k
was unwisely planned, from the native point of view, for it was about
the time of full moon, and the South African night, with a full moon
riding high in the sky, is almost literally as light as day, and the
defenders, being doubtless on the qui vive, would perceive the first
stealthy approach of the savages and at once open fire upon them. And I
knew enough about my father's and Nesbitt's marksmanship to feel assured
that every time they pressed a trigger an enemy would fall. But even
their deadly skill with the rifle would not account for the many bodies
lying round the house, and thus I was brought to the conclusion that
some of the Totties, armed with shot guns loaded with loopers, or slugs,
must have assisted in the defence. Time after time the enemy must have
charged toward the house, and time after time must they have been driven
back from those stout stone walls and barricaded doors and windows by
the withering volleys of lead poured into them at close range. But the
weak point of Bella Vista was its thatched roof, which was the universal
form of covering to every farmhouse at that day, on account of its
coolness. It was, however, easily capable of being set fire to, and in
all probability the Kafirs, after being several times repulsed, had made
a concerted rush, in the course of which they had succeeded in hurling
several spears, with bunches of burning grass attached to them, into the
thatch, where they had remained, setting the roof on fire. Then, as the
house was only a one-storey building, it would quickly fill with smoke,
and the inmates would be faced with the alternatives of suffocating,
being burnt to death beneath the blazing roof when it should fall in, or
yielding themselves to the tender mercies of the ferocious Tembu. I
thought I knew which of the alternatives my father would choose,
provided, of course, that he survived long enough to avail himself of
the choice; but did he? That was the question, and--merciful heaven! if
he did not, what had become of my mother?

Frenzied at the thought of what her fate might be if she had fallen
alive into the hands of the savages, I dashed up the front steps to the
stoep, clubbing my rifle and striking out right and left at the gorged
aasvogels congregated there, which seemed disposed to resent my
intrusion. And as I mounted to the top step I at once perceived that I
had now arrived at the spot where the fight had raged most fiercely and
stubbornly,