A Native Account of the Fight at Isandhlwana.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3204, 27 May 1879, Page 3

A Native Account of the Fight at Isandhlwana.

(feom the natal mebcubt.)

The following is the substance of a conversation which took place a few days ago between one of our missionaries and a native on his station, who came to him to have a wound bound up. The fight in which he took part was that of Isandhlwana. He further entirely confirms the statement that on that occasion the Zulus use their own dead as shields, throwing them on the bayonets of the regulars : — "jELovf do you do, Udhlolwane? "Very well, teacher, but the spear-wound in my right foot pains me ; I neeoV some medicine." " Who speared you ?" " A Zulu, teacher, but I finished him.' " What with P" "My gun teacher." " Yon had a gun, then ; who gave it to you?" "My white man, teacher.^ "What was his name?". " Doherty." " Were you his servant ?" ."■ Yes, teacher." " What work did you perform for him ?" " I was his cook." " Tell me all abont the fight. Were any white men engaged in it ?" " Yes,, teacher, and some black,^ also, Amakolwe (Christian natives), and others, but the Zulus were far the most numerous." " Did you attack them first?" "Yes; the soldiers did, -but I i stopped with the wagons ?" "And did the Zulus come to the waggons?" "Yes, teacher, I am sorry toTiy they did.' 1 " And;why did you not defend them?" "We did, teacher, so long as we could, but they were too many for us." "How did they appear?" V They came towards, us like the big ocean waves, teacher." " Were there any of the Zulus killed ?" " Yes ; great heaps of them were cut down, but they did not mind- it at all. They filled up the gaps, and they fought with spears as well ai guns." "How did you manage to get away?" I killed as many as I could- with my gun, and then used my spear, but it i glided off the shield of a Zulu, and I saw he wouid kill me' if' I did not run, so I took to my hjßels;"' " But how could you run With such a wound ? " ■' I don't know, teacher, but I did, and my wound did not pain me till night-time. I hid in the bush till morning, and then found . the wagon road; and a missionary wagon passing by. I was taken in, and brought half way to Pietermaritzburg." (Probably Eev. Otto Wittj'a wagon). .?• When you get well, what will you do, TJdhlolwane ? " "Go back and kill more Zulus. I shall keep the gun for that purpose." " Udhlolwane, if there hid been a few more white and black soldiers in your party, could you have beaten the Zulus ? " "Yes, teacher; I am sure we 'should hare done so." ....■•. !,- :