336 
SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
retreat, a desperate hand to hand fight ensued, 
the farmers being so hemmed in, that they 
could not fire, or fall back rapidly on horse- 
back, and again load and charge, as was their 
usual and efficient mode of warfare. They ac- 
cordingly, as by one consent, directed all their 
fire on one mass of the Zoolahs, where their fa- 
tal aim haying cleared a path by bringing 
down hundreds in this volley, they rushed 
through and thus escaped ; but their chief, and 
unquestionably most gallant commander, Piet 
Uys, haying taken a somewhat different course, 
in a country but little known to them, found 
himself surrounded with a small party of about 
twenty faithful followers, and his favourite son, 
a young lad of twelve years of age, before a 
ravine, which their horses could not get over 
or clear. 
" Finding himself wounded, he called to his 
followers "to fight their way out," as he could 
not follow. All obeyed his command, except 
his son, who remained by his father until both 
fell, pierced with wounds. The remainder of 
their party, and the great majority of the emi- 
grant farmers, having ultimately succeeded in 
thus fighting their way out of this trap, which 
had so ably been laid for them, effected a re- 
treat out of the country, without any further 
great loss of life, leaving, however, the "pres- 
