THE PRINCE IMPERIAL'S UNIFORM.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 36, 11 February 1880, Page 6

THE PRINCE IMPERIAL'S UNIFORM.

The Natal Mercury publishes the following 'communication received from its " own correspondent," wbo writes from near Ulundi : — *' Colonel Villiers found the Prinoe Imperial's uniform, or at least an agent sent by him succeeded in doing so for him. Klaas,- for such is the agent's name, was. carefully selected and instructed by the colonel for this somewhat difficult task. He ie a follower of Momese'e, and has only one eye, with which he sees further than most people do with their usual allowance of two. He was brought up in a Boer family, and speaks Dutch fluently. Klaas went to the neighborhood of tbe kraal where the Prince was killed. Here he discovered, by careful enquiry, that Xabango, tbe man who slew him, had been killed at Ulundi ; ' he was one of tbe Bonambi regimepjt. Klass had some difficulty in discovering the relatives of Xababgo, wbo had the uniform of the Prince, but by various means succeeded in finding the different parts of tbe uniform in- different kraals. He brought a patrol jackef, riding breeche., leather waistcoat, shirt, belt, revolver, an ammunition pouch with 21 rounds in it, and a small bag- witb some coins. All the clothes except tha breeches were pierced in front with numerous assegai holes. There was a Hatisfaction in this to be able to show the Zulus that no boles were found behind; he fell like a soldier and a brave one- — * His back to the field and his face to the foe.' The revolver is smashed. It appears he was wounded first by an assegai, thrown from a distance of about 10 yards. He emptied his revolver at bis enemies who closed too quickly to allow him to reload, so he shied the revolver at his nearest assailant and drew hiß sword to defend himself. The Prince's what I may call " historical watch " has not yet been discovered. The Zulus deny ever bavins; seen it. They have also given tip the arms and ammunition belts of fthe men wbo were killed with the Prince. There can be no doubt about the identity of the uniform, except the shirt, which I believe belonged to one of the escort. Klaas interviewed one of the party wbo attacked tbe Prince, and it is wonderful ,' bow any of the wbite men escaped at all. The Zulus discovered them approaching long before tbey reached the kraal, before they had off-saddled tbe Prince and his party were hemmed in on two side., and affairs were brought to a climax by the Baauto discovering the Zulus in the long grass; bat it not been for this none would have escaped. The Zulus stated tbat the Prince's horse bolted and broke away as he was trying to mount."