Chap. XL.] SOUTHERN AFRICA. 355 



tion of the women and children. These arrangements 

 hastily completed, they rode forth to confront the 

 enemy, whom they presently met in number about 

 five tliousand on their march towards the camp, 

 when some skirmishing took place, in which several 

 of the Matabili were slain. It has already been 

 remarked that their principal weapon is a short 

 spear, or assagai, termed unkonto, which is not 

 thrown, as with the Kafir tribes, but used for stab- 

 bing, for which purpose they rush in at once upon 

 their opponents. Terrible as is this mode of fighting 

 to unwarlike nations, it is calculated to effect little 

 against muskets in the hands of cavalry. Their 

 numbers and impetuosity, however, rendering it. 

 impossible to keep them from the waggons, the 

 farmers retired within the enclosure ; where, by the 

 time their guns were cleansed, they were furiously 

 assailed by the barbarian horde, who, with savage 

 yells and hideous war-cries, poured down like locusts 

 upon the encampment. Closing around the circle, 

 and charging the abattis with determined resolution, 

 again and again did they endeavour to break through 

 the line, or clamber over the awnings of the waggons. 

 Dealing however, with men whose lives were the 

 stake, their attacks were as constantly repelled. 

 Repeated volleys of slugs and buck-shot, discharged 

 at arm's length from the heavy bores of the besieged, 

 ploughed through their crowded ranks ; 



" Even as they fell, in files they lay, 

 Like the mower's grass at the close of day. 

 When his work is done on the levell'd plain : 

 Such was the fall of the foremost slain.'" 



