The Young Colonists: A Story of the Zulu and Boer Wars

sameevening the news arrived of the disaster at Isandula. After aconsultation with his officers Colonel Pearson decided to hold the spotat which he now was, convinced that, without further supplies ofreinforcements, he could hold the place for two months. In order toeconomise food, the mounted men and most of the natives were sent back,and there remained 1200 British troops.

  "Colonel Pearson at once commenced his preparations for a siege. Threemoderate-sized brick erections were turned into store-houses, and thechurch into a hospital, the tower making a capital look-out; from this asplendid view was obtained, the hill by the Tugela being clearlyvisible. The men set to work to fortify the place. The intrenchmentswere of a six-sided form, about sixty yards across, with a ditch outsidethem eighteen feet deep and twelve feet wide. Assegais were planted inthe bottom. Added to the south side was a kraal for cattle and horses,also defended by a small wall. Outside the fort were entanglements ofrows of felled trees and bushes. The supply of water was obtained froma 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 anyattack that might be made upon them. All these details we learned inthe early days of the siege by occasional messengers, who managed tofind their way through, but these had been few and far between; oftwelve messengers sent out the first week of February, only one gotthrough. The garrison had made several sorties, and had destroyedDabulamanzi's kraal. They also went out and cut off a large convoy ofcattle on its way to Ulundi."

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

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

  "What are flashing signals, father?"

  "Well, my boy, as a general rule they are made by showing a light eitherfor 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 allthrough the Alphabet. The distance was so great that ordinary lightswould not have answered, but it struck one of the engineers that with alooking-glass the sunlight might be reflected. You know at what adistance the sun's reflection on a window can be made out. Well, it wastried in vain for a whole week by Lieutenant Haynes, of the RoyalEngineers, but at the end of that time he was delighted at seeinganswering flashes from the hill on which Ekowe stands. Since that timenews has been regularly received every day by this means of what ispassing in the fort.

  "In the meantime preparations were being made for the relief of thegarrison. The news of the defeat at Isandula was sent home by a swiftship, by which the particulars were telegraphed from Saint Vincent. Thepeople at home did not lose an hour. The _Shah_, which was on her wayhome, heard the news at Saint Helena, and Captain Bradshaw, whocommanded her, at once, on his own responsibility, turned his ship'shead south, and steered for Durban, bringing with him the garrison ofthe island. Some draughts from the 4th, 88th, and 99th Regiments werebrought down from the Cape; the _Boadicea_ also arrived, and every manwho could be spared from her and the _Shah_ was landed and sent up tothe Tugela.

  "In the second week in March the 57th and 91st Regiments arrived fromEngland. One hundred and sixty men were brought over from the garrisonof Mauritius, and a few days later the 3rd battalion of the 60thRegiment also arrived. These assembled on the Tugela on the 27th, andthat day set out. The vanguard was composed of the seamen and marinesof the _Shah_ and _Tenedos_--640 men and two gatlings, the 91st regimentof 900 men, 400 men of the 99th, 180 men of the 3rd Buffs, 150 mountedinfantry, 200 of the mounted native contingent, and 1600 men of thenative infantry contingent. The second division consisted of 200 men ofthe _Boadicea_ with gatlings, the 37th Regiment, and the 3rd battalionof the 60th, 900 men, and two troops of mounted natives. That is all Ican tell you, my boy. The news only arrived here yesterday that theyhad started. In the course of three or four more days I hope that weshall hear that they have given the Zulus a thorough licking. It is astrong force, and as there are about 3300 white troops among them, andthere is no fear of their being taken by surprise this time, we need nothave any anxiety about the result. I understand that, in accordancewith the advice which Colonel Pearson has flashed from Ekowe, they arenot going to follow the road he took, but to keep along on the lowerground near the sea."

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

  "No, Dick; I think they are quite strong enough to do so, but as thereare at least half a dozen more regiments on their way out from England,including some regiments of cavalry, it will be more prudent to stopuntil our whole fighting force is here, when we ought to be enabled tomake 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 thebetter."

  CHAPTER EIGHT.

  THE SECOND ADVANCE.

  It was some days before the news reached Newcastle of the completesuccess of the relieving column. On their first day's march nodifficulty was met with. The road was a good one, and the Zulus did notshow in any force. The column halted for the night near the junction ofthe Inyoni and Amatikulu rivers. The waggons were placed in laager anda ditch and parapet formed round the camp. The ground was open and thewaggons were able to travel six abreast. Numerous Zulu kraals werepassed; but these were found deserted.

  On the afternoon of the 1st they encamped at Ginghilovo. From thispoint Ekowe was visible; signals were exchanged with the besieged, andColonel Pearson warned Lord Chelmsford that the Zulus were movingforward to attack him. The night passed quietly, but the greatestvigilance was maintained.

  At daybreak dense masses of Zulus were seen in the distance, and at sixo'clock they approached the camp. They came on in their usual order,with a massive centre and advanced horns on either flank. The Britishwere kept lying down behind the shallow trenches they had thrown up.The Zulus advanced in splendid order with a sort of dancing step. Theirwhite and coloured shields, their crests of leopard skins and feathers,and the long ox-tails dangling from their necks gave them a wild andstrange appearance. Every ten or fifteen yards the first line wouldhalt, a shot would be fired, then a loud yell burst forth, and theyagain advanced with a humming sound, in time to which their dancingmovement was kept up. The 60th, who lay opposite to the point againstwhich they advanced, withheld their fire until the first line ofskirmishers came to within 300 yards. Then a deadly sheet of flameflashed along the ridge of the shelter-trench, and a number of the Zuluwarriors fell.

  The main body now rushed forward, and although a tremendous fusilade waskept up on them, the Zulu advance pressed on, ever fed by those in therear, which deployed in excellent order as they reinforced the firstline. For twenty minutes the fire of the 60th never ceased. Again andagain the Zulus pressed forward, but their leading ranks were swept awayby the storm of bullets.

  At half-past six the Zulu masses, without the smallest confusion, facedto their right, ran round in columns, and fell upon the face of thelaager held by the 57th and 91st. Here they were as hotly received asthey had been by the 60th. Notwithstanding the deadly fire, the Zuluspressed forward with noble courage. They had ceased to shout now, andseemed only anxious to reach the square. Four times they rushedforward; each time they fell back with terrible loss. The fire of thesoldiers was assisted by that of the native contingent, who, posted inthe waggons behind, added their fire to that of the 91st and 57th.

  The last attack was led by Dabulamanzi in person, and arrived withinfive yards of the muzzles of the men's rifles; indeed one or two of thechiefs actually seized the hot barrels with one hand, while they stabbedat the men with their shortened assegais.

  This was their final repulse, and they now began to fall back. Themoment that they did so, the cavalry dashed out in pursuit, and chasedthem far across the plain. The gatlings and 9-pounders added in noslight degree to the
effect of the rifles. The entire English loss wasbut two officers and four privates killed, and three officers andthirty-four privates wounded; while the Zulu loss exceeded 1000. Theforce under Dabulamanzi was about 11,000, and a similar force was closeat hand, but fortunately had not joined that of Dabulamanzi before heattacked the British.

  On the following day the 57th, 60th, and 91st, together with the mountedmen and several of the mounted brigade, taking with them three days'provisions, marched for Ekowe. Major Barrow scouted the ground, andreported that everywhere assegais, shields, feathers, ear and headornaments, skins, furs, blankets, and ever; guns were lying about inconfusion, evidently cast away in their headlong flight by the Zulus,but that none of these had been seen.

  The column, however, advanced with every precaution, as it was possiblethat Dabulamanzi might procure reinforcements. No enemy, however, wasmet with, and the column