and found that Wetherby's
party was already divided from them by a deep and impassable ravine, at
the bottom of which was the pathway by which Buller had made his way to
the summit of the cliff. A strong party of Zulus were seen faraway in
front, working as if to cut off Buller's horse. It was clear that there
was nothing to do but to press forward in hopes that the line taken by
Wetherby and that which the main column was following would come
together.

At this moment a heavy fire was opened by a party of the enemy from a
narrow ledge of rock a hundred yards above them. Untongo and two of his
men guided a party of eight marksmen to a still higher point, and their
fire speedily drove off the Zulus. Half an hour's march brought Wood
upon Wetherby's track, and high above them to the right the rear of
Buller's column could be seen. No more unsuitable ground for the
operation of mounted men could be found; perpendicular rocks rose in all
directions, while steep precipices fell away at their feet. Killed and
wounded horses were seen at every turn of the road, showing how stoutly
the enemy had held their ground, and how difficult an operation Buller
had performed. Sending fifty men to work upon the right flank and
endeavour to take the Zulus in the rear, Colonel Wood kept his men for a
few moments under cover of a friendly ledge of rocks, to take breath and
look to their rifles, girths, and ammunition, and then pressed rapidly
forward and joined the Border Horse.

The scene was now most exciting. The firing was almost continuous, and
the yells of the savages rose from every rock and bush, mingled with the
loud cheers of Buller's men far up in front, as they saw the column
approaching to their aid. The ground was now more level and practicable
for riding, and Colonel Wood mounted his horse and, accompanied by his
own little escort of a dozen men and the Border Horse under Colonel
Wetherby himself, with his gallant boy, aged fifteen, who was fighting
by his side, galloped forward for the front, leaving Colonel Russell in
command of the column. When within a hundred paces of the summit of the
cliff a rain of fire opened upon their front and flank from a mass of
Zulus firing from caves, crevices, and behind enormous boulders. From
one cave to the right front an excessively heavy fire was kept up, and
Colonel Wetherby dashed at this with his men just as Colonel Wood's
horse staggered from a deep assegai wound in the c