halted in the great rift
beneath, which ran up from the hollow on the left of the King as he
faced it, I could see that the _impi_ was still quite unsuspicious. I
saw, too, that in numbers it was slightly inferior to ourselves; but
then, against that, our force comprised about two regiments of enrolled
slaves, who could not altogether be depended upon, even to save
themselves from the assegai. Excepting the few warriors left to guard
the pass, our entire force was massed in these two rifts, half in each,
and we lay facing each other, awaiting the signal of the King.

But the strategy of Silwane baffled us. Instead of approaching in the
same loose and open order to thread the defile, he sent forward an
advance guard of about four hundred men.

They passed our hiding-place, for we lay securely concealed. But when
they came opposite the mouth of the other rift, they somehow discovered
the presence of warriors--armed and lurking. Then Xulawayo, who was in
command on that side, ordered a charge, hoping to fall on these men and
slay them before they could convey the alarm to the rest. It was a vain
thought, however, for these soldiers of Dingane, so far from giving way,
raised their war-cry, and stood awaiting the attack.

Further concealment was useless. The whole _impi_ came pouring into the
hollow, fearless, but widely alert.

Kept well in hand by their sub-chiefs, they fought splendidly at first.
Directly they came in touch with our lines they charged, and charged
straight. _Whau_! We had not reckoned upon this, and soon our
regiments of slaves gave way and began to flee, throwing us back in
confusion.

Ha! Then followed a wild din. The hollow was a mass of broad shields
and fighting forms, surging wildly hither and thither, and the rocks
rang with the clash of wood and hard hide; the thunder of the war-shout,
the wild death-yell, and the choking groans of the wounded, smitten unto
death. Ha! we "saw red"; our one thought was--blood--blood--ah! and it
flowed--yes, it flowed! _Hau_! that fight was short and sharp. Nearly
half our strength lay slain or sorely wounded, and the men of Dingane
had lost nearly as many. Yet we had been stamped flat that day but for
a rumour that spread among our enemies that a large force was advancing
to cut them off on their rear. That saved us. They began to retreat,
yet not hurriedly and in rout, but facing us and fighting their way.
We, for our part, made no pursuit--_