THE PIONEER ADVANCE 103
of the larger divisions of the
Great Trek, led by Hendrik Pot-gieter and Gert Maritz, left the Cape
Colony in August, 1836, and pushed north of the Caledon River.1
Some of the pioneers in this advance were cut off suddenly and killed
by Umsilikazi. Flushed with this bloodshed, he made a swoop with six
thousand men upon a part of Potgieter's trek — a company of a few
score men, women, and children. But the startled Boers were now on
their guard. They ranged their big, white-tented wagons in a square,
lashing the wheels together with rawhide riems, and filling in the
chinks in their barricade with thorny mimosa bushes. In the centre of
this laager a few wagons were placed as a cover for the women and
children.
Upon
sight of the advancing Matabele, all knelt and prayed. Then some of
the men rode out boldly to meet the attack with their heavy rifles.
Their fire was deadly, killing, at times, two or three at a shot, when
their guns were loaded with slugs, but the impis pressed on, driving
the Boers back to their laager in a sullen retreat, turning to fire as
fast as they could reload. Within the laager all was made ready for a
defence to the death. Back of every wagon a little heap of powder and
bullets was put on the ground, and the women stood by to hand spare
guns and reload. It was sternly ordered that there should be no
shrieking or crying by women or children. In silence the rush of the
Matabele was awaited.
1 The Caledon River divides Basutoland from the Orange River Colony.
