The stores were broken into and all the spirits drunk.
Even the medical drugs were swallowed by these ignorant men, with
the result that I saw some of them reeling about in agony and
others fall down and go to sleep.
An hour or two later an officer who came from the direction in
which the General had marched, cantered right into the camp where
the tents were still standing and even the flag was flying. I
longed to be able to warn him, but could not. He rode up to the
headquarters marquee, whence suddenly issued a Zulu waving a
great spear. I saw the officer pull up his horse, remain for a
moment as though indecisive, then turn and gallop madly away,
quite unharmed, though one or two assegais were thrown and many
shots fired at him. After this considerable movements of the
Zulus went on, of which the net result was, that they evacuated
the place.
Now I hoped that I might escape, but it was not to be, since on
every side numbers of them crept up Isandhlwana Mountain and hid
behind rocks or among the tall grasses, evidently for purposes of
observation. Moreover some captains arrived on the little
plateau where was the cave in which the soldier had been killed,
and camped there. At least at sundown they unrolled their mats
and ate, though they lighted no fire.
The darkness fell and in it escape for me from that guarded place
was impossible, since I could not see where to set my feet and
one false step on the steep rock would have meant my death.
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