LAST TO DIE AT ISANDLANA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6051, 9 April 1881, Page 7

LAST TO DIE AT ISANDLANA.

The Natal Times contains a letter signed "Hugh L. Cnrbutt," giving an account of a visit he and lxis wife paid to the fatal field of Isandlana recently. Mrs. Carbutt being intimately acquainted with the Zulu language, she "was able to talk freely and unre&ervedly with the natives living in the vicinity, several of whom took part in the fight with the British troops." One portion of the troops reached a hill overlooking the battle-field, and "one brave man, probably the last survivor of the day, appears to have excited all their admiration. "He struggled on and on, retreating higher and higher up the hill, till he reached a small cave or recess in the rocks, into'which he crept, and with his gun kept off His enemies. The ground in front of the little cave (which was pointed out to me) falls steeply down, and the Zulus, taking advantage of the rocks and stones scattered about, endeavoured, two or three at a time, to approach and shoot him-. The soldier, however, was very cool and wary, and 'invariably shot every Zulu as he appeared;' he did not blaze away hurriedly, but loaded quietly, took deliberate aim, ' killed a man with every shot,' till at last the Zulus, now being very tired, a number of men, good shots, were brought up with guns, who fired simultaneously at the unfortunate man, ind so killed him. This lasted far into the afternoon, 'and the shadows were long on the hills' (probably about 5 p.m.) before this mm, who was the last to die,.met his fate."