Fighting in Africa.

Hastings Standard, Issue 24, 23 May 1896, Page 4

Fighting in Africa.

Renter's asrents at Blantyro send further particulars of the brilliant campaign! against the slave-raiding chief Mlozi. Mlozi's strongly-stockaded town which contained between 5000 and 8000 people, was compretely in vested by the British. When the first shell was fired a larre of women and children sallied out. and were allowed to pass the i. The bombardment wns in fnfl f >rr . Jr.- two in the afternoon, aud the c-nnv purl of the town was on fire, but the mud roofs

the woise for shelling though, as was afterwards found, there was great loss •of life among the besieged. The Arabs returned the lire, and from the loopholes there rang out volley after volley directed at the English troops. As night ft 11 the inoon lit up the scene, and the ring of besiegers was tightened up. Every attempt at a sortie was repelled with great loss to the enemy.

The fighting continued with intermission the whole night long. In the early morning a shell caused great quantities of gunpowder to blow up in some magazine of the enemy. Then there was a lull. A white flag waved from the ramparts. Mio/.i came a short way out of the gate and desired the commissioner to walk unarmed into the stockade to discuss terms. This was refused. MIo;:i then said the Arabs meant to light it out to the end. The white flags wen purled down, and the !• ii - 'im was resumed ; but the Aral) fire was so hot that the commis-.-ioiur ilcmurrod to an a -suult taking place until the enemy had been further weakened. A friendly native chief pointed out the wheri ahouts of the strong building in which Mloziandhis fighting men were taking shelter. Three -h> :i- in succession were rlacd in this building. The result took all by surprise. A tremendous sortie occurred on the part of tile enemy. Arabs rushed out of tin- town in two directions, covering their rus-i with a shnrn voH.y, which -lid son." ilsuiirtge. Coder corner of thi : > shun It.tivo'is rush a btrgo number of woman and children ran for the nearest British, camp, where they found safety hue the British force undismayed closed up to ;• hand conllicf with the enemy, in which tremendous execution was tine by r ,u! .r .oil Without waiting tor furthre reintorcements Lieutenants ('.\>: .Snjjih ;tn.i de ilerries Smith clambered on to the ramparts I v. vth •>0 n\kns, and jvurtpvA into the . town; i.ht. m i i gateway was forced, and the troop-: entering in the gathering darkness a hand to hand combat took place between British officers and Sikhs on one hand and the obstinate defenders on the other. It was pitch dark before the last shot was fired. Mlor.i, having taken refuge in a house and loopholed the walls, desperately defended it, a Sikh being shot dead and several others wounded. The roof was ultimately tired, and the men surrounding Mlo.d rushed out. many of them losing their lives under the Sikhs volleys. Mio/.i was subsequently tried and hanged. Some £o ( J wretched slaves were liberated.