The Noise of Zulu Battle by Malcolm Archibald

Author:Malcolm Archibald [Archibald, Malcolm]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Next Chapter
Published: 2023-05-19T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

As Andrew descended the final hundred yards of the path, the Zulus overran the last organised resistance in the British camp. Andrew saw the First Battalion of the 24th Foot die, swamped by the sheer number of Zulus. He saw a thin trickle of men running for safety and knew he could not help; one rifle could not stem the Zulu flood.

The Cape Mounted Rifles were gone. Fraser and his men had died fighting, with a pile of Zulu bodies before them. Fraser lay in the forefront with two assegai wounds in his stomach and his head crushed. His company lay around him, most facing their front and only three where they had tried to run.

Andrew pulled Lancelot into the wagon park, watching the Zulus destroy what they could not loot and kill everybody they found. South African tribes did not take prisoners. He saw a group of Zulus surround a young drummer boy, who stood with his fists raised in an attitude of defiance. The Zulus closed in, lifted the boy, suspended him head down and ripped open his stomach.

Andrew fought nausea that rose in his throat. He could do no good here but must warn Elaine about that impi heading towards Natal. Deliberately aiming at the warrior who had sliced open the drummer boy, Andrew shot him in the back, reloaded without haste and joined the stream of refugees. A few moments before, he had not thought of survival. Now he had a purpose; he had to warn Elaine and get her away from Inglenook before the Zulus arrived. Saving Elaine was all that mattered. The death of the young drummer was an example of what the Zulus could do to Elaine and Mariana.

Andrew noticed that most of the fugitives ran in panic without looking right or left. He felt curiously detached, as if he were not here, not part of this massacre but a member of a theatre audience observing some play. Andrew was aware of the noise; he heard the screams of men and beasts, the war cries, and yells of triumph, yet they did not affect him. He rode with his rifle loaded, avoided any large groups of Zulus, and shot any who seemed threatening, immediately stopped to reload and rode on.

While others galloped, Andrew moved at a steady canter, aware that Lancelot must be tiring now. He saw warriors staring at him, but when they realised he was prepared to fight, they moved on to easier victims. A small impi jogged past, each man wearing bobbing plumes and green monkey caps.

A trail of dead men led to the drift across the Buffalo River, with men on foot pleading for help and small parties forming for self-defence. Andrew ignored them all, concentrating on survival to warn Elaine. After that, he knew it did not matter.

Andrew hardly noticed the others as he arrived at the drift. He heard the noise and saw Zulus, British and NNC, but they could be a thousand miles away for the little difference it made to him.

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