RENEWED ATTACK UPON DINGAAN. 339 
Carel Landman, who joined them with all those 
emigrants who had already commenced settling 
themselves down near the bay ; and these com- 
bined forces, profiting from the experience of 
the past, advanced with great caution, securing 
their position every evening, so that when they 
had nearly reached the Umslatoos river they 
were fully prepared, as, at the earliest dawn of 
day, on Sunday the 16th December, 1838, the 
whole of Dingaan's forces, about 10 or 12,000 
strong, attacked their position with a fury far 
exceeding all their former attacks; for three 
hours they continued rushing upon them, en- 
deavouring to tear open all their defences and 
force the emigrant camp, until Preterms, find- 
ing the Zoolah forces concentrating all their 
efforts upon one side of the camp, and their 
own ammunition nearly failing, ordered 200 
mounted men to sally forth out of one of the 
gates at the rear of the line which the Zulus 
were attacking, and these mounted warriors 
charging both flanks, and pouring their deadly 
vollies upon the immense masses which were 
gathered together within a small space, at length 
beat them off with a fearful loss. The emigrants 
assert that nearly 3000 Zoolahs licked the dust 
before they retreated; and their defeat must 
have been complete, as Dingaan fled quite panic 
stricken, set fire to the whole of his town of 
z 2 
