raced up the mountain; the Rifles were close behind, and made strenuous exertions to be first in the attack.

'Look, sir!' cried an old sergeant to his captain, as he saw two Zulus clambering up to attack our stronghold, some of our fellows have taken refuge in that Ha! well done! that's one wiped out; they're

cave.

6

making a good fight for it!'

'The other nigger has disappeared into the cave,' shouted the officer, excited beyond measure. 'Double up there, men! come along!'

Major Osborne now gave orders to the trumpeter of the lancers to sound the charge,' in order to let us know that help was at hand. At the sound of the trumpet the Zulus broke and retreated up the mountain.

And thus it happened that we were rescued from the very jaws of death.

A court of inquiry,' after hearing the evidence of the three surviving troopers (which corroborated the statements. we ourselves made when able to give an account of the disaster), acquitted Mackinlay and me of any blame. Moreover, the General visited us in hospital, complimented us on our behaviour in covering the retreat of our men, and expressed his intention of recommending us for that coveted distinction the Victoria Cross.'

WOUNDED

6

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE CONVOY-VAN BREDA'S ADVENTURE WITH

A TREE-LEOPARD '-HOMEWARD BOUND.

'Farewell the plumed troop, and the big wars
That make ambition virtue !'

Othello.

HE injuries which Mackinlay and I received were so severe, that the principal medical officer with General Wood's column declared

we should not be fit for duty for many months to come, and recommended our being moved to the rear with the next convoy of sick and wounded, and sent home as soon as we could bear the voyage.

Peter Van Breda, in little better plight than ourselves, was also strongly advised to return to Cape Town. Thus the Rondebosch Cavalry were deprived of their commandant and quartermaster at one and the same time. The corps had suffered so severely,-losing two officers wounded and nineteen men killed in that one engagement, that the General, after thanking them in general orders

for their services, decided to employ them on escort duty with the convoy.

On the 10th June the convoy of wounded men and invalids was formed, and commenced its rearward march to Fort Cn.

Here we found four companies of our own regiment in garrison, and were heartily welcomed by our brotherofficers, who did all in their power to amuse relieve the monotony of a sick-bed.

us and

Several changes had occurred in the 120th since I left them at Utrecht. Colonel Treherne had-much to his chagrin got his promotion to the rank of Major-General, and, as the step went in the regiment, I obtained my company. One captain had died, and two subalterns were killed in a skirmish near the Tombokala River, and another had been invalided. Our friends at Fort C—n were not very well pleased at being left to garrison a depôt whilst the regiment was up at the front, but they managed to make themselves happy under the circumstances, and, there being plenty of game in the neighbourhood, they had no lack of amusement.

How Jack and I envied them!

The country around was clear of the enemy, and nearly every day three or four men would go out shooting, and return laden with the spoils of the chase.

Three weeks after our arrival at Fort C-n, an express from the front brought intelligence of Lord Chelmsford's victory at Ulundi.

It gave us great satisfaction to hear of this decisive

battle, and that our commander had so gloriously vindicated his reputation as a military leader, a reputation assailed, after the disastrous affair at Isandlwana, by carping critics, who failed to distinguish between misfortune and incapacity; setting up uninterrupted success as the only standard by which to judge a general's capabilities. We had been at Fort C-n nearly a month before the doctors would hear of our leaving for Durban; but one morning towards the middle of July, the commandant came to our room and informed us that a convoy of convalescents was to leave in a couple of days' time, and it had been decided to let us accompany it.

'You will be four or five days on the march down to Durban,' said Colonel James, and will arrive there in time to catch the mail steamer for England. The war is now practically over, at any rate you have no chance of seeing any more of the campaign,-so the sooner you get home the better.'

'I shall be glad to get them off my hands,' chimed in the surgeon who was attending us. 'Three more impatient patients I never had to deal with! Mackinlay there wanted to go out shooting a week ago; and as to Van Breda, I think the wound on his head must have touched his brain, for yesterday evening he was planning an elephant-hunting expedition to come off next month.' 'Boys will be boys!' laughed the commandant. 'I have got past the age for caring much about sport, but twenty years back I was as keen as they are.'

The convoy, consisting of about seventy convalescents, in medical charge of Surgeon Dunbar and AssistantSurgeon Eckersley, with a small detachment of the Army Hospital Corps, was escorted by the Rondebosch Cavalry under Captain Le Sueur, and a detachment of the 120th under young Morrison.

A staff-officer, Major Graham, was in command.

Our wounds had so far healed, that although we presented a very dilapidated appearance, we were able to move about with comparative ease.

Jack could hobble along on one crutch at a fair pace, but he was still weak, and unable to bear very much exertion.

My shoulder was stiff and at times painful, and I went uncommonly short on one leg. Peter Van Breda carried his left arm in a sling, and his head was bandaged; but although he looked the worst of the trio, his general health had not suffered so much, and, his nether limbs being uninjured, he had the advantage over us of being able to walk or ride without difficulty.

The march down from Fort C-n to Durban was most enjoyable, and did a great deal towards setting us on our legs again. The weather was all that could be desired; the road was in excellent condition, and the scenery exceedingly picturesque.

The officers all messed together, and Peter constituted himself caterer and superintendent of the cooking department; there was plenty of game to be had for the killing, so we fared very well.