THE MATABELE WARS. 716 under Colonel Goold Adams, made up of 225 of the BechuanalandBorder Police.

Almost all the fighting was done by the Salisbury and Victoria columns under Forbes. But the advance of ColonelGoold Adams from the south was of real service to the columns movingfurther north, as the Matabele diverted a force of their best fighting men to guard the southernapproaches to their capital.

Forbes and Allan Wilson joined their forces at Iron Mine Hill on October 16th, and the march w*estwards was resumed next day. The camped near tlae headwaters of the Shangani River, and next day (October 24th) was fought the action known as the battle of the Shangani.

The Victoria and Salisbury contingents had as usual formed separate laagers with their waggons,the guns being placedin openingsleft for the purpose. The laagers were close together, andconnected by parallel thorn hedges, inside which the cattle were picketed. There were pickets of white Volunteers and natives outside tlae laagers, on all sides. The enemy, who were afterwards found to be about 6,000 INTERIOR OF LOBENGULA'S KRAAL AT BULUWAYO.

line of march chosen lay alongthehigh ground that forms the watershed between the Zambesi andLimpoporivers. Thusnolarge watercourses had to be crossed, and the head streams of numerous tributaries of the Zambesi afforded plenty of water for the men, horses and oxen.

There was a good deal of bush,and sometimes a track had to be cut through it, but generally the line of march lay through open glades and over high downs. To the left rose the bold rocky summitsof the MatoppoHills.

strong, attackedin thedarknessbeforedaybreak, rushing the pickets. "At five minutes to four in themorning," writesMajor Forbes," wewere suddenly awakened by quick firing, and realised that the enemy were on us. The waggons were manned immediately and fire opened all round the laager. It was too dark to see the natives at first, but their position was shown by the flashes that came from tlae grass all round the laager. Ijumped up on the nearest waggonand tried to see into the darkness, but could distinguish nothing but the flashes, which were very close and frequent. The enemy were so close to us that Idid not think it safe to stop firing, even hadIbeen able to do so in the noise that was going on. Iwas very much atraid that some of the men onpicket would bekilled either by friends or by enemies, and Iwas Soon after leaving Iron Mine Hill the force wasjoinedby some 300 natives, Mashonas, thus raising the blackcontingent to about qoo. " We sound them most useful," says Major Forbes, "in bushing the laagers, making kraals (enclosures) for the cattle, and driving captured cattle." On the night of the 24th the column