CHAP. XII. 
THE BATTLE OF THE GUANO A. 
93 
were coerced to join the enemy, although the main body 
of their tribes were our allies. 
Passing on I came up to Lieutenant Boyce just in 
time; he was carrying a single-barrelled gun of mine, 
and had fired at a Kafir but missed him. The Kafir ran 
up and seized the bridle-rein of his horse, and was in 
the act of stabbing him with an assaigai when I pre¬ 
vented it. 
Further on there was an herculean Kafir, with a 
bundle of assaigais, who, as I turned on him threw 
himself on his knees, held up his hands and said, 
4 Targho 9 (Mercy). I could not shoot hini, but he is the 
first and only Kafir I ever knew that asked for mercy. 
I handed him over a prisoner to Sergeant Crawford, of 
my own regiment, and passed on with the stream. 
After a while I came up with a chief, recognisable 
by his tiger-skin kaross (robe); he had only assaigais, of 
which they carry seven ; he drew one and hurled it at me, 
and in return I missed him with both barrels; running a 
little way, he turned and threw another assaigai at me, 
which I parried with my bridle-arm, but it never¬ 
theless passed through my jacket and underclothes, and 
gave me a severe cut in the arm. I again missed him, 
and he turned and ran. 
At this time the 4 recall ’ was sounding, but I was loth 
to let a chief escape ; and without re-loading I charged 
him. Now, my horse was a high-actioned old brute (a 
