CAPE TOWN NEWS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 206, 30 August 1879, Page 6

CAPE TOWN NEWS.

(Own correspondent to Press Agency.) Capetown, July 13. The past month haa been one of tho most eventful in the history of the colouy. The earlier part "found us mourning for the loss of the Prince Im perial, aud Natal and the Cape rivalling each other in ths respect they should pay to his remains. Within almost the past week we I ave had cause to rejoice that Lord Chelmsford haa gained a brilliant victory over 20,000 Zulus He failed, however, in catching Cetewayo himself, who, according to spies, retired to the north-west of the country some clay or so before the fight. Father Eooney, Soman Catholic Chaplain at Simon's Bay, was deputed to accompany the body of the Prince Imperial in H.M S. Orontes, and read the service each day. Altogether the ceremonies'here and at Natal have been most imposing, and while one could not but admit sufficient care had hardly been taken ot the Prince when alive, still no opportunity had been lost of paying that respect to his memory which bis position and the occasion required. Lieutentant Carey, the officer who accompanied the Prince on the fatal expedition, has since been tried by Court Martial. From the evidence, it appears that the party, which consisted ot the Prince, Lieutenant Carey, six troopers, and one native, after searching several hut?, and finding no trace of the enemy, off-saddled on a piece of rough ground, on the right of which was a mealie field and on the left a small river, and in frcnt a deep donga or water course. They sent the native to tho river for water ; he came running back in alarm, saying he had seen Zulus Still the Prince, whom Carey believed to be in command, took no alarm himself, but said we will wait ten minutes, and then mount. The ten miuutes elapsed, and the order to mount was given, but the words were hardly out of the Prince's mouth when a volley was fired from amongst the mealies, by which one trooper was killed and the Prince's horse rendered so restive as to prevent his rider mounting. From the statement of a trooper it would appear that the Prince made several ineffectual attempts to mount, running tlie while by the side of his horse until he was overtaken by the Zulus and assegaied. His horse was afterwards caught, and it was found the holsters were torn from the saddle, evidently by the Prince's attempts to vault into it. Lieutenant Carey says when the order was given to mount they scattered, riding in different directions, and that he fully believed tbe Prince was safe. When he reined iu on the donga with one trooper in company, he could see no signs of the Prince^ and finding it quite impossible to rally his men, and unable of himself to render assistance, he rode on to Wood's camp to convey the news and obtain assistance. Colonel Wood conveyed the intelligence to head quarters, and the following morning a strong cavalry patrol went out and recovered the Prince's body. It was found together with those of two troopers in the donga perfectly naked, and with seventeen assegai wounds, any one of which was sufficient to cause death One was through the eye. Around his neck was found a small medallion which the Zulus evidently thought a charm, and near him his spurs and watch. A bier was improvisioned by the lancers of their lances, and the body conveyed into camp.