Die ondertekening het in doodse stilte geskied. Eerstens deur S. \Uf ...

Die ondertekening het in doodse stilte geskied. Eerstens deur
S. \Uf. Burger, gevolg deur die verteenwoordigers van die Z.A.R.
(F. $f. Reitz, kmdt.-genl. L. Botha, genl. J. H. de la Rey, C. L. Krogh,
genl. L. J. Meyer). Daarna het gevoig waarnemende presicient C. R.
{9 \tr7'et, gevolg deur die verteenwoordigers van die V rystaatse Republiek
(genl. C. FI. Olivier, regrer J. B. M. Hertzog en S?-. C. J. Brebner).
Hierna het lord Kitchener en laastens lord Milner die traktaat geteken.
Die atmosfeer was gespanne en 'n doodse stilte het in die lokaal
geheers. In daardie armosfeer het die lede van die Boere-republiek verbysterd
opgestaan om die saal te verraat. Lord Kitchen"r, -opperbevelvoerder
van die veroweraar, het aan daardie groep Boere-voormanne
die volgende ironiese afskeidswoorde toegevoeg: ,,we are good friends
now", waarna die Boere-verteenwoordigers na hul tydelike verblyfplek,
Parkzicht, wat naby Melrose-huis geled was, gegaan het.
(Opgestel, d,eur d,r, Herman Stand.er,)
THE BATTLE OF ISANDHLSTANA
_
I-" August of this year a party of about sixty pupils from our
school visited places of historical interest in Natal. Thgmbst interesting
battlefield we visited during our rour was Isandhlwana.
Isandhlwana is a mountain in Natal. The name in zul' means
"The little hand". Ilere on the 22nd January, 1879, one of the worst
disasters ever to befall a British force took place. An entire army was
wiped out by the Zulu forces of cetawayo. Those killed amounied to
over seven hundred and seventy Europeans and also severai hundred
natives who were fighting on the British side. The Zulus too, losr many
of their warriors killed by the volley-fire of the British troops before
they closed with them and killed practically every one.
The British force annihilated at Isandhlwana was part. oI an army
under the command of Lord Chelmsford which was invading Zulsland,.
They disregarded the advice gir.en by Eoers that they should raaget
rheir wagons and the rnorning of the 22nd of January found their camp
with the wagons neatly parked, tents erected, and the soldiers widely
scattered in the shadow of the rnountain. A small Dafty of Natal 'kaffirs"
as they were called in those days, carne across twenty thousand Zulus
hiding in a ravine close ar hand, waiting for the opportunity to attack.
Their witch-doctors told them that the Z2nd January was nor a good
da;, to attack, and they were wairing for the 23rd to dawn before
attackinq the British. However, when surtrrrised, almost as one man,
they rose and chased after the small party of mounted horsemen, who
rode a.way hurriedly.
td

The British were thus given some warning of the coming attack
arrd stood in the open, shoulder to shoulder, firing volley after volley
at the attacking Zulus who soon lay down in the grass hoping to hide
from the bullets which were killing many of their fellow warriors.
Just when it seemed that the British were giving the Zulus a good
beating, however, the situation changed. The crashing volleys of riflefire
dwindled to a trickle of shots and the Zulus realised that the British
troops were running out of ammunition. Ammunition there was in
plenty, but this was far away in the wagon park and the ammunition
boxes were fastened down with strong copper bands and heavy screws
which took a long time to open. In no time the camp was over-run
and only here and there a British soldier on horseback managed to
escape by riding for Fugitive's Drift on the Buffalo River. Even so,
they were chased by barefoot Zulus, who in many cases, were able
to catch up with them and pull them from their horses.
As we approached the peculiar-shaped mountain of Isandhlwatra,
we were able to recognise it from pictures we had seen in the book
"The 'Washing of the Spears". Dotted all over the battlefields were
#q *ffa*
FlEffiffi
" w(s
cairns of white-washed stones which showed the places where parties
of British soldiers had been killed.
Overlooking the battlefields is a pavilion to which we went. Here
in a glass showcase we saw the uniforms which were worn by the
British soldiers at the time and the shields and assegais of the different
ZuIu regiments which took part in the attack. There was also a modei
made from papier mach6 showing the battlefield. It was the sort of
papier mach6 model many of the boys in our class have made for
history and geography assignments, but much better of course. Recl
beads showed where the British troops had stood on the 22nd January
19

and maroon beads were used to
show the position of the Natal
kaffirs who were helping the
British. There were also thousands
of black beads on the hills showing
how the Zulus had come over
the hills and attacked the British.
Looking after the pavilion
was an old Zulu who came running
up to us when he saw the
bus. Our teacher asked him to tell
us about the battle but unfortunately
we could not understand
much of what he was saying as
he could not speak English too
well and we had arrived on a day when the wind wis blowi ig a gale
so that this also made it very difficult for us to hear. sfle diJ rroii.".
however, that he did not_ speak about the battle as having been fought
berween the Zulus and the British, but spoke again and,"again of h"ou-
Queen victoria's troops had come to fight the impis of cetawayo, and
how they had been chased out of zwluland. \tre ilso gathered ihat his
grandfather had fought in the battie.
\We ended our rour by visiting the many monumenrs which are
to be seen on the battlefield, and by seeing relics of the battle, which
are kept in a small memorial church close by. $7e had intended to
climb the mountain, but on account of the wind which was blowing
us almost off our feet we could not. To be quite honest we were very
pleased indeed thar we did not have to climb the mountain because
during our trip we had arready climbed quite a few mountains and
we were just a little tired of scaling koppies.
Red,aksie /Editors:
Beverley van $Zyk and Cheryl Healey, St. VA,
Discovery English Medium School.
Dr. J. J. van Tonder, Dr. T. A. du Plessis, Mnr./Mr. Rupert Maree.
Korrespondensie en bestellings oir Hi,storio Junior aan:
Corresytondence and orders Jor Historia Junior to:
Mnr./Mr. Rupert Maree, Spreyrylaan 1, Three Rivers, Vereeniging.
Artikels oir publikasie aan-Articles for publication to:
Dr' T. A. du Plessis, Surbitonlaan/Avenue 30, Aucklandpark, Johannesburg.
Gedruk deur Voortrekkerpers Bpk., Johannesburg.-Z0g07
20