HOW BURNABY DIED.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7144, 23 April 1885, Page 4

HOW BURNABY DIED.

Mr Burliegh, the war correspondent vho was wounded at Abu-Klca, has, under the inspiration of his hurt, written to the Daily Telegraph a thrilling account of the battle, and in it occurs this description of Colonel Burnaby'a death, which must become historical : — " Still down upon us the dark Arab wave rolled. It had arrived within throe hundred yards uni'minished in volume, unbroken iv strength— a rush of spearstnen. Their ritio fire had ceased. Other Arab forces surrounding U3— the Mahdi's troops, plundering Bedouins, and pillaging villagers from tho river-side— stood eager on the hill-sides watching the charge upon the Brititish square. In wild excitement, their white teeth glistening, and the sheen of their burnished weapons flashing like thousands of mirrors, onward they came, charging straight into our ranks. I was at that instant inside the square, not far from tbe Gardner gun, when I saw tho left face move somewhat backward. Colonel Burnaby himself, whose every action at the time I saw from a distance of about thirty yards, rode out in front of the rear left face, apparently to assist two or three skirmishers running in hard pressed. All but one man of tbem succeeded in reaching our lines. Colonel Burnaby went forward to his assistance, sword in hand. As the dauntless colonel rodo forward, he put himself in tho way of a Bhoik charging down on horseback. Ere the Arab closed with him, a bullet from someone in our ranks brought the aheik headlong to the ground. The enemy's spearstnen were close behind, and one of them suddenly dashed at Colonel Burnaby, pointing the long blade of his spear at his throat. Checking his horse, and pulling it backward, Burnaby leapt forward in his saddle and parried the Moslem's rapid and ferocious thrusts. But the length of the man's weapon— Bft— put it out of his power to return with interest the Arab's murderous intent. Once or twice Colonel Burnaby just touched his man, only to make him more wavy and eager. Tho affray was the work of seconds only, for the savage horde of swarthy negroes from Kordofan and straight-haired tawny complesioned Arabs of tho Bayuda steppe were fast closing in upon our square. Colonel Burnaby fenced the swarthy Arab as if he were playing in an assault at arms, and there was a smile on his features as he drove off. the man's awkward points. The scene was taken in at a glance. With that lightning instinct which I have seen desert warriors before now display in battle while coming to one another's aid, an Arab, who was pursuing a soldier and had passed five paces to Burnaby's right and rear, turned with a sudden spring, and this second Arab ran his spear into the Colonel's right shoulder. It was but a slight wound, enough, though, to cause Burnaby to twist round in his saddle and defend himself from this unexpected attack. Before the savage could repeat his unlooked-for blow, ao near the ranks of the square was the scene now being enacted, a soldier ran out and drove hiß sword bayonet through the second assailant. Brief as was Burnaby's glanco backward at this fatal episode, it was long enough to enable the first Arab to deliver his spear point full in the brave officer's throat. The blow drove Burnaby out of his saddb, but it required a second one before he let go his grip of the reins and tumbled upon the ground. Half a dozen Arabs were now about him. With blood gushing in streams from his gashed throat the dauntless guardsman lept to his feet sword in hand and slashed at the ferocious group. They were the wild strokes of a proud, brave man dying hard, and he was quickly overborne and left helpless and dying."