up, accompanied by about 100 mounted men,
and asked for orders. He was requested to send out outposts in the
direction of the enemy, and, having checked their advance as much as
possible, to fall back, when forced so to do, upon the buildings and
assist in their defence. Posts were then assigned to each man in the
little garrison, and, this done, the defensive preparations went on, all
doing their utmost, for they felt that the life of every one of them was
at stake. Three-quarters of an hour went by, and the officer of
Durnford's horse rode up, reporting that the Zulus were advancing in
masses, and that his men were deserting in the direction of Helpmakaar.
At this time some natives of the Natal contingent under the command of
Capt. Stephenson also retired, an example which was followed by that
officer himself.

Lieuts. Chard and Bromhead now saw that their lines of defence were too
large for the number of men left to them, and at once began the erection
of an inner entrenchment formed of biscuit boxes taken from the stores.
When this wall was but two boxes high, suddenly there appeared five or
six hundred Zulus advancing at a run against the southern side of their
position. These were soldiers of the Undi regiment, the same that had
turned the Isandhlwana mountain, cutting off all possibility of retreat
by the waggon road, who, when they knew that the camp was taken, had
advanced to destroy the guard of Rorke's Drift. On they came, to be met
presently by a terrible and concentrated fire from the Martinis. Many
fell, but they did not stay till, when within 50 yards of the wall, the
cross fire from the store took them in flank. Their loss was now so
heavy that, checking their advance, some of them took cover among the
ovens, cookhouse, and outbuildings, whence they in turn opened fire upon
the garrison. Hundreds more rushing round the hospital came at full
speed against the north-west fortification of sacks filled with corn. In
vain did the Martinis pump a hail of lead into them: on they came
straight to the frail defence, striving to take it at the point of the
assegai. But here they were met by British bayonets and a fire so
terrible that even the courage of the Zulus could not prevail against
it, and they fell back, that is, those of them who were left alive.

By this time the main force of the Undi had arrived, two thousand of
them, perhaps, and having lined an overlooking ledge of rocks, took
possession of the gar