"One of you may get through," he said. Gooding was but
lately out from London, and knew nothing of scouting, so
Burnham and Ingram warned him, whether he saw the reason for it
or not, to act exactly as they did. The three men had barely left the
others before the enemy sprang at them with their spears. In five
minutes they were being fired at from every bush. Then followed a
remarkable ride, in which Burnham called to his aid all he had
learned in thirty years of border warfare. As the enemy rushed
after them, the three doubled on their tracks, rode in triple loops,
hid in dongas to breathe their horses; and to scatter their pursuers,
separated, joined again, and again separated. The enemy followed
them to the very bank of the river, where, finding the "drift"
covered with the swollen waters, they were forced to swim. They
reached the other bank only to find Forbes hotly engaged with
another force of the Matabeles.
"I have been sent for re-enforcements," Burnham said to Forbes,
"but I believe we are the only survivors of that party." Forbes
himself was too hard pressed to give help to Wilson, and Burnham,
his errand over, took his place in the column, and began firing
upon the new enemy.
Six weeks later the bodies of Wilson's patrol were found lying in a
circle. Each of them had been shot many times. A son of
Lobengula, who witnessed their extermination, and who in
Buluwayo had often heard the Englishmen sing their national
anthem, told how the five men who were the last to die stood up
and, swinging their hats defiantly, sang "God Save the Queen.
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