PLUCKY AND COOL.

Western Star, Issue 2216, 24 June 1898, Page 6

PLUCKY AND COOL.

It was Christmas Day, and the little village of Ponderspan wag celebrating the occasion. The women were all at work preparing their Christmas dinners ; the men in their Sunday clothes gathered in little knots in the village streets talking earnestly together, and occasionally casting glances at the steep, tree-covered hills whoso foot extended to within half a mile from Ponderspan. These hills were known as the Amatolas, and were the chief stronghold of some of the most powerful of the Kaffir tribes. The chiefs Macomo and Sandilli both had their head kraals somewhere in the heart of the mountains, which were untrodden by the white man, for even in times when the attitude of the Kaffirs was most peaceful the strongest objections were manifested by the chiefs to any white men entering their hills. For some years the relations between the colonists and the Kaffirs had been friendly, but of late the attitude of the latter had changed , the greater part of the Kaffir labourers employed on the farms had suddenly le , am there was little doubt that they had been called by their chiefs, and it was unquestionable that a very large gathering had taken place in the heart of the Amatolas. As yot, however, no acts of hostility had been commuted, the Fingo labourers still remained on the farms, the Kaffirs came down from the hills and bought and sold as before Cattle had, indeed, he. n carried ofi in larger numbers than usual, and the complaints made to the chiefs had not, as formerly, led to the return of the cattle or to an offer ot compensation. .. It was rumoured amongst the colon • the Kaffirs were eating meat. The repo occasioned considerable uneasiness or a a rule the natives lived on mealies, u undertaking warlike operations they took to a meat diet, believing that it added strength and courage. Still the sett ers a sufficient to induce them to take, serious a step as to abandon their homes and to remove with their horses, cattle, and belo ings to one of the larger towns, where they ■ would be safe under the protection of the troops. The Kaffirs were as friendly as usual when the, came down in the village, and it was considered that had there been any imminent danger } • would have received warning of it J ' Fingo servants, between whom and the Kaffir, there was no good will. No such warning had been given, and although anxious and uneasy the settlers went on as usual. At a somewhat early hour the women made their wav towards two of the largest houses in the village. Bach carried some contribution to the feast-joints of game, pies, puddmgs, or cakes. The young people of the vdllage we to take their mealfirst at one or other of the two houses ; the tables were then to be cleared and laid for the seniors. When the first detachment bad dined the boys and girls trooped out. The little children were to remain in the two houses,where large rooms were set aside tor them, where they could play and be at the sametime under the eye «f their mothers. borne ol the boys and girls at once got up games, but two of the former. Deorge and William Col ling wood, refused all invitations to join in. saying, ‘ We have got to look after the horses first ; we will be back presently." George was fifteen and his brother a year younger. Like all lads ot their age in the settlement both were good riders and fair shots. Their lime was largely passed ci. horseback tending the cattle out on the plain, |and the air and the constant exercise had ihardened their muscles, while the nature of Itheir work bad giveu them a sense of responsibility and a quickness of decision that made them far more manly than lads of the same ag>

i brought up iu tow us. j a Fingo herdsman was leaning against the 'door-post as they reached the house, which was I at the extremity of the village. 1 “ Nothing new, 1 suppose, Sando ?” i The native shook his bead. “ Horses and cattle all in kraal, gate locked, many Kaffirs go

; along.” . l * “ Yes, we saw a lot of them standing about when we came out from dinner,” George said ; I “they know well enough when it is a feast Iday, and reckon on getting a share when the ! whites have done, and perhaps a present of

tobacco.” 1 “ Sister no come homo ?” the Fingo asked. •« No, she had dinner with us, but she and some of the big girls have stayed to help wait on the others at dinner.” ! “ Belter go away soon,” the Fingo said. “Sando told father this morning.” “ You think things ain’t right. Sando ?”

The Fingo shook his head. “ Not good ; all Kaffir servants go, not wait to ask for wages, just go.”

i* Yes, I know, Sando, but that was two weeks ago, and nothing hai happened since.” “ Kaffirs bad,” the Fiugo said, sullenly ; “too many men in hills, soon trouble come. Sando no like him, go away soon if father stay here.” George entered the house with his brother. “ I know father is uneasy,” he said, “ though he don’t say much about it. Did you notice that most of the men brought their rifles with them. Look here. Will, I vote that we take our guns and scout about a bit. You see, all the men are in at dinner, and if lb: Kaffirs are thinking of making an attack they could not choose a better time. 1 don’t suppose they would attack the two houses where they all are, but they might loot the rest of the village without resistance.”

The younger hoy nodded, and they took down two double-barrelled guns from a rack over the fire-place j each put on a belt full of ball cartridges, and they went out to the yard behind the house.

“ I have a good mind,” George said, “ to take our horses, and father’s, and the Lght cart with Bessie in it for mother and the girls, and take them to that clump of trees over there. They would be all right up there, and we could bring them in again this evening. I don’t suppose that there is any chance of trouble, hut il there should be it might give them a chance of getting away.” Will agreed.

There was no occasion to saddle the horses, tor as often as not they rode them bare backed. The light cart was got out from (he shed, together with the bridles, and in a few minuU s they started. Will rode his own horse and led that of his father. George drove the cart, to the rear of which he had hitched the bridle of his horse.

There is one advantage in this clump i f trees,” George said, when he reached them. “ You sec, the stream comes along close to it, and anyone coming out here from the village could, by stooping down,gel here without being noticed, if they once got a fair start.” They hitched the horses to the trees and then returned, making a considerable detour, so as to avoid the village altogether. Retween the village and the foot of the hills there was a good many trees ; these had been left standing because they afforded a shade to the horses and cattle during the heat of the day. Keeping as much as possible among them, the two boys moved cautiously along until they gained a spot about half-way between the village and the foot of the hills. Then they sat down among some bushes growing under a clump of trees, doss to wbiih ran the path used by the natives when the came down to the village. For half an hour they sat there. Several Kaffirs had come along, but there was nothing to strengthen the ground for their uneasiness, and the younger brother presently said ; “ I think ws have frightened ourselves for nothing, George.” “ I hope «e have ; still, the day is not over yet, and if the natives have any ideauf mischief they are just as likely to begin after sunset as before.”

Five minutes later there was a sudden outburst of wild yells and screams, and a moment later the crack of firearms. The boys grasped each other's hands instinctively ; they both made a movement to rise, but George said : “We must stop here, Will; we could do nothing, for there would be no chance of o ur getting to the houses now ; there must be hundreds of Kaffirs there by the yelling. I wish that we had stopped at the house now, though, indeed, we could have done no good if we had. Our folks could never get there. The only chance is that they will beat off the attack on those two houses ; besides, I can hear the yells all over the village. They must have scattered all over the place and attacked every house at the same time, though there could have been but two or three children and a Fingo servant or tv oin any of them. They must hare gone along by other paths ; if they had come this way we might, as we had intended, have crept round and given warning before the attack began.

The boy’s words came in short sentences, broken by sobs. “It is awful, George; isn’t there anything we can do ?”

George shook his head. “No, Wi . ne must stop where we are. If the two house" hold out we may be able to do something w iui it gets dark, but till then we must wait here ; we should only throw away our lives without doing any good. We could not be iu a safer place, for fhey would not think that anyone would have run this way. Oh, this is awful 1 he broke off, as a fresh outburst of screams sounded high above the Kaffir yells, and, pressing his hand to his ears, he threw lumsel (Jowu. His brother followed his example, an« for ten minutes they lay there sobbing, but happily deaf to the tumult in the village. George was the first to remove his hands from his ears. He listened for a minute, and then touched bis brother.

“ Listen, Will,” he said, “ one of the houses must be holding out. Anyhow, there is a steady fire being kept up.’’ The character of the noises had indeed changed. There were no longer screams or shouts, a Kaffir yell was heard occasionally, but a crackling fire of musketry rose incessantly. Yes, it is certainly one of the houses iug out. By the sound it must be Bampton s. Yes, that is where father and mother are. Oh. George, do you think that they will be able to defend it ?”

“ I should think that they would have a good chance. There are sixteen or seventeen men there, and you know the bouse is veiy strongly built ; and if they once got the shutters shut and the door fastened the Kaffirs will find it hard to break in.” “ Oh, George, Bessie and Carrie were at Green's.” “I know they were,” George groaned. “Don t think about it, Will, it's too horrible. Look at the smoke ! Do you see it is rising in two or three places ? They have set some of the houses on fire. Lie down,” he broke off, suddenly, “ here are some Kaffirs commg.’

Presently six or seven natives came along the path laden with spoil, and in their midst walked two weeping girls, fifteen or sixten. The firing was much less heavy. “ Have they given up the attack, do you think, George ? ”

“ No. 1 expect the Kaffirs have scattered all through the village plundering; when they have done that they will attack again. If there had h( en only three or four of them just now, we might have tried to shoot them down and rescue Mary and Annie Williams. Perhaps they will bring Bessie and Carrie along presently. If so, Will, we will follow them, and try to rescue them. If we follow them till they stop, and then attack them suddenly, we might get the eirls awav. Look ! here come some of the cattle.”

As he spoke a number of cattle and horses lashed across the open, followed by six Kaffirs shouting and yelliug ; then thn e or four more groups of Kaffirs laden with spoii came along ; and tnen George grasped Will s arm. ‘ Look I Will, look.” Through an opening through (he leaves they saw their sister Bessie coining along, with Carrie clinging to her skirts. Behind them walked three Kaffirs laden with blankets, women’s garments, and other spoil. *• Will, we must aim steadily. Remember that if one of them gets away he will bring a lot more down on us. I will take the first man, you take the second, and theu we will both fire at the third. We can’t miss them at twenty yards if we do but fire steadily. Dou’t fire until I do.”

They lay down with their guns in front of them, and were able to get a good view of anything passing beneath the green wall of bush. The girls passer! them. Two paces behind came the first Kaffir, spear in hand. As he crossed the line of George’s barrel the boy fired, and almost at the same moment his brother discharged his gun ; the two leading Kaffirs fell headlong, the third dropped his spoils and turned to fly. hut two guus flashed out together, and he pitched over dead.

“ Bessie !” George shouted, as be sprang to his feet. With a cry of joy the girls ran towards him.

“ Come along,” he cried, as he and Will ran out, “ the firing may bring some more of them down. Quick, there is not a moment to lose. Take Carrie’s other hand, Will.” Etch took one arm of the child, and started at the top of their speeii for a large clump of hushes two hundred yards away. As soon as they all got there they halted and looked round. No one was in sight.

Gome on, girls,” George said, “ we must not wait here . They could follow our track as easily as if they saw us. Don’t cry, Bessie,” he exclaimed, as, overcome by the revulsion ot feeling, the girl burst into tears. “We are not safe yet by a long way. Wo must get as far away from here as we can. Bampton’s house is holding out, isn’t it ?’’ “ Yes, I think so. Oh, George, this has been awful 1”

'* Don't think of it now, Bessie We had better keep on to the wood, and keep moving in that until it gets dark. If they lake up onr trail they won’t be aide to find it faster than we can get along, and as they have got their spoil and the cattle and other things to think about they may not follow ns far. This bush will screen us pretty well until we get to the forest.” They ran across the intervening space to the foot of the hill. Just as they entered the wood they heard some loud yells.

“ A party have come on those dead Kaffirs,” George said. 11 Now pick your way as well as you can, tread on stony places, and do not put your feet on any twigs. 1 will go first, you follow in my footsteps as well as you can. Load your gun, Will, as you walk, and, above all don’t make the slightest sound. Ah, there is a fresh hurst ol firing ; they are attacking the house again.” Quickly, but warily he led the way, and for two hours they continued their course through the wood, keeping just outside its edge ; occasionally they stopped and listened, but no sound of pursuit was heard. A dense cloud of smoke could be seen where the village had stood. At last they came on a stream coming down from the hills and running out into the veldt.

“ We will take to this,” George said, “ and strike off from it to that clump of trees half-a-mile out. We are four miles away from the village, and even if three or four of the Kaffirs have taken up our trail we cau hold the trees against them, but 1 don’t exp?ct any of them have done so. They will have enough to do with four or five thousand cattle and seventy or eighty horses, besides as much plunder as they

can carry, and I expect a lot of them are still beseiging the house. You lake my gun, Bessie, and I will put Carrie on my shoulder, she is regularly done up.” The stream was but a few inches deep, and. keeping m the water, they followed it until in a line with the clump of trees. George chose a place where the grasss was short, and. stepping out, led the way to the trees. Once there, Bessie threw herself down and cried quietly fir some time. Will would have tried to console her, but his brother said. “ Better let her cry. Will. She must have gone through some awful scenes; it will do her good.” Presently the girl sat up ; “ How did you save us ? ” she asked, “ I thought that, of course, you had been killed to.’’ George told them how it had happened that they were hiding in the bush as she came along with her captors. When he had finished he said: "Now, Bessie, tell us what has happened.” “ [ hardly know,” she said. “ They were all at dinner, when suddenly there was a rush dowu the passage and the Kaffirs poured in ; then there was a terrible light. The men made a rush for their guns, but many of them were speared before they could get hold of them. I ran into the next room and caught up Carrie. Almost directly afterwards three or four Kaffirs rushed in, and 1 must have fainted. W hen I came to. and sat up, I was dragged out of the bouse, but 1 still kept hold of Carrie. The fight was all over, everyone being killed except the two Williams girls and us. The street was full of Kaffirs yelling and shouting ; there was a great deal of firing going on at the other house, aiul I felt sure that they could not have been

surprised as suddenly as we were, and were still holding out. Presently they took the two Williamses away. Two Kaffirs stayed in the house, and soon after another came out of a house close by with a quantity of blankets and things. He put them down by us and went in for more, and when they had got enough they each loaded themselves and told us to walk on iu front of them, and wo did so till you fired. What are we to do now ?’’

“ As soon as it gets dark, Bessie, we will make off to the place where I told you we took the riding horses and the light cart. If they have not found them—and I don’t suppose toey have done that—yon must drive the curb to Williamstown. We will ride for a bit with you, and when you are well away we shall come back again and see if we can help father and mother. Warn any settlers as you go along, and directly you arrive at Williamstown go to the barracks and ask for the Colonel and tell him what is happening here. There are sure to be some of the Mounted Rifles there, and if so they will come to onr assistance.”

As soon as it was dark they set out, the flames of the burning village enabled them to keep their way direct to the trees standing on the veldt beyond it. Here, to their delight, they found the horses as they had left them. Not a moment was lost. Bessie took her place in the cart with the child,the two boys mounted, and they drove rapidly across the plain until they struck the road. For two hours the boys accompanied the cart. Then George said : “ I think that you are quite out of danger now, Bessie.”

“ I think so,” she said ; “ at any rate, I am not afraid of going on alone. Cod bless you, hoys.” The two lads turned and rode back again to the spot from which they had started. They had on the way arranged their plans, and, leaving the horses behind them, entered the stream and followed it towards the village. The fires had by this time burnt low, an occasional shot was heard, and they knew that the house still held out. As they neared the village they stooped low, and crawled cautiously along until they were in the heart of the village, then they left the stream and went along until they arrived at the fence round the garden of Hampton’s house ; it took them a long time to do this, for they could hear voices all round them,and by the dull glow of the fires could see parties of Kaffirs sitting down behind walls that sheltered them from the fire of the defenders. Dragging themselves along at full length they reached the door ; they tapped gently, and George, putting his mouth to the keyhole, said Collingwood.” They heard the sounds of bolts being quietly withdrawn, the door was opened a few inches, ami the instant they had entered was closed and barred again. “ Vour father and mother are upstairs, lads,” a man's voice said ; how on earth have you managed to escape ?” “ We were outsido the village when they attacked,” George replied. “ and we have had no chance of getting in before.” “ I suppose the Kaffirs are still round us ?” “ Yes ; there are numbers behind the walls at present ; they are all sitting down, and 1 don’t think they are going to attack new.” “ No, we don't expect it until daybreak ; they never fight at night if they can help it. Here are the stairs, your father is in the room to the left.

When they went into the room, which was like the rest of the house in darkness, George said : “We are the two Gollingwouds ; are our father and mother here ?” There was a cry of joy in a man’s voice, and a man exclaimed : “ Thank God you are saved, hoys.”

A moment later their mother threw her arms round their necks, and their father grasped then- hands, while exclamations of congratulation rose from the men and women in the room.

“Oh. my boys,” Mrs. Collingwood, exclaimed, we thought you were all gone. We have suffered agouies. It seems a miracle that you should have escaped.”

“ The girls have escaped, mother,” Georg said, “ Bessie and Carrie are forty miles away by this time, on their way to Williamstown ” The good news was too much for Mrs. Collingwood, and with a low cry she sank down insensible. In ten minutes she was sufficiently revived to hear the story, and many were the exclamations of approval that greeted the boys’ narrative.

“ Yon should have gone with the gills,” Mis Collingwood said when they had concluded; “ we don’t know yet that we can hold out.” “ Well, mother, we thought that every gun would be of use, anil it was impossible for us to go away and know that you were besieged here.”

Many were the inquiries made by the others as to the fate ot their friends, but the boys were unable to give information except about tin Williams girls, and they would not have mentioned these had not they known that their father and mother were in the other house and must have fallen. As day broke ail the men were summoned to their posts at the loopholes ; a quarter of an hour later there was a tremendous yell, and a crowd of dark figures came rushing toward the house. A crackle of musketry instantly broke out,many of the Kaffirs fell, hut a large number reached the door and attacked it with hatchets. Strong as it was, it splintered at laid, but a barricade of furniture had been erected in the passage,and from behind this the defenders kept up a deadly fire upon the Kaffirs as they attempted to thrust themselves in through the broken door. In half an hour the assault ceased ; the enemy retired to shelter again and kept up an incessant fire upon the house.

It was just noon when cries of alarm rose among the natives, and in a minute later a body of fifty of the Cape Mounted Hifles dashed down and fell upon them. Taken by surprise the Kaffirs offered but little resistance ; many were shot or cut down ; the rest fled for the hills hotly pursued by the cavalry, and the intervening ground was strewn with dead. The Rifles returned as soon as the Kaffirs reached the edge of the wood, and by the lime they got

baek the barricades had been removed, the defenders bad all sallied out, and had scattered through the village. It was a sad scene. All save those whose children bad remained in the house were bereaved of their families, and there were heart-rending scenes as parents came upon the bodies of their children. From the troopers they learnt that the news of the outbreak all along the frontier had reached Williamstown some hours before Bessie got there, and that she had met the party riding out twenty miles from the town. ( n learning from her that a house at their village still held out, the officer in command had decided in riding straight for it. , The Collingwoods found their bouse burnt, and the dead body of their Fiugo servant lying close by. Their cattle and horses had, of course, all been driven off, and, having nothing to detain them.they went across at once to the wood, mounted the four horses,and rode for Williamstowu, where they arrived on the following day. Bessie was soon found. Mrs. Collingwood and the. girls took up their abode at the house of a friend. Mr, Collingwood and his sons joined the Burgher force, and had during the war many opportunities of avenging the massacre at their village, to which.when peace was restored, they returned, Mr.Collingwood regaining a considerable portion of his cattle when the natives had to deliver over the. numerous herds that had been carried away into the Amatolas.