Meet Salisbury relief force, with Mr. Cecil Rhodes, Sir Charles
Metcalfe, and others—Column under Colonel Spreckley sent to the
south—Several kraals burnt—Scouting party sent out under Captain
Van Niekerk—Band of cattle captured—Large body of Kafirs met
with—A running fight; Burnham and Blick nearly captured—Patrol
return to laager—Capture a woman—Discover a body of Matabele, and
send for reinforcement of men on foot—We hear heavy firing in
front—Mr. Cecil Rhodes joins us with Colonial Boys—Advance and
take part in the fight—Enemy's fire silenced—We retire.
On resuming our journey, we had not proceeded a couple of miles, when
on cresting a rise we came in sight of the Salisbury relief force
coming out of the bush ahead of us and just entering the valley which
lay between us. The two columns were soon laagered up in the open
ground some 500 yards apart on either side of a small stream. With the
Salisbury contingent were Mr. Cecil Rhodes, Sir Charles Metcalfe, and
several gentlemen who, having left Bulawayo on a shooting trip some two
months previously, had been obliged on the outbreak of the rebellion
to take refuge in the Gwelo laager, where they had been cooped up ever
since.
Mr. Rhodes, I thought, looked remarkably well, and yet the fast
grizzling hair and a certain look in the strong face told the tale
of the excessive mental strain undergone during the last few months.
Amongst those who had joined the Salisbury column at Gwelo were Mr.
Weston Jarvis, Mr. Farquhar, the Hon. Tatton Egerton (M.P. for
Knutsford) and his son. That evening Mr. Rhodes and Colonel Napier
dined with our mess, and in course of conversation after dinner it was
decided that, instead of returning at once with the combined columns
along the main road to Bulawayo, a flying column should be sent under
Colonel Spreckley through the country to the south of the hills
bordering the Insiza river, whilst Colonel Napier should travel down
the valley of that river itself with the main body; the two columns to
meet in the neighbourhood of the ford across the Insiza, on the road
from Bulawayo to Belingwe.
Early on the morning of Thursday, 21st May, Colonel Spreckley's column
of about four hundred men left us and bore away to the south; the main
body to which my own troop was attached making a move very shortly
afterwards. We first kept the road as far as the valley beyond the
Pongo store, but there turned off to the south, outspanning at about
eleven o'clock amongst a lot of kraals, all of which had evidently been
hastily vacated on our approach, as they were all full of grain, and
pots were found cooking on fires that had only lately been lighted. The
corn-bins in these villages were one and all quite full of maize, Kafir
corn, and ground-nuts, showing not only that the harvest in this part
of Matabeleland had been a very plentiful one, but also that the people
thought they had got rid of the white men for good and all and had no
reason to fear their return.
After all the grain had been removed that we could carry, the kraals
were burnt and the remainder of the corn destroyed, in order that
it might not again fall into the hands of the rebels, for a good
food-supply constitutes "the sinews of war" to a savage people, who are
not likely to come to terms as long as such supplies hold out.
In the afternoon we moved on a few miles farther, destroying several
more kraals. The huts in some of these had been newly built and
plastered, and we found that ground had been freshly hoed up to lie
fallow until the sowing-time came. In every village were found goods
of some kind or another which had belonged to the many white people
murdered in this district, and the articles of women's clothing, and
especially a hat that was recognised as having belonged to a young
girl of the name of Agnes Kirk, made the troopers simply mad to exact
vengeance on the murderers.
About two miles distant from the spot where we laagered up for the
night, the huts of some white prospectors were found, but no trace of
their former owners. These huts had been made use of by the Kafirs as
store-rooms, and were found to be full of every conceivable description
of merchandise, taken from neighbouring farmhouses and the hotels and
stores along the road. The goods were all carefully packed up, and
included bags of sugar, flour, and Boer meal, as well as boxes of soap
and candles, tinned provisions, blankets, and many other articles.
Outside the huts stood a waggon and a coach, the latter of which was
known to have been brought from the Tekwe store, some five miles
distant.
As it was evident that we were now in the midst of a native population,
who were not only responsible for the murders of the white men in the
district, the destruction of their homes, and the looting of their
property, but who also seemed so infatuated by their success that they
appeared to think that the compatriots of the murdered people "would
never come back no more," it was determined to make an effort to prove
to them in a practical manner that there is some truth in the French
proverb which says that "tout vient à qui sait attendre."
Therefore at 4 A.M. on the following morning, the 22nd May, Grey's
Scouts and a portion of the Africander Corps under Captain Van Niekerk,
in all about one hundred men, were sent out down the valley of the
Insiza in order to try and discover the whereabouts of the main body of
the rebels in this part of the country. The members of the patrol at
first proceeded on foot, leading their horses until day broke, when the
order was given to mount. Shortly afterwards smoke was seen rising from
a valley amongst the hills to the left, and the horses' heads were at
once turned in that direction, and presently, after the first range of
hills which bounds the Insiza valley had been passed, a herd of cattle
was seen amongst the broken country on ahead. These cattle were found
to be in charge of a small force of Kafirs, who abandoned them to the
white men without making much resistance.
It was the firing which took place during this skirmish which was heard
in camp soon after sunrise, and which caused Colonel Napier to send
Commandant Van Rensberg and myself with a small party to ascertain what
was going on. Just after these cattle had been captured, Mr. Little
and some of Gifford's Horse under Captain Fynn, forming the right-hand
flanking party to Colonel Spreckley's column, which was then moving
forwards some four miles to the south, rode up, having been attracted
by the firing. After a few minutes' conversation, no more Kafirs being
anywhere in sight, Colonel Spreckley's men went on their way, whilst
the Scouts and Africanders started on their return with the captured
cattle towards the laager. A little farther on a halt was made, and
some of the men produced some provisions from their wallets and were
proceeding to discuss the same, when Kafirs were suddenly seen on the
crest of a rise in front.
At this moment Captain Grey was missing, but he turned up immediately
afterwards with seven of the Scouts, who had been foraging with him,
each man having a dead sheep tied behind his saddle. These, however,
had to be immediately cut loose and abandoned, as large numbers of
Kafirs were now seen both in front and to the right, where they had
previously been hidden in a deep river-bed.
A running fight was now commenced, which was kept up for some four
miles before the Kafirs were shaken off. When it was first seen that
the Matabele were in force, and meant to try and cut off their enemy's
retreat, Captain Grey sent the American Scout Burnham, together with
a compatriot named Blick, to the top of a hill on ahead, to try and
ascertain the numbers and disposition of the rebels; but Burnham and
his companion were cut off from the main body, and had to gallop for
their lives, and had they not both been very well mounted, they would
probably not have got away, as the Kafirs nearly surrounded them in a
very rocky bit of ground. The cattle which had been captured had to be
abandoned by the men who were driving them, and very hurriedly too, as
a party of the rebels made a determined attempt to cut them off from
the main body.
Early in the fight Trooper Rothman of the Africanders was shot through
the stomach, and, as a comrade named Parker belonging to the same corps
was assisting the wounded man to mount his horse, he was himself shot
through the upper part of the body, from side to side, and died almost
immediately. Poor Parker had to be left where he fell, as there was no
means of carrying him.
Just as the white men were descending the last hill-slope into the
level valley of the Insiza river, a young Dutchman named Frikky Greeff,
the son of an old elephant-hunter long resident in Matabeleland, had
his horse shot through both forelegs just above the fetlocks. On being
struck the poor animal fell heavily, pinning its rider to the ground.
He, however, soon extricated himself, and one of the Scouts, Trooper
Button, who was riding a strong, quiet horse, took him up behind him.
Up to this time poor Rothman had been able to retain his seat on his
horse, but being greatly weakened by loss of blood, and in fact in a
dying condition, he now fell off. Lieutenant Sinclair of the Africander
Corps, on seeing this, dismounted, and with the assistance of others
placed Rothman across his saddle, and, mounting behind him, carried him
in this way for over three miles. By this time it was apparent to all
that the man was dead, so, as the Kafirs had now given up the pursuit,
the body was placed on the ground in a shady place, there to remain
until it could be recovered and brought in to camp.
After getting out into the open country the horses were off-saddled for
an hour on the banks of a stream which runs into the Insiza, and the
patrol then returned to laager. Besides the two men who were killed,
two more were wounded, though not seriously, Trooper Niemand being shot
through the fleshy part of the arm, and Trooper Geldenhuis getting
something more than a graze just above his ankle. Singularly enough,
as all the men were mixed up together, all the casualties occurred to
members of the Africander Corps.
Just at sunrise the same morning Colonel Napier asked me to take a few
mounted men of the Salisbury column and proceed, together with a small
detachment of the Africander Corps under Commandant Van Rensberg, to
a ridge of hills on our left rear, in order to burn some kraals which
could be seen with the glasses in that direction.
We were just getting ready to start, when shots were heard straight
ahead of us down the Insiza valley; and as the firing, though never
very heavy, was kept up until our horses were all saddled up, Van
Rensberg and myself asked permission to take our men in the direction
of the firing, as we knew that it meant that Captains Grey and Van
Niekerk were engaged with a party of Matabele, and we thought that we
might be able to render them some assistance.
Colonel Napier at once granted us permission to do as we wished; so
we lost no time in making a move, and before we had ridden much more
than a mile heard two shots at no great distance on our left front. We
immediately turned in that direction, and after having crossed a small
stream, again heard two more shots which sounded quite close, in fact,
only just beyond a ridge of low stony hills on our left. On hearing
these shots we rode to the crest of the ridge as quickly as possible,
and then saw a broad open valley beyond us, in the centre of which
stood a good-sized native kraal. We however could see nothing, either
of our friends or our enemies, nor did we hear any further shots. We
therefore crossed the ridge, and a deep river-bed beyond it, and rode
towards the kraal, with the intention of burning it. Before reaching
it, however, we caught sight of a few natives running through some corn
stubble, and galloping after them found them to be a young woman and
three little girls. These were taken prisoners and sent back to camp,
as it was thought that Colonel Napier might be able to obtain some
information from them regarding the whereabouts of any impis that might
be about.
Just then a man carrying a shield and assegais was seen running to our
right. He was soon caught and shot by some of the Africanders, just as
he threw himself under a bush, where he then lay on his face, dead.
"Pull him out that I may look on the murderer's face," I said in Dutch
to the men, which they did, revealing the features of a middle-aged
evil-looking Kafir, whom, however, I did not remember to have ever seen
before.
After killing this man we rode back towards the kraal, but before
reaching it, made out a number of Matabele standing on the slope of a
hill overlooking a deep river-bed, about a mile distant. On looking at
these natives through the glasses, I could see that they were all men,
many carrying shields, and as there were too many of them to make it
possible to suppose that they all belonged to the kraal near which we
were standing, I surmised that they probably belonged to the impi with
which Captains Grey and Van Niekerk had been engaged.
Not knowing their numbers, and recognising the impossibility of getting
at them in the hills with mounted men, Van Rensberg and myself judged
it advisable to send back to the laager for a reinforcement of men on
foot. A man was therefore at once despatched with a verbal message
to Colonel Napier, and whilst waiting for his return we took up our
position on the crest of the rise we had previously crossed, in order
both to guard against a surprise and keep a watch on the enemy. These
latter gradually retired round the shoulder of the hill and disappeared
from view.
From where we had taken up our position we could see the laager, which
was little more than a mile distant, and the reinforcement of footmen
we had asked for had already left it, when a heavy fusillade broke out
which sounded amongst the hills to our left front. Immediately after
this heavy firing commenced, large numbers of Matabele, who up to that
moment had been hidden in the river-bed below the hill on which we had
seen the others standing, suddenly showed themselves, and streamed out
across a corn-field with the evident intention of taking part in the
fight which it seemed was going on between the Scouts and Africanders
under Captains Grey and Van Niekerk and another body of Matabele. Our
party consisted of only twenty-two men all told, and it was rather
difficult to know what was the best course for us to pursue; but we
had just decided to go on and try and reach our friends without waiting
for the reinforcements, when the heavy firing ceased, being succeeded
by scattered shots, which showed that the fight was moving more and
more to the right. The Matabele whom we had seen leaving the shelter
of the river-bed must also have recognised this fact, as they soon
returned, marching in lines across the corn-field where we had first
seen them, and again taking up their old position.
Shortly after this Captain Windley and Lieutenant Frost came up with
thirty Colonial Boys, and Captain Taylor and Lieutenant Jackson also
brought a contingent of Friendly Matabele; but as but few of these
latter were armed with rifles, they could not be expected to be very
useful in attacking a position, though no doubt they would have done
excellent service in following up a defeated foe. Mr. Cecil Rhodes, Sir
Charles Metcalfe, Mr. Weston Jarvis, and Lieutenant Howard also came up
with the Colonial Boys.
On their arrival we at once proceeded as quickly as possible towards
the point in the hills from which the heavy firing had seemed to come,
and after having advanced for about a mile and a half through thick
thorn bush we found ourselves in a valley bounded on one side by the
main range of hills, and on the other by a single hill very thickly
wooded at the crest. At this point several natives were seen on the
hills above us to the left, and a few shots were fired at them, which
they returned, whilst at the same time some shots were also fired at
us from the crest of the rise to our right. I therefore ordered the
Colonial Boys to charge up the hill and take it, which they at once
did, led by their officers and Lieutenant Howard; the few natives who
had been firing from the summit at once giving up their position, and
running down into the thick bush on the farther side, several of
them leaving blankets and other goods behind them, whilst in one case
a handkerchief had been abandoned, which was found to contain about
twenty Martini-Henry cartridges. After we had taken possession of the
hill, a few odd Matabele fired a shot or two at us from the valley
below and from the hills above, but their fire was soon silenced by the
heavy fusillade kept up by the Colonial Boys.
From the position we had taken we commanded a good view over the
country to our front and right front, but we could see nothing of
the mounted men under Captains Grey and Van Niekerk, and therefore
judged that they had found it necessary to retreat from the Matabele
by a circuitous route to the laager; and we soon saw that it would be
expedient for us to do the same, as we could see a large number of
rebels on a hill about 1000 yards to our right, amongst them being a
man on horseback, and knew that besides those actually in sight there
were many others in the river-bed under the hill, as well as the impi
which had been engaged with the Scouts and Africanders, which we
afterwards discovered was lying in a deep river-bed hidden from view
only a short distance ahead of the hill on which we were standing.
In the valley beyond this river-bed were two small herds of cattle
in a corn-field, but this seemed such a very obvious bait to entice
us onwards that Van Rensberg and myself at once saw the advisability
of getting back to the more open country beyond the thick thorn bush
through which we had come as quickly as possible, in order not to allow
ourselves to be outflanked by the impi to our right, which had now
disappeared in the bush behind the hill on which we had seen it.
Had we crossed the river-bed in front of us and endeavoured to capture
the cattle, we should have been completely cut off from the laager by
two separate impis, which our small force would have been altogether
inadequate to cope with. By keeping well to the right, however, on our
return to the open country we avoided coming in contact with the enemy
in the bush, and saw nothing more of them.