CHAV, xi y. THE AFFATE OF THE GOOLAH HEIGHTS. 113 
above. Their position gave us this advantage, that 
they could also see the preparations making at Needs 
Camp for reinforcing us. All at once we heard a great 
commotion and calling to one another amongst the 
Kafirs, and I heard the repeated name of £ Tandanna,’ 
which I took down in my pocket-book. Thinking it 
was preparatory for a rush upon us, we all held both 
our barrels loaded and in reserve; but it was with 
quite a different motive. The Kafirs in the trees 
could see much better than we could, and they did see 
the Cape Mounted Kifles racing along the road from 
Needs Camp at the top of their speed. Soon we saw 
them approach, although in no order, save the fastest 
horses to the front; and then Currie, Crouch, and I rose, 
with our party, charging on foot across the space divid¬ 
ing our rocks from those held by the Kafirs. The whole 
space was only about fifty yards, with the road in a 
slight hollow between us ; and the rest of it was covered 
with long grass, stones, holes, and other impediments. 
We rushed across this space like mad, and down went 
Currie. Only a few shots were then being fired at us, but 
the idea passed through my mind that he was killed; 
but almost before the thought he was alongside me 
again, and we just got up to the tail of the Kafirs as 
they were rushing in the opposite direction from us. 
We found ourselves amongst the dead and dying, or 
rather amongst the dead, for nearly every Kafir we 
1 
