Mr. Allan Quatermain's story of the wicked and fascinating Mameena,

a kind of Zulu Helen, has, it should be stated, a broad foundation in

historical fact. Leaving Mameena and her wiles on one side, the tale of

the struggle between the Princes Cetewayo and Umbelazi for succession to

the throne of Zululand is true.

When the differences between these sons of his became intolerable,

because of the tumult which they were causing in his country, King

Panda, their father, the son of Senzangakona, and the brother of the

great Chaka and of Dingaan, who had ruled before him, did say that "when

two young bulls quarrel they had better fight it out." So, at least, I

was told by the late Mr. F. B. Fynney, my colleague at the time of the

annexation of the Transvaal in 1877, who, as Zulu Border Agent, with the

exceptions of the late Sir Theophilus Shepstone and the late Sir Melmoth

Osborn, perhaps knew more of that land and people than anyone else of

his period.

As a result of this hint given by a maddened king, the great battle of

the Tugela was fought at Endondakusuka in December, 1856, between the

Usutu party, commanded by Cetewayo, and the adherents of Umbelazi

the Handsome, his brother, who was known among the Zulus as

"Indhlovu-ene-Sihlonti," or the "Elephant with the tuft of hair," from a

little lock of hair which grew low down upon his back.

My friend, Sir Melmoth Osborn, who died in or about the year 1897, was

present at this battle, although not as a combatant. Well do I remember

his thrilling story, told to me over thirty years ago, of the events of

that awful day.

Early in the morning, or during the previous night, I forget which, he

swam his horse across the Tugela and hid with it in a bush-clad kopje,

blindfolding the animal with his coat lest it should betray him. As it

chanced, the great fight of the day, that of the regiment of veterans,

which Sir Melmoth informed me Panda had sent down at the last moment to

the assistance of Umbelazi, his favourite son, took place almost at

the foot of this kopje. Mr. Quatermain, in his narrative, calls this

regiment the Amawombe, but my recollection is that the name Sir Melmoth

Osborn gave them was "The Greys" or "Upunga."

Whatever their exact title may have been, however, they made a great

stand. At least, he told me that when Umbelazi's impi, or army, began to

give before the Usutu onslaught, these "Greys" moved forward above 3,000

strong, drawn up in a triple line, and were charged by one of Cetewayo's

regiments.

The opposing forces met, and the noise of their clashing shields, said

Sir Melmoth, was like the roll of heavy thunder. Then, while he watched,

the veteran "Greys" passed over the opposing regiment "as a wave passes

over a rock"--these were his exact words--and, leaving about a third of

their number dead or wounded among the bodies of the annihilated foe,

charged on to meet a second regiment sent against them by Cetewayo. With

these the struggle was repeated, but again the "Greys" conquered. Only

now there were not more than five or six hundred of them left upon their

feet.




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