chap. xiy. THE AFFAIK OF THE GOOLAH HEIGHTS. Ill 
just where it came into view from behind the thorn- 
trees. They never dreamed that we were exactly op¬ 
posite, under cover of rocks, and within forty yards of 
them; and it was not until we discharged our one 
barrel at them, knocking over several, that they were 
aware of our manoeuvre. Their astonishment was so 
great that they turned their guns to the right, and, 
almost without taking aim, fired a volley at us. At 
this moment I shouted to Sergeant Crawford to push 
the wagons through, which had to pass slightly in a 
hollow between the Kafirs and ourselves; but as very 
few of the enemy’s guns were held in reserve or 
reloaded in time to fire on them the men escaped 
unhurt, and only three or four of the mules were 
wounded. After passing through the narrow part the 
wagons turned off the road to our side, and also got 
protected by higher ground. It is well that this pre¬ 
caution had been taken, for had we kept the road and 
come into view round the thorn-trees very few of us 
would have been left alive to tell the tale. About 
eighty guns were bearing on the spot at forty yards’ 
distance; but as it turned out it was the most absurd 
thing I ever saw. The leaders and drivers of these 
mule-wagons were Malays, from Cape Town, with 
large umbrella-shaped straw hats on. They usually 
sit on the box in front of the wagon, one man holding 
the reins and guiding the six or eight mules, and the 
