
made an hour or so before daybreak, and I expect it
will be in earnest next time."

Dick accordingly lay down to sleep, but he was too
excited to close his eyes.

After a long time it seemed to him that the roaring
was dying away, and a drowsiness was stealing over
him, when suddenly Mr. Harvey's rifle was heard,
and he shouted, —

" To this side — quick ! they are upon us."

Dick,Tom,and Jumbo, with the six natives, leapt from
the waggons, and, running across the little enclosure,
scrambled up into those on the other side. There was
a momentary silence here, the whole of the defendants
having discharged their pieces, and a number of lions

1 68 1 r he Young Colonists.

bounding across the open were already close to the
cattle.

The new-comers at once opened fire. Two or three
of the lions sprang among the cattle ; but the rest,
intimidated by the noise and flash of the guns, and
by the yelling and shouting of the natives, turned and
made off again. Those among the cattle were soon
disposed of, but not before they had killed three of
the draught-oxen and seriously torn two others.

The roaring continued until daybreak, gradually,
however, growing fainter and more distant, and it was
evident that the attack had ceased.

" Are their skins worth anything ? " Dick asked.

" Yes, they are worth a few dollars apiece, except
in the case of old lions, who are apt to become mangy,
and these are not worth skinning. We have killed
eight of them, but their skins will not be worth any
thing like so much as the cattle they have killed ; how
ever, it is well that it is no worse. An attack by these
troops of lions is no joke ; they are by far the most
formidable animals of South Africa. I don't say that
an attack by a herd of wild elephants would not be
more serious, but I never heard of such a thing
taking place. They are timid creatures, and easily
scared, and except in the case of wounded animals or
of solitary bulls they can scarcely be considered as
dangerous."

When day broke, the natives set to work to skin
the lions, with the exception of one whose skin was
valueless. As soon as the operation was completed,

The Young Colonists. 169

the skins were packed in the waggons, the oxen were
inspanned, and the caravan proceeded on its way, all
being glad to leave so dangerous a locality.

The next evening they encamped upon a river, and
the night passed without interruption. The following
morning, just as they were about to start, Tony, who
with the other hunters had gone out at daybreak,
returned with the news that he had found the spoor
of elephants, and that he believed a herd had passed
along only a few hours before.

Mr. Harvey at once decided to halt where he was
for another day. The oxen were again unyoked, and
six of the armed natives having been left to guard
the camp, under the direction of Jumbo, the whole of
the rest, with the white men, set off in pursuit of the
elephants.

The spoor was quite distinct, and even had this
failed, there would have been no difficulty in following
the track, for there were scattered here and there trees,
and the elephants in passing had broken off many
boughs, which, stripped of their leaves, lay upon the
ground they had traversed.

Tony and the other hunter, whose name was
Blacking, a sobriquet gained from the extreme
swarthiness of his skin, scouted ahead, and pre
sently held up their hands to those following them
to advance quietly. The trees were very thick here,
and Mr. Harvey and the boys dismounted and
led their horses to the spot where the hunters had
halted. They were standing at the edge of a large

1 70 The Young Colonists.

circular clearing, three quarters of a mile in diameter ;
it had probably at one time been the site of a native
village, for there were signs of cultivation, and a num
ber of scattered heads of maize rose here and there, the
descendants of a bygone mealy plantation. Feeding
upon these were a herd of some twenty elephants ; of
these the greater portion were females or young ones,
but there were three fine males— one, a beast of
unusual size.

" That is the master of the herd," Mr. Harvey said,
" a savage-looking old customer ; he has a splendid
pair of tusks, although the tip of one," he added,
gazing at the elephant through his field -glass, "is
broken off. I think that for the present we will leave
him alone, and direct our attention to the other two
males. I will take Tom and Jumbo with me ; you,
Dick, shall have Tony and Blacking. Three of the
natives shall go with each party, but you must not
rely upon them much ; and, remember, the one
fatal spot is the forehead. Fasten your horses up
here, and leave two of the natives in charge. Let
the other six go round to the opposite side of
the clearing and advance slowly from that direc
tion, showing themselves occasionally, so as to draw
the attention of the herd towards them. The ele
phants will probably move leisurely in this direction.
Take your station behind trees, moving your position
carefully as they approach, so as to place yourselves
as near as possible in the line of the elephant you
have fixed on. We will take up our station a hundred

The Young Colonists. 171

yards to the right of where we are standing ; do you
go as far to the left. The natives will take the horses
into a thicket some distance in the rear. Which
ever of the two young male elephants comes nearest
to you is your mark, ours is the other. If they keep
near each other, we shall probably meet again here."

The two parties moved off to the places assigned
to them, and the natives whose duty it was to drive
the elephants started to their positions. Keeping
some little distance back among the trees, so that
they could observe the movements of the elephants,
while themselves unseen, Dick and his party moved
to the spot indicated, and then sat down.

For three quarters of an hour the elephants con
tinued to feed upon the heads of maize ; then the
big male suddenly wheeled round, extended his great
ears, lifted his trunk, and trumpeted. At this signal
the others all gathered together, and stood gazing in
the direction from which danger threatened. Again
the old bull gave an angry scream. The others
moved slowly away from the danger, but he ad
vanced in the direction in which he had seen the
natives.

"Very bad elephant that," Tony whispered to
Dick ; " he give heaps of trouble ; you see him
charge."

A minute or two later the elephant, catching sight
of his enemies, quickened his pace, and with his
little tail switching angrily, uplifted trunk, and wide
spread ears, he charged down upon them at a pace of

172 The Young Colonists.

which Dick had not supposed so cumbersome a beast
would be capable.

In a moment the distant natives were seen to rise
from the grass and to run at full speed back towards the
wood. The elephant pursued them until he reached
the trees ; here he halted, and gazed for some time into
the wood. Then seeing no signs of the natives —
for these knew better than to provoke so vicious a
beast by firing at him — he trumpeted defiantly, and
slowly retraced his steps towards the rest of the
herd. These, led by the two males, were already
approaching the trees behind which Dick and his
party were lying concealed. Before they had arrived
there Mr. Harvey and his party came up.

Dick and Tom were both carrying heavy smooth-bore
guns, similar to those used by the Boers. These their
fathers had purchased at Newcastle on the day of
their start ; they were old weapons, but very strong and
serviceable ; they carried a heavy charge of powder
and a large ball, of a mixture of lead and tin, specially
made for elephant-shooting.

" Dick fire first," Blacking whispered in his ear ;
" if he not kill him, then the rest of us fire."

Dick was lying down behind the trunk of a tree,
his rifle steadied against it ; when the elephant was
within a distance of twenty yards he fired, taking
steady aim at the vital point. The recoil of the piece
was tremendous, and the roar of its report almost
stunned him ; he gave, however, a shout of delight,
for the elephant stood for half a minute swaying

The Young Colonists. \ 73

from side to side, and then fell heavily upon the
ground.

Mr. Harvey had given Tom the first shot at the
other elephant ; but, just at the moment when the lad
was about to fire, the elephant gave a sudden start at
the report of Dick's rifle, and Tom's shot struck it at
the side of the head and glancing off passed through
its ear. Throwing up its trunk, the elephant instantly
charged. Mr. Harvey fired, but the uplifted trunk
prevented his getting an accurate aim at the vital
spot. The bullet passed through the trunk, and then
glanced off the forehead. The elephant swerved
and showed its side, at which a general volley was
fired by all the guns still loaded. The great beast stood
still for an instant, stumbled forward a few strides, and
then its legs seemed to bend beneath it, and it sank
down quietly to the ground.

Just at this moment, as the affrighted cows were
turning to fly across the plain, there was a thundering
rush, and the great elephant charged through them, and
passing between the dead males dashed into the wood.
Its rush was so sudden and headlong that it carried
the elephant past the men standing behind the trees ;
but it speedily checked itself, and turning round made
a rush upon them. There was an instant stampede.
Most of the natives at once threw away their guns ;
some climbed hastily up into the trees against which
they were standing ; others took to the bushes. The
elephant charged in after these, but seeing no
signs of them he speedily came out again and looked

174 The Young Colonists.

round for a fresh foe. His eye fell upon Dick, who
had just recharged his rifle.

" Run, Dick ! run ! " shouted Mr. Harvey.

But Dick saw that the elephant was upon him,
while the tree near which he was standing was too
thick to climb. The elephant was holding his head
so high that Dick could not aim at the spot on the
forehead, but, waiting until the animal was within
ten yards of him, he fired into its open mouth, and
then leapt behind the tree. With a scream of pain
the elephant rushed on, but being unable to check
himself he came full butt with tremendous force
against the tree, which quivered under the blow,
and Dick, thinking that it was going to fall upon
him, sprang back a pace. Three or four more shots
were fired before the elephant could turn, and then
wheeling round it charged upon its new assailants.

Tom was one of those nearest to him ; the boy had
just discharged his rifle and advanced a few feet from
the tree behind which he had been standing. Before
he could regain it he felt something pass round him,
there was a tremendous squeeze, which stopped
his breath and seemed to press his life out of him,
then he felt himself flying high into the air, and
became insensible.

Apparently satisfied with what he had done, the
elephant continued his rapid pace into the open
again, and followed the retreating herd across the
plain.

Dick had given a cry of horror, as he saw the ele-

;u-±

" DICK FIRED INTO THE ELEPHANT'S OPEN MOUTH, AND THEN
LEAPT BEHIND THE TREE."

The Young Colonists. 175

phant seize his friend, and his heart seemed to
stand still when he saw him whirled high in the air.
Tom fell into a thick and bushy tree, and there, break
ing through the light foliage at the top, remained
suspended in the upper boughs.

In an instant Jumbo climbed the tree, and making
his way to the lad lifted him from the fork in which
he was wedged, placed him on his shoulder as easily
as if he had been a child, and descending the tree
laid him on the ground by the side of Mr. Harvey.
The latter at once knelt beside him.

" Thank God, he is breathing ! " he exclaimed at
once. " Lift his head, Dick ; open his shirt, Black
ing ; and give me some water out of your gourd.
I trust he is only stunned ; that brute was in such a
hurry that he had not time tc squeeze him fairly, and
the tree has broken his fall. If he had come down
to the ground from that height, it must have killed
him."

He sprinkled some water upon the lad's face and
chest, and to his and Dick's delight Tom presently
opened his eyes. He looked round in a surprised
and half-stupid way, and then made an effort to rise,
but a cry broke from him as he did so.

" Lie still, Tom," Mr. Harvey said ; " you are hurt,
but, I hope, not severely. Cut his shirt off, Dick ; I
expect some of his ribs are broken."

Upon Mr. Harvey carefully feeling Tom's ribs, he
found, as he had expected, that five of them were
broken — three on one side and two on the other.

The Young Colonists.

"Some of your ribs are damaged, Tom," he said
cheerfully ; " but that is of no great consequence ;
they all seem pretty fairly in their places. Now I will
bandage you tightly, so as to keep them there, and
then we will carry you back to the waggons and nurse
you until they grow together again ; young bones
soon heal, and in a week or ten days you will, I hope,
be able to travel again ; you had a close shave of it.
I never met a more savage beast than that bull-
elephant in all my experience."

The Young Colonists. 177

CHAPTER XII.

AN ATTACK BY ELEPHANTS.

A LITTER was speedily constructed from some
boughs of trees, and Tom being placed in it was at
once carried back to the camp, escorted by his friend.
The hunters remained behind to cut out the tusks of
the two elephants that had fallen. A portion of the
trunks and feet, which are considered the most delicate
portions of the elephant, was laid aside for the use of
the white men, and a large quantity of meat was
brought back to camp for the natives.

The sound of firing had brought up some people
from a small village two or three miles away, and
these to their immense joy were allowed to carry off
enough meat to enable them to feast to the utmost
extent of their ability for a week to come.

Mr. Harvey had in the course of his wanderings
frequently had occasion to dress wounds and bandage
broken bones; he was therefore able to apply the
necessary bandages to Tom, and the lad was soon
lying in comparative ease on a bed formed of rags
Generally the boys slept in hammocks, but Mr. Harvey
insisted that Tom must lie perfectly straight on his
back until the bones had begun to set again.

" We made a sad mess with that old bull to-day,
Dick," he said. " It is humiliating to think that he

(M264) N

178 The Young Colonists.

should have charged us all, injured Tom, and got
away almost unscathed."

" You see, sir," Dick said, " he attacked us un
expectedly ; our guns were all discharged, and he
came on with such a rush that there was no getting
a steady shot at him. The whole affair lasted little
more than a minute, I should say."

" I shall go out to-morrow morning," Mr. Harvey
said, " and take up the track again, and see if I cannot
get even with the beast There is time enough to-day,
for it is still early, but the herd will be so restless and
suspicious that there will be no getting near them,
and I should not care to face that old bull unless I
had a fair chance of killing him at the first shot. He
has a magnificent pair of tusks, and ivory sells so high
that they would be worth a good deal of trouble and
some risk to get."

" Shall I go with you, sir ? "

" No, Dick, I would rather you did not. The
business will be more dangerous than usual, and I
should not like the responsibility of having you with
me. Tom had as narrow a shave yesterday as ever I
saw, and I certainly do not want two of you on my
hands."

Dick was not sorry at Mr. Harvey's decision, for
after the charge of the bull-elephant he felt just at
present he should not care about encountering an
other. The next morning Mr. Harvey, accompanied
by the three native hunters and the greater portion of
the others, started in pursuit of the elephants.

The Young Colonists. 1 79

Dick, after sitting for some time with Tom, took his
gun and wandered round near the camp, shooting
birds. As the sun got high, and the heat became fiercer
and fiercer, he returned to camp, and had just
taken off his coat and sat down by the side of
Tom when he heard shouts of terror outside the
tent.

Running out to see what was the matter, he saw the
natives in a state of wild terror. They pointed across
the plain, and Dick, to his astonishment and alarm,
saw a great elephant approaching at a rapid trot, with
his trunk in the air and his ears extended to the
fullest. He recognized at once the bull which had
charged them on the previous day. The natives were
now flying in all directions. Dick shouted to them to
stand and get their muskets, but his words were un
heeded ; he ran to the tent, seized the long-bore gun
which he had carried the day before and also that
of Tom, and charged them both hastily, but coolly.

" What on earth is it all about ? " Tom asked.

" It is the elephant again, Tom ; lie quiet, whatever
you do ; you cannot run away, so lie just as you
are."

Then with a gun in each hand Dick ran out of the
tent again. The elephant was now but a hundred yards
away. Dick climbed into a waggon standing in the
line on which he was coming, knelt down in the bottom
and rested the muzzle on the side, standing up and
waving his arm before he did so, so as to attract the
attention of the elephant. The great beast saw him,

180 The Young Colonists.

and trumpeting loudly came straight down at him ;
Dick knelt, as steady as a rock, with the sight of the
gun upon the elephant's forehead.

When he was within twenty yards Dick drew the
trigger, and, without waiting to see the result, snatched
up and levelled the second gun. The elephant had
staggered as he was hit, and then, as with a great effort,
he pulled himself together and again moved forward,
but with a stumbling and hesitating step ; taking
steady aim again, Dick fired when the elephant's trunk
was within a yard of the muzzle of his gun, and then
springing to his feet, leapt on the opposite side of the
waggon and took to his heels.

After running a few steps, he glanced back over
his shoulder, and then ceased running ; the elephant
was no longer in sight above the waggon, but had
fallen an inert mass by its side.

"All right, Tom !" Dick shouted loudly ; " I have
done for him."

Before going to look at the fallen elephant Dick
went to the spot where stood the piled muskets of the
natives who had fled ; dropping a ramrod into
them, he found that two were loaded, and taking
these in his hands he advanced towards the elephant.
The precaution was needless ; the great beast lay
dead ; the two heavy balls had struck within an inch
or two of each other, and penetrated the brain. The
first would have been fatal, and the elephant
was about to fall when Dick had fired the second
time.

The Young Colonists. 181

Gradually the drivers and other natives returned to
camp with shouts of triumph. These, however, Dick
speedily silenced by a volley of abuse for their
cowardice in running away and leaving Tom to his
fate. A few minutes later Mr. Harvey galloped in
at full speed, closely followed by the swift-footed
Blacking.

"Thank God, you are safe, my boys," Mr. Harvey said,
as he leapt from his horse. "I have had a terrible fright.
We followed the spoor to the point where they had
passed the night ; here the trackers were much puzzled
by the fact that the great elephant, whose tracks were
easily distinguished from the others, seemed to have
passed the night in rushing furiously about. Numbers
of young trees had been torn up by the roots, and
great branches twisted off the larger trees. They
concluded that he must have received some wound
which had maddened him with pain. We took
up the track where the herd had moved on, but
soon found that he had separated himself from
it, and had gone off at full speed by himself. We
set off in pursuit, observing a good deal of caution,
for if he had turned, as was likely enough, and had
come upon us while in such a frantic state, we should
have had to bolt for our lives. I was thinking only of
this when I saw the hunters talking together and
gesticulating. I soon found out what was the matter.
They told me that if the elephant kept on in the line he
was taking, it would assuredly bring him in sight of the
camp, if not straight upon it. As I had no doubt

1 82 The Young Colonists.

that he would in that case attack it, I put spurs to
my horse at once, and dashed on at full speed in
hopes of overtaking the elephant, and turning it,
before it came within sight of the camp. I became
more and more anxious as I neared the camp and
found the elephant was still before me ; then I
heard two shots close together, and I could hear no
others, and you may guess how relieved I was when
I caught sight of the camp, and saw the natives
gathered round something which was, I had no doubt,
the elephant. I had feared that I should see the whole
place in confusion, the waggons upset, and above all
the tent levelled. Thank God, my dear boy, you
are all safe ! Now tell me all about it."

Dick related the circumstances, and Mr. Harvey
praised him highly for the promptness, coolness, and
courage with which he had acted. Then he roundly
abused the natives in their own language for their
cowardly conduct.

" Are you not ashamed of yourselves ? " he asked ;
" what do you carry your arms for, if you are afraid
to use them ? Here are sixteen men, all with mus
kets, who run away in a panic, and leave one white
lad to defend his wounded friend alone."

The reproaches of Mr. Harvey were mild by the
side of the abuse which the three hunters — for by
this time Tony and Jumbo had reached the camp—
lavished upon their compatriots.

" What are you good for ? " they asked scornfully ;
" you are fit only to be slaves to the Dutch ; the master

The Young Colonists. 183

had better hire women to march with him ; he ought
to take your arms away, and to set you to spin."

Crestfallen as the natives were at their own
cowardice, they were roused by the abuse of the
hunters, and a furious quarrel would have ensued,
had not Mr. Harvey interposed his authority and
smoothed matters down, admitting that the attack of
the enraged elephant was really terrifying, and telling
the natives that now they saw how well the white
men could fight, they would no doubt be ready to
stand by them next time.

The hunters now proceeded to cut out the tusks of
the elephant. When they did so the cause of the
animal's singular behaviour became manifest ; a ball
had struck him just at the root of the tusk, and had
buried itself in one of the nerves there, no doubt
causing excruciating pain.

The tusks were grand ones, Mr. Harvey saying
that he had seldom seen a finer pair. The news of
the slaughter of three elephants drew together a con
siderable number of natives, who were delighted to
receive permission to carry off as much meat as they
chose. When the greater portion of the flesh of the old
bull had been removed, ten oxen were harnessed to the
remains of the carcass, and it was dragged to a distance
from camp, as Mr. Harvey was desirous of remaining
where he was for some days longer on Tom's account,
and the effluvia from the carcass would in a very short
time have rendered the camp uninhabitable had it
remained in the vicinity.

184 The Young Colonists.

In a week Tom was convalescent ; he was still, how
ever, very stiff and sore. A hammock was therefore
slung under the tilt of one of the waggons, the sides
were drawn up to allow of a free passage of air, and
the caravan then went forward on its journey.

For the next fortnight nothing of importance
happened ; sometimes the journeys were short, some
times extremely long, being regulated entirely by the
occurrence of water. At many of the halting-places
a good deal of trade was done, as the news of the
coming of the caravan spread far ahead of it, and
the natives for a considerable distance on each side
of the line of route came down to trade with it. They
brought with them skins of beasts and birds, small
packets of gold-dust, ostrich feathers, and occasion
ally ivory. Mr. Harvey was well content with his
success so far.

For some time past, owing to the disturbed state of
the country and the demand for waggons occasioned
by the war, the number of traders who had made their
way north had been very small, and the natives con
sequently were eager to buy cotton and cloth, and to get
rid of the articles which they had been accumulating
for the purpose of barter with the whites. Never
before, Mr. Harvey said, had he done so good a trade
in so short a time.

At the end of the fortnight after starting Tom was
again able to take his seat in the saddle and ride
quietly along by the side of the caravan, Mr. Harvey
warning him on no account to go above a walking

The Young Colonists. 185

pace at present, as a jerk or a jar might break the
newly-knit bones, and undo all the work that had
been effected.

In the meantime Dick, accompanied by one or
other of the hunters, always rode out from the line of
march, and had no difficulty in providing an ample
supply of game. He was careful, however, not to
shoot more than was required, for both he and Mr.
Harvey viewed with abhorrence the taking of life
unnecessarily, merely for the purpose of sport. He
was able, nevertheless, to kill a great many deer with
out feeling that their flesh was wasted ; for not only
were the number of mouths in the caravan large, and
their powers of eating wonderful, but the natives
who came in to trade were always glad to eat up
any surplus that remained — and indeed Mr. Harvey
found the liberal distribution of meat opened their
hearts and much facilitated trade.

Two or three days after they had left the scene of
the elephant-hunt some objects were seen far out on
the plain, which the hunters at once pronounced to be
ostriches. Dick would have started in pursuit, but
Mr. Harvey checked him.

" They can run," he said, " faster than a horse can
gallop. They can indeed be ridden down, as they
almost always run in a great circle, and the pursuit
can be taken up with fresh horses, but this is a long
business. We will send the hunters out first, to get
on the other side of them, and when they are posted
we will ride out. Going quite slowly the attention of

1 86 The Young Colonists.

the birds will be directed to us ; this will give the
hunters an opportunity of creeping up on the other
side and shooting or lassoing them. If I am not
mistaken they have a good many young ones with
them — this is about the time of year when this is
usually the case. If we could catch a dozen of them,
they would be prizes, for they fetch a good sum down
in the colony, where ostrich-farming is carried on on a
large scale. They are very easily tamed, and would
soon keep with the caravan and give no trouble."

After remaining quiet for some little time, to give
the hunters time to make a wide circuit, Mr. Harvey
and Dick rode quietly forward towards the birds, who
stood on a slight swell of ground at a distance of
about half a mile, evidently watching the caravan with
great interest.

By Mr. Harvey's instructions Dick unrolled the
blanket which he always carried on his saddle, and
taking an end in each hand held it out at arm's length
on a level with the top of his head, Mr. Harvey doing
the same.

" They are silly birds," Mr. Harvey said, " and their
attention is easily caught by anything they don't
understand. Like all other wild creatures they are
afraid of man ; but by holding the blankets out like
sails they do not see our outline, and cannot make out
what the strange creatures advancing towards them
can be."

At a foot-pace they advanced towards the ostriches ;
these made no signs of retreat until the horsemen

The Young Colonists. 187

approached to within about seventy yards. Then
from the brow behind the birds the three hunters
suddenly rose up, and whirling the balls of their
lassoes round their heads launched them among the
ostriches. Three birds fell with the cords twisted
round their legs, and two more were shot as the startled
flock dashed off at full speed across the plain. Mr.
Harvey and Dick dropped their blankets, and started
at full gallop.

" Bring down an old bird if you can, Dick, and then
let the rest go, and give your attention to cutting off
the young ones."

Dick fired at one of the old birds, but missed ; Mr.
Harvey brought one to the ground. The young
ostriches, which were but a few weeks old, soon began
to tail off in the race, and after ten minutes' riding
Mr. Harvey and Dick had the satisfaction of getting
ahead of them and turning them. A little more
driving brought the frightened creatures to a stand
still, and most of them dropped in a squatting posi
tion to the ground, huddled together like frightened
chickens. They were sixteen in number, but one
which had fallen and broken its leg was at once shot.
The legs of the young ostrich are extremely brittle,
and one of the troubles of the farmers who rear them
is that they so frequently break their bones and have
to be killed.

Blacking was sent off at his best speed to overtake
the caravan and bring back a dozen men with him.
The ostriches which had been lassoed had been at

1 88 The Young Colonists.

once killed by the hunters, and the feathers of the five
killed by them and of that shot by Mr. Harvey were
pulled out. Three out of the six were in splendid
plumage.

" How much are each of those feathers worth ? "
Dick asked.

" Those fine white ones will fetch from I/, to I/. $s.
apiece out here — some as high as 30^. A perfect
ostrich feather, fit for a court-plume, will sell in Eng
land for 3/. to 5/. The small, dark-coloured feathers
are worth from sixpence to one shilling apiece."

The young birds, after their wings had been tied to
their sides, were lifted and carried away, Dick being
unable to help laughing at their long legs sticking out
in front of the bearers, and at their long necks and
beaks, with which from time to time they inflicted
sharp pecks on the men who were carrying them.

When the caravan was overtaken, the birds were
placed in a waggon, and in the evening were liberated
inside the laager formed by the waggons. Some
grain was thrown to them, and they soon began to
pick this up. After this their expression was rather
one of curiosity than fear, and they exhibited no alarm
whatever when Dick, scattering some more corn, came
in and moved quietly among them. For the first few
days they were carried in a waggon, but at the end of
that time they were completely domesticated. After
the camp was formed they walked about, like barn
door fowls, picking up any scraps of food that were
thrown to them, and indeed getting so bold as some-

The Young Colonists. 189

times to attempt to snatch it from the men's hands.
When on the march, they stalked gravely along by the
side of the waggons.

" What is the value of an ostrich ? " Dick asked Mr.
Harvey one day.

" An ostrich of about three or four months old,"
Mr. Harvey replied, " is worth from 3O/. to 5O/. A
full-grown cock and two hens, the stock with which
most small settlers begin ostrich-farming, are worth
from 2OO/. to 4OO/. Each hen will lay about fifty
eggs in a year, so that if only half are reared and
sold at the rate of 2O/. apiece, which is a low price, at
three weeks old, there is a good profit upon them.
The young birds increase in value at the rate of about
3/. per month. The feathers are generally sold by
weight ; fine plumes go from seventy to ninety to the
pound, and fetch from4O/. to 5O/. The feathers of the
wild birds are worth a third more than those of the tame
ones, as they are stronger. The quantity of feathers
sold is astonishing. One firm in Port Elizabeth often
buys 10,000 pounds' weight of ostrich feathers per
week. Of course these are not all first-class plumes,
and the prices range down as low as 3/. or 50^. for the
poorest kind."

" Where do they get water out here in the desert ? "

" They have no difficulty here," Mr. Harvey replied,
"for an ostrich thinks nothing of going twenty or
thirty miles ; but they require to drink very seldom."

" How many feathers can be plucked from each
bird a year ? "

190 The Young Colonists.

"About three quarters of a pound of first-class
feathers, besides the inferior sorts. There are now
such quantities of ostriches in the colony, that the
price of feathers has gone down materially, and
is now not so high as the figures I have given you.
The highest class feathers, however, still maintain
their price, and are likely to do so, for the demand
for feathers in Europe increases at as rapid a rate
as does the production."

" I suppose they could not be kept in England ? M
Dick asked ; " for there must be a splendid profit on
such farming."

" No," Mr. Harvey replied ; " they want above all
things a dry climate. Warmth is of course important,
but even this is less essential than dryness. They
may be reared in England under artificial con
ditions, but they would never grow up strong and
healthy in this way, and would no doubt be liable to
disease — besides, as even in their native country you
see that the feathers deteriorate in strength and
diminish in value in domesticated birds, there would
probably be so great a falling off in the yield and
value of feathers in birds kept under artificial con
ditions in England that the speculation would not be
likely to pay."

" Do the hens sit on their eggs, as ordinary
hens?"

" Just the same," Mr. Harvey answered, " and very
funny they look with their long legs sticking out.
Not only does the hen sit, but the cock takes his turn

The Young Colonists. 191

at keeping the eggs warm when the mother goes out
to feed."

" I shall ask father," Dick said, " when we get back,
to arrange to take these fifteen ostriches as part of his
share of the venture ; it would be great fun to see
them stalking about."

" Ah ! we have not got them home yet," Mr. Harvey
replied, smiling ; " we must not be too sanguine. We
have certainly begun capitally, but there is no saying
what adventures are before us yet. We have been
particularly fortunate in seeing nothing of the tzetze
fly. As you know, we have made several considerable
detours to avoid tracts of country where they are
known to prevail, still, occasionally they are met with
in unexpected places, and I have seldom made a trip
without losing some of my horses and cattle from
them."

" How is it that a fly can kill a horse ? They are
not larger than our blue-bottles at home, for I saw one
in a naturalist's window in Pieter-Maritzburg."

" It is a mystery, Dick, which has not yet been
solved ; there are flies in other parts of the world,
whose bite is sufficiently poisonous to raise bumps
underneath the skins of animals, but nothing ap
proaching the tzetze in virulence. It certainly ap
pears unaccountable that the venom of so small a
creature should be able to kill a great animal like a
horse or an ox."

" Is it found only in the south of Africa ? "

" No, Dick, it extends more or less over the whole

192 The Young Colonists.

of the plateau-lands of Africa, and is almost as great
a scourge in the highlands of Egypt as it is here."

" I wonder," Dick said thoughtfully, " why the
tzetze was created ; most insects are useful as sca
vengers, or to furnish food for birds, but I cannot see
the use of a fly which is so terribly destructive as
this."

" I can't tell you, my boy," Mr. Harvey said. " That
everything, even the tzetze has a good purpose, you
may be sure, even though it is hidden from us.
Possibly, for example, it may be discovered some day
that the tzetze is an invaluable medicine for some
disease to which man is subject, just as blistering
powder is obtained from the crest-body of the
cantharides beetle. However, we must be content
to take it on trust. We must leave our descendants
something to discover, you know, Dick ; for if we go
on inventing and discovering as we are doing, it is
clear that they must look out for fresh channels for
research."

The Young Colonists. 193

CHAPTER XIII.

A BRUSH WITH THE NATIVES.

ONE day Jumbo touched Dick's arm, as he was riding
along with the caravan, and, pointing to a clump of
trees at some little distance, said, —

"Giraffe."

Dick reined in his horse, and gazed at the trees.

" I don't see it," he said.

" They are very difficult to see," Mr. Harvey re
marked ; " they have a knack somehow of standing
so as to look like a part of the tree. I don't see him
myself, but if Jumbo says he is there, you may be
sure he is."

" Is the skin valuable ? " Dick asked.

" No, Dick, it would not be worth cumbering our
selves with. Nor is the flesh very good to eat— I do
not say it cannot be eaten, but we have plenty of
venison. I never like shooting a giraffe when I can
help it. Clumsy and awkward as they are, they have
wonderfully soft and expressive eyes, and I do not
know anything more piteous than the look of a dying
giraffe ; however, if you ride up to the trees and set
them scampering, you will get a good laugh, for their
run is as awkward and clumsy as that of any living
creature."

Dick accordingly started at a gallop towards the

(M264) Q

194 The Young Colonists.

trees ; it was not until he was close to them that he
saw three giraffes, two old ones and a young one.
They started off, as he approached, at a pace which
seemed to Dick to be slow, as well as extraordinarily
clumsy. The two old ones kept themselves between
their offspring and the pursuer, as if to shield it from
a shot. Dick, however, had no idea of firing; he only
wished to gallop up close, so as to get a nearer view
of these singular beasts, but to his astonishment
he found that, although his horse was going at its
best speed, the apparently slow-moving giraffes were
steadily gaining upon him. He could hardly at first
believe his eyes. But he was gradually tailed off, and
at last, reining in his horse, he sat in the saddle and
enjoyed a good laugh at the strange trio in front of
him, with their long, straggling legs and necks.

When he rejoined the caravan Mr. Harvey, who
had watched the pursuit, asked him laughingly if he
managed to catch the giraffe.

" I might as soon have tried to catch an express
train ; they went right away from me, — and Tommy
can gallop too ; but he hadn't a chance with them,
although he did his best."

" They do move along at a tremendous pace in their
clumsy fashion. They take such immense strides
with those odd long legs of theirs, that one has no
idea of their speed until one chases them. I never
knew a new hand who tried it, but he was sure to come
back with a crestfallen face."

Three weeks after leaving what they called the

The Young Colonists. 195

elephant-camp the caravan halted for two days.
They had now arrived at the spot where their troubles
with the natives might be expected to begin ; they
were at the border of the Matabele country, and here
Mr. Harvey intended to turn west, and after keeping
along for some time to bend to the south and re-enter
the colony north of Kimberley, and to journey down
to Port Elizabeth, which is the principal mart for
goods from the interior. Between the Matabele and
the tribes on their border hostilities had for some time
prevailed, and while they halted Mr. Harvey sent
forward Blacking with a few presents to the chief of
the next tribe, saying that he was coming through his
country to trade, and asking for a promise that he
should not be interfered with in his passage.

At the end of the second day the messenger
returned.

" The chief says come ; he says he has been a
long time without trade. But before he answered he
talked with his chiefs, and I don't know whether he
means honestly. The tribe has a bad name ; they are
thieves and robbers."

" Well, we will go on," Mr. Harvey said, " neverthe
less ; we have got the chiefs word, and he will not after
that venture to attack us openly, for if he did he knows
very well that no more traders would visit his country.
His people may make attacks upon us, but we are
strong enough to hold our own. We muster about
thirty guns, and in our laager would be able to beat
off his whole tribe, did they attack us ; we will, how-

196 The Young Colonists.

ever, while travelling through his country, be more
careful than hitherto. The waggons shall, when it is
possible, travel two abreast, so that the line will not
be so long to guard, and you must not wander away
to shoot. Fortunately we have a store of dried meat,
which will last us for some time "

On the following morning the caravans set out, and
after travelling twelve miles halted on the bank of a
stream. Soon after they had formed their camp five
or six natives came in; they brought a few bunches of
ostrich plumes and some otter skins ; these they
bartered for cotton, and having concluded their
bargains wandered about in the camp, as was the
custom of the natives, peeping into the waggons,
examining the bullocks, and looking at all the
arrangements with childish curiosity.

" I expect these fellows have come as spies rather
than traders," Mr. Harvey said to the lads. " As a
general thing the natives come in with their wives and
children; but, you see, these are all men. I observed
too that they have particularly examined the pile of
muskets, as if reckoning up our means of defence. In
future, instead of merely a couple of men to look after
the cattle and keep off any marauders, I will put
six every night on guard ; they shall be relieved
twice during the night, and one of the hunters shall
be in charge of each watch, — if there are signs of
trouble, we will ourselves take it by turns."

Two or three times that night the sentries perceived
moving objects near the camp, and challenged ; in each

The Young Colonists. 197

case the objects at once disappeared ; whether they
were hyenas or crawling men could not be dis
cerned.

At the halt next day a much larger number of
natives came in, and a satisfactory amount of trade
was done. Their demeanour, however, was insolent
and overbearing, and some of them went away with
their goods, declining to accept the exchange offered.
After they had left the camp several small articles
were missed.

The next day they passed across a plain abounding
in game, and Mr. Harvey said that the boys and the
three hunters might go out and kill some fresh meat;
but he warned Dick and Tom not to allow their ardour
in the chase to carry them away from the hunters, but
to keep as much as possible together. When they
had killed as many animals as could be carried on
their horses and the hunters' shoulders, they were to
return at once.

It was the first time that Tom had been out hunt
ing since his accident ; his bones had all set well, and
beyond a little stiffness and occasional pain he was
quite himself again.

" I am glad to be riding out again with you, Dick,"
he said; " it has been awfully slow work jogging along
by the side of the caravan."

In addition to the three hunters they took as usual
a native with them, to hold the horses should it be
necessary to dismount and stalk the game, instead
of chasing it and shooting it from the saddles, an

198 The Young Colonists.

exercise in which by this time the boys were efficient.
They found more difficulty in getting up to the game
than they had expected, and the hunters said con
fidently that the animals must have been chased or
disturbed within a few hours. They had accordingly
to go four or five miles across the plain before they
could get a shot ; but at last they saw a herd feeding
in a valley. After the experience they had had that
morning of the futility of attempting to get near
the deer on horseback, they determined that the
hunters should make a circuit, and come down
upon the herd from different points. Tom and
Dick were to stay on the brow where they were
then standing, keeping well back, so as to be out
of sight from the valley, until they heard the report
of the first gun, when they were to mount and
endeavour to cut off and head the deer back upon
the others. The hunters then started — Jumbo and
Blacking going to the right, Tony and the other to
the left.

After an hour's walking they reached their places
at points about equidistant from each other, forming
with Tom and Dick a complete circle round the deer.
They were enabled to keep each other in sight,
although hidden from the herd in the hollow. When
each had gained his station they lay down and began
to crawl towards the deer, and until they were within
150 yards of the herd the latter continued grazing
quietly. Then an old buck gave a short, sharp cry, and
struck the ground violently with his hoofs; the others

The Young Colonists. 199

all ceased feeding, and gazed with startled eyes to
windward, and were about to dash off in a body when
the four men fired almost simultaneously, and as many
stags fell. The rest darted off at full speed in the
direction in which Tom and Dick were posted, that
being the only side open to them. An instant later
Tom and Dick appeared on horseback on the brow,
and dashed down towards the herd ; these, alarmed at
the appearance of a fresh enemy, broke into two
bodies, scattering right and left, giving both lads
an opportunity for a good shot. Both succeeded in
bringing down their mark. They then dismounted,
and giving their horses to the native joined the
hunters. They had bagged six deer, and the hunters
at once proceeded to disembowel them ; one was to
be slung behind each of the saddles, and the others
would be carried by the hunters and native.

While they were so engaged they were startled by
a shout, and saw the native running down towards
them, leading the horses and gesticulating wildly.

" We are attacked," Blacking said, and almost at
the same moment three or four arrows fell among
them.

They had collected the dead deer at one spot, and
were standing in a group ; looking round they saw a
large number of natives crowning the low hills all round
them, and saw that while they had been stalking the
deer they themselves had been stalked by the natives.
Without a moment's hesitation the hunters disposed
the bodies of the deer in a circle ; seizing the two

2OO The Young Colonists.

horses they threw them beside the deer, fastening their
limbs with the lassoes which they carried, so that they
could not move ; then the six men threw them
selves down in the circle.

All this had been done in a couple of minutes.
The arrows were falling fast among them, but none had
been hit, and as soon as the preparations were com
plete they opened a steady fire at the enemy. With
the exception of the man who had come out with
the horses all were good shots, and their steady fire
at once checked the advance of the natives, whose
triumphant yelling ceased, as man after man went
down, and they speedily followed the example of
their opponents, and, throwing themselves down on
the grass, kept up a fire with their arrows in a circle
of seventy or eighty yards round the hunters.

Gradually, however, their fire ceased, for to use
their bows they were obliged to show their heads
above the grass, and whenever one did so the sharp
crack of a rifle was heard ; and so often did the bullets
fly true to their aim that the natives soon grew chary
of exposing themselves.

" What will they do now ? " Dick asked, as the firing
ceased.

"They are cowards," Jumbo said contemptuously.
" If they had been Zulus, or Swazis, or Matabele, they
would have rushed in upon us, and finished it at
once."

" Well, I am very glad they are not," Dick said ;
" but what is to be done ? "

" They will wait for night," Tony answered ; "then.

The Young Colonists. 201

when we cannot see them, they will creep up close and
charge."

" In that case," Dick said, " the best thing will be
for us to keep in a body, and fight our way through
them, and make for the camp."

Jumbo shook his head.

" They quiet now because they think they got us
safe ; if we try to get away, they rush down upon us ;
we shoot many, but we all get killed."

" Then," Dick said, " the best thing will be for me to
jump on my horse and ride straight through them; if I
get off alive, I will make for the caravan and bring back
Mr. Harvey and the rest to your assistance."

" No good," Blacking said ; " your horse would be
stuck full of arrows before you get away ; he drop
dead; they kill you. I go."

" But it would be just as dangerous for you as for
me, Blacking."

" No," the hunter said ; " directly you stand up to
get on horse they see you and get ready to shoot ; the
horse fall dead before he reach them. I will crawl
through the grass ; they will not see me till I get to
them — perhaps I get through without them seeing at
all ; if not, I jump up sudden and run ; they all sur
prised, no shoot straight ; once through line they
never catch me."

Jumbo and Tony assented with a grunt, and Dick,
seeing that no better plan could be suggested, offered
no opposition to the young hunter undertaking the
task.

Leaving his gun and ammunition behind him. the

2O2 The Young Colonists.

black at once without a word crawled out between
the carcases of the deer, making his way, like a snake,
perfectly flat on his stomach, and soon it was only by
a very slight movement of the grass, which was nearly
two feet high, that Dick could follow his progress.
But he could not do this for long, an arrow whizzing
close to his head warned him that he was exposing
himself, and he lay down behind his stag and listened
with intense eagerness for the outcry which would
arise when Blacking was discovered.

It seemed a long time, so slow and cautious
was the black's advance. At last there was a
sudden yell, and the little party, sure that the
attention of their assailants would for the moment
be diverted, raised their heads from the shelter
and looked out. They saw Blacking bounding
at full speed up the slope ; a score of natives had
sprung to their feet, and were discharging their arrows
in the direction of the fugitive, who zigzagged, as he
ran with rapid bounds, to unsteady and divert their
aim. One arrow struck him in the side ; they saw
him break off the feather-head, pull it through the
wound, and throw it away without a moment's pause
in his flight.

" Is it a serious wound ? " Tom asked eagerly.

Jumbo shook his head.

" Not kill him," he said ; " too near skin."

By this time Blacking's pursuers had thrown their
bows across their shoulders, and grasping their assegais
had started in pursuit

; BLACKING BROKE OFF THE ARROW'S FEATHER-HEAD WITHOUT
PAUSE IN HIS FLIGHT."

The Young Colonists. 203

" They no catch him," Tony said confidently; "Black
ing clever man ; he not run too fast ; let them keep
close behind him ; they think they catch him, and
keep on running all the way to camp. People here
watch, not tink to attack us ; then they wait again for
the oders to come back ; half of dem gone, a good
many killed, they not like to attack us now."

" What do you say, Tony ? — shall we get up and
follow in a body slowly ? "

" That would be good plan," Tony said, " if sure
no more black men come ; but if others come and
join dem, dey attack us out on plain, we got no stags
to lie behind. Dey fight hard 'caus they know that
Blacking have got away, and that help come ; make
bad affair of it ; better stop here."

Presently two or three of the natives were seen
coming back over the brow, having given up the pur
suit. Dick's rifle was a good one, and the brow was not
more than 400 yards away ; he took a steady aim
and fired, and one of the natives fell. A yell of
astonishment broke from the others, and they threw
themselves instantly on the grass. This, however,
although long enough to shelter them in the bottom,
was shorter and scantier on the slope. The inclined
position too enabled Dick to see them, and he again
fired. He could not see where the ball struck, but it
must have been close to the two natives, for these leapt
to their feet and bounded back again over the brow.

" That was a capital shot of yours, Dick," Tom said.
"I will try next time. Our rifles will carry easily

204 The Young Colonists,

enough as far as that, although the hunters' won't. If
we can but prevent any of these fellows who have
gone after Blacking from coming down and rejoining
those round us, we are safe enough, for if they did
not dare to make a rush when there were about sixty
of them they will not try now when there are not half
that number."

An hour later a party of some ten or twelve natives
appeared again on the brow. Dick and Tom at once
fired. One of them fell, and the rest again retired
behind the brow, shouting something to those below,
which Tony at once translated that Blacking had got
away. The news, added to the effect of the fall of their
comrades on the height, dispirited the natives below,
and one or two were to be seen stealing up the
slopes.

Dick and Tom were on the alert, and one of the
natives fell with a broken leg ; this completed the
uneasiness of the party below. Creeping away from
the deadly rifles to the foot of the slopes, they suddenly
rose and bounded up it. A general volley was fired
by the beleaguered party, and two more natives fell ;
the rest dashed up the slope, two of them on the way
lifting and carrying off their wounded comrades.

" We all right now," Jumbo said ; " dey no attack us
here any more ; like enough dey wait and lie in ambush
in grass, in case we move away ; but we not do that ;
we sit here quietly till the caravan arrive."

" Do you think Mr. Harvey will bring the whole
caravan ? "

The Young Colonists. 205

" Sure to do dat," Jumbo said. " He no able to
leave party to protect the waggons and to send party
here to us ; he bring the caravan all along together.
If he attacked, he make laager ; but me no tink dey
attack. The people ready to cut off little party ; den
the chief say he not responsible, but if his people
attack the caravan dat different thing."

The hours passed slowly ; the heat in the bottom,
as the sun, almost overhead, poured its rays down
into it, was very great. As the hours passed on the
heat became less oppressive, but it was with intense
pleasure that the boys saw Mr. Harvey suddenly
appear on the brow, and checking his horse gaze into
the valley.

They leapt to their feet and gave a shout, which
was answered by Mr. Harvey.

"Are they round you still ? " he shouted.

"No; they have all gone," Dick replied; and Mr.
Harvey at once rode down.

By the time he reached them the hunters had freed
the legs of the horses, and these struggled to their feet.

" You have given me a nice fright," Mr. Harvey
said, as he rode up.

" We have had a pretty good fright ourselves," Dick
replied. " If it had not been for Blacking pluckily get
ting through them to take you the news, I don't think
we should have seen daylight. Is he much hurt, sir ? "

" He has got a nasty wound/' Mr. Harvey replied.
" An arrow has gone between his ribs. He fell down
from loss of blood when he reached us, and had we

206 The Young Colonists.

gone much farther he would have been overtaken.
They were close upon his heels when he got in. For
tunately I halted the caravan soon after you started ;
when I saw the herds making way I thought it better
to wait till you rejoined us. It was well I did so ; we
noticed him a couple of miles away, and when we saw
he was pursued I went out with six men and
met him half a mile from the caravan. He had
just strength left to tell us what had happened.
Then we went back to the caravan, and moved out
towards you. We were obliged to come slowly, for
there are a good many natives out on the plains, and
twice they looked so threatening that I had to laager
and treat them to a few distant shots. They evidently
did not like the range of my rifle, and so I have come
on without any serious fighting. I have been in a great
fright about you ; but Blacking, when he recovered
from his faint, told me that he thought you were
safe for a while, as nearly half the party which had
been attacking you had followed him, and that you
had already killed so many that he thought they
would not venture to attack before nightfall. Now,
you had better come up to the waggons at once ; you
can tell me all about it afterwards."

The deer which had formed such useful shelter
were now lifted, and in a quarter of an hour the
party reached the waggons without molestation.
A vigilant watch was kept all night, but no alarm
was given.

In the morning Mr. Harvey rode down with the

The Young Colonists. 207

lads and the hunters into the valley. Except that
here and there were deep blood-stains, no signs of the
conflict remained, the natives having carried off their
dead in the course of the night. The hunters, after
examining the ground, declared that fifteen of the
enemy had fallen, including those shot on the slopes.
The journey was now resumed.

At the next halt the natives came in to trade as
usual, and when questioned professed entire ignorance
of the attack on the hunters.

Three days later, without further adventure, they
arrived at the kraal of the principal chief. It was a
large village, and a great number of cattle were grazing
in the neighbourhood. The natives had a sullen appear
ance, but exhibited no active hostility. Mr. Harvey
formed his waggons in a laager a few hundred yards
outside the village, and then, accompanied by the boys,
proceeded to the chief's abode. They were at once
conducted to his presence. He was seated in a hut of
bee-hive form, rather larger than those which sur
rounded it. When the white men crawled in through
the door, which like all in native structures was not
more than three feet high, they were at first unable
to see, so dark was the interior. The chief uttered the
usual words of welcome.

" I have a complaint to make, chief," Mr. Harvey
said, " against some of your people. They attacked
my two friends and some of my followers when out
hunting. Fortunately they were repulsed, with the
loss of some fifteen of their number, but that does

208 The Young Colonists.

not make the attack upon them any the less inex
cusable."

" That is bad," the chief said ; " how does my friend,
the white trader, know that they were my men ? "

" They were inside your territory anyhow," Mr.
Harvey said. " It was upon the third day after I had
left the Matabele."

" It must have been a party of Matabele," the chief
said ; " they often come into my territory to steal
cattle ; they are bad men — my people are very
good."

" I can't prove that they were your people," Mr.
Harvey said, " whatever I may think ; but I warn you,
chief, that if there is any repetition of the attack while
we are in your country you will have no more traders
here. Those who attacked us have learned that we
can defend ourselves, and that they are more likely to
get death than plunder out of the attempt."

The Young Colonists. 209

CHAPTER XIV.

TRAPPED IN A DEFILE.

" WHAT do you think of affairs ? " Dick asked
Mr. Harvey, as, on leaving the chiefs hut, they walked
back to their waggons.

" For the moment I think we are perfectly safe ;
the chief would not venture to attack us while we are
in his village. In the first place it would put a stop
to all trade, and in the second, far as we are from the
frontier, he would not feel safe were a massacre to
take place in his village. He knows well enough that
were a dozen white men to come out to avenge such
a deed, with a few waggon-loads of goods to offer to his
neighbours as pay for their assistance, he and his
tribe would be exterminated. When we are once
on our way again we must beware. The feeling
among the tribe at the loss they have sustained must
be very bitter, although they may repress all outward
exhibition of it to us, and if they attack us just as we
are on the line between their land and their neigh
bour's they can deny all knowledge of it. However,
they shall not catch us asleep."

" I see the men have put the waggons in laager/'
Tom said.

" Yes, I told them to do so," Mr. Harvey answered ;
"it is the custom always with traders travelling north

( M 264 ) p

2io The Young Colonists.

of the Limpopo, and therefore will not be taken as a
sign of suspicion of their good faith. A fair index to
us of their disposition will be the amount of trade. If
they bring their goods freely, we may assume that
there is no fixed intention of attacking us ; for if
they are determined to seize our goods, those who
have articles to trade would not care to part with
them, when they would hope to obtain a share of our
goods for nothing."

The next morning Mr. Harvey spread out a few of
his goods, but hardly any of the natives came forward
with articles for barter. In the afternoon Mr. Harvey
went across to the chief.

" How is it," he asked, " that your people do not
bring in their goods for sale ? Among the tribes
through which I have passed I have done much
trade ; they see that I give good bargains — your
people bring nothing. If they do not wish to trade
with the white men, let them say so, and I will tell my
brethren that it is of no use to bring their waggons
so far."

" My people are very poor," the chief said ; " they
have been at war with their neighbours, and have
had no time to hunt the ostrich or to get skins."

"They cannot have been fighting all the time,"
Mr. Harvey rejoined ; " they must have taken furs and
skins — it is clear that they do not wish to trade. To
morrow morning I will go on my way ; there are many
other tribes who will be glad at the coming of the
white trader,"

The Young Colonists. 2 1 1

After Mr. Harvey's return to the waggons, it was
evident that orders had been issued that some trade
should be done, for several parcels of inferior kinds of
ostrich feathers and skins were brought in. As it
was clear, however, that no genuine trade was to be
done, at daybreak the oxen were inspanned, and the
caravan continued its journey.

For the next two days the track lay across an
open country, and no signs of molestation were met
with.

•' We are now coming," Mr. Harvey said, " to the
very worst part of our journey. The hills we have
seen in front of us for the last two days have to be
crossed. To-morrow we ascend the lower slopes, which
are tolerably easy; but the next day we have to pass
through a very wild gorge. The road, which is the
bed of a stream, mounts rapidly ; but the ravine is
nearly ten miles in length. Once at its head we are
near the highest point of the shoulder over which we
have to cross, and the descent on the other side is com
paratively easy. If I could avoid this spot, I would do
so ; but I know of no other road by which waggons
c~)uld cross the range for a very long distance either
way ; this is the one always used by traders. In the wet
season it is altogether impassable, for in some places
the ravine narrows to fifteen yards, with perpendicular
cliffs on either side, and at these points the river,
when in flood, rushes down twenty or thirty feet deep.
Even putting aside the danger of attack in going
through it, I would gladly avoid it if I could, for

212 The Young Colonists.

the weather is breaking ; we have already had some
showers, and may get heavy thunderstorms and a
tremendous downfall of rain any day.

The next day the journey was an arduous one ; the
ground was rough and broken, and the valley up
which the road lay was frequently thickly strewn
with boulders, which showed the force with which the
water in flood-time rushed down over what was now
its empty bed.

After a long day's work the caravan halted for the
night at the spot where the valley narrowed to the
ravine.

" It has been a pretty hard day's work to-day ! "
Tom said.

" It is nothing to to-morrow's, as you will see," Mr.
Harvey replied. " Traders consider this defile to be
the very hardest passage anywhere in South Africa,
and there are plenty of other bad bits too. In many
cases you will see we shall have to unload the
waggons, and it will be all that a double team can do
to pull them up empty. Sometimes of course the
defile is easier than at others ; it depends much upon
the action of the last floods. In some years rocks and
boulders have been jammed so thickly in the narrow
parts that the defile has been absolutely impassable ;
the following year, perhaps, the obstruction has been
swept away, or to a certain extent levelled by the
spaces between the rocks being filled up with small
stones and sand. How it is this season, I do not
know; up to the time we left I had heard of no

The Young Colonists. 213

trader having passed along this way. I have spoken
of it as a day's journey, but it is only under the most
favourable circumstances that it has ever been accom
plished in that time, and sometimes traders have been
three or four days in getting through."

Directly the caravan halted Blacking and Jumbo
started to examine the defile ; it was already growing
dusk, and they were only able to get two miles up
before it was so dark that they could make their way
no further. They returned, saying that the first por
tion of the defile, which was usually one of the most
difficult, was in a bad condition ; that many enor
mous boulders were lying in the bottom ; but that it
appeared to be practicable, although in some places
the waggons would have to be unloaded.

At daybreak the oxen were inspanned, and in a
quarter of an hour the leading waggon approached
the entrance of the gorge ; it seemed cut through a
perpendicular cliff, 200 feet high, the gorge through
which the river issued appearing a mere narrow crack
rent by some convulsion of nature.

" It would be a fearful place to be attacked in,"
Dick said, " and a few men with rocks up above could
destroy us."

" Yes," Mr. Harvey said ; " but you see up there ? "

Dick looked up, and on one side of the passage saw
some tiny figures.

" The three hunters and ten of our men with
muskets are up there ; they started three hours ago,
as they would have to go, Jumbo said, five miles along

214 The Young Colonists.

the face of the cliff before they reached a point where
they could make an ascent so as to gain the edge of
the ravine. They will keep along parallel with us,
and their fire would clear both sides ; it is not usual to
take any precaution of this sort, but after our attack
of the other day, and the attitude of the chief and
his people, we cannot be too cautious. After passing
through the first three miles of the defile, the ravine
widens into a valley a hundred yards wide ; here
they will come down and join us. There are two other
ravines, similar to the first, to be passed through, but
the country there is so wild and broken that it would
be impossible for them to keep along on the heights,
and I doubt whether even the natives could find a
point from which to attack us."

They had now fairly entered the ravine. For thirty
or forty feet up the walls were smooth and polished
by the action of the winter torrents ; above, jagged
rocks overhung the path, and at some points the cliffs
nearly met overhead. Although it was now almost
broad daylight, in the depths of this ravine the light
was dim and obscure.

The boys at first were awestruck at the scene, but
their attention was soon called to the difficulties of
the pass. The bed of the stream was covered with
rocks of all sizes ; sometimes great boulders, as big as
a good-sized cottage, almost entirely blocked the way,
and would have done so altogether had not the small
boulders round them formed slopes on either side. The
depths of the ravine echoed and re-echoed, with a

The Young Colonists. 215

noise like thunder, the shout of the driver and the
crack of the whip, as the oxen struggled on. The
waggons bumped and lurched along over the stones ;
the natives and whites all worked their hardest,
clearing away the blocks as far as possible from the
track required for the waggons. Armed with long
wooden levers four or six together prized away
the heavy boulders, or, when these were too massive
to be moved by their strength, and when no other
path could be chosen, piled a number of smaller
blocks, so as to make a sort of ascent up which
the wheels could travel. The waggons moved
but one at a time, the united efforts of the whole
party being required to enable them to get along.
When the leading waggon had moved forward a
hundred yards, the next in succession would be
brought up, and so on until the six waggons were
again in line; then all hands would set to work ahead,
and prepare the path for another hundred yards.

In two places, however, no efforts sufficed to clear
the way; the blocks rose in such jagged masses that it
was absolutely impossible for the oxen to pull across
them, — indeed it was with the greatest difficulty that
when unyoked they were one by one got over ; then
tackles were fastened from the top of the rock to the
waggons below — ropes and blocks being generally
carried by travellers for such emergencies, — the
oxen fastened to the ends of the ropes, and with
the purchase so obtained the waggons were dragged
bodily one by one over the obstacles.

2 1 6 The Young Colonists.

It was not until late in the afternoon that the party
passed safely through the defile and reached the valley
beyond, men and animals worn out by the exertions
they had undergone.

The day had not passed without excitement, for
when they were engaged at the most difficult point of
the journey the crack of rifles was heard far overhead,
and for half an hour a steady fire was kept up there.
Those below were of course wholly ignorant of what
was passing there, and for some time they suffered
considerable anxiety ; for if their guard above had
been overpowered they must have been destroyed by
rocks cast down by their foes.

At the end of half an hour the firing ceased; but it
was not until they camped for the night in the valley
beyond the gorge that they learned from the hunters,
who joined them there, what had happened. There
were, Jumbo explained, three or four hundred
natives, but fortunately these approached from the
opposite side of the gorge ; consequently the little
party of defenders was in no danger of attack. The
enemy had been disconcerted when they first opened
fire, but had then pressed forward to get to the edge
of the ravine. The superior weapons of the defenders
had, however, checked them, and finding that there
was no possibility of coming to close quarters with
the little band, they had, after losing several of their
number, abandoned the attempt and fallen back.

Soon after nightfall they were startled by a
heavy crashing sound, and great rocks came bounding

The Young Colonists. 217

down the sides of the valley. The cattle and waggons
were at once moved to the centre of the watercourse,
and here they were safe, for the bottom of the valley
was so thickly strewn with great boulders that,
tremendous as was the force with which the rocks
loosened far above came bounding down, these were
either arrested or shivered into fragments by the
obstacles before they reached the centre of the
valley.

No reply to this bombardment of the position was
attempted. The enemy were invisible, and there was
no clue to their position far up on the hill-side. So
long as the rolling down of the rocks was continued,
it was certain that no attack at close quarters was
intended ; consequently, after posting four sentries to
arouse them in case of need, the rest of the party,
picking out the softest pieces of ground they could
find between the stones, lay down to rest.

Before doing so, however, Mr. Harvey had a
consultation with the hunters. They said that the
next narrow ravine was broken by several lateral
defiles of similar character, which came down into it,
and that it would therefore be quite impossible to
keep along the top ; whether there were any points
at which the enemy could take post and assail them
from above, they knew not.

There was, then, nothing to do but to push steadily
on, and early next morning they resumed their way.
On the preceding day a slight shower of rain had
fallen, but this had been insufficient to increase

21 8 The Young Colonists.

notably the waters of the streamlet which trickled
down among the rocks, for the most part hidden from
view. The hunters were of opinion that heavier storms
were at hand, and Mr. Harvey agreed with them in
the belief.

" We are in a very nasty position, boys," he said,
" and I wish now that I had turned south, and made
my way down to the Limpopo again, and kept along
its banks until past this mountain-range ; it would
have meant a loss of two months' time, and the
country which we shall reach when we get through
this defile is a very good one for trade. Still, I am
sorry now that I did not adopt that plan ; for, what
with the natives and the torrent, our position is an
extremely serious one ; however, there is nothing for
it but to push on now. We have passed one out of
the three gorges, and even if the other two are in as
bad a condition as the one we came up yesterday, two
more days' labour will see us through it."

As the caravan moved along the valley the yells of
the natives, high up on the slopes, rose loud and
menacing. They must have been disgusted at
seeing that the labour upon which they had been
engaged the whole night, of loosening and setting
in motion the rocks, had been entirely thrown away,
for they could see that the waggons and teams were
wholly uninjured.

As the caravan reached the point where the valley
narrowed again, a mile above the halting-place, they
began to descend the slopes, as if they meditated an

The Young Colonists. 2 1 9

attack, and the rifles of the whites and the three
hunters opened fire upon them and checked those
on the bare sides of the hill. Many, however, went
farther down, and descending into the valley crept up
under the shelter of the stones and boulders, and as
soon as they came within range opened fire with their
bows and arrows. By this time, however, the waggons
were entering the ravine which, although at its
entrance less abrupt and perpendicular than that
below, soon assumed a precisely similar character.

Once well within its shelter Mr. Harvey posted
Dick with the three hunters and four of the other
natives to defend the rear. This was a matter of
little difficulty. Two or three hundred yards up the
ravine a barrier, similar to those met with on the
previous day, was encountered, and the waggons had
to be dragged up by ropes, an operation which took
upwards of three hours.

While the passage was being effected, Dick with his
party had remained near the mouth of the ravine, and
had been busy with the enemy who pressed them ; but
aft :r the last waggon had safely crossed the barrier
they took their station at this point, which they could
have held against any number of enemies.

The caravan proceeded on its way, men and animals
labouring to the utmost ; when, at a point where the
sides of rock seemed nearly to close above them, a nar
row line of sky only being visible, a great rock came
crushing and leaping down, bounding from side to side
with a tremendous uproar, and bringing down with it

220 The Young Colonists.

a shower of smaller rocks, which it had dislodged in
its course. The bottom of the ravine was here about
twelve yards wide, and happened to be unusually
level. The great rock, which must have weighed half
a ton, fell on one side of the leading waggon and burst
into fragments which flew in all directions. For
tunately no one was hurt, but a scream of dismay
broke from the natives.

" Steady ! " Mr. Harvey shouted ; " push on ahead ;
but each man keep to his work — the first who attempts
to run and desert the waggons I will shoot through
the head."

" Tom, go on a hundred yards in front, and keep
that distance ahead of the leading waggon. Shoot
down at once any one who attempts to pass you."

Rock followed rock in quick succession ; there was,
however, fortunately a bulge in the cliff on the right-
hand side, projecting some twenty feet out, and as the
blocks struck this they were hurled off to the left
side of the path. Seeing this Mr. Harvey kept the
waggons close along on the right, and although several
of the oxen and three or four of the men were struck
by detached fragments from above, or by splinters
from the stones as they fell, none were seriously injured.

Long after the caravan had passed the point the
rocks continued to thunder down, showing Mr. Harvey
that those above were unable to see to the bottom of
the gorge, but that they were discharging their missiles
at random. A short distance farther a cross ravine, a
mere cleft in the rock, some five feet wide at the

The Young Colonists. 221

bottom, was passed, and Mr. Harvey congratulated
himself at the certainty that this would bar the pro
gress of their foes above, and prevent the attack being
renewed from any point farther on.

At this point so formidable an obstacle was met
with in a massive rock, some thirty feet high, jammed
in the narrowest part of the ravine, that the waggons
had to be emptied and hauled by ropes up the
almost perpendicular rock, the oxen being taken
through a passage, which with immense labour the men
managed to clear of stones, under one of the angles
of the rock. It was not until after dark that they
reached the spot where the ravine again widened
out into a valley, having spent sixteen hours in accom
plishing a distance of only three miles. However,
all congratulated themselves that two-thirds of their
labour was over, and that but one more defile had to
be surmounted.

The rear-guard remained encamped at the opening
of the defile, but the night passed without interrup
tion, the natives being doubtless disheartened by the
failure to destroy the caravan by rocks from above.

"Do you think there is any chance of their
attacking us to-night, down the slopes, as they did
this morning ? " Tom asked Mr. Harvey.

" None whatever," the latter replied, " as you will
see in the morning. This valley does not resemble the
last ; the rocks rise almost perpendicularly on both
sides, and it would not be possible for them to make
their way down, even if they wanted to do so."

222 The Young Colonists.

With the first dawn of light the oxen were
inspanned. Just as they were starting, one of the
natives of Dick's party came up to Mr. Harvey, and
reported that the natives in large numbers were
showing in the ravine, and the sharp crack of the
rifles, which almost at the same moment broke out,
confirmed his statement.

" The defile must be held," Mr. Harvey said, " until
we are well in the next pass. When the last waggon
has entered I will send back word, and they must then
follow us and hold the entrance. Tom, you had better
take four more of the armed natives to strengthen
the rear-guard. Tell Dick to come on and join me.
You had your fair share of labour yesterday, and your
hands are cut about so, by lifting and heaving rocks,
that you would be able to do little to-day. It is
rather a good sign that the natives are pressing
forward in such force on our rear, as it shows that
they have no great faith in any attempt they may
make to-day to repeat their rock-throwing experiment
of yesterday."

As before two natives were sent on ahead to
examine the defile, and Mr. Harvey moved on with
the caravan until he reached the upper edge of the
valley, which was scarcely half a mile long. Just as he
did so the natives came hurriedly down .the defile ;
they reported that a short distance up they had met
with another obstacle, to the full as difficult as that
which they had got the waggons over on the pre
ceding day, and that as they turned an angle in the

The Young Colonists. 223

defile, and came in sight of it, they were saluted by a
shower of arrows, and saw a crowd of natives on the
top of the barrier. They had thrown themselves down
behind the boulders, and had obtained a good view of
the natives and the obstacle. It was some forty feet
farther up, and was formed by three or four great
boulders jambed in together. On the other side
small boulders and stones seemed to have been piled
up by the torrent to the level of the rocks; but on
the lower side it was almost perpendicular, and they
questioned if a man could climb it, — certainly there
was no passage for oxen.

224 The Young Colonists.

CHAPTER XV.

A MOUNTAIN-TORRENT.

THE news brought by the scouts was very serious.
The continued fire in the rear showed that the enemy
were making a serious attack in that quarter. But
Mr. Harvey feared that his fighting force there must be
weakened greatly, to enable him to attack so for
midable a position as that which the enemy occupied
in front. Before arriving at any decision as to his
best course, he halted the caravan, and went forward
himself, with the two natives, to inspect the position
which they had discovered.

When he reached the turn in the defile he crawled
forward among the boulders until he reached a spot
where he could obtain a clear view of the barrier ;
it was to the full as formidable as it had been described
by the scouts. It would have needed an active man
to scale the rocks without any opposition from above,
while on the top a dense body of natives were clus
tered, numbering at least fifty, and probably a con
siderable portion of their force was concealed from
view.

Mr. Harvey sent back one of the natives to tell
Dick to come on and join him ; after which he was
to go back and bid Jumbo come up, as Mr. Harvey
had great confidence in the hunter's shrewdness.

The Young Colonists. 225

Dick presently arrived, and was much impressed
with the formidable nature of the obstacle.

" We might creep forward," he said, " among the
stones and soon drive those fellows off the edge, but
they would only lie down behind, and could easily
destroy us, as we climbed one by one to the top.
Each one, as he got up, would be riddled with
assegais. What are you thinking of doing, sir ? "

" I don't know what is best, Dick. I quite agree
with you, it is a tremendous position to storm, but
on the other hand it would be almost as bad to
retreat."

Ten minutes later Jumbo arrived at a run ; without
a word he threw himself down by the side of Mr.
Harvey, and for two or three minutes gazed silently
at the obstacle ahead ; then, to Mr. Harvey's surprise,
he turned over on to his back, and lay there with his
eyes open.

" What on earth are you doing, Jumbo ? "

" Look there, sir," the native said, pointing to a
glistening spot, the size of a crown-piece, on his
stomach.

" Veil, what of that ? " Mr. Harvey said ; " that's a
drop of rain — there's another fallen on my hat. What
do you think of that place ahead ? "

" Me no think nothing about him, sir; that place, sir,
no consequence one way or de other. You hear him,
sir?"

As he spoke a louder crash of thunder burst over
head. Mr. Harvey looked up now. That portion of

(M264) Q

226 The Young Colonists.

the sky which could be seen was inky black. Great
drops of rain were falling with a pattering sound on
the rock.

w Storm come, sir ; very bad storm. I see him
coming, and say to Massa Tom, ' Two or tree hour
fight over ; now you see someting like a mountain-
storm. In tree hours water come down twenty feet
deep.'"

" You are right, Jumbo. It is lucky the storm has
begun so early ; if we had got far into the defile we
should have been caught. Now, all we have got to do
is to wait. Go back, Dick, and send up every man with
fire-arms ; we must at once engage those fellows in
front and occupy their attention. If they once per
ceive their danger they will make a desperate rush
down here, and it will go hard with us then. When
you have sent the fighting-men up, see that the
teamsters move all the waggons to the highest piece
of ground you can find in the valley. Let them
arrange the waggons there as closely as they will pack,
and keep the animals well round them. A flood will
destroy our enemy, but I am not sure that it may not
destroy us too. Now hurry away, and tell the fighting-
men to run up as quick as they can. When you
have seen everything in readiness, join Tom, and warn
him to be ready to fall back to the waggons as soon
as the flood comes."

Dick ran down the ravine. It was not until he
issued from it that he was aware how tremendously
the rain was pouring down. In the defile he had been

The Young Colonists. 227

conscious only of a slight mist, with an occasional drop
of heavy rain, for very few of the rain-drops which
entered the gap far above descended to the bottom,
almost all striking against the sides. In the compara
tively open valley, however, the rain was coming down
in a perfect cataract. Dick at once sent all the
fighting-men to the front, and three minutes later the
report of musketry told that they were engaged with
the enemy.

Dick now set to work with ten of the natives to
select the spot on which to place the waggons. The
bottom of the valley was very flat, and the sand
between the boulders showed that when the water was
high the whole was covered. He, however, found a
spot on the left-hand side, about midway between the
two defiles, which was some feet higher than the rest
The hill-side behind at this point rose somewhat less
abruptly than elsewhere, and it was probable that the
rise in the bottom was formed by a slip which had
taken place at some past period. Here the waggons
were arranged side by side in two rows, the wheels
of the three inner waggons close against the slope
abo\~ them. The cattle were gathered closely
round.

Dick then joined Tom, whom he found in high
spirits, the hunters having already told him that the
flood would very soon come to their relief. The
party was hotly engaged. About thirty or forty
yards intervened between them and their enemy,
who, crouching behind rocks, were shooting their

228 The Young Colonists.

arrows high into the air, so that they came down
almost perpendicularly upon the defenders. One of
these had been killed and three severely wounded by
the missiles ; while they themselves could only get
an occasional shot at a limb exposed beyond the
shelter of the boulders.

Not having received orders to stay by Tom, Dick
retraced his steps up the valley to the party above.
From the cliffs at the side of the valley waterfalls
were leaping down, and a stream of water was already
beginning to flow down its centre. The bed of the
defile was perfectly dry, the stones being scarcely
wetted by the fine mist from above. Dick found Mr.
Harvey and the natives engaged in keeping up a hot
fire at the top of the obstacle, lying at a distance of
forty or fifty yards from it among the rocks. One or
two dead natives were stretched on the top of the
rock ; the rest were not to be seen, but the arrows
whistled fast over his head, showing that they were
lying down just behind it.

" The rain is tremendous outside," Dick said, as he
joined Mr. Harvey. " You can have no idea what it
is here. The water is pouring so fast into the valley
that a stream is forming there already, and will soon
be running two or three feet deep down the lower
pass. I wonder it has not begun to make its way
down from above."

" It has begun, Dick ; look at those little threads of
water between the stones. When it comes, it will
come with a rush ; that is always the way with these

The Young Colonists. 229

gorges. Jumbo is listening ; it will come with a roar
like thunder. He has just told me I had better
send most of the men back at once, keeping only
four or five to continue firing to the last moment.
You see the enemy, who are there on a sort of plat
form, will not notice the water that is making its
way down. See how fast it rises ; it is ankle-deep
already — and, I tell you, we shall have to run when the
time comes."

All the natives, with the exception of Jumbo and
two other men, were sent back.

" I don't see anything to fire at," Dick said.

" No," Mr. Harvey agreed ; " it is a pure waste of
ammunition, except that it occupies their attention.
They can hardly be conscious yet how tremendously
it is raining. If they were they would not remain
where they are, but would make a rush upon us, how
ever great the risk."

" Listen ! " Jumbo exclaimed suddenly.

They listened and were conscious of a dull, heavy,
roaring sound. Jumbo leapt to his feet.

" Come ! " he said ; " run for your lives/'

They started up and took to their heels. A terrible
yell was heard behind them, and, glancing over his
shoulder, as he turned the corner, Dick saw the natives
climbing down from their defence, and even leaping
from the top in their terror. Fast as Dick was
running, the roar behind rose louder and louder.

" Quick, Dick," Mr. Harvey shouted, " or you will
be too late."

230 The Young Colonists.

Dick hurried to the utmost, but the stream was
already rising rapidly, and was running knee- deep
between the stones. Stumbling and slipping, and cut
ting himself against the rocks, Dick struggled on. The
mighty roar was now close behind him, and seemed
to him like that of a heavy train at full speed. He
reached the mouth of the ravine ; the water was
already up to his waist. Mr. Harvey and Jumbo
dashed in, seized him by the arms, and dragged him
out.

" Run ! " they said.

They were not fifty yards from the mouth, when
Dick, looking round, saw a mighty wall of water,
fifteen feet high, leap from it, pouring as from huge
sluice-gates into the valley. He did not stop running
until he joined the rest gathered by the waggons.

Tom and his party were already there, for the
rising water had soon warned their assailants of
the danger, and the fire had suddenly ceased.
Already the greater part of the valley was covered with
water, down the centre of which a foaming torrent
was flowing. Here and there could be seen numerous
dark' objects, which, he knew, were the bodies of the
enemy who had defended the upper defile, caught
before they could reach its mouth by the wall of
water from above. They had instantly been dashed
lifeless against the rocks and boulders, and not one
could be seen to make towards the comparatively
still waters on either side of the centre stream.

Driven back again by the narrow entrance to the

The Young Colonists. 231

lower defile the water in the valley rose rapidly, as
with an ever-increasing violence it poured in from
above. There it was rushing out in a solid, dark-brown
cataract, which Dick judged to be fully forty feet in
height. In a quarter of an hour from its first outburst
the water had already reached the feet of those
standing upon the little knoll of ground in the valley.
The oxen lowing and stamping with terror pressed
more and more closely together. The young ostriches
were placed in one of the waggons, for although
their height would have left their heads well above
water, they would probably have succumbed to the
effects of a prolonged submersion of their bodies.

" If it goes on like this for another quarter of an hour,"
Mr. Harvey said, " the oxen will be washed away, if not
the waggons. Thank God, I think we can all manage
to climb up the slope. Jumbo, tell the men each to
load themselves with five or six days' provisions. Let
half a dozen take boxes of ammunition, and as many
bales of the best cloth. Let the rest take as many
bundles of the best ostrich feathers as they can carry.
Let them lay them all on the slope, twenty or thirty
yards up, wherever they can find place for them, and
then come down again, and make as many trips with
the best goods as they can."

All hands worked hard ; inch by inch the water rose ;
Mr. Harvey, assisted by the boys and teamsters,
fastened ropes together, and with these surrounded
the closely-packed throng of cattle. The water
was now more than waist-deep, and was still rising ;

232 The Young Colonists.

soon the cattle on the outside were lifted off their
feet. There was no current here, and they floated
with their heads on the backs of those in front
of them ; higher and higher the water rose, till the
whole of the cattle were afloat. At first a few
struggled, but soon they subsided into quiet, and the
whole mass floated together, with only their heads
above water.

On every available ledge on the hillside were placed
bundles and bales of all kinds, and here the whites
and natives stood, watching the progress of the flood.
The thunder-shower had ceased soon after the water
first burst through the gorge, but Mr. Harvey knew
that some hours must elapse before the flood would
begin to abate.

" I don't see why the water should not run off as
fast as it comes in," Dick said.

" It all depends, Dick, upon the question whether in
the lower defile there is any place narrower than the
mouth, through which the water is rushing from above.
According to appearances this is so ; for, could the
water escape faster than it comes in, the lake here
would cease to rise. I think now the water has
reached a level, where the outflow nearly equals the
inflow. I have been watching the wheels of the
waggons, and for the last ten minutes I do not
think it has risen above an inch or two."

u I will get down and watch," Dick said, and he
scrambled down to the water's edge.

Two minutes later he shouted up, —

The Young Colonists. 233

" It has not risen at all since I came here ! "

The teamsters had taken their station on the outside
waggons, and continued to talk and shout to the oxen,
exhorting these to be patient and quiet, as if the
animals were capable of understanding every word
they said.

For three hours there was no change in the situation.
Then all thought that there was a slight decrease in
the height of the torrent of water pouring from the
defile, and half an hour later a slight but distinct sub
sidence in the level of the water could be perceived.
In another hour it had fallen a foot, and after that
the fall was rapid and steady. The deep roar
caused by the rushing torrent and the rumbling of
the huge boulders and rocks swept along in the narrow
defile, gradually subsided, and soon the bullocks
were again standing on their feet.

The natives set to work to wash away the thick sedi
ment which the flood had left on the floor of the waggons,
and before nightfall the goods were all repacked. But
few signs of the recent flood now remained in the valley.
A stream still rushed through the centre. Trunks and
branches of trees lay here and there, as the water had
left them, and the bodies of some twenty or thirty
natives were lying amongst the rocks. In some
places shallow pools remained ; in others were sheets
of glistening mud.

" We shall have no more trouble with the natives,"
Mr. Harvey said; "the fighting-men of that tribe must
have been nearly annihilated."

234 The Young Colonists.

" Do you think that those below were caught, as
well as those above ? "

" Certainly/' Mr. Harvey answered ; " the water
went down with the speed of a race-horse ; they had
only a few minutes' start, and would have been over
taken before they could have even gained the lower
bed of the gorge. We can journey on peacefully
now. We have been fortunate indeed ; we have only
lost one man, and the three who were hit with stones
are all likely to do well. We have not lost a single
bullock, nor a bale of goods."

"We shall have hard work to get the waggons
up that place where the natives made the stand to
morrow."

" It is quite likely," Mr. Harvey said, " that the
obstacle there no longer exists. A flood like that of
to-day would carry away anything. Look at those
great blocks, some of which must weigh more than
a hundred tons. Likely enough some of them have
formed part of that great pile. I have already sent
Tony and Blacking up the defile to see how the flood
has left it, and in an hour they will be back to report."

The hunters on returning brought the good news
that the great block had been removed, and so far as
they had explored no other of any importance had been
found. They said indeed that the defile was now more
open than either of the two gorges they had already
passed through.

This was very satisfactory, for all had had enough of
lifting and heaving rocks. Their hands were all cut

The Young Colonists. 235

and wounded, and every limb ached with the strains
which they had undergone.

The next morning at daybreak the caravan started.
The hunters' report of the state of the roads was
fairly borne out, and although some difficulties were
met with it was unnecessary to unyoke the oxen,
although of course many boulders had to be cleared
away to allow them to pass. On emerging at the upper
end of the defile they found they were in a valley
which opened out to a great width, and rose in gradual
slopes at its head to the crest of the hills. As the only
egress at the lower end was by the defile, it was clear
that the whole rainfall must make its way by this exit,
which fully accounted for the tremendous torrent they
had witnessed.

Two days' travelling brought them to the foot of the
slopes on the other side of the range of hills, and they
were soon engaged in carrying on a considerable trade
with the natives there.

For another three months they travelled slowly
through the country, by the end of which time they
had disposed of all their goods, and the waggons were
filled to the tilts with skins and bales of ostrich feathers.

They now turned their faces to the south. After
journeying for a fortnight they perceived one day,
far across the country, the white tilts of another
caravan. The three whites at once started at full
gallop, eager to hear news of what had taken place in
the colony during their absence. As they neared
the caravan two white men rode out to meet them ;

236 The Young Colonists.

both were known to Mr. Harvey, and hearty greetings
were exchanged.

The new-comers were halting for the day, and Mr.
Harvey and the boys were soon seated in tents, with
three bottles of beer in front of them, a luxury which
they heartily enjoyed, having been many months
without tasting it.

" And now what is the news in the colony ? " Mr.
Harvey asked, after having replied to their questions
as to the state of trade, and the route which they had
followed, as the new-comers would of course take
another line, so as not to pass over the same ground.

" Things don't look well," they answered; " the Boers
are growing so insolent that there is no getting on
with them. Several English have been shot down in
various places, without the smallest cause. They
openly declare their intention of recovering their
independence. The English stores are for the most
part tabooed, and things altogether look very
threatening. There is a mere handful of British
troops in the Transvaal, and only a regiment or so in
Natal. Those wretched duffers at home hurried
every soldier out of the country the instant the
fighting was over, and if the Boers really mean
business we shall have no end of trouble. You see,
we have crushed their two enemies, the Zulus and
Secoceni, and now that we have done the work for
them they want to get rid of us."

" I thought we should have trouble with them,"
Mr. Harvey said ; "they are an obstinate, pig-headed

The Young Colonists. 237

race ; they never would pay taxes to their own
government; they would not even turn out and fight
when Secoceni threatened to overrun the country ;
and now, as likely as not, they will fight desperately
for the independence they were glad enough to
relinquish in the hour of danger. What you tell
me is a nuisance. I had originally intended to go
down through Kimberley to Port Elizabeth ; but I
changed my mind and decided to go back again
through the Transvaal, and I have come so far to the
east that I do not like to change my plans again.
However, I don't suppose we shall be interfered with.
They can't very well quarrel with us, if we won't
quarrel with them."

" Perhaps not," the trader said ; " but I tell you I
have found it precious difficult to keep my temper
several times. The insolence and swagger of those
fellows is amazing."

The two caravans halted near each other for the day,
and a pleasant evening was spent. The next morning
each resumed its way.

No further adventure was met with until the
Limpopo was reached ; this was crossed on rafts.
The natives who had accompanied them were now
paid off, receiving a handsome present each, in
addition to the sum agreed upon, and the caravan
proceeded on its way.

At the first Dutch village at which they arrived, a
week after leaving the Limpopo, they had evidence of a
change of demeanour in the Boers. As they passed

238 The Young Colonists.

through the streets a group of five or six men were
standing at the door of a store ; one of them in a loud
and insolent voice made a remark to the others, that
before long they would not have any of these English
dogs going through their country — a remark which was
received with boisterous approval by the others. Mr.
Harvey's face flushed, and he was on the point of rein
ing in his horse, and riding up to chastise the insolent
Boer, but the thought of the distance of country yet
before him checked him. It was clearly the intention
of the man to force a quarrel, and in this the English
were sure to get the disadvantage finally. He there
fore rode quietly on with the insolent laughter of the
Dutchmen ringing in his ears. The lads were equally
indignant, and it was only the example of Mr. Harvey
which had restrained them.

" Things have come to a pretty pass," Mr. Harvey
said, as he dismounted, " that Englishmen should be
openly insulted in this way. However, I suppose it
will not do to resent it, for these scoundrels would clearly
be only too glad of an excuse to shoot us down; butif this
sort of thingis going on at every village we pass through,
we shall have hard work in keeping our tempers until
we are fairly out of the Transvaal. I pity our country
men who have bought land or setup stores in this country.
I was never fond of the Boers, though I am willing
to allow that they are a splendid set of men, and that
they are magnificent riders and good shots. I question
if we shall ever retain them against their will. Of course
if we had a government which worked with energy and

The Young Colonists. 239

decision it would be a different matter altogether.
There are a considerable number of English and
Scotch settlers already here, and the natives would rise
against the Dutch to a man, if called upon to do so ; and
if a couple of dozen of their ringleaders were promptly
seized and shot, there would be an end to the whole
matter. But I know what it will be : the natives will
not be encouraged or even allowed to rise, our
soldiers, who can hardly hit a haystack at a hundred
yards, will be shot down at a distance by the Boers,
and, likely enough, we shall meet with a serious
disaster, and then the English government will get
frightened and make any terms these fellows demand.

240 The Young Colonists.

CHAPTER XVI.

A FIGHT WITH THE BOERS.

FOR some time they continued their journey, meeting
everywhere with the grossest incivility on the part of
the Boers ; in many places they were refused water at
the farms, and warned at once off the land, and Mr.
Harvey had the greatest difficulty in keeping his
own temper and restraining the boys from resenting
the language of the Boers.

One day, as they were riding along, two Boers on
horseback halted on an eminence near the road and
addressed taunting remarks to them ; they made no
answer, but continued their way. They had not gone a
hundred yards when one of the Boers deliberately took
aim and fired at them ; the ball passed between Dick
and Mr. Harvey and struck one of the natives walking
just in front of them, killing him upon the spot
This was too much. Mr. Harvey and the lads wheeled
their horses, unslung their rifles, and fired at the Boers,
who were galloping away. One of them at once
dropped from his saddle, shot through the head ; the
other reeled, but, retaining his seat, galloped off at full
speed.

" This is a bad business, boys," Mr. Harvey said ;
" we could not help it, but it will bring trouble upon us.
Now let us branch off from the road we are following,

The Young Colonists. 241

and make for Leydenberg ; we are within three days'
march of that place. There is an English garrison
there, and justice will be done. If we push on straight
for Standerton, we shall be overtaken and probably
killed before we get there."

The bullocks' heads were turned towards the south
east, and at the best pace the teams were driven across
the country. Several large native kraals were passed
in the course of the day, and after a march of nearly
double the ordinary length the caravan halted for the
night on che banks of a stream. A sharp watch was
kept all night, but nothing particular happened.

Just as they were about to inspan the oxen in the
morning some fifteen or twenty men were seen ap
proaching at a gallop. The oxen were at once
driven again to the laager, and every man seized his
arms. The Dutchmen halted at a distance of a hundred
yards, and then three of them rode up to the caravan.

" What do you want ? " Mr. Harvey said, advancing
on foot in front of the waggons, while the lads and
the three hunters stood, rifles in hand, behind them.

" We summon you to surrender," the Boers said ;
" you have murdered Mr. Van Burer and wounded
Mr. Schlessihoff."

" We have done nothing of the sort," Mr. Harvey
answered. " We were going quietly along the road
when those men insulted us ; we passed on without
answering. After we had gone a hundred yards they
fired at us, narrowly missed me, and killed one of my
men. We fired back, and with the result you have

(M2M) R

242 The Young Colonists.

named. We are quite ready to answer for our conduct,
and when we get to Leydenberg we shall at once deliver
ourselves up to the magistrate, and report what has
occurred, and you can then bring any charge you
want to make against us."

" You will never get to Leydenberg," the Boers said
scoffingly ; "we are your magistrates and judges ; we
want no English law here. Once for all, will you
surrender ? "

" We certainly will not," Mr. Harvey replied, " and
if you molest us it will be at your peril."

Without another word the Boers turned their
horses' heads and rode back to their comrades ; upon
their joining them the whole rode some little distance
to the rear, and then divided, half turning to the left,
the other to the right.

" What on earth are they going to do ? " Dick asked
in surprise.

" They are going to surround us," Mr. Harvey said ;
" they will dismount and leave their horses in shelter.
Now, lads, out with all the bales of skins and pile them
up under the waggons."

All hands set to work, and soon under each waggon
a thick breastwork of bales was erected, reaching
nearly up to the floor, leaving only enough space to
see out of and fire ; the three whites and the hunters
took station, one under each waggon, the teamsters
and other natives being distributed round the square.
Quickly as they had laboured, the preparations were not
complete, when from a brow, at the distance of about

The Young Colonists. 243

a hundred yards from the laager, a shot was fired, the
bullet burying itself with a thud in one of the bales of
skins; almost instantly from every point in a circle round
other shots were fired, and the splintering of wood and
the dull sounds, as the shots struck the barricade,
told how accurate was their aim.

Mr. Harvey's orders had been, " Don't throw away a
shot. When you see the flash of a rifle, aim steadily at
that point ; the next time a head is lifted to take aim,
hit it." The natives were ordered on no account to fire,
unless the Boers attempted to close, but to lie quietly
under shelter of the defences. In consequence of these
orders not a shot replied to the first volley of the
Boers ; but when the second round commenced, puffs of
smoke darted from beneath the waggons. Dick and
Tom knew that their shots had been successful, for the
heads at which they had aimed lay clearly in view,
and no discharge came from the rifles pointed towards
them. The other shots must have passed near their
marks, and after this first exhibition of the shooting
powers of the defenders, the Boers became much
more careful, firing only at intervals, and shifting their
ground each time, before they raised their heads to
take aim. So the whole day passed, a dropping fire
being kept up on both sides. The defenders were con
vinced by the end of the day that seven or eight of
the Boers had fallen, but their places had been more
than filled by new-comers who had been seen galloping
across the plain towards the scene of conflict. On the
side of the defenders no casualties had occurred.

244 The Young Colonists.

Towards evening the fire died away, and Tom and
Dick joined Mr. Harvey.

" What will they do next ?"

* I don't know, Dick ; the Boers are by no means
fond of exposing themselves to danger, as has been
proved over and over again in their fights with
natives. They must have suffered already a great
deal more than they bargained for, and are no doubt
heartily sick of the job. They may try a rush at
night, though I question whether they will do so. I
rather imagine that their tactics will be to besiege us
until we are driven to make a move, and then to attack
us by the way. Fortunately the stream is close at
hand, and we can get water for our cattle. Still,
there must be an end of it at some time or other."

Blacking now crept under the waggon.

" Massa, what you say ? — me think the best plan will
be for me to crawl out and run to chief Mangrope ; his
place twenty miles away ; he always hate the Dutch,
and refuse to pay tribute ; several times they have sent
parties against him, but he always beat them off.
Blacking tell him that de Boers attack English, and
that if he come down and help drive them off you
give him one team of fine oxen,— he come."

" I think your plan is a very good one, Blacking ;
but do you think that you can get through ? "

" Get through those stupid Boers ? Easily,"
Blacking said contemptuously.

" Very well, Blacking ; then, as soon as it is dark,
you had better start."

The Young Colonists. 245

Blacking nodded and withdrew, and an hour after
wards stole out from the camp.

As soon as night fell the Boers opened fire again,
this time aiming entirely at the end of the waggons
nearest the water, evidently with the intention of
rendering it difficult to procure water from the
stream.

Mr. Harvey and his companions answered by firing
at the flashes. As they hoped that rescue would arrive
ere long, Mr. Harvey did not permit any one to go
outside shelter to fetch water, as the animals had been
watered in the morning the first thing, and could, if
necessary, hold out until the following night.

Just as daylight was breaking a tremendous yell
was heard, followed by a hasty discharge of muskets ;
then there was the sound of horses' hoofs galloping at
full speed, and then, headed by Blacking, two to three
hundred natives came up to the camp. The chief him
self was among them. Mr. Harvey had on several occa
sions traded with him, and now thanked him warmly
for the welcome aid he had brought him.

The Boers were already far away, each man having
run to his horse and galloped off, panic-stricken at
the sudden attack. The oxen were at once inspanned,
two being taken from each team and presented to the
chief, together with a large bale of cotton in return for
his assistance. The caravan then started, and after
a march of sixteen hours arrived at Leydenberg.

" It is an awful nuisance," Dick said to Tom on
the march, " our being obliged to come round here.

246 The Young Colonists.

If everything had gone straight, I calculated that we
might be at home by Christmas-eve. Now, goodness
only knows when we shall arrive ; for, as likely as not,
we may be kept here for days over this row with the
Boers."

The moment they arrived at Leydenberg Mr. Har
vey, accompanied by the two lads and the three native
hunters, went to the house of the magistrate. That
gentleman had just finished his dinner ; but on being
told that his visitors' business was urgent he asked
them to be shown in. The hunters remained outside,
and the lads followed Mr. Harvey into the house.

" I have come to make a complaint against some
Boers," the trader said.

" Then I can tell you beforehand," the magistrate
put in, "that your mission is a vain one. Outside
this town I have not at present the slightest authority.
Complaints reach me on all sides of outrages perpe
trated by the Boers upon English settlers and traders.
Strong armed parties are moving about the country ;
and although I will of course hear anything that you
have got to say, with a view of obtaining redress when
things settle down again, I cannot hold out any hope
of being able to take action at present."

" I have scarcely come to you, sir, with the idea of
obtaining redress, but rather of stating my case,
in case the Boers should bring a complaint against
me."

The trader then proceeded to relate the circum
stances which had occurred : the wanton attack upon

The Young Colonists. 247

them in the first place, the murder of one of their
servants, the killing of one and the wounding
of the other of the aggressors, the subsequent
attack upon their camp, and their relief by Mang-
rope.

" I think you have got remarkably well out of the
affair, and although the attack of the Boers has cost
you the life of one of your followers and twelve oxen,
as you have killed eight or ten of them you have
made matters more than even, and have, moreover,
given them a lesson which may be useful. I will take
down your depositions, as it is as well that your
friends here, and the hunters you speak of, should
testify to it. It is hardly likely that I shall hear
any more of the matter ; the Boers were clearly in
the wrong, and in any case they would not be likely
at the present moment, when the country is in a state
very closely approaching insurrection, to seek redress
in an English court. Fortunately 250 men of the
94th Regiment leave here to-morrow morning, on the
way to Pretoria. Their road will, for some distance,
be the same as yours ; their colonel is at the present
moment in the next room with several of his officers,
and I will request permission for your waggons to
follow his baggage-train. Thus you can keep with
him until the road separates, by which time you will
be well out of the district of the Boers who attacked
you. You will, I suppose, go through Utrecht and
keep the eastern road, as that will be shorter than
going round by Standerton and Newcastle. If you

248 The Young Colonists.

will wait here for a few minutes, I will speak to the
colonel."

In a short time the magistrate returned, saying that
Mr. Harvey's six waggons might join the baggage-
train of the 94th on the following morning.

At eight o'clock the 94th marched from Leydenberg,
and Mr. Harvey's waggons fell in the rear of the
column. As they had a considerable amount of
baggage and stores, the column would not proceed
at a faster rate than the ordinary pace of the bullock-
train.

When the column was once on the march, the
colonel rode down the line and entered into conversa
tion with Mr. Harvey and the lads, who were riding
with him, and after having heard the narrative of the
fight with the Boers, he said to the lads, " You have
had a baptism of fire early."

Mr. Harvey smiled.

" They have had some very much more serious
fighting in the country north of the Limpopo ; besides,
they were both present at Isandula, Kambula, and
Ulundi."

" Indeed ! " the colonel said ; " then they have
seen fighting. Perhaps you will ride on with me to
the head of the column again ; we have a long
day's march before us, and if your young friends will
give us some of their experiences it will while away
the time."

The four cantered together to the head of the
column, where the doctor and one or two other officers

The Young Colonists. 249

were riding. After a word or two of introduction the
colonel asked the lads to tell them how they came to
be at Isandula, and how they escaped to tell the tale.

" You had better tell it, Dick," Tom said ; " you are
a better hand at talking than I."

Dick accordingly proceeded to relate their adven
tures during the Zulu war, and the story excited great
interest among the officers. When the column halted
for the day, the colonel invited Mr. Harvey and the
lads to dine at the mess, and would not listen to any
excuse on the ground that their clothes were better
suited for travelling among the native tribes than for
dining at a regimental mess.

The dinner was a very pleasant one, and after the
cloth had been removed and cigars were lit, Mr. Harvey,
at the colonel's request, related their adventures north
of the Limpopo.

" Your life is indeed an adventurous one," he said,
when the trader had finished. " It needs endurance,
pluck, coolness, and a steady finger on the trigger.
You may truly be said, indeed, to carry your lives in
your hands."

" Our present journey has been an exceptionally
adventurous one," Mr. Harvey said, " and you must
not suppose that we are often in the habit of
fighting our way. I have indeed on several occasions
been in very perilous positions, and some other even
ing, before we separate, I shall be glad, if it will
interest you, to relate one or two of them."

" By the way," the colonel said, when they took their

250 The Young Colonists.

leave," remember, the word for the night is, 'Newcastle.'
You will probably be challenged several times by
sentries before you get to your waggons, for, although
there is no absolute insurrection at present, there is
no saying when the Boers may break out. They will
hardly think of attacking a body of troops marching
peaceably along ; still, it is as well to neglect no pre
cautions. If you are challenged, ' Who comes there ? '
you will reply, ' Friends.' The sentry will then say,
* Advance and give the word.' You walk forward and
say, ' Newcastle,' and you will pass all right."

The march was continued for four days. At the
end of this time they arrived at the spot where the
direct road for Pieter-Maritzburg through Utrecht left
that which they were following.

" Look here, lads," Mr. Harvey said ; " this road will
take you considerably out of your way. If you like
you can follow the column for another couple of days.
You will then cross the south road, and can there leave
them and gallop on by yourselves to Standerton in
one day, and home the next. That will take you back
by the 23rd ; whereas, if you go on with me, you
will not be back by New Year's Day. We are
getting now to a part of the colony where the English
element is pretty strong, and the Boers are not likely
to be troublesome ; so I shall have no difficulty in
passing down with the waggons. You can tell your
fathers that we have had a most satisfactory trip, and
I expect when I have sold our goods at Durban they
will have good reason to be content/'

The Young Colonists. 251

The lads gladly accepted the offer ; they were
longing to be at home again, and especially wished to
be back by Christmas.

The colonel on hearing of the arrangement heartily
invited the lads to mess with the regiment for the
time that they continued with them, and offered to
have a spare tent pitched for their accommodation

252 The Young Colonists.

CHAPTER XVII.

A TERRIBLE JOURNEY.

THAT evening Mr. Harvey and the lads were again
invited to dine at mess, and after dinner the colonel
asked Mr. Harvey if he would be good enough to tell
them some of his adventures in the interior.

"I have had so many," the trader said, "that I
hardly know which would be most interesting. I have
been many times attacked by the natives, but I do
not know that any of these affairs were so interesting
as the fight we had in the defile the other day. Some
of the worst adventures which we have to go through
are those occasioned by want of water. I have had
several of these, but the worst was one which befell
me on one of my earliest trips up the country. On
this occasion I did not as usual accompany my father,
but went with a trader named MacGregor, a Scotch
man, as my father was ill at the time. He considered
me too young to go by myself, and when he proposed
to MacGregor that I should join him with the usual
number of waggons he sent up, MacGregor objected,
saying, — I have no doubt with justice, — that the double
amount of goods would be more than could be
disposed of. He added, however, that he should be
glad if I would accompany him with a couple of
waggons. It was, as it turned out, a very good thing

The Young Colonists. 253

for my father that his venture was such a small one.
MacGregor was a keen trader ; he understood the
native character well, and was generally very suc
cessful in his ventures. His failing was that he was
an obstinate, pig-headed man, very positive in his
own opinions, and distrusting all advice given him.

" Our trip had been a successful one. We pene
trated very far in the interior, and disposed of all our
goods. When we had done so, we started to strike
down to Kimberley across a little-known and very
sandy district. The natives among whom we were, en
deavoured to dissuade MacGregor from making the
attempt, saying that the season was a very dry one,
that many of the pools were empty, and that there
would be the greatest difficulty in obtaining water.
MacGregor disregarded the advice. By taking the
direct route south he would save some hundreds of
miles. He said that other caravans had at different
times taken this route in safety, and at the same time
of the year. He insisted that the season had not
been a particularly dry one, and that he was not
going to be frightened by old women's tales. The
natives were always croaking about something, but
he did not mean to lose a month of his time for
nothing .

" Accordingly we started. The really bad part of our
journey was about 150 miles across a sandy country,
with low scrub. The bullocks, when driven to it,
would eat the leaves of this scrub, so that we did not
anticipate any difficulty in the way of forage. In the

254 The Young Colonists.

wet season many streams run across the country and
find their way into the Limpopo. In summer they
dry up, and water is only obtained in pools alojig
their courses. There were twelve waggons in the
caravan — ten belonging to MacGregor, and my two.
I had with me a servant, a native, who had been for
years in the employment of my father, a very faithful
and trustworthy fellow.

" At the end of the first day's march of fifteen miles
we found water at the spot to which our native guide
led us. The second day the pool was found to be
dry. We got there early, having started before day
break, for the heat was tremendous. On finding the
pool empty I rode ten miles down the course of the
stream, and MacGregor as far up it, but found no
water, and on getting back to the camp the oxen
were inspanned, and we made another march ; here we
found water, and halted next day.

" So we went on, until we were half-way across the
desert. Several of the marches had been double ones,
the track was heavy from the deep sand, some of
the oxen had died, and all were much reduced in
strength. Although MacGregor was not a man to allow
that he had been wrong, I saw that he was anxious,
and before advancing he sent on a horseman and the
native guide two days' journey to see how the water
held out. On their return they reported that twenty
miles in front there was a pool of good water, and
that thirty miles farther there was a small supply,
which was, however, rapidly crying up. MacGregor

The Young Colonists. 255

determined to push on. The first day's march was
got through, although five or six more oxen
dropped by the way. The second was a terrible
march ; I have never known a hotter day in South
Africa, and one felt blinded and crushed by the heat.
The weakened teams could scarcely draw the waggons
along, and by nightfall but half the journey had been
performed. The oxen were turned loose and allowed
for an hour or two to crop the bush ; then they
were inspanned again. All night long we continued
our march ; when, just at sunrise, we got to the place
where water had been found, the pool was empty — the
two days' sun since the horseman had been there had
completely dried it up. We set to work to dig a hole ;
but the sand was shallow, the rock lying but a foot or
two below, and we only got a few buckets of water,
but just enough to give a swallow to each of the
oxen and horses. Again we searched far up and down
the course of the stream, but without success ; we dug
innumerable holes in its bed, but without finding
water.

" We were still fifty miles from safety ; but in that
fifty miles the natives said that they did not think a
drop of water would be found, as this was notoriously
the driest point on the route. Half the oxen had
now died, and MacGregor determined to leave all but
two of the waggons behind, to harness teams of the
strongest of those remaining, and to drive the rest
alongside. We halted till night to allow the animals
to feed, and theu started. We got on fairly enough

256 The Young Colonists.

until daybreak ; then the sun rose, and poured down
upon us. It was a terrible day. No one spoke, and
the creaking of the wheels of the waggons was the only
sound to be heard. Every mile we went the numbers
lessened, as the bullocks lay down to die by the way.
My tongue seemed to cleave to the roof of my mouth,
and the sun to scorch up my brain. I hardly took
notice of what was going on around me, but let
the reins hang loose on my horse's neck. Several
times he stumbled, and at last fell heavily. I picked
myself up from the sands, and saw that he was dyingt
The waggons had come to a standstill now, and I had,
I saw, for the last quarter of a mile gone on alone. I
looked at my watch ; it was four o'clock, and I turned
and walked slowly back to the waggons. The drivers
had unroped the oxen, but most of them lay where
they had halted, incapable of rising to their feet ;
others had tottered to the shade cast by the waggons,
and had thrown themselves down there. The drivers
were lying among them. As I came up MacGregor
staggered towards me ; he was chewing a handful of
leaves. ' I have been wrong, Harvey,' he said, in a
hoarse voice, ' and it has cost us all our lives. Say
you forgive me, my boy.' ' I forgive you heartily,'
I said ; ' you thought it was for the best.' I don't
remember much more. I lay down and wondered
vaguely what had become of my man, whom I had
not seen since we started on the previous even
ing.

" The next thing I remember was that it was night

The Young Colonists. 257

I got up on my feet and staggered to a bullock that I
heard faintly groaning ; I cut a vein in his neck and
sucked the blood, and then started to walk; fortunately,
as it turned out, I had not gone a hundred yards when a
dizziness came over me, and I fell again to the ground.
I must have lain there for some hours; when I became
conscious, water was being poured between my lips. I
soon recovered sufficiently to sit up, and found that it
was my faithful man. When the caravan started from
the last halting-place, he had seen that it was impos
sible for it to reach its journey's end, and although,
like the rest, he was exhausted and worn out, he
had started at full speed alone, and by morning
reached water, having travelled fifty miles in the
night It was midday before he succeeded in finding
a native kraal ; then by promise of a large reward he
induced forty men, each laden with a heavy skin of
water, to start with him, and at three in the morning
reached the camp; fortunately he stumbled across me
just before he got there.

" The assistance arrived in time. Two of the drivers
were found to be dead, but MacGregor and the other
hands, sixteen in number, were all brought round.
The supply carried by the natives was sufficient to
give an ample drink to the eighteen oxen which were
still alive. A feed of maize was then given to each, but
as they were too weak to drag even one of the waggons
they were driven on ahead, and most of them got over
the twenty-five miles which still separated them from
water. We halted there a week, to allow the animals

(M264) S

258 The Young Colonists.

to recover ; then, carrying skins of water for their supply
on the way, they went back and brought in the two
waggons, one at a time. With these I came down to
the colony. MacGregor remained behind, and directly
the rain set in went up with native cattle and brought
down the other waggons, all the valuable contents of
which, however, had in the intervening time been
carried off by natives. It was a near squeak, wasn't
it ? MacGregor was never the same man again, and
shortly after his return to Natal he sold off his wag
gons and went back to Scotland. Being young and
strong I soon recovered from my privation."

" Lions are very abundant in some parts of the
interior, are they not, Mr. Harvey ? " one of the
officers asked, after they had thanked the trader for
his story.

" Extraordinarily so," Mr. Harvey replied ; " in fact
it has long been a puzzle among us how such vast
quantities could find food — in no other country in the
world could they do so ; but here the abundance of deer
is so great that the lions are able to kill vast numbers,
without making any great impression upon them."

" But I should not have thought," an officer said,
" that a lion could run down a deer ! "

" He cannot," Mr. Harvey said, " except for short
distances. The South African lion is a lighter and more
active beast than the northern lion, and can for the
first hundred yards run with prodigious swiftness, tak
ing long bounds like a cat Stealing through the long
grass, and keeping to leeward of the herd, he will

The Young Colonists. 259

crawl up to within a short distance unperceived, and
then with half a dozen tremendous bounds he is
among them before they have fairly time to get up
their full speed. They hunt too in regular packs ;
twenty or thirty of them will surround a herd, and,
gradually lessening their circle, close upon their af
frighted prey, who stand paralysed with fear until the
lions are fairly among them.

" I was once surrounded by them, and had a very
narrow escape of my life. I had left my waggons at
a large native village, and had ridden — accompanied
only by my native servant — some fifty miles across
the country to another tribe, to see whether they had
lately been visited by any traders, and whether they
had goods to dispose of. I reached the kraal in
the morning, and the palaver with the chief as
usual wasted the best part of the day ; it was nearly
dark when I started, but I was accustomed to ride by
the light of the stars, and had no fear of missing
my way. I had been only two hours on the road,
when the sky became overcast, and half an hour later
a tremendous storm burst. Having now no index
for directing my way I found that it was useless to
proceed ; the plain was open, but I knew that a good-
sized river ran a short distance to the north, so I
turned my horse's head in that direction, knowing that
on a river-bank I was likely to meet with trees,
Several times I missed my way in the driving rain,
for the wind shifted frequently, and that was of course
the only guide I had.

260 The Young Colonists.

" At last, to my great satisfaction, I struck upon the
river and kept along its bank until I came to a large
clump of trees ; here we unsaddled our horses, picked
out a comparatively dry spot under a big tree, which
stood just at the edge of the river, wrapped ourselves
in our rugs, and prepared to pass the night as com
fortably as we could. The river was high, and my
only fear was that it might overflow its banks and
set us afloat before morning. However, we had not
been there long before the rain ceased, the sky
cleared, and the stars came out again ; but as
the horses had done a long day's work on the
previous day, I determined to remain where I was
until morning. Having been in the saddle all the
previous night, I slept heavily.

The wind was still blowing strongly, and I suppose
that the noise in the trees, and the lapping of the water
by the bank close by, prevented my hearing the stamp
ing of the horses, which, under ordinary circumstances,
would certainly have warned me of the approaching
danger. Suddenly I awoke with a terrific uproar. I
sprang to my feet, but was instantly knocked down,
and a beast, I knew to be a lion, seized me by the left
shoulder. My revolver was, as always, in my belt ; I
drew it out, and fired into the brute's eye ; his jaw
relaxed, and I knew the shot was fatal. A terrible din
was going on all round ; there was light enough for
me to see that both the horses had been pulled to the
ground ; two lions were rending the body of my
servant, and others were approaching with loud roars.

The Young Colonists. 261

I sprang to my feet and climbed up into the tree, just
as two more lions arrived upon the spot. My ser
vant had not uttered a cry, and was, I have no doubt,
struck dead at once. The horses ceased to struggle
by the time I gained my tree. At least twenty lions
gathered round, and growled and quarrelled over the
carcases of the horses. When they had finished these,
they walked round and round the tree, roaring hor
ridly ; some of them reared themselves against the
trunk, as if they would try to climb it, but the lion is
not a tree-climber, and I had not much fear that they
would make the attempt. I hoped that in the morn
ing they would move off; but they had clearly no in
tention of doing so, for, as it became daylight, they
retired a short distance and then either lay down or
sat upon their haunches in a semicircle fifty yards
distant, watching me.

" So the whole day passed; I had only the four shots
left in my revolver, for my spare ammunition was in
the holster of my saddle, and even had I had a
dozen revolvers I could have done nothing against
them. At night they again came up to the tree, and
in hopes of frightening them off I descended to the
lower branches, and fired my remaining shots at
brutes rearing up against it. As I aimed in each
case at the eye, and the muzzle of my pistol was
within four feet of their heads, the shots were fatal ;
but the only result was that the lions withdrew for
a short distance, and renewed their guard round the
tree.

262 The Young Colonists.

" You will wonder perhaps why all this time I did
not take to the water; but lions, although, like all the
cat tribe, disliking water, will cross rivers by swim
ming, and they seemed so pertinacious that I feared
they might follow me. Towards morning, how
ever, I determined on risking it, and creeping out
to the end of a branch which overhung the river I
dropped in. The stream was running strong, and I
kept under water, swimming down with it as hard as
I possibly could. When I came up I glanced back at
the tree I had quitted. The lions were gathered on the
bank, roaring loudly and lashing their tails with every
sign of excitement, looking at the water where they
had seen me disappear. I have not the least doubt
but that they would have jumped in after me, had I
not dived. I took this in at a glance, and then went
under again, and so continued diving until I was sure
that I was beyond the sight of the lions ; then I made
for the bank as quickly as possible. The river
swarmed with crocodiles, and had it not been for the
muddiness of the water I should probably have been
snapped up within a minute or two of entering it.

" It was with a feeling of deep thankfulness that I
crawled out and lay down on a clump of reeds half a
mile beyond the spot where the lions were looking
for me. When the sun got high I felt sure that they
would have dispersed as usual, and returned to their
shelter for the day, and I therefore started on foot,
and reached my camp late at night.

" The next day we got in motion, and when, three

The Young Colonists. 263

days later, we arrived at the kraal from which we had
started, I rode over to the tree and recovered my
revolver and saddles. Not even a bone remained
of the carcases of the horses, or of my native atten
dant"

"That was a very nasty adventure," the colonel
said. "Is it a common thing, caravans being attacked
by lions ? "

" A very common thing," the trader replied ; " in
deed in certain parts of the country such attacks are
constantly made, and the persistency with whir1!
the lions, in spite of the severe lessons they have re
ceived of the deadly effect of fire-arms, yet continue
to attack caravans is a proof that they must often be
greatly oppressed by hunger."

" Which do they seem to prefer," one of the officers
asked, " human beings or cattle ? "

" They kill fifty oxen to one human being ; but
this probably arises from the fact that in the lion-
country the drivers always sleep round large fires in
the centre of the cattle. I think that by preference
the lions attack the horses, because these are more
defenceless; the cattle sometimes make a good fight.
I have seen them when loose forming a circle with
their heads outside, showing such a formidable line
of horns that the lions have not ventured to attack
them. Once or twice I have seen single oxen when
attacked by solitary lions, come out victors in the
assault. As the lion walked round and round, the
bullock continued to face him, and I have then

264 The Young Colonists.

often seen them receive the spring upon their horns,
and hurl the lion wounded and half-stunned yards
away. Once I saw both die together — the bullock
with one of his horns driven into the lion's chest, while
the latter fixed his teeth in the bullock's neck, and
tore away with his claws at its side, until both fell
dead together."

" It must be a grand country for sport," one of the
officers said.

" It is that ! " the trader replied. " I wonder some
times that gentlemen in England, who spend great
sums every year in deer-forests and grouse-moors,
do not more often come out for a few months' shoot
ing here. The voyage is a pleasant one, and although
the journey up country to the interior of course takes
some time, the trip would be a novel one, and every
comfort could be carried in the waggons ; while the
sport, when the right country was reached, would be
more abundant and varied than in any other part
of the world. Lions may be met, deer of numerous
kinds, giraffes, hippopotami, crocodiles, and many
other animals, not to mention an occasional gallop
after ostriches. The expenses, moreover, would not
be greater than the rental and keep of a deer-forest."

" Yes, I am surprised myself that more sportsmen
do not come out here. In odd times, too, they could
get good fishing."

" Excellent," the trader replied ; " some of the
rivers literally swarm with fish."

" When I get back to England," the colonel said,

The Young Colonists. 265

" I must advise some of my friends to try it. As you
say, there are scores of men who spend their thousands
a year on deer-forests, grouse-shooting, and horse-
racing, and it would be a new sensation for them to
come out for a few months' shooting in the interior of
Africa. I must not tell them too much of the close
shaves that you and your friends have had. A spice
of danger adds to the enjoyment, but the adventures
that you have gone through go somewhat beyond the
point."

266 The Young Colonists.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE BOER INSURRECTION.

THE next morning the lads bade farewell to Mr.
Harvey and the three hunters, and then rode on with
the regiment. The day passed as quietly as the pre
ceding ones had done.

On the 2Oth the column was marching along a road
commanded on both sides by rising ground. The
troops as usual were marching at ease ; one company
was ahead of the line of waggons, two companies
marched in straggling order by the side of the long
teams, and the fourth company formed the rear
guard.

Suddenly, without the slightest warning, a flash of
fire burst from the edge of the rise at either side.
Numbers of the men fell, and a scene of the wildest
confusion ensued. Some of the young soldiers ran
for shelter underneath the waggons ; others hastily
loaded and fired in the direction of their unseen foes.

The colonel and officers strove to steady the men,
and to lead them up the slope to attack the Boers ; but
so deadly was the fire of the latter, and the men
fell in such numbers, that the colonel soon saw that
resistance was hopeless. Many of the officers were
killed or wounded by the first fire, and in five minutes
after the first shot was fired 120 men were killed or

The Young Colonists. 267

wounded ; and as the rest could not be got together
to charge up the slope under the deadly fire of the
Boers, the colonel, who was himself wounded, sur
rendered with the survivors to the Boers. Two or
three mounted officers only succeeded in getting
through.

When the fire opened, Dick and Tom at once
threw themselves off their horses, and, unslinging
their rifles, opened fire. When they saw the bewil
derment and confusion, and how fast the men were
dropping under the fire of the Boers, Dick said to his
friend, —

" It is all up, Tom ; it is simply a massacre. We
will wait for a minute or two, and then mount and
make a dash for it."

Their horses were both lying down beside them,
for the lads had taught them to do this at the word
of command, as it enabled them often, when out hunt
ing, to conceal themselves in a slight depression from
the sight of an approaching herd of deer. Thus
they, as well as their masters, remained untouched by
the storm of bullets. The Boers almost concealed
from view, steadily picked off the men.

" It is of no use, Tom ; let us mount and make a
bolt for it. They must surrender in a few minutes, or
not a man will be left alive."

They gave the word to their horses, and these
leaped to their feet, and, as was their habit in the
chase, dashed off at full speed the instant their masters
were in the saddle. Bending low on the necks of their

268 The Young Colonists.

horses, the lads rode at the top of their speed. Several
bullets came very close to them, but keeping closely
side by side, to lessen the mark they presented to the
enemy, they dashed on untouched. Looking round,
when they had proceeded some little distance, they
saw that four Boers had mounted and were in hot
pursuit. Their horses were good ones, in capital
condition, and had done easy work for the last few
days. The Boers also were well mounted, and for
three or four miles the chase continued, the Dutch
from time to time firing ; but the lads were a good
four hundred yards ahead, a distance beyond that at
which the Boers are accustomed to shoot, or which
their guns will carry with any accuracy.

" We must stop this," Dick said, as they breasted
an ascent. " If they should happen to hit one of our
horses, it would be all up with us. Dismount, Tom,
as soon as you are over the rise."

As soon as they were out of sight of their pursuers,
they reined up their horses and dismounted. They
again made the animals lie down, and, throwing them
selves behind them, rested their rifles upon them.

The Boers, they had noticed, were not all together
— two of them being about fifty yards ahead of the
others. At full speed the leading pursuers dashed for
the rise ; as they came fairly in view, they were but
fifty yards distant. The lads and their horses were
almost hidden in the long grass, and the Boers did not
for a moment notice them. When they did, they
instantly reined in their horses, but it was too late.

"THE TWO SHOTS RANG OUT TOGETHER, AND BOTH THE
BOERS FELL LIFELESS."

The Young Colonists. 269

The lads had their rifles fixed upon them, the two
shots rang out together, both the Boers fell lifeless
from the saddle, and the Dutch horses dashed back
along the track by which they had come.

The lads instantly reloaded ; but they waited in vain
for the coming of the other pursuers ; these on seeing
the horses galloping towards them after the shots
had been fired had at once turned and rode off.
After waiting for a little time to be sure that they
were not going to be attacked, the friends mounted
and rode on. They did not retrace their steps to
see what had become of the other pursuers, as it
was possible that these had imitated their own tactics,
and were lying down by their horses, waiting to get
a shot at them, should they ride back. They now
continued their journey at an easy canter, and
late in the evening entered the little town of Stan-
derton.

Standerton presented a scene of unusual excitement;
teams of waggons filled its streets, armed men moved
about and talked excitedly, numbers of cattle and
horses under the charge of Kaffirs occupied every
spare place near the town — it was an exodus. The
loyal Boers, who were at that time in an absolute
majority throughout the colony, were many of them
moving across the frontier, to escape the conflict which
they saw approaching.

The more enlightened among these people had
been fully conscious of the short-comings of their own
government, prior to the annexation to England.

270 The Young Colonists.

Short as had been the period that had elapsed since
that event, the benefits which had accrued to the
country had been immense. The value of land had
risen fourfold; English traders had opened establish
ments in every village, and the Dutch obtained far
higher prices than before for their produce, with a
corresponding reduction in that of the articles which
they had to purchase. Peaceable men were no longer
harassed by being summoned to take part in com
mandos or levies for expeditions against the natives.
The feeling of insecurity from the threatening attitude
of the Zulus and other warlike neighbours was at an
end, as was the danger of a general rising among the
natives in the colony, who outnumbered the Boers
by ten to one.

Thus the wiser heads among the Boers bitterly
regretted the movement which had commenced for
the renewed independence of the country. They
did not believe that it would be successful, because
they could not suppose that England, having, by the
repeated assertions of its representatives that the
annexation was final and absolute, induced thousands
of Englishmen to purchase land, erect trading esta
blishments, and- embark their capital in the country,
could ever desert and ruin them. They foresaw, more
over, that even should the rebellion be successful it
would throw the country back a century, the rising trade
would be nipped in the bud, the English colonists
would leave the country, the price of land would again
fall to a nominal sum, the old difficulties of raising taxes

The Young Colonists. 271

to carry on the government would recur, and restless
spirits would again be carryingout lawless raids upon the
natives, and involving them in difficulties and dangers.

Farther north the loyal portion of the Dutch re
mained quiet during the trouble; but around Stan-
derton, Utrecht, and other places near the frontier
large numbers of them crossed into Natal, with their
wives and families, their cattle and horses, and there
remained until the end of the war. The English settlers,
almost to a man, abandoned their farms, and either re
tired into Natal or assembled in the towns and formed
themselves with the traders there into corps for their
defence. The manner in which throughout the war
these little bodies uniformly succeeded in repulsing
every attempt of the Boers to capture the towns
showed how easily the latter could have been defeated,
had the British government acted with energy when
a sufficient force had been collected on the frontier,
instead of losing heart and surrendering at discretion.
It is not too much to say that, had the British govern
ment stood altogether aloof, the colony of Natal, with
the English settlers and loyal Boers,could single-handed
have put down the insurrection in the Transvaal.

The news which the lads brought to Standerton of
the unprovoked attack upon, and massacre of, the
94th caused a wild feeling of excitement. A crowd
rapidly gathered round the lads, and so great was
the anxiety to hear what had taken place that Dick
was obliged to mount on a waggon, and to relate the
whole circumstances to the crowd.

272 The Young Colonists.

Englishmen living at home in the happy conviction
that their own is the greatest of nations can form little
idea of the feelings of men in a colony like the Cape,
where our rule is but half-consolidated, and where
a Dutch population, equal in numbers, are sullenly
hostile, or openly insolent. The love of the old flag
and the pride of nationality are there very different
feelings from the dull and languid sentiment at
home ; and the news of this bloody massacre, at
a time when hostilities had not commenced on either
side, and when no overt act of rebellion had taken
place, caused every eye to flash, and the blood to run
hotly in men's veins.

Those who had hitherto counselled that the English
settlers should remain neutral in the contest were
now as eager as the rest in their demands that the
place should be defended. There was but one com
pany of British troops in the town ; but within an
hour of the story of the massacre being known 150 men
had put down their names to form a corps ; officers
were chosen, and these at once waited upon the
captain in command of the troops, and placed them
selves under his orders.

The next morning scores of men set to work
throwing up a breastwork round the place, cutting
holes in the walls and houses for musketry, and
preparing to defend the little town to the last against
any attack of the Boers.

The moment that he had heard from the lads of the
disaster to the 94th, the officer in command despatched

The Young Colonists. 273

a horseman to carry the news at full speed to Sir G.
Pomeroy Colley, who was advancing towards New
castle with the troops from Natal.

The same night a messenger rode in, saying that the
Boers had raised their flag at Pretoria, had killed
several English there, and were preparing to attack
the little British force encamped at a small distance
from the town ; that at Potchefstroom they had also
attacked the troops ; and that the insurrection was
general.

The next morning the lads mounted and proceeded
on their way, and reached home late that evening, to
the immense delight of their parents.

The news of the rising created a fever of excitement
throughout Natal. H.M.S. Boadicea landed a rocket-
battery and a naval brigade, who at once marched
up towards the front ; and Sir. G. P. Colley, who
commanded the forces, hurried every available man
towards Newcastle, as the Boers were advancing in
force towards the frontier, and were preparing to
invade Natal.

Every day brought fresh news from the Transvaal.
The little towns where the British were centred, iso
lated and alone as they were in the midst of a hostile
country, in every case prepared to defend themselves
to the last ; and at Potchefstroom, Wackerstroom,
Standerton, Leydenberg, and other places the Boers,
attempting to carry the towns were vigorously
repulsed. The news that a large force of Boers was
marching against Newcastle caused great excitement

(M264) T

274 The Young Colonists.

in that portion of Natal ; here large numbers of Dutch
were settled, and the colonists were consequently
divided into hostile camps. Large numbers of British
colonists sent in their names as ready to serve against
the Boers ; but the English military authorities un
fortunately declined to avail themselves of their ser
vices, on the ground that they did not wish to in
volve the colonists in a struggle which was purely
an imperial one. For, were they to do so, the
Dutch throughout the colony and in the Orange Free
State might also join in the struggle, and the whole of
South Africa be involved in a civil war.

There was much in this view of the case; but had
a strong corps of colonists been attached to the force
of General Colley, it is pretty certain that it would
have escaped the disaster which subsequently befell
it ; for, being for the most part excellent shots and
accustomed to the chase, they would have met the
Boers with their own tactics, and thus, as the English
settlers in the garrisons in the Transvaal showed
themselves far better fighters than their Dutch
antagonists, so Natal, where large numbers of young
colonists had served against the Zulus, Secoceni,
Moirosi, and in other native troubles, could, if
permitted, have furnished a contingent which
would have entirely altered the complexion of the
struggle.

Upon the very day after the return of their sons,
Mr. Humphreys and his friend Jackson, furious at the
two attacks which had been made by the Boers upon

The Young Colonists. 275

the parties accompanied by their sons, rode into
Newcastle and inscribed their names in the list ol
those willing to serve against the enemy. They also
offered their waggons and cattle to the authorities,
to facilitate the advance of the British troops.

This offer was at once accepted, and it was arranged
that on the 26th the carts still on the farm should go
down to Pieter-Maritzburg, and Mr. Humphreys wrote
a letter to Mr. Harvey, telling him that he was, upon
his arrival, after clearing the waggons of the goods
that he had brought down from the interior, to place
them at once at the disposal of the authorities for
the transport of military stores to Newcastle. Bill
Harrison was to go down with the carts, and to be
in charge of them and the waggons on their upward
march.

Christmas was held with great festivity, to celebrate
the return of the lads. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson and
Tom, and four or five young settlers in neigh
bouring farms were invited by Mr. Humphreys to
spend the day with him. At his request they came
early, and after the service of the church had been
read by him the day was spent in festivity. The
young men rode races on their horses, shot at marks
for prizes ot useful articles, presented by Mr. Hum
phreys, and at five o'clock sat down to a Christmas
dinner.

The holly, the mistletoe, and above all the roaring
fire were absent, but the great kitchen was decked
with boughs. The roast beef, plum-pudding, and

276 The Youn% Colonists.

mince-pies were equal to the best at home, and no
pains were spared to recall home customs on the
occasion.

At one o'clock there had been an equally good
dinner given to the labourers and their families
belonging to the farms of Mr. Humphreys and his
guests, and in the evening all assembled in the
great kitchen, and to the tunes of a violin, played by
one of the young colonists, a merry dance was kept up
for some hours. The next morning Harrison started
with the remaining waggon and several carts for
Pieter-Maritzburg, and the lads were supposed to re
sume regular work on the farms.

The Young Colonists. 277

CHAPTER XIX

THE GARRISONS IN THE TRANSVAAL

THE excitement of the time was, however, too great
to permit the lads to settle down quietly, and every day
they rode over to Newcastle to gather the latest news.
The towns which held out in the Transvaal were
Pretoria, Potchefstroom, Standerton, Wackerstroom,
Leydenberg, Rustenberg, and Marabastadt. At
Pretoria, the capital, Mr. Edgerton and Sergeant
Bradley of the 94th Regiment, who escaped from the
massacre, brought in the news, and on the following
day the authorities proclaimed martial law. Colonel
Bellairs, C.B., was commandant, and the military
authorities at once decided that the town must be
abandoned, as, with its gardens and scattered houses,
the extent was too large to be defended. A military
camp was therefore formed outside the town, and to this
the whole of the loyal inhabitants moved out. The
civilians consisted of 975 men,676women, 718 children,
1331 servants and natives, — total 3700. In addition to
these were the British troops. All horses were at
once taken for the volunteers, among whom most of
the white residents were numbered. The effective
fighting force was about 1000 — made up of four com
panies of the 2nd battalion, 2ist Fusiliers; three com
panies of the 94th ; 140 mounted volunteers, known as

278 The Young Colonists.

the Pretoria Horse; 100 mounted volunteers, known as
Norris's Horse, and the Pretoria Rifles, an infantry
volunteer corps, 500 strong. For the reception of the
women and children intrenchments were thrown up,
connecting the jail and loretto convent, and the
defence of this point was intrusted to six companies
of the Pretoria Rifles, under Major Le Mesurier. The
camp was distant about a third of a mile from the
jail and convent, and the approaches were commanded
by three little forts erected on eminences around.

Several skirmishes took place in the last fortnight
in December, but the first sharp engagement occurred
on the 6th of January. Colonel Gildea took out a force
of twenty officers, 450 men, a gun, and fifteen waggons
to bring in some forage and attack a Boer position
at Pienness River, about twelve miles off. Norris's
Horse scouted in front, and the Pretoria Pioneers
were detached to cut off the retreat of the Boers.
The Boers were easily turned out of their position.
Their defence was feeble ; but several English were
killed, owing to the Boers treacherously hoisting a flag
of truce, upon which the English skirmishers, who were
creeping forward, stood up, thinking that the Boers
surrendered ; they then fired, and several of our men
were killed or wounded. The Boers being largely
reinforced came forward to the attack, but were
smartly repulsed. Our loss was four men killed and
one officer (Captain Sampson); fourteen men were
wounded. On the i$th another force started to
attack a Boer laager, but found the enemy in such

The Young Colonists. 279

strength that they retired without serious fight
ing.

On the 1 2th of February an ineffective attempt
was made to take the Red Horse Kraal, seven miles
from Pretoria, on the road towards Rustenberg. The
force consisted of twenty-two officers and 533 men.
The carabineers under Captain Sanctuary advanced
and attacked a large stone building, 1000 yards from
the kraal. They were received by a very heavy fire
from the Boers, who advanced in such strength that
Colonel Gildea thought it prudent to fall back. This
movement, covered by the horse, was effected, the in
fantry taking no part in the fight. Captain Sanctuary
and eight men were killed ; Colonel Gildea and eight
others severely wounded. No further sortie was made
during the continuance of the war, but the Boers did
not venture to attack the British position.

The town of Potchefstroom stood in the district
most thickly inhabited by the Boers. On the I4th
of December, when it was reported that a large
number of Boers were approaching, Colonel Winsloe,
who commanded, sent Captain Falls with twenty men
of the 2 ist Fusiliers, twenty-six men of a corps com
manded by Commandant Raaff, and sixteen civilian
volunteers to hold the court-house. The jail was
garrisoned by twenty fusiliers, and the fort and
earthwork, of some thirty yards square, situated about
1000 yards from the court-house, was held by 140
men of the fusiliers and a detachment of artillerymen,
with two 9-pounders, under Major Thornhill. The

280 The Young Colonists.

three posts were provisioned as well as circumstances
permitted.

On the 1 5th 50x5 mounted Boers entered the town.
On the 1 6th fighting began in earnest, and the firing
was hot on both sides. A very heavy fire was kept
up on the prison and court-house. Half an hour
after it commenced Captain Falls was killed. For
the next sixty hours the firing continued, night and
day, and one of the little garrison was killed and
nine wounded. During the night the Boers broke
into a stable close to the court-house, and from a
distance of eight yards a heavy fire was kept up.
During this time Colonel Winsloe in the fort had
given what aid he could to the garrison of the court
house by shelling the building from which the Dutch
were firing upon it On the evening of the I7th he
signalled to the garrison to retire on the fort ; but,
being completely surrounded, they were unable to do
this. On the morning of the iSth the Boers attempted
to set fire to the thatch roof of the court-house ; and
as nothing in that case could have saved the garrison,
Major Clarke and Commandant Raaff agreed to sur
render on the terms that the lives of all those in the
court-house should be spared. This was agreed to ;
but two loyal Boers, who had been captured at an out
post, were tried, condemned to death, and shot. On
the 2 1st of December the garrison of the prison, fall
ing short of provisions, evacuated it, and succeeded in
gaining the fort without loss. The Boers occupied
the post, but were driven out by the shell-fire from the

The Young Colonists. 281

fort. Mr. Nelson, the magistrate, was taken prisoner
in the town by the Boers, and kept in close confine
ment. Three of his sons got into the fort, and took
part in its defence. Two of them, on a dark night, on
the i Qth of February, got through the Boer lines, and
carried despatches from Colonel Winsloe to New
castle, arriving there on the 5th of March, after many
perils, not the least of which was swimming the Vaal
River when in full flood.

In the meantime the attack on the fort itself had
been uninterrupted. The very first evening the water
course from which the supply of water to the camp
was taken was cut. A well had already been com
menced and sunk to a depth of twenty feet, but no
water had been obtained. Fortunately the water-
barrels had been filled an hour or two before the
supply was cut, but these only contained two quarts
of water per man. The weather was terribly hot,
and the work of the men in the intrenchments was
very severe.

On the night of the i/th Lieutenant Lindsell,
with some of the drivers of the Royal Artillery,
acting as cavalry, and a company of the 2ist, went
out to fill the water-casks from a stream half a
mile away from the camp, and fortunately succeeded
in doing so, the Boers not being on the look-out in
that direction. This gave a further supply of two
quarts per man.

The work of sinking the well had been continued
without intermission, and a depth of thirty-six feet

282 The Young Colonists.

had been attained, but still no water was met with.
A reward of 5/. was offered to the first party who
struck water, and the soldiers off duty commenced
digging in several places. At last, to the intense
relief of the garrison, a party of Royal Artillerymen
found water at a depth of nine feet. The well
soon filled, and yielded plenty of water during the
remainder of the siege.

A desultory fire was kept up until the 1st of
January, when, the Boers being strongly reinforced,
2000 men surrounded the fort at a distance of 500
yards, and opened a heavy fire upon it. They did
not, however, venture to attack the little garrison.
On the 5th they occupied the cemetery, 300 yards
from the fort, but Lieutenant Lindsell with a party of
volunteers went out by moonlight and drove them
out. The Boers then commenced making trenches,
gradually approaching the fort ; but on the 22nd
Lieutenant Dalrymple Hay went out, carried the
position from which the Boers had been most trouble
some, and captured four prisoners, some guns, ammu
nition, and trenching-tools. From that time, although
the Boers continued to throw up trenches, they con
tented themselves with a desultory fire.

The siege continued for three months and five
days ; at the end of that time the whole of the pro
visions were exhausted. Fever, dysentery, and scurvy
had broken out, and many of the garrison had died.
Out of 213 men eighty-three had been killed,
wounded, or taken prisoners. In fact an armistice

The Young Colonists. 283

between the armies had at that time been proclaimed,
but Cronje, the Boer who commanded the attack,
treacherously concealed the fact from the garrison.
When only three days' quarter-rations remained the
garrison surrendered the fort, on the condition that
they should be allowed to march down to Natal.

Messengers had reached Cronje nine days before
with news of the armistice, but although he was aware
of this he continued the siege to the end, the firing
during the last week being heavier than at any time
during the siege, — on two days alone 1 50 round shot
fell on the fort. The Boers were afterwards obliged
to allow that the surrender of the fort had been
obtained by treachery, and to agree to the garrison
being reinstated.

Standerton is the first town of any size on the
main road from Natal to Pretoria, and is situated on
the north bank of the Vaal River. On the outbreak
of hostilities two companies of the 94th and one of the
88th marched from Wackerstroom to this town, and
Major Montague of the 94th Regiment arrived from
Natal to take the command. The total strength of
the garrison consisted of about 350 soldiers and
seventy civilians. The Landdrost, J. C. Krogh, re
mained loyal and assisted in the defence, three
forts were erected on eminences round the town,
two outworks and many breastworks and rifle-pits
were dug, houses interfering with the line of
fire were pulled down, and other buildings in
suitable positions were barricaded and loop-holed,

284 The Young Colonists.

The centre point of defence was a building known as
Fort Alice, 800 yards from the town, and a military
camp was formed on a height one mile and a quarter
from this point. Preparations were made to blow up
some of the buildings, should the Boers carry the
town, mines being dug and laid to the fort A good
store of provisions was collected.

On the 2Qtha scout on a hill signalled a large number
of Boers were approaching Erasmus Farm, three miles
distant from Standerton. Captain Cassell, with six
teen mounted volunteers, went out to reconnoitre.
Two or three scouts were thrown out, and these arrived
within 600 yards of the farm ; suddenly a number of
Boers made their appearance, and Mr. G. B. Hall, one
of the mounted volunteers, gallantly tried to cross their
line to warn his comrades of the coming danger.
Galloping in front of the Boers, his horse was shot
under him; taking shelter behind it, he opened fire on
the enemy, and so attracted the attention of his
party. One man could not long resist 300, and Hall
was soon killed. The alarm, however, had been given
in time, and the mounted men fell back on the camp,
exchanging shots with the enemy. The Boers now
took up a position 600 yards from the camp, and kept
up a heavy fire. Skirmishes occurred daily, and the
enemy harassing the garrison from a height called
Standerton Kop, Major Montague caused a dummy-
gun, mounted on two waggon-wheels, to be placed in
the intrenchments ; the sight of this frightened the
Boers off Standerton Kop.

The Young Colonists. 285

On the 7th of January a Swazi, named Infofa, who
had greatly distinguished himself by his bravery in
the Secoceni War, but was now undergoing a term of
penal servitude for culpable homicide, performed an
act of singular bravery. The Boers had during the
night erected a small earthwork on the outside of the
Vaal River; 400 yards nearer the town stood a house,
and fearing that this might be occupied by the Dutch,
it was determined to destroy it. Infofa with a party
of Kaffirs volunteered for the duty ; he crossed the
river with his party, and the Kaffirs began to pull
down the house. Infofa, however, took his gun, and
marched boldly away to the Boer earthwork, 400
yards distant, to the astonishment of the lookers-on.
It happened that at the moment no Boers were pre
sent in the works, and the man reached it without a
shot being fired at him ; inside he found some tools,
and with these he deliberately set to work and
levelled the breastwork ; this accomplished, he re
turned to the party.

Until the end of the war the Boers were unable to
make any impression upon Standerton, and whenever
they approached too closely the garrison sallied out
and drove them off.

At Leydenberg fifty men of the 94th, under
Lieutenant Long, had been left, when the four com
panies under Colonel Anstruther had marched away.
The people of the town, when the news of the rising
arrived, offered to defend themselves with the troops
against attacks ; but Lieutenant Long declined to ac-

286 The Young Colonists.

cept the offer. There were in the town 220 women and
children, and only thirty-four white men who could
be relied on ; there were no defences and no water-
supply, and as Lieutenant Long knew that three or
four months must elapse before a relieving force could
arrive, he decided that it would only cost the towns
people their lives and property were they to attempt
to defend the place. He therefore advised them to
remain neutral, while he with his fifty soldiers de
fended the fort. This they did, and the commandant
of the Boer force, Piet Steyn, caused their property to
be respected when he entered the town with his troops.
For three months Lieutenant Long defended the
fort gallantly against all attacks. At one time the
enemy set fire to the thatch roof of one of the buildings,
but the soldiers succeeded in extinguishing it, although
the Boers kept up a heavy fire ; during the night the
defenders stripped off the roofs of the remaining thatch
buildings, and so prevented a renewal of this form of
attack. The Boers cut off the water-supply, but the
garrison sunk wells, and succeeded in reaching water
in time. The casualties among the fifty men during
the siege were three killed and nineteen wounded.
At the end of the war a general order was published,
conferring the highest praise upon Lieutenant Long
and his little garrison, for the bravery and endurance
which they had shown in maintaining for three
months a close siege, and this without any hope of
relief or succour. At the conclusion of the war
Lieutenant Long was so disgusted at the humiliating

The Young Colonists. 287

terms of the treaty, and the surrender to the Boers,
that he resigned his commission in the army.

Marabadstadt, though called a village, consists of
only seven or eight houses. Sixty men of the 94th,
under Captain Brook, formed the garrison which
was stationed there to keep order after the Secoceni
War, as no less than 500,000 natives inhabit the sur
rounding district. Fortunately the races were being
held at the time when the news of the massacre of
the 94th arrived, and the English inhabitants of the
neighbourhood, who were present, at once responded
to the call of Captain Brook to aid in the defence,
and thirty white men and fifty half-castes enrolled
themselves as volunteers. The Boers attacked in
considerable force, having with them two cannons ;
but the fort held out until the end of the war,
the garrison making many sorties when the Boers
brought up their guns too close. At Rustenberg and
Wackerstroom a successful defence was also main
tained throughout the war by the British and loyalists ;
but no incidents of importance marked the siege oi
those places.

288 The Young Colonists.

CHAPTER XX.
LAING'S NECK.

ON the 24th of January General Colley's little column,
consisting of the 5 8th, a battalion of the 6oth, a
small naval brigade, 170 mounted infantry, and six
guns, moved out from Newcastle ; they took with
them an amount of baggage-train altogether out of
proportion to their force, as in addition to their own
baggage and ammunition they were taking up a con
siderable amount of the latter for the use of the
troops besieged in the various towns in the Trans
vaal.

Mr. Humphreys and Jackson rode over to New
castle to see them start, and the lads sat chatting
to them on their horses, as the column filed by.

" I don't like the look of things, father," Dick
said, " and if you had seen the way the Boers polished
off the 94th, I am sure you wouldn't like it either. If
we are attacked by them, the troops would, for the
most part, be wanted to guard this huge baggage-train,
and I am sure, from what I have seen of the Boers,
the only way to thrash them is to attack them quickly
and suddenly. If you let them attack you, you are
done for. Their shooting is ten times as good as
that of the troops ; they are accustomed, both in
hunting and in their native wars, to depend each man

The Young Colonists. 289

on himself, and they would hang round a column
like this, pick the men off at long distances, and fall
upon them in hollows and bushes ; while, whenever
our fellows tried to take the offensive, they would
mount their horses and ride away, only to return and
renew the attack as soon as the troops fell back to
the waggons. Besides, with such a train of waggons
we can only crawl along, and the Boers will have time
to fortify every position. I wonder, at any rate, that
General Colley does not push forward in light march
ing-order and drive the Boers at once out of Natal,
and cross the river into the Transvaal ; then he would
have a flat, open country before him, and could bring
the waggons up afterwards."

" What you say seems right enough, Dick," his
father answered ; " but General Colley has the repu
tation of being an excellent officer."

" I have no doubt that he is an excellent officer,
father ; but he has had no experience whatever in
the Boers' style of fighting ; he knows that they have
often been defeated by natives, and I fancy he does
not value them highly enough. They cannot stand a
quick, sudden attack, and that's how the natives some
times defeat them, but at their own game of shoot
ing from behind rocks I believe that they are more
than a match for regular troops. However, we shall
see. As I am not going as a combatant I shall be
able to look on quietly, and fortunately the Boers are
not like Zulus, and there is no fear of non-combatants
and prisoners being massacred. If there were, I tell

(M264) TJ

290 The Young Colonists.

you fairly, father, that I would cry off, and let the
waggons go without me, for I do believe that things
will not turn out well."

" Well, I hope you are wrong, Dick. But you have
seen so much fighting in this country, during the
last two years, that your opinion is certainly worth
something. However, there is one satisfaction, there
are a number of troops now landing at Durban and on
the march up ; so that if this little force does get a
check, it will soon be retrieved. Now, good-bye, lad ;
mind, if there is an attack on the waggons, take as
little part in it as you can, and stick to the position
of non-combatants. If they would have had us as
volunteers, we would have done our best; but as they
have declined to accept the offer of the colonists, let
them fight it out their own way. If they get beaten
and the Boers swarm into Natal, as in that case
they certainly will do, the colonists will take the
matter in hand by themselves, and if we don't send
the Dutchmen packing back faster than they come,
I am a Dutchman myself."

Had Sir George Colley pushed on rapidly with
his column, he would have passed all the points at
which the Boers could have taken up strong defensive
positions, before they could gather in force to oppose
him, as he had the choice of three or four different
lines of advance, and until the one by which he would
travel was known, the Boer army was forced to re
main inactive, awaiting his disposition. As soon,
however, as he had left Newcastle, and it was known

The Young Colonists. 291

by them that he had started along the line of road
to the west of Newcastle, they moved their whole
force to oppose him, and took post on a position
known as Laing's Neck, at a spot where the road
had to cross over a steep and difficult ridge. Here
they set to work to throw up intrenchments, and the
leisurely, and indeed dilatory, advance of the British
gave them ample time for this. Although the dis
tance from Newcastle to Laing's Neck was but twenty-
five miles, and the column, unimpeded by baggage,
could by a forced march have seized the position on the
very day of their leaving Newcastle, and long before
the Boers could have moved their army to reinforce
the little body who occupied the position as corps of
observation, no less than six days elapsed before Sir
George Colley's force arrived before Laing's Neck.

This time was spent in frequent halts, in im
proving the roads, bridging the streams, and other
similar operations, all useful enough in their way,
but fatal to the success of a flying column, whose
object was to strike a sudden blow at the enemy, and
to secure the road and passes as far as the frontier, in
order to facilitate the march of the main column of
invasion, which was on its way up from the coast.
Dick and Tom chafed under the long delays,
and twice rode home and spent a day with their
parents.

At last, however, the column was in front of the
enemy's position. The Boers, who were some 3000
strong, held a strong position on the line of the crest

292 The Young Colonists.

of the ridge, with breastworks thrown up in front.
The total force of Sir George Colley consisted of
but 870 infantry, together with the mounted men and
guns ; and to attack such a position, with a chance of
success, every man should have been sent against the
intrenchments. General Colley, however, seems at
the last moment to have been alarmed for the safety
of his baggage, which was menaced by parties of
Boers on his left flank. He therefore prepared to
attack with only five companies of the 58th — that is,
but little more than 250 men, keeping the whole of
the rest of the infantry in reserve, but ordering the
mounted infantry to assist in the attack — a service
which, upon such ground, they were altogether un
fitted to perform. The result of such an arrangement
as this was inevitable. Tom and Dick could scarcely
believe their eyes when they saw this handful of
men advancing up the steep hill, at whose summit
was a force more than ten times as numerous, and
composed of some of the finest marksmen in the
world. The six English guns opened fire to cover
the advance, and the 58th went gallantly up the hill.
As soon as they approached the crest, a tremendous
fire of musketry was opened upon them by the Boers
lying behind the intrenchments. The men were
literally swept away by the fire. Gallantly led by
their officers, they pressed forward until within a few
yards of the breastworks ; then the Boers leapt to their
feet, sprang over the works, and fell upon them. Colonel
Deane, Major Poole, Lieutenant Elwes,and Lieutenant

The Young Colonists. 293

Bailey were killed, and no less than 1 80 of the little
force were killed, wounded, or taken prisoners. Few
even of the survivors would have escaped, had not the
mounted infantry, who had ascended the spur at a
point farther to the right, made a gallant charge along
the crest of the hill and checked the pursuit. The
main body of the British advanced a short distance to
make a demonstration, and prevent the Boers from
following up their success. The whole column then
fell back four miles, to the ground which they had
occupied the night before. The gallantry displayed by
the 58th and mounted infantry was the sole redeem
ing feature in the discreditable affair of Laing's Neck,
where defeat had been rendered almost certain by
the previous hesitation and delays, and was ensured
by the folly of sending a mere handful of men to
attack such a position. As the British fell back, the
Boers advanced, and at nightfall placed themselves
on the road between the camp and Newcastle, entirely
cutting the force off from its base, and threatening
both them and the town of Newcastle.

Several days passed, the attitude of the Boers be
came more and more threatening, and General Colley
determined at all hazards to open the way back to
Newcastle. On the morning of the 8th of February
he moved out with five companies of the 6oth rifles,
two field and two mountain guns, and a detachment
of mounted infantry ; Dick and Tom obtained leave
to ride back with the mounted detachment. At a
commanding post near the River In^ogo Sir George

294 Tke Young Colonists.

Colley left two mountain-guns and a company of
rifles as a garrison, and moved forward with the rest
of the column. The River Ingogo runs at the bottom
of a deep ravine. Crossing this the English force
mounted to the top of the opposite crest, but they
had gone but a short distance farther when they were
attacked on all sides by the Boers. The troops were
ordered at once to take shelter among the boulders
and bushes, while the two guns from the top of
the eminence opened fire with shell upon the
enemy.

Dick and Tom sought shelter with the rest,
making their horses lie down beside them, and were
soon as hotly engaged as the Rifles around them in
answering the heavy fire of the Boers. The fight
began at twelve o'clock, and raged without intermission
for six hours ; sometimes the Boers attacked on one
side of the position, sometimes upon another. The
ground was broken and thickly strewn with boulders
and bushes, and favoured by these the Boers crept
up sometimes close to the position held by the
English. So accurate was their shooting that none
of the defenders could show his head above shelter
for a moment, and it was as much as they could do
to prevent the enemy from carrying the position at a
rush. The 6oth fought with the greatest coolness
and steadiness, and, numerous as were the enemy,
they could not muster up courage for the rush
which would have assuredly overwhelmed the little
party that they were attacking. The two English

The Young Colonists. 295

guns could render but small service, the men being
shot down as fast as they stood up to load, and every
officer, driver, gunner, and horse was killed or
wounded within half an hour after the action com
menced. So incessant indeed was the rain of balls
that the guns after the action were spotted with bullet-
marks so thickly that it would have been difficult
to place the tip of the finger upon a place unstruck
by a ball.

When darkness put a stop to the fight 160 men
— more than two-thirds of the force — were killed
or wounded. Among the former were Captain
MacGregor of the staff, Captain Green of the Royal
Artillery, and Lieutenants Green and O'Connell of
the 6oth ; while Lieutenants Pixney, Parsons, Twistle-
waite and Haworth, all of the 6oth, were wounded.
Had the Boers taken advantage of the cover of dark
ness to steal forward, they must have annihilated the
Httle force ; but they believed that they had them
in their power, for the rain had fallen heavily, the
Ingogo had risen, and was, they thought, unfordable.
General Colley ascertained, however, that it was still
possible to cross, and with the greatest silence the
survivors moved off from their position, the storm
helping to conceal the movement from the Boers.
Very quietly they moved down to the stream, and
with the greatest difficulty succeeded in crossing ;
then picking up on their way the company and guns
which had been left on the eminence beyond, the
column reached camp in safety.

296 The Young Colonists.

In the meantime reinforcements had been pushing
forward from the sea as fast as possible, and on the
1 7th the column under Sir Evelyn Wood arrived at
Newcastle, to the great joy of its inhabitants. For days
an attack by the Boers had been expected, intrench-
ments had been thrown up round the great convoy
which had been collected to advance with the force,
and all the inhabitants who could bear arms, and
many settlers from the surrounding country, had
come in to aid in the defence, should the Boers at
tack it.

The arrival of the relieving column ensured the safety
of the town, and the Boers between Newcastle and
General Colley's little camp at once fell back to their
old position on Laing's Neck, leaving the road open.
General Colley and his staff rode in from Prospect
Hill, the name of the camp, and had a consultation
with General Wood. The 92nd Regiment marched
out and reinforced General Colley's column.

The Boers' position at Laing's Neck was commanded
by a lofty and rugged mountain, called Majuba Hill, on
its right, and the occupation of this hill by the British
would render the position untenable. It would have
been an admirable military movement to seize this
hill when the whole force was collected at the camp
in readiness to advance, as, with their flank turned
and a force advancing for a direct attack, the Boers
must at once have retreated, but General Colley most
unfortunately desired to retrieve the two defeats he
had suffered, by compelling the Boers to fall back,

The Young Colonists. 297

before the arrival on the scene of Sir Evelyn Wood
with the main body. He believed, no doubt, and
with reason, that Majuba Hill once captured would be
impregnable against any attack which might be made
against it.

Accordingly, on the night of the 26th, with twenty
officers and 627 men drawn from the 58th, 6oth, 92nd,
and naval brigade, he started from the camp with
the intention of seizing the hill. The night was a
dark one, and the march across the unknown country
difficult in the extreme. The intervening ground was
cut up by steep valleys and rapid ascents, and for
hours the troops struggled up and down these places,
many of which would have been difficult to climb by
daylight. At last, after immense labour, the force
reached the foot of Majuba Hill, having taken six
hours in accomplishing a distance which, as the crow
flies, is little more than four miles. At a command
ing point near the foot of the hill 200 men were left,
to keep open the communication ; the main body
kept on until they reached the summit, just before
daylight, the Boers being entirely in ignorance of
the movement which had taken place. The position
was of immense natural strength, as it was only at a
few points that an ascent could be made. On the
summit was a plateau, so that all thetroops notactually
engaged in repelling assaults could lie down perfectly
secure from the fire from below. At sunrise the Boers
could be seen moving about in their lines. An hour
later a party of mounted vedettes were seen trotting

298 The Young Colonists.

out towards the hill, which during the day they used
as a post of observation ; as they approached the out
lying pickets fired upon them. As the sound of the
guns was heard by the Boers below, a scene of the
greatest confusion and excitement was observed from
the height to prevail. Swarms of men were seen rush
ing hither and thither ; some to their arms, some to
their horses, others to their waggons, to which the oxen
were at once harnessed, ready for a retreat in case of
necessity. Then a great portion of the Boers moved
forward towards the hill, with the evident intention of
attacking it.

At seven o'clock the enemy opened fire, and the
bullets whistled up thickly round the edge of the
plateau. The main body of the troops remained in the
centre of the plateau, out of fire, small bodies being
posted near the edge to answer the fire of the Boers
and prevent their approaching the accessible points.
For five hours the musketry duel continued. So far
its effect had been trifling, a few men only being
wounded. The position appeared perfectly safe.
The Boers were indeed between the garrison of the
hill and the camp, but the former had three days'
provisions with them, and could therefore hold out
until Sir Evelyn Wood arrived with the main body
for a direct attack upon the Boers' position.

Between twelve and one o'clock the Boers' fire
slackened, and the besieged force thought that their
assailants were drawing off; this, however, was not the
case. Under cover of the shrubs and rocks the Boers

The Young Colonists. 299

were creeping quietly up, and at one o'clock a terrific
fire suddenly broke out, and the enemy in great numbers
rushed up the short intervening distance between them
selves and the scanty line of defenders on the edge of
the plateau ; these, seized by panic, at once fled, and
the exulting Boers poured up on to the plateau and
opened a destructive fire upon the troops.

The scene which ensued was one of the most dis
creditable in the annals of the British army. Although
armed with breech-loaders, and fully as numerous as
the assailants who had gained the crest of the hill, the
resistance offered was feeble in the extreme; had the
troops charged the Boers, the advantages of discipline
and of their vastly superior weapons would have been
irresistible, and they could have cleared the plateau as
speedily as it had been occupied. The great majority,
however, were seized with a wild panic, and, in spite
of the efforts of the officers, thought of nothing but
seeking safety in flight. A few stood and fired, but
how few these were can be judged from the fact that
only one Boer was killed, one severely wounded, and
four slightly so ; while half the British force were
killed, wounded, or taken prisoners, the remainder
managing to escape down the sides of the hill, and
to join the force left at its foot, or to hide in the
bushes until night. Among the killed were General
Colley, Captain the Hon. C. Maude, Surgeon-
Major H. Cornish, Surgeon A. Landon, and Lieu
tenant Trower of the naval brigade ; eight officers
were killed, and seven taken prisoners ; eighty-six men

300 The Young Colonists.

were killed, 125 wounded, fifty-one taken prisoners,
and two missing. The fight, such as it was, lasted
five minutes. The force which had been left at the
bottom of the hill, under Captain Robertson, was also
attacked ; but, being admirably led by that officer,
fought its way back to the camp with but small
loss, the guns there assisting to cover its retreat.

The boys had not accompanied the expedition, and
from the camp had watched the line of smoke round
the hill, and had joined in the laughter of the officers
at the idea of the Boers attacking so tremendously
strong a position. Intense was the astonishment in
camp when a wreath of smoke suddenly rose from the
summit, and when this cleared away, and all was quiet,
and it became evident that the Boers had carried the
position, it was difficult to say whether the feeling of
dismay or humiliation most prevailed.

With the defeat of Majuba Hill the war in the
Transvaal virtually terminated. When the news
reached England, the government declared that the
honour of the British flag should be vindicated, and
great numbers of troops were sent out to Natal ;
these marched up the country, and were in readiness
to assault the Boers' position, when the English
government suddenly gave way, and granted to the
Boers all that they demanded, the sole provision
insisted upon being a purely nominal sovereignty on
the part of the queen, and an equally nominal pro
tection for the natives — a clause in the treaty which,
from that time to this, no attempt whatever has been

The Young Colonists. 301

made to enforce. Not only were the natives
practically abandoned to the mercy of the Boers, to
be shot down or enslaved at their will, as in former
times, but the English settlers, who had for months
made such a noble defence in every town in the
Transvaal, were abandoned, and the greater portion
of them, ruined and plundered, have long since left
the country where, relying upon the empty promises
and vain guarantee of England, they had embarked
their fortunes. A more disgraceful and humiliating
chapter in English history than the war in the
Transvaal, and the treaty which concluded it, is not
to be found.

After the battle of Majuba Hill Dick and Tom
returned to their farms, resolved to have nothing
farther to do with the business ; there they have re
mained steadily since that time. Mr. Humphreys'
plantation of trees now covers a great extent of
ground, and promises fully to answer his expecta
tions of eventual profit. Those first planted are at
taining large size, and the thinning brings in a
considerable annual income. His waggons are fully
employed in taking down fruit to Pieter-Maritzburg,
In another ten years Mr. Humphreys expects that
he will be a very wealthy man ; he is thinking next
year of paying a visit, with his wife and two sons, to
England, where John will be left to finish his education
and pass through college, with a view of eventually
entering the Church. Dick is quite contented with
his life; he has taken no farther part in trading

302 The Young Colonists.

expeditions into the interior, although the profit
realized in the venture under Mr. Harvey was con
siderable, but there is plenty of work on the farm to
occupy his time. A large number of natives are
employed in planting operations, and since the first
year Mr. Humphreys has raised all his own trees from
seeds. The breeding of cattle and horses has been
abandoned, only a small herd and a flock of sheep
being kept for home requirements, as it is found that
the ever-increasing plantation and the great orchards
of fruit-trees are quite sufficient to occupy their
attention.

Mr. Jackson too is prospering greatly; influenced
by the example of his neighbour, he too has gone in
for planting, although on a much smaller scale than
Mr. Humphreys, his means being insufficient to carry
out such extensive operations. Tom and Dick are
as great friends as ever, and, when they can be
spared, often go out together on a deer-hunting
expedition. Tom is engaged to the daughter of a
trader in Newcastle ; Dick, laughing, says that he
shall look out for a wife when he gets to England.
The prospects would be altogether bright for the
emigrants from Derbyshire, were it not for the trouble
which the weakness of the British government, in
sending back Cetewayo to Zululand, brought about,
and from the increasingly bad feeling growing up
between the Boers and the natives, owing to the con
stant aggressions of the latter, and their ill-treatment
of the natives, in defiance of the agreements in the

The Yo^mg Colonists. 303

treaty with the British government. If the day should
come when the natives at last rise and avenge upon
the Boers the accumulated injuries of many years,
neither Dick Humphreys nor Tom Jackson will be
inclined to lift a hand to save the Boers from their
well-merited fate. The example of the successful
resistance offered by the Basutos to the whole power
of the Cape government has had an immense effect
among the native tribes of South Africa, and
sooner or later the colonists there will have a very
serious crisis to pass through. Dick hopes that this
crisis will not occur in his time, for Mr. Humphreys
intends in another fifteen years, if he live so long,
when his first-planted trees will have gained maturity,
to divide his great forest into lots, to sell off, and to
return to his native land. Dick quite agrees in
the plan, and hopes some day to be settled with an
abundant competency in Old England.

THE END.

English boys owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Henty." — Athenaum.

Blackie & Son's

Illustrated Story Books

HISTORICAL TALES BY

G. A. HENTY j ^

With Kitchener in the Soudan : Af AT>ale

of Atbara

and Omdurman. With 10 Illustrations by W. RAINEY, R.I., and
3 Maps. 6s.

In carrying out various special missions with which he is entrusted the
hero displays so much dash and enterprise that he soon attains an ex
ceptionally high rank for his age. In all the operations he takes a dis
tinguished part, and adventure follows so close on adventure that the
end of the story is reached all too soon.

" Mr. Henty has collected a vast amount of information about the reconquest of
the Soudan, and he succeeds in impressing it upon his reader's mind at the very time
when he is interesting him most." — Literary World.

-With the British Legion:

trations by WAL PAGET. 6s.

The hero joins the British Legion, which was raised by Sir de Lacy
Evans to support the cause of Queen Christina and the infant Queen
Isabella, and as soon as he sets foot on Spanish soil his adventures begin.
Arthur is one of Mr. Henty's most brilliant heroes, and the tale of his
experiences is thrilling and breathless from first to last.

" It is a rattling story told with verve and spirit." — Pall Mall Gazette.

-The Treasure nf the Tnras • A Tale of Ad~

8 • venture in Peru.
With 8 Illustrations by WAL PAGET, and a Map. 5^.

The heroes of this powerful story go to Peru to look for the treasure
which the Incas hid when the Spaniards invaded the country. Their task
is both arduous and dangerous, but though they are often disappointed,
their courage and perseverance are at last amply rewarded.

" The interest never flags for one moment, and the story is told with vigour. "

-World.

[46] (i) A

From WITH THE BRITISH LEGION

BY G. A. HENTY

(See page i)

STORIES BY G. A. HENTY

G. A. HENTY
With Roberts to Pretoria: ^Tale wthe w

African War. With
12 Illustrations by WILLIAM RAINEY, R.I., and a Map. 6s.

The hero takes part in the series of battles that end in the disaster at
Magersfontein, is captured and imprisoned in the race-course at Pretoria,
but escapes in time to fight at Paardeberg and march with the victorious
army to Bloemfontein. He rides with Colonel Mahon's column to the
relief of Mafeking, and accomplishes the return journey with such despatch
as to be able to join in the triumphant advance to Pretoria.

"In this story of the South African war Mr. Henty proves once more his incon
testable pre-eminence as a writer for boys. " — Standard.

Both Sides the Border: ^,Tf of "ottsPur and

Glendower. With 12 page
Illustrations by RALPH PEACOCK. 6s.

The hero casts in his lot with the Percys, and becomes esquire to Sir
Henry, the gallant Hotspur. He is sent on several dangerous and impor
tant missions in which he acquits himself with great valour.

"With boys the story should rank among Mr. Henty's best."— Standard.
" A vivid picture of that strange past . . . when England and Scotland . . . were
torn by faction and civil war." — Onward.

-Through Russian Snows:

8 page Illustrations by W. H. OVEREND. 5*.

Julian Wyatt becomes, quite innocently, mixed up with smugglers, who
carry him to France, and hand him over as a prisoner to the French.
He subsequently regains his freedom by joining Napoleon's army in the
campaign against Russia.

"The story of the campaign is very graphically told."— Si. James's Gazette.
" One of Mr. Henty's best books, which will be hailed with joy by his many eager
readers." — Journal of Education.

" Is full of life and action."— Journal of Education.

- Out- with Garihaldi • A Story of the Liberation of

- uut wu Ddiai . Italy with 8 page Illustra.

tions by W. RAINEY, R.I., and two Maps. 5^.

Mr. Henty makes the liberation of Italy by Garibaldi the groundwork of
an exciting tale of adventure. The hero is an English lad who joins the
expedition and takes a prominent part in the extraordinary series of opera
tions that ended in the fall of the Neapolitan kingdom.
"A first-rate story of stirring deeds." — Daily Chronicle.
" Full of hard fighting, gallant rescues, and narrow escapes. "—Graphic.
(3)

BLACKI&S STORY BOOKS FOR BOYS

G. A. HENTY

At the Point of the Bayonet:

With 12 Illustrations by WAL PAGET, and 2 Maps. 6s.

Harry Lindsay is carried off to the hills and brought up as a Mahratta.
At the age of sixteen he becomes an officer in the service of the Mahratta
prince at Poona, and afterwards receives a commission in the army of
the East India Company. His courage and enterprise are rewarded by
quick promotion, and at the end of the war he sails for England, where
he succeeds in establishing his right to the family estates.
" A brisk, dashing narrative." — Bookman.

-Under Wellington's Command: ^Tple-of

O the Penin

sular War. With 12 page Illustrations by WAL PAGET. 6s.

In this stirring romance Mr. Henty gives us the further adventures of
Terence O'Connor, the hero of With Moore at Corunna. We are told
how, in alliance with a small force of Spanish guerrillas, the gallant regiment
of Portuguese levies commanded by Terence keeps the whole of the French
army in check at a critical period of the war, rendering invaluable service
to the Iron Duke and his handful of British troops.

" An admirable exposition of Mr. Henty 's masterly method of combining instruction
with amusement." — World.

nr> TJo ,J r^okn! . A Story of the First Afghan

- lo Herat and Cabul: War (vith 8 full.page fllus.

trations by C. M. SHELDON, and Map. 5^.

The hero takes a distinguished part in the defence of Herat, and subse
quently obtains invaluable information for the British army during the first
Afghan war. He is fortunately spared the horrors of the retreat from
Cabul, and shares in the series of operations by which that most disastrous
blunder was retrieved.

"We can heartily commend it to boys, old and young." — Spectator.

-With Cochrane the Dauntless:

With 12 page Illustrations by W. H. MARGETSON. 6s.

It would be hard to find, even in sensational fiction, a more daring leader
than Lord Cochrane, or a career which supplies so many thrilling exploits.
The manner in which, almost single-handed, he scattered the French fleet
in the Basque Roads is one of the greatest feats in English naval history.
" As rousing and interesting a book as boys could wish for." — Saturday Review.
"This tale we specially recommend." — .?/. James's Gazette.
(4)

STORIES BV G. A. HENTY

G. A. HENTY

Redskin and Cow-Boy: A Taie Of the western

J Plains. With 12 page
Illustrations by ALFRED PEARSE. 6s.

Hugh Tunstall accompanies a frontiersman on a hunting expedition on
the Plains, and then seeks employment as a cow-boy on a cattle ranch.
His experiences during a "round up" present in picturesque form the toil
some, exciting, adventurous life of a cow-boy ; while the perils of a frontier
settlement are vividly set forth. Subsequently, the hero joins a wagon-
team, and the interest is sustained in a fight with, and capture of, brigands.

" A strong interest of open-air life and movement pervades the whole book."

— Scotsman.

-With Buller in Natal: °* A Bom Leader, with

10 page Illustrations by
W. RAINEY, R.I., and a Map. 6s.

The heroic story of the relief of Ladysmith forms the theme of one of the
most powerful romances that have come from Mr. Henty's pen. When the
war breaks out, the hero, Chris King, and his friends band themselves to
gether under the title of the Maritzburg Scouts. From first to last the boy
scouts are constantly engaged in perilous and exciting enterprises, from
which they always emerge triumphant, thanks to their own skill and cour
age, and the dash and ingenuity of their leader.

" Just the sort of book to inspire an enterprising boy." — Army and Navy Gazette.

-By England's Aid:

/ o

lands (1585-1604). With 10
page Illustrations by ALFRED PEARSE, and 4 Maps. 6s.

Two English lads go to Holland in the service of one of " the fighting
Veres ". After many adventures one of the lads finds himself on board a
Spanish ship at the defeat of the Armada, and escapes from Spain only to
fall into the hands of the Corsairs. He is successful, however, in getting
back to Spain, and regains his native country after the capture of Cadiz.

" Boys know and love Mr. Henty's books of adventure, and will welcome his tale
of the freeing of the Netherlands." — Athetueum.

Condemned as a Nihilist: A St^ of

from Siberia. With
8 page Illustrations by WAL PAGET. 5-r.

Godfrey Bullen, a young Englishman resident in St. Petersburg, becomes
involved in various political plots, resulting in his seizure and exile to
Siberia. After an unsuccessful attempt to escape, he gives himself up to the
Russian authorities. Eventually he escapes, and reaches home, having
safely accomplished a perilous journey which lasts nearly two years.

"The escape from Siberia is well told and the description of prison life is very
graphic." — Academy.

(5)

From THE TREASURE OF THE INC AS

BY G. A. HENTY

(See page i)

STO&tMS BV G. A. HENTY

G. A. HENTY

-Maori and Settler: fA7Story wof.th!! New

War. With 8 page Illustra
tions by ALFRED PEARSE. 5-5-.

The Renshaws lose their property and emigrate to New Zealand. Wilfrid,
a strong, self-reliant lad, is the mainstay of the household. The odds seem
hopelessly against the party, but they succeed in establishing themselves
happily in one of the pleasantest of the New Zealand valleys.

"A book which all young people, but especially boys, will read with avidity."

— Athenceuni.

Rerir tVlP Rrifnn • ^ Story of the Roman Invasion of
1 * Britain. With 12 page Illustrations
by W. PARKINSON. 6s.

Beric is a boy-chief of a British tribe which takes a prominent part in
the insurrection under Boadicea : and after the defeat of that heroic queen
he continues the struggle in the fen-country. Ultimately Beric is defeated
and carried captive to Rome, where he succeeds in saving a Christian maid
by slaying a lion in the arena, and is rewarded by being made the personal
protector of Nero. Finally, he escapes and returns to Britain, where he
becomes a wise ruler of his own people.

"He is a hero of the most attractive kind. . . . One of the most spirited and well-
imagined stories Mr. Henty has written." — Saturday Review.
" His conflict with a lion in the arena is a thrilling chapter."

— School Board Chronicle.
" Full of every form of heroism and pluck." — Christian World.

-The Dash for Khartoum: £ Ta'et .of ^ * ile

Expedition. With 10
page Illustrations by JOHN SCHONBERG and J. NASH. 6s.

In the record of recent British history there is no more captivating page
for boys than the story of the Nile campaign, and the attempt to rescue
General Gordon. For, in the difficulties which the expedition encountered,
and in the perils which it overpassed, are found all the excitement of
romance, as well as the fascination which belongs to real events.
" The Dash for Khartoitm is your ideal boys' book." — Tablet.
" It is literally true that the narrative never flags a moment." — Academy.
" The Dash for Khartoum will be appreciated even by those who don't ordinarily
care a dash for anything." — Punch.

With Wolfe in Canada: °r' ™e wi

Continent. With 12
page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 6s.

Mr. Henty tells the story of the struggle between Britain and France for
supremacy on the North American continent. The fall of Quebec decided
that the Anglo-Saxon race should predominate in the New World; that
Britain, and not France, should take the lead among the nations.

"A moving tale of military exploit and thrilling adventure." — Daily News.
(7)

BLACKIE'S STORY BOOKS FOR BOYS

G. A. HENTY

-Held Fast for England:

page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 5^.

The story deals with one of the most memorable sieges in history. The
hero, a young Englishman resident in Gibraltar, takes a brave and worthy
part in the long defence, and we learn with what bravery, resourcefulness,
and tenacity the Rock was held for England.

"There is no cessation of exciting incident throughout the story." — Atkenaniw.

In the Irish Brigade: A ™e of w<^ I" hFlanders

to and Spam. With 12 page

Illustrations by CHARLES M. SHELDON. 6.y.

The hero is a young officer in the Irish Brigade, which for many years
after the siege of Limerick formed the backbone of the French army. He
goes through many stirring adventures, successfully carries out dangerous
missions in Spain, saves a large portion of the French army at Oudenarde,
and even has the audacity to kidnap the Prime Minister of England.

"A stirring book of military adventure."— Scotsman.

A «- A (yin roil rt • ^ ^a^e °^ ^ie ^^'te Hoods of Paris.
^to11 With 12 page Illustrations by WAL

PAGET. 6s.

Sir Eustace de Villeroy, in journeying from Hampshire to his castle in
France, made young Guy Aylmer one of his escort. Soon thereafter the
castle was attacked, and the English youth displayed such valour that his
liege-lord made him commander of a special mission to Paris. This he
accomplished, returning in time to take part in the campaign against the
French which ended in the glorious victory for England at Agincourt.

"Cannot fail to commend itself to boys of all ages." — Manchester Courier.

A Final Reckoning :

A Tale of Bush Life in
Australia. With 8 page
Illustrations by W. B. WOLLEN. 5^.

The hero, a young Englishman, emigrates to Australia, where he gets
employment as an officer in the mounted police. A few years of active
work gain him promotion to a captaincy. In that post he greatly distin
guishes himself, and finally leaves the service and settles down as a squatter.

"A stirring story capitally told."— Guardian.

(8)

' ' young readers have no better friends than blackie & Son.'1 — Westminster Gazette.

Blackie & Son's

Story Books for Boys

G. MANVILLE FENN
Dick o' the Fens : £ Romanc" -^ the Great *ast

Swamp. With 12 page Illus
trations by FRANK DADD. 6^-.

Dick o' tSfe Fens and Tom o' Grimsey are the sons of a squire and a
farmer living in Lincolnshire. Many sketches of their shooting and fishing
experiences are related, while the record of the fenmen's stealthy resistance
to the great draining scheme is full of keen interest. The ambushes and
shots in the mist and dark, and the long -baffled attempts to trace the
lurking foe, are described with Mr. Fenn's wonted skill.

" Mr. Fenn has here very nearly attained perfection. Life in the Fens in the old
ante-drainage days is admirably reproduced. We have not of late come across a
historical fiction, whether intended for boys or for men, which deserves to be so
heartily praised as regards plot, incidents, and spirit. It is its author's masterpiece
as yet." — Spectator,

Mar tVie Nat-lira list • A Boy's Adventures in the Eastern

annanst . Seas with 8 page Pictures by

GORDON BROWNE. 5^.

The boy Nat and his uncle go on a voyage to the islands of the Eastern
seas to seek specimens in natural history, and their adventures there are full
of interest and excitement. The descriptions of Mr. Ebony, their black
comrade, and of the scenes of savage life sparkle with genuine humour.

"This book encourages independence of character, develops resource, and teaches
a boy to keep his eyes open." — Saturday Review.

The Golden Map-net* ATaleof the Landofthe

LdgllCl . Incas wkh I2 page n.
lustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 3^.

The tale is of a romantic youth, who leaves home to seek his fortune in
South America. He is accompanied by a faithful companion, who, in the
capacity both of comrade and henchman, does true service, and shows the
dogged courage of an English lad during their strange adventures.

" There could be no more welcome present for a boy. There is not a dull page,
and many will be read with breathless interest."— Journal of Education.
(9)

From THE DIAMOND SEEKERS

BY ERNEST GLANVILLE

(See page 11)

BLACKI&S STORV BOOKS FOR

Dr. GORDON STABLES, R.N.

In the Great White Land: A falenof the^7nt;

arctic Ocean. With
6 Illustrations by J. A. WALTON. $s. 6d.

This is a most fascinating story from beginning to end. It is a true
picture of what daring healthful British men and boys can do, written by
an author whose name is a household word wherever the English language
is spoken. All is described with a master's hand, and the plot is just such
as boys love.

" The narrative goes with a swing and a dash from start to finish." — Public Opinion.

ERNEST GLANVILLE

The Diamond Seekers: £ St,or yAf AdvT£ \

South Africa. With 8
Illustrations by WILLIAM RAINEY, R.I. 6.y.

The discovery of the plan of the diamond mine, the dangers incurred in
reaching the wild, remote spot in an armoured wagon, and the many
incidents of farm and veldt life, are vividly described by an author who
knows the country well.

"We have seldom seen a better story for boys." — Guardian.

Capt. F. S. BRERETON, R.A.M.C.

One of the Fighting Scouts: AnTaw0ffGuer~

o o nlla Warfare in

South Africa. With 8 Illustrations by STANLEY L. WOOD, and
a Map. 5-y.

This story deals with the guerrilla aspect of the Boer War, and shows
how George Ransome is compelled to leave his father's farm and take
service with the British. He is given the command of a band of scouts
as a reward for gallantry, and with these he punishes certain rebels for
a piece of rascality, and successfully attacks Botha's commando. Thanks
to his knowledge of the veldt he is of signal service to his country, and
even outwits the redoubtable De Wet.

"Altogether an unusually good story." — Yorkshire Post.

- Under the Spangled Banner :

can War. With 8 Illustrations by PAUL HARDY. 5^.

Hal Marchant is in Cuba before the commencement of hostilities. A
Spaniard who has been frustrated in an attempt to rob Hal's employer
attacks the hacienda and is defeated, but turns the tables by denouncing
Hal as a spy. The hero makes good his escape from Santiago, and
afterwards fights for America both on land and at sea. The story gives a
vivid and at the same time accurate account of this memorable struggle.
"Just the kind of book that a boy would delight in."— Schoolmaster.

BLACKI&S STORV BOOKS FOR UOYS

FREDERICK HARRISON

f^Cff

lustrations

The Boys of Wynport College. with611

by HAROLD COPPING. 3^. New Edition.

The hero and his chums differ as widely in character as in personal ap
pearance. We have Patrick O'Fflahertie, the good-natured Irish boy;
Jack Brookes, the irrepressible humorist; Davie Jackson, the true-hearted
little lad, on whose haps and mishaps the plot to a great extent turns;
and the hero himself, who finds in his experiences at Wynport College
a wholesome corrective of a somewhat lax home training.

" A book which no well-regulated school-boy should be without."
, — Whitehall Review.

LEON GOLSCHMANN

^ Story of the Siberian Forest. Adapted
from the Russian by LEON GOLSCHMANN.
With 6 page Illustrations by J. FINNEMORE, R.I. 3^. 6d.

Two Russian lads are so deeply impressed by reading Robinson Crusoe
that they run away from home. They lose their way in a huge trackless
forest, and for two years are kept busy hunting for food, fighting against
wolves and other enemies, and labouring to increase their comforts, before
they are rescued.

"This is a story after a boy's own heart." — Nottingham Guardian.

MEREDITH FLETCHER

A ScT h

page Illustrations by SYDNEY
COWELL. y. 6d.

This story is written from the point of view of an ordinary boy, who gives
an animated account of a young public-school boy's life. No moral is
drawn; yet the story indicates a kind of training that goes to promote
veracity, endurance, and enterprise ; and of each of several of the characters
it might be truly said, he is worthy to be called, " Every Inch a Briton ".

" In Every Inch a Briton Mr. Meredith Fletcher has scored a success "

— Manchester Guardian.

EDGAR PICKERING

Tn PresQ Oano- Dav<; With 4 Illustrations by W. S.

,-^ang i^ays. STACEY> 2s 6d NewEdition,

In this story Harry Waring is caught by the Press-gang and carried on
board His Majesty's ship Sandwich. He takes part in the mutiny of the
Nore, and shares in some hard fighting on board the Phaiiix. He is with
Nelson, also, at the storming of Santa Cruz, and the battle of the Nile.

" It is of Marryat, that friend of our boyhood, we think as we read this delightful
story; for it is not only a story of adventure, with incidents well-conceived and
arranged, but the characters are interesting and well-distinguished." — Academy.

Every Inch a Briton : A Sc tory ™ ith 6

J

BLACKIES STORY BOOKS FOR BOYS

FRED SMITH

The Boyhood of a Naturalist. with

* Illustrations.

y. 6d. New Edition.

Few lovers of Nature have given to the world a series of recollections so
entertaining, so vigorous, and so instinct with life as these delightful remin
iscences. The author takes the reader with him in the rambles in which he
spent the happiest hours of his boyhood, a humble observer of the myriad
forms of life in field and copse, by stream and hedgerow.

"We cannot too highly recommend the book to all readers."— Guardian.

-The World of Animal Life.

fusely Illustrated with Engravings after F. SPECHT and other
eminent artists. $s.

The aim of The World of Animal Life is to give in non-scientific lan
guage an account of those inhabitants of the land, sea, and sky with whose
names we are all familiar, but concerning whose manner of life the majority
of us have only the haziest conceptions.

"An admirable volume for the young mind enquiring after Nature."

—Birmingham Gazette.

EDGAR PICKERING

An Old-Time Yarn: Adventures in the West Indies

and Mexico with Hawkins and

Drake. With 6 page Illustrations by ALFRED PEARSE. $s. 6d.
The hero sails from Plymouth in the flagship of Master John Hawkins.
Divers are the perils through which he passes. Chief of these are the
destruction of the English ships by the treacherous Spaniards, the fight
round the burning vessels, the journey of the prisoners to the city of Mexico,
the horrors of the Inquisition, and the final escape to England.

"An excellent story of adventure. . . . The book is thoroughly to be recom
mended. " — Guardian.

CLIVE PHILLIPPS-WOLLEY

OrJrl OrJrl in PoriKnrk' A Story of Adventure in

Crold, Lrold m Cariboo. Britisl/Columbia. with

4 Illustrations by G. C. HINDLEY. 2s. 6d. New Edition.

Ned Corbett, a young Englishman, and his companion set out with
a pack-train in order to obtain gold on the upper reaches of the Fraser
River. After innumerable adventures, and a life-and-death struggle with
the Arctic weather of that wild region, they find the secret gold-mines for
which they have toilsomely searched.

" It would be difficult to say too much in favour of Gold, Gold in Cariboo. We
have se|dom read a more exciting tale of wild mining adventure in a singularly
inaccessible country. There is a capital plot, and the interest is sustained to the
last page." — The Times.

(13)

BLACKIE'S STORY BOOKS FOR BOYS

ROBERT LEIGHTON

The Golden Galleon. ™* "lustrations by

W. RAINEY, R.I. 3^-. New
Edition.

Gilbert Oglander, and his friend, Timothy Trollope, join in Lord
Thomas Howard's expedition to intercept the Spanish treasure-fleet from
the West Indies, and are on board The Revenge in the memorable fight
between that -one little man-of-war and fifty-three great galleons of Spain.
After the battle come storm and shipwreck, and the lads, having drifted
for days, find refuge on board a derelict galleon, whence they are rescued
and brought home to England.

"A well-constructed and lively historical romance." — Spectator.

S. BARING-GOULD

+\\e* Onf-lo«r • A Story of Iceland in the days

II 1L V/ULldW . c ., ..,•., . IIT-..U n

of the Vikings. With 6 page
Illustrations by M. ZENO DIEMER. 3^.

A narrative of adventure of the most romantic kind. No boy will be able
to withstand the magic of such scenes as the fight of Grettir with the twelve
bearserks, the wrestle with Karr the Old in the chamber of the dead, the
combat with the spirit of Glam the thrall, and the defence of the dying
Grettir by his younger brother.

" Has a freshness, a freedom, a sense of sun and wind and the open air, which make
it irresistible." — National Observer.

C. J.

CUTCLIFFE HYNE

The Panfiirerl Prnicer • or, Two Years from Land.

ne ^apturea Bruiser . with 6 page Illustrations

by F. BRANGWYN. 3^. 6d.

The central incidents deal with the capture, during the war between Chili
and Peru, of an armed cruiser. The heroes and their companions break
from prison in Valparaiso, board this warship in the night, overpower the
watch, escape to sea under the fire of the forts, and finally, after marvellous
adventures, lose the cruiser among the icebergs near Cape Horn.

"The two lads and the two skippers are admirably drawn. Mr. Hyne has now
secured a position in the first rank of writers of fiction for boys." — Spectator.

-Stimson's Reef: ™ith 4 page »lustrations by w- s-

STAGEY, is. 6a.

This is the extended log of a cutter which sailed from the Clyde to the
Amazon io> search of a gold reef. It relates how they discovered the
buccaneer's treasure in the Spanish Main, fought the Indians, turned aside
the river Jamary by blasting, and so laid bare the gold of Stimson's Reef.

" Few stories come within hailing distance of Stimson's Reef in startling incidents
and hairbreadth 'scapes. It may almost vie with Mr. R. L. Stevenson's Treasure
island. " — Guardian.

(14)

From ONE OF THE FIGHTING SCOUTS

BY CAPT. F. S. BRERETON (Seepage u)

t

BLACKIE'S STORY BOOKS FOR BOYS

R. STEAD

C^rit" Will Tell* The Adventures of a Barge-boy. With
' 4 Illustrations by D. CARLETON SMYTH.
Cloth, 2s. 6d.

A lad whose name has been lost amidst early bufferings by hard fortune
suffers many hardships at the hands of a bargeman, his master, and runs
away. The various adventures and experiences with which he meets on
the road to success, the bear-hunt in which he takes part, and the battle
at which he acts as war correspondent, form a story of absorbing interest
and after a boy's own heart.

"A thoroughly wholesome and attractive book." — Graphic.

HARRY COLLINGWOOD

The Pirofp Tclonrl With 6 PaSe Illustrations by C.
llu* J. STANILAND and J. R. WELLS.
3-r. New Edition.

By a deed of tme gallantry the hero's whole destiny is changed, and, going
to sea, he forms one of a party who, after being burned out of their ship in
the South Pacific, are picked up by a pirate brig and taken to the " Pirate
Island". After many thrilling adventures, they ultimately succeed in
effecting their escape.

"A capital story of the sea; indeed in our opinion the author is superior in some
respects as a marine novelist to the better-known Mr. Clark Russell." — Times.

FLORENCE COOMBE

Boys of the Priory School. ™th 4 paf

J J Illustrations by

HAROLD COPPING. 2s. 6d.

The interest centres in the relations of Raymond and Hal Went worth,
and the process by which Raymond, the hero of the school, learns that in
the person of his ridiculed cousin there beats a heart more heroic than his
own.

"It is an excellent work of its class, cleverly illustrated with 'real boys' by Mr.
Harold Copping." — Literature.

JOHN C. HUTCHESON

A Sailor Boy's Log. With 6 page Illus-
trations by w. H. OVEREND. y.6<t.

From the stowing of the vessel in the Thames to her recovery from the
Pratas Reef on which she is stranded, everything is described with the
accuracy of perfect practical knowledge of ships and sailors; and the inci
dents of the story range from the broad humours of the fo'c's'le to the perils
of flight from, and fight with, the pirates of the China Seas.
"As healthy and breezy a book as one could wish."— Academy.
(16)

Blackie & Son's

Story Books for Girls

ETHEL F. HEDDLE

A Mystery of St. Rule's, with a mustrations

J J by G. DEMAIN

HAMMOND, R.I. 6s. Illustrated Edition.

" The author has been amazingly successful in keeping her secret almost to the
end. Yet the mystery attending a stolen diamond of great value is so skilfully
handled that several perfectly innocent persons seem all but hopelessly identified
with the disappearance of the gem. Cleverly, however, as this aspect of the story
has been managed, it has other sources of strength. " — Scotsman.

"The chief interest . . . lies in the fascinating young adventuress, who finds
a temporary nest in the old professor's family, and wins all hearts in St. Rule's by
her beauty and her sweetness." — -Morning Leader.

" Into the dignified atmosphere of a northerly academic town Miss Ethel Heddle
introduces a coil of events worthy of Wilkie Collins." — Manchester Guardian.

KATHARINE TYNAN
A Girl of Galway. }VitTh 8 '"J^ Illustf ions

/ by JOHN H. BACON. 6s.

When Bertha Grace is on the threshold of young womanhood, she goes
to stay with her grandfather in Ireland, with the trust from her mother of
reconciling him and his son, Bertha's father. Bertha finds her grandfather
a recluse and a miser, and in the hands of an underling, who is his evil
genius. How she keeps faith with her mother and finds her own fate,
through many strange adventures, is the subject of the story.

" Full of the poetic charm we are accustomed to find in the works of that gifted
writer. " — World.

CAROLINE AUSTIN

trations by W.
INSON. 3.5-.

The only daughter of a country gentleman finds herself unprovided for at
her father's death, and for some time lives as a dependant upon her kins
man. Life is saved from being unbearable to her by her young cousin
Geoffrey, who at length meets with a serious accident for which she is held
responsible. She makes a brave attempt to earn her own livelihood, until
a startling event brings her cousin Geoffrey and herself together again.

" Miss Austin's story is bright, clever, and well developed." — Saturday Review.
[f5] (17) B

Cousin Geoffrey and I. w 6

]

BLACKIE'S BOOKS FOR GIRLS

ELLINOR DAVENPORT ADAMS

A Queen among Girls.

Cloth, y. 6d.

Augusta Pembroke is the head of her school, the favourite of her teachers
and fellow-pupils, who are attracted by her fearless and independent nature
and her queenly bearing. She dreams of a distinguished professional
career; but the course of her life is changed suddenly by pity for her
timid little brother Adrian, the victim of his guardian-uncle's harshness.
The story describes the daring means adopted by Augusta for Adrian's relief.

"An interesting and well-written narrative, in which humour and a keen eye for
character unite to produce a book happily adapted for modern maidens." — Globe.

A Girl of To-Dav With 6 page IIlustrations b>r

*/ * G. D. HAMMOND, R.I. y. 6d.

" What are Altruists?" humbly asks a small boy. " They are only people
who try to help others," replies the Girl of To-Day. To help their poorer
neighbours, the boys and girls of Woodend band themselves together into
the Society of Altruists. That they have plenty of fun is seen in the
shopping expedition and in the successful Christmas entertainment.

" It is a spirited story. The characters are true to nature and carefully developed.
Such a book as this is exactly what is needed to give a school-girl an interest in the
development of character." — Educational Times.

A Girl's Loyalty. With 6 Illustrations by JOHN H.
J J BACON. Cloth, 3^. 6d. New
Edition.

When she was still but a child, Helen Grant received from her grand
father, on his death-bed, a secret message. The brief words remained
fa,st in her memory, and dominated her whole career. She was loyal to
her trust, however, and to her friends in the hour of their need. For the
girl was possessed of that quick courage which leaps up in a shy nature
when evil-doers have to be unmasked, and wrongs made right.

"The one book for girls that stands out this year is Miss Frances Armstrong's
A Girl's Loyalty." — Review of Reviews.

G. NORWAY

A True Cornish Maid.

The heroine of the tale is sister to a young fellow who gets into trouble
in landing a contraband cargo on the Cornish coast. In his extremity the
girl stands by her brother bravely, and by means of her daring scheme he
manages to escape.

"The success of the year has fallen, we think, to Mrs. Norway, whose True
Cornish Maid is really an admirable piece of work. "— Review of Reviews.
(it)

From A MYSTERY OF ST. RULERS

BY ETHEL F. HEDDLE

(See page 17)

BLACKIE'S BOOKS FOR GIRLS

ROSA MULHOLLAND (LADY GILBERT)
The Girls of Banshee Castle. witth 6 Illu-

trations by
JOHN H. BACON. Cloth, y. 6d. New Edition.

Three girls, with an old governess, migrate from Kensington to the
West of Ireland. Belonging as they do to "the ould family", the girls
are made heartily welcome in the cabins of the peasantry, where they
learn many weird and curious tales from the folk-lore of the district. An
interesting plot runs through the narrative, but the charm of the story lies
in its happy mingling of Irish humour and pathos.

" Is told with grace, and brightened by a knowledge of Irish folk-lore, making it
a perfect present for a girl in her teens." — Truth.

^ Girl's Story of Herself. With 6 full-page
Illustrations by LOCKHART BOGLE, y.

The story of a changeling who is suddenly transferred to the position of
a rich English heiress. She develops into a good and accomplished woman,
and has gained too much love and devotion to be a sufferer by the surrender
of her estates.

ANNIE E. ARMSTRONG
Violet Vereker's Vanity, with 6 fuii-page iiius-

J trations by G. DEMAIN
HAMMOND, R.I. 3-5-. 6d.

The heroine was an excellent girl in most respects. But she had one
small weakness, which expressed itself in a snobbish dislike of her neigh
bours, the Sugdens, whose social position she deemed beneath her own. In
the end, however, the girl acknowledged her folly, with results which are
sure to delight the reader.

'A book for girls that we can heartily recommend, for it is bright, sensible, and
witr i right tone of thought and feeling." — Sheffield Independent.

ALICE CORKRAN

riirl nr»nn

page Illustra-

Margery Merton's Girlhood. with 6 ful1'

tions by GORDON BROWNE. 3^. 6d.

The experiences of an orphan girl who in infancy is left by her father — an
officer in India — to the care of an elderly aunt residing near Paris. The
accounts of the various persons who have an after influence on the story are
singularly vivid.

"Margery Merton's Girlhood is a piece of true literature, as dainty as it is deli
cate, and as sweet as it js simple." — Woman's \Vorld.

ti LAC KIPS ROOKS FOR GIRLS

ELIZA F. POLLARD

For the Red Rose. ™ith 4 Illustrf°ns by JAMES

DURDEN. 2S. 6d.

A gipsy finds a little girl in, the forest of Wimbourne, after the sacking
of the castle by the Yorkists. He carries her to the camp and she is
adopted by the tribe. The story tells how, when some years later Mar
garet of Anjou and her son are wrecked on the coast of England, the gipsy
girl follows the fortunes of the exiled queen, and by what curious chain of
events her own origin is discovered.

"This is a good story, and of special interest to lovers of historical romance."

— Court Circular.

MRS. E. J. LYSAGHT

Rrnther arid Sister • with 6 Page lllustrations by
omer ana oisier . BROWNE _ 6d.

A story showing, by the narrative of the vicissitudes and struggles of a
family which has " come down in the world ", and of the brave endeavours
of its two younger members, how the pressure of adversity is mitigated by
domestic affection, mutual confidence, and hopeful honest effort.

"A pretty story, and well told. The- plot is cleverly constructed, and the moral ib
excellent." — A theiueum.

ANNE BEALE
The Heiress of Courtleroy.

T. C. H. CASTLE. 5-$-.

Mimica, the heroine, comes to England as an orphan, and is coldly
received by her uncle. The girl has a brave nature, however, and succeeds
in saving the estate from ruin and in reclaiming her uncle from the misan
thropical disregard of his duties as a landlord.

" One of the very best of girl's books we have seen." — Sheffield Telegraph.

SARAH TYTLER

Maid With 4 page Illustrations by

JYJ ua. PAUI HARDY 2s 6d

This pretty story is founded on a romantic episode of Mar's rebellion.
A little girl has information which concerns the safety of her father in hid
ing, and this she firmly refuses to divulge to a king's officer. She is lodged
in the Tolbooth, where she finds a boy champion, whom in future years she
rescues in Paris from the lettrede cachet which would bury him in the Bastille.

" Has evidently been a pleasure to write, and makes very enjoyable reading."

— Literature.

(21)

frrom THE FAIRCLOUGH FAMILY

BY MRS. HENRY CLARKE

(See page 24;

BLACKIES BOOKS FOR GIRLS

GERALDINE MOCKLER

The Four Miss Whittingtons :

for

With
8 full-page Illustrations by CHARLES M. SHELDON. 5-$-.

This story tells how four sisters, left alone in the world, went to London
to seek their fortunes. They had between them .£400, and this they re
solved to spend on training themselves for the different careers for which
they were severally most fitted. On their limited means this was hard
work, but their courageous experiment was on the whole very successful.
"A story of endeavour, industry, and independence of spirit." — World.

ALICE STRONACH

A Newnham Friendship, with 6 fuii-page nius-

l trations by HAROLD
COPPING. 3-y. 6d.

A sympathetic description of life at Newnham College. After the tripos
excitements, some of the students leave their dream-world of study and
talk of "cocoas" and debates and athletics to begin their work in the real
world. Men students play their part in the story, and in the closing
chapters it is suggested that marriage has its place in a girl graduate's life.

" Foremost among all the gift-books suitable for school-girls this season stands Miss
Alice Stronach's A Newnham Friendship." — Daily Graphic.

BESSIE MARCHANT

The Secret of the Everglades. w*h 4 "^

o trations by A.

A. DIXON. 2s. 6d.

The father of the Osneys is supposed to have been killed whilst trapping
in the Everglades of Florida. The family organize a series of expeditions
to search for their father; but the secret of the swamp is hard to solve,
and the end of the book is reached before the mystery is made clear.

"A fresh and original story of incident and adventure in the mysterious Florida
swamps. An excellent and engrossing story." — St. James's Gazette.

-Three Girls on a Ranch: ™ Story ™

Mexico. With 4
page Illustrations by W. E. WEBSTER. 2s. 6d

The Lovell family emigrate from England to New Mexico, where they
settle on a ranch. Mr. Lovell is delicate and unfit for farming, but the
three eldest girls take upon themselves the burden of working the ranch.
They have adventures of a perilous kind, and the story of their mishaps
and how they overcame them is throughout both exciting and stimulating.
" A story with a fresh, bright theme, well handled." — Nottingliam Guardian.
" A rousing book for young people."— Queen.
(23)

BLACKIE'S BOOKS FOR GIRLS

MRS. HENRY CLARKE

The Fairclough Family.

Cloth, y. 6d.

It was matter for amazement when Ronald Hammersley fell in love
with Kathy Fairclough, who was considered a blue-stocking, instead of
with her younger sister Nell, whom Mrs. Hammersley had chosen for
him. Why Mrs. Hammersley desired her wealthy stepson to marry one
of Dr. Fairclough's penniless daughters was a secret. How the secret
became known, and nearly wrecked the happiness of Kathy and Ronald,
is told in the story. But all ends well, and to the sound of marriage bells.
" One of those stories which all girls enjoy." — World.

J. M. CALLWELL

A Little Irish Girl. Illuf;ated b>' H- COPPING-

2s. 6d.

An orphaned family inherit a small property on the coast of Clare. The
two youngest members of the party have some thrilling adventures in their
western home. They encounter seals, smugglers, and a ghost, and lastly,
by most startling means, they succeed in restoring their eldest brother to
his rightful place as heir to the ancestral estates.

"Sure to prove of thrilling interest to both boys and girls." — Literary World.

E. EVERETT- GREEN

Miriam's Ambition, with illustrations. 2S.6d.

Miriam's ambition is to make someone happy, and her endeavour carries
with it a train of incident, solving a mystery which had thrown a shadow
over several lives. A charming foil to her grave elder sister is to be found
in Miss Babs, a small coquette of five, whose humorous child-talk is so
attractive.

" Miss Everett-Green's children are real British boys and girls, not small men
and women. Babs is a charming little one."— Liverpool Mercury.

EMMA LESLIE
Gytha's Message: ^luTs^ti°0fnsSa x™ ^ngland' with

We get a glimpse of the stirring events taking place at that period ; and
both boys and girls will delight to read of the home life of Hilda and
Gytha, and of the brave deeds of the impulsive Gurth and the faithful
Leofric.

"This is a charmingly told story. It i.-. iftc sort of book that all girls and some
boys like, and can only get good from." — Journal of Education.

Blackie & Son's

Finely Illustrated Books for

Children

STEWART ORR--JOHN BRYMER

Two Merry Mariners. *icture* ^ f E?ART

J ORR; Verses by JOHN

BRYMER. Cover design and 24 pages in full colour. Picture
boards, cloth back, 6s.

This delightful volume tells in picture and verse how Dick and his
friend the Hare sailed to the Downy Isle, the adventures they met with in
that strange country, their encounter with the Dragon, and -their remark
able voyage home. Mr. Orr exhibits in these designs a rare combination
of humorous invention with brilliant draughtsmanship and command of
colour, and the author supports him with a series of racy verses.

"The illustrations are masterpieces of drollery." — Manchester Courier.

"The verses are very funny and original." — World.

JOHN HASSALL— CLIFTON BING-
HAM

Six and Twenty Boys and Girls.

SALL; Verses by CLIFTON BiNGHAM. 25 pages in full colour,
and 24 pages of letterpress. Picture boards, 9 inches by 1 1 X
inches, cloth back, 3.$-. 6d.; also cloth elegant, 5-y.

Most of us know some at least of the little girls and boys portrayed by
Mr. Hassall in this amusing picture-book. As depicted with Mr. Hassall's
inimitable skill, and described in humorous verse by Mr. Bingham, they
may challenge comparison with the classic Struwwelpeter. Each picture
is not only attractive and amusing in itself, but furnishes a hint of virtues
to be imitated or faults to be avoided.

" Exactly hits the mark." — Scotsman.

" A most original picture-book." — World.

MRS. PERCY DEARMER

Roundabout Rhymes. with 20

J
PERCY DEARMER. Imperial 8vo, cloth extra, is. 6d.

A charming volume of verses and colour pictures for little folk — rhymes
and pictures about most of the everyday events of nursery life.

" The best verses written for children since Stevenson's Child's Garden."

— The Guardiati.

BL A OKIE'S BOOKS FOR CHILDREN

STEWART ORR— JOHN BRYMER

Oammrm snrl Snirmrh • pictures by STEWART
Dpmacn. QRR VersesbyJOHN

BRYMER. Cover design and 24 pages in Full Colour. Picture
boards, cloth back, 6s.

In Gammon and Spinach Mr. Stewart Orr has produced a picture-book
unique of its kind. Nothing could be more droll than the situations in
which he represents the frog, the pig, the mouse, the elephant, and the
other well-known characters who appear in his pages. Little folk will
find in these pictures a source of endless delight, and the artistic skill
which they display will have a special appeal to children of an older
growth.

"Merry and handsome enough to make thousands of friends among little folk,
what with its original verses and its amusing pictures." — Literary World.

"The book should attain a wide popularity in the nursery." — Morning Post.

H. B. NEILSON— JOHN BRYMER

Games and Gambols. "lustrated ^ HVARRY KB-

NEILSON; with Verses by

JOHN BRYMER. 26 pages in colour, and 24 pages of letterpress.
Picture boards, 9 inches by uX inches, doth back, 2s. 6d.; also
cloth elegant, 3^. 6d.

Mr. Neilson surpasses himself in these irresistible colour pictures repre
senting the animal world at play. The great test match between the Lions
and the Kangaroos, Mrs. Mouse's Ping-Pong Party, Mr. Bruin playing
Golf, Towser's Bicycle Tour, and the Kittens v. Bunnies Football Match,
are a few among the many droll subjects illustrated in this amusing and
original series.

" Mr. Neilson has a positive genius for making animals comic." — Academy.

" Children will revel in his work." — Daily Graphic.

FRED SMITH

The Animal Book. £ ?«%*. u^ **_. Litttle

Folk. With a Coloured Frontis

piece and 34 full-page Illustrations by F. SPECHT. Crown quarto,
uX inches by 9^ inches, picture boards, cloth back, 2s. 6d.

This book consists of a series of bright and instructive sketches of the
better-known wild beasts, describing their appearance, character and habits,
and the position they hold in the animal kingdom. The text is printed in
a large, clear type, and is admirably illustrated with powerful, realistic
pictures of the various creatures in their native state by that eminent animal
artist F. Specht.

" A work of the greatest value to the young." — Eastern Morning News.

from SIX AND TWENTY BOYS AND G1KLS

BY JOHN HASSALL— CLIFTON BINGHAM

(See page 25)

£LAC£IE'S BOOKS FOR CHILDREN

OUR DARLING'S FIRST BOOK

Bright Pictures and Easy Lessons for

T Iffle Pnllc Quarto, io}6 inches by 7# inches, picture
/1LL1C J. Ulft..

An interesting and instructive picture lesson-book for very little folk.
Beginning with an illustrated alphabet of large letters, the little reader goes
forward by easy stages to word-making, reading, counting, writing, and
finally to the most popular nursery rhymes and tales.

" The very perfection of a child's alphabet and spelling-book."— .SV. Jameft Budget.

ELLINOR DAVENPORT ADAMS

T'fin'ie nTwiriQ I With a Frontispiece and 28 Illustrations
by S. B. PEARSE. Cloth elegant, 2s. (xt.

Two little rogues are the twins, Horatio and Tommy; but loyal-hearted
and generous to boot, and determined to resist the stern decree of their
aunt that they shall forsake the company of their scapegrace grown-up
cousin Algy. So they deliberately set to work to "reform" the scape
grace; and succeed so well that he wins back the love of his aunt, and
delights the twins by earning a V. C. in South Africa.

"A merry story for young and old." — World.

A. B. ROMNEY

Little Village Folk. ^ith37 Illustrations by ROBERT
o HOPE. 2s. 6d.

A series of delightful stories of Irish village children. Miss Roinney
opens up a new field in these beautiful little tales, which have the twofold
charm of humour and poetic feeling.

"A story-book that will be welcomed wherever it makes its way." — Literary World.

MY NEW STORY-BOOK

Stories, Verses, and Pictures for the
Little Ones. -^ Pages^f which 48 are in coloun

Cloth, 2s. 6a.

A treasury of entertainment for the nursery. The contents are extremely
varied both as regards the text and the illustrations, and carefully designed
to meet the tastes of the little ones. The many bright colour pictures will
be in themselves a never-failing source of delight.

"A fascinating little volume, well filled with stories and quaint and pretty illus
trations." — Guardian.

BLACKIE'S BOOKS FOR CHILDREN

STORIES BY GEORGE MAC DONALD

(NEW AND UNIFORM EDITION)

Sh a k i n o- with I2 Pa£e Illustrations by w-
onaiung. PARKINSON Crown 8vo> doth

elegant, y. 6d.

Clare, the hero of the story, is a boy whose mother is killed at his side by
the fall of a church during an earthquake. The kindly clergyman and his
wife, who adopt him, die while he is still very young, and he is thrown upon
the world a second time. The narrative of his wanderings is full of interest
and novelty, the boy's unswerving honesty and his passion for children and
animals leading him into all sorts of adventures. He works on a farm, sup
ports a baby in an old deserted house, finds employment in a menagerie,
becomes a bank clerk, is kidnapped, and ultimately discovers his father on
board the ship to which he has been conveyed.

At the Back of the North Wind. ™thf75

Illustra

tions by ARTHUR HUGHES, and a Frontispiece by LAURENCE Hous-
MAN. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 3^. 6d.

"In At the Back of the North Witui we stand with one foot in fairyland and one on
common earth. The story is thoroughly original, full of fancy and pathos." — The Times.

Ranald Bannerman's Boyhood, wi* 36

J trations by

ARTHUR HUGHES. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 3^. 6d.

" Dr. Mac Donald has a real understanding of boy nature, and he has in consequence
written a capital story, judged from their stand-point, with a true ring all through which
ensures its success." — The Spectator.

The Princess and the Goblin.

HUGHES, and a Frontispiece by LAURENCE HOUSMAN. Crown 8vo,
cloth elegant, 3^. 6d.

In the sphere of fantasy George Mac Donald has very few equals, and his
rare touch of many aspects of life invariably gives to his stories a deeper mean
ing of the highest value. His Princess and Goblin exemplifies both gifts. A
fine thread of allegory runs through the narrative of the adventures of the
young miner, who, amongst other marvellous experiences, finds his way into
the caverns of the gnomes, and achieves a final victory over them.

The Prinress anH CiirHip With Frontispiece and
na ^uraie. 3o Illustrations by

HELEN STRATTON. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 3^. 6d.

A sequel to The Princess and the Goblin, tracing the history of the young
miner and the princess after the return of the latter to her father's court, where
more terrible foes have to be encountered than the grotesque earth-dwellers,

OUR DARLING'S
FIRST
BOOK

SOME CHILDREN'S PICTURE-BOOKS

(See page

BLACKI&S BOOKS FOR CHILDREN

NEW "GRADUATED" SERIES

With coloured frontispiece and black-and-white illustrations

TVTO child of six or seven should have any difficulty in reading1 and
understanding unaided the pretty stories in the 6d. series. In the
gd. series the language used is slightly more advanced, but is well within
the capacity of children of seven and upwards, while the is. series is de
signed for little folk of somewhat greater attainments. If the stories are
read to and not by children, it will be found that the 6d. gd. and is. series
are equally suitable for little folk of all ages.

"GRADUATED" STORIES AT A SHILLING

Holidays at Sunnycroft. By ANNIE S. SWAN. New Edition.

At Lathom's Siege. By SARAH TYTLER.

Fleckie. By BESSIE MARCHANT.

Elsie "Wins. By ELLINOR DAVENPORT ADAMS.

Bears and Dacoits. By G. A. HENTY.

Crusoes of the Frozen North. By Dr. GORDON STABLES.

A Saxon Maid. By ELIZA F. POLLARD.

Uncle Bob. By MEREDITH FLETCHER.

Jack of Both Sides, By FLORENCE COOMBE.

Do Your Duty I By G. A. HENTY.

Terry. By ROSA MULHOLLAND (Lady Gilbert).

"GRADUATED" STORIES AT NINEPENCE

Gipsy Dick. By Mrs. HENRY CLARKE.

Two to One. By FLORENCE COOMBE.

Cherrythorpe Fair. By MABEL MACKNESS.

Little Greycoat. By ELLINOR DAVENPORT ADAMS.

Tommy's Trek. By BESSIE MARCHANT.

That Boy Jim. By Mrs. HENRY CLARKE.

The Adventures of Carlo. By KATHARINE TYNAN.

The Shoeblack's Cat. By W. L. ROOFER.

Three Troublesome Monkeys. By A. B. ROMNEY.

The Little Red Purse. By JENNIE CHAPPELL.

"GRADUATED" STORIES AT SIXPENCE

Hi-Tum, Ti-Tum, and Scrub. By JENNIE CHAPPELL.

Edie's Adventures. By GERALDINE MOCKLER.

Two Little Crusoes. By A. B. ROMNEY.

The Lost Doll. By JENNIE CHAPPELL.

Bunny and Furry* By GERALDINE MOCKLER.

Bravest of All. By MABEL MACKNESS.

Winnie's "White Frock. By JENNIE CHAPPELL.

Lost Toby. By M. S. HAYCRAFT.

A Boy Cousin. By GERALDINE MOCKLER.

Travels of Fuzz and Buzz. By GERALDINE MOCKLER.

Teddy's Adventures. By Mrs. HENRY CLARKE.

(30

BLACKIE'S BOOKS FOR CHILDREN

NEW CHILDREN'S PICTURE-BOOKS

Each of these books contains many full-page and other illustrations, a number
of which are in colour. The text is printed in bold type, and comprises
bright and humorous stories and rhymes, specially written for the purpose.

IN DOORS AND OUT | STORY-BOOK TIME

Each contains 38 colour pages, over 40 full-page black-and-white
Illustrations, and a large number of Vignettes. Quarto, io>£
inches by 7^ inches, picture boards, is. 6d. each; cloth, gilt
edges, 3-y. 6d. each.

TWO SHILLING SERIES

Quarto, ioy& inches by 7^ inches

Faithful Friends.

My Book of Nursery Stories.

My Very Best Book.

Arm-chair Stories.

My Very Own Picture-Book.

Cosy Corner Stories.

Our Darling's First Book
Twenty pages in colour. Cloth, gilt edges, 2s. ; picture boards, is.

EIGHTEENPENNY SERIES

Cloth, $}4 inches by 6j4 inches
My Pretty Picture-Book. | Sunbeams.

SIXPENNY SERIES

Quarto, 10^ inches by 7^ inches

Bow-Wow Picture-Book.
Cats and Kits.
Friends at the Farm.
Once upon a Time.
Long, Long Ago.
Fairy Tales for Little Folk.
Smiles and Dimples.
Little Bright-Eyes.
For Kittie and Me.

As Nice as Nice Can Be.
Round the Mulberry Bush.
Little Rosebud.
For My Little Darling.
For Dolly and Me.
My Own Story-Book.
Play-time Pictures.
Bed-time Stories.
For Little Chicks.

The cover and seven pages in colour. Picture boards.

ONE SHILLING SCRIPTURE SERIES

Picture boards. Quarto, lo*4 inches by 7^ inches

Stories from the Life of Christ
Twenty pages in colour. Picture boards, is.; cloth, gilt edges, 2s.

SIXPENNY SCRIPTURE SERIES

Glad Tidings | The Good Shepherd | Gentle Jesus

University of California

SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY

405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388

Return this material to the library

from which it was borrowed.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY

Los Angeles
This book is DUE on the last date stamped below.

?•*

FEB231988

QLOCT05

/, OF CALIF. LIBRARY, LOS At

3 1158 01068 0881