woody country. Having
completed this distance, we halted for our cattle and followers; but we
started again when the moon rose, intending to surprise them by the
following morning's dawn. Our road, however, lay through a dense thick
wood, with a deep ditch or ravine every hundred paces, which we had so
much difficulty in getting our guns over, that, when the morning dawned,
we had not proceeded more than one-half of the distance, though we were
in sight of the ghaut, which was about eight miles ahead. In an hour and
a half after this, we reached and crossed the river Scend, about two
miles from the top of the ghaut.

Our spies, who had just left the camp of the enemy, informed us that
they were not encamped on the top of the ghaut, there being no water
there, but that they were lying near a large lake of water, about two
miles from the ghaut, apparently unconscious of our approach. The
general immediately dispatched the 4th regiment of Native Cavalry, under
Brigadier-General Newberry, who commanded the whole of the cavalry, with
this division, also Cunningham's corps of Local Horse, under the command
of Lieutenant W.W. Turner, with two six-pounders, called gallopers, as
they would proceed as fast as the regiment could charge. I asked the
general's permission to go, and I obtained his consent to act on the
staff with Brigadier-General Newberry. The ghaut was high and difficult,
being nothing more than a mass of loose stones, by which many of the
poor horses broke their knees in getting up. As soon as we were up, we
formed an extended line, and moved on slowly, as our horses had then
been ten hours saddled, and without food. At the camp described we found
a large body drawn up, and we gave them several long shots, and brought
some of their spirited steeds and men a pitch lower. We then went off at
a good smart gallop; but our long-jaded and hungry horses had but little
chance. We soon emerged from the thick wood which surrounded their
enormous encampment, and came up with some of them, and cut them up.
About a mile to our left, and in our front, we could see tremendous
volumes of dust; and, about a mile further on, we began to fall in with
the enemy in considerable numbers. Some of them fought well and bravely:
indeed, the greatest coward, when his life is at stake, will fight
desperately, and this was the case with these marauders; but their
struggle was ineffectual. We could see women riding across the country
at speed