chap. x. THE APE AIR OP THE COWIE HUSH. 
75 
Kafir, not another part visible. He gave the spot a poke 
with the ramrod of his gun, and up jumped a great big 
greased Kafir, the water running off him as it would 
from a duck’s back. Kafirs never give or take quarter, 
and this one immediately seized his assaigais, and was 
in the act of throwing one, when he was shot down, 
although I tried to prevent it. We then advanced, and 
about fifty yards ahead we came to a perfect stack of 
skin robes, blankets, and black sticks which they 
always carry to beat and drive cattle with. There was 
a pile some four or five feet high of these things, and 
we all knew that when they throw these articles aside 
they intend to fight. It was just at the spot which Joe 
Salis and I had been trying to get at, near the bank of 
the river, and where the channel gave a bend in the 
shape of a sickle or reaping-hook. I was leading, and was 
about to step across the bed of the river at the very 
bend, when a little ‘tottie’ of my troop, named Hendrick 
Dragonder, caught hold of me by the pouch-belt and 
pulled me back, saying, 4 Vaght, bass,’ or 4 Wait, master.’ 
At the same time he picked up one of the black sticks, 
and putting his forage-cap on the end of it, he held it 
across the bend of the river at the exact spot where I 
was going to step. Instantly twenty bullets riddled the 
cap and splintered the stick to pieces. The 6 tottie ’ 
then said, 4 Neuw, zur, gaat aan,’ 4 Now, master, go on.’ 
We rushed across, and found about fifty Kafirs, actually 
