150 
SPOET AND WAE. 
CHAP. XVII. 
to pass over the bodies of nineteen men, which were 
most brutally mutilated: their heads severed from 
their bodies and carried away to exhibit to the different 
tribes, as an indication that the white man was des¬ 
troyed, and for the witch-doctors to work their spells 
upon. This was done by the doctors, or devils, passing 
a stick, with a cross-stick at the end, in the shape of 
a whisp, into the brain-hole at the back of the skull, 
and then turning it sharply between the palms of the 
hands until the brain was mashed up and frothed 
over. Then the 4 devil ’ would withdraw her diabolical 
charm-stick and sprinkle the brains in all direc¬ 
tions, making her incantations all the time, to turn 
the soldiers’ bullets into water, and to make her own 
people invisible to the foe. 
After beating the Kafirs off at the Debe Keck there 
was no more fighting that day, and we reached Fort 
White, where the troops halted for the remainder of 
the day. Knowing, however, that Sir Harry Smith, 
the Commander-in-Chief, was in the meantime shut up 
in Fort Cox, Colonel Mackinnon was most anxious to 
rejoin him. After, therefore, making arrangements to 
strengthen Fort White, he made a night-march, and so 
took the Kafirs unawares, and reached Fort Cox with¬ 
out much more fighting. The badly wounded and Dr. 
Fraser were left at Fort White, and Captain Mansergh, 
of the 6th Regiment, left in command, with 120 men, 
