BERESFORDS DEEP OF DARING.

Manawatu Herald, 1 November 1889, Page 3

BERESFORDS DEEP OF DARING.

(By Archibald Formes.'Suddenly from out a deep, sharplycut water-course crossing the plain, and invisible at 200 yaids distance, sprang up a long line oi Zulus, some 2000 strong, confronting at once aud flanking the men of Bnller's Horse. Simultaneously the whole plain around them flashed up into vivid life. Hordes of Zulus had been lying hidden in the long grass. Butler's alert eye bad caught the impending danger, and his voice had rung out the command " Eetire " ere yet the bullets of <he sudden Zulu volley whistled through and ove«- his command. Three men went down smitten by the fire. Two were killed on the spot and never stirred; we found their bodies next day shockingly mangled. The third man's horse slipped up in the abrupt turn, and his rider for v moment lay stunned. Hut Beresford riding away behind his retr«-atiig put), looked back at this la lev man, and saw him move np into a sitting p* stnre. He who would succour in such a etisis must, nt only be a brave man, but also a prompt mnn, quick to decide aud as q-iclc to act. The isaue of life or de-ith hangs at such a tine on the gain or waste of a moment. The Zu us, darting out fr»m the watercojrse, were perilously close lo the poor fellow ; bur, Btresford used on the racecourse to measuring dis'ance with the eve thought he might just do it, if he Wffe sninrt and luoky. Gnlloping b»V to the woundt d man he d-a"---miunted, and ordered him to get on hi*pony. The wounded man, d <z-d ashe was, even in bis extremity, was not le«s full of self abnegation thin was the man who was risking hiflown life to save hs. fie bade Btresford remount ami go ; why he an din bis simplf, manly logic — w ly^sbouli two die when death was in Mtable but to one ? Then it watl it the quaint, resourceful humour olkis race supplied Beresford with tte weapon that prevailed over the wi og<|ed man's uns< lfisboess. Th xsk^iing angel perhaps did not reoo a the oath that buttressed his tnefttening mien when he swore wim clenpbed fist that ho would

punch the wounded mans head if ho did not allow his life to be savt*l . " This cb oil argument prevailed^ Bill ' partly lifted pn^iy hustled the maniii 1 tohissaddl; d> thensc?anib ed wy sorn how in 'iront of him, aud set the good little beastagoing after th.c other horse* Heon'y just did it ; another . moment's delay and both must hftvu been ass^gaiod. As it w&3, the swift ■ footed Zulus chased them up tho slope, and the I'east mistake in.ide by the po»y n'Ust have been fatal. Tnd«ed, as Beresfoi"d was th^> fivsf j gratefully to admii;, there was a j critical uicuient when their escape would Jiave been impossibl?, but (ov \ the co 1 courage of Sergeant O' lobife, "who rode back to the rescue shot down a Zulu with his revolver as they tried to close in on the rather helpless pair, and then aided Beresfoi'd 1 in keeping the wounded man in the •a<ldle until the safety oi the laager was attained. There was Gauge: right up till then; for the horde of Zulus obstinately hung ou the flunks and rear of Buller's command, and the irregulars had over aud over again to shoot men down at close quarters with the revolver; more than oncn the fighting was hand to hand, and they had to club their i rifles. If the Zulus had kept to their own weapon, the assegai, the loss among Buller's meu would havo been very seve-e; but they had ex-tenai.v«?ly l armed themselves with rifles tliat had fallen into their hauda atlsandlwana, *vith the proper handling of , which they 1 were unfamiliar. '1? lioy pursued right up to thesis own bank of the Umvaloopi, and blamed away ■ at our fellows lorn: after the viv&r v,'as between thorn and y,h. Qt ■. course, cumbered with a wounded and fainting man oceiv,vi O g his saddle while he f , ci . c hof on the " pommel, erGS f OV a was tumble to clo aii r)'cning towards self-protection, ; and over and over again on tho return ride, lu> mid the man bohind ( him were in desperate straits, aud , b it i'or < 'Toole and otlier comrades must have gece clown "When they alighted in rhe laa^or you could not t havo told whether it' was rescuer or l rescued who was tho wounded man, so suiearprt was Beresford with ] borrowed blood. - 1 It was oiih of Ireland's good day3 ; if at h-.me she is the " distressfnl ] • ountrj'," wheivver boM doeds are to be done and milivavy hononr to be } yarned, no na'ion carries the head i J higher out of the dust. j ■ ■■ ii '■' ■ ■ " I i