In die meer as honderd jaar sedert die geveg het die rivier sowel

as clie sloor natuurlik verander. Die "vandag ,n

is ge*,eldije
-sloot"
donga' breed en diep, mer r€gaf walle, die werk out, gi;ra""frp"J"fr.
I)esty'dssou dit waarskynlik nie so groor gewees het"nie, maai
*it Jie
beskrywings moer mens aflei dat dii wel tiep *as en ook met ,"g"f
walle. ook die rivier moes verander het. of baar 'n seekoegu,
*ur- i,
vandag nie meer vas te stel nie. Dit is natuurlik moontlik. 'n Ander
be*'ering lui dat die oewers ruig met riet begroei was. ook daarvan
is niks te sien nie. "net
.soos reeds ges6, is daat gras, geen bosse of
borne langs die walle nie. Die rivier is vandag taamlik breed
vir
war ten slotte maar'n baie klein riviertjie is, tet lae walle en ,n,
vlak sanderige bedding.
Dit dan was die toneel van een van die merkwaardigste gebeurte-
nisse wat ooit in Suid-Afrika plaasgevind het.
Daar- is nog baie ander o"ue wut in verband met die geveg gester
.
kan word, maar die ruimte laat ons nie toe om verder {""rip-i; ;;
gaan nie.
Dr. F. .lu Spies.

The Brave Men of Rorkeos Drift

Heroes of the Zulu Vur
At about half-past four on a January afternoon almost g0 years
ago began one of the most remarkable battres in the history of south
Africa- $fle speak of it as The Battle of Rorke's Drift. If you wish to
find the place ''n'here ir was fought, you can travel frorn the
Natal
torr'rr of Helpmekaar towards the Buffalo River (some 1l miles) or
frcrrn Dundee (about 30 miles). Near the ford or .,drifr', in the Buffalo
1'ou will find a church- and "dwelling house" of stone, belonging*qri"t nor,,
as it did in 1979, to the swedish Mission. Everything i, so urri
peaceful there.
Between the two buildings our Hisrorical Monuments commission
!1: n", up -a little bronze tablet or plaque to tell us (in English
Afrikaans and Zulu) rhar on this spot was iought the battl e of fZ_23
Janaary, 7879.
A little wa,v off is the little cemetery where those who fell, men
-
of- rlre 24th Regiment, lie buried. Vithin the stone walls large trees
have grown up. Some distaflce away an old Zulu will point our under
the thick bush a black stone pillai. fni, is the spot where most
of
the attacking Zulu warriors j about 400 bodies N'ere found around
the camp - were buried together.
_ - while you sit in the cool lounge of the Missionary's home you are
t9l-<1th.aL this very place was then a hospital full of wounded ancl
sick soldiers and the church, where worship on Sundays.
^?nyZulus
stands on the site of the military storehouse at the time^of the battie.

Die Klein lakkalsies, deur sophie Meiring. pro-Rege-pers, potchef-

srfoom.
g
 or .B.rnqsauueqof
''Idg 'ar; ue ernf 'lapuoJ u"a >lpzJ rnep 'puqg as qiaaqaty upA
aqr Jo ruru aqt padlag Surppnq Suru.rnq agr IIeJ rq8ru sy .saxoq pue
sSuq ;o a.renbs alrlrl egr Jo aluar er.{r uJ pareld pu" lno rg6no.rq
ara^d. >lJrs puz papunor$. aqr IIv .rl lz sreEasszor pan r,$.erlsparq8ll
Suralo.rqr dq snyn2 aqr lq errJ uo tas s",td,leudsoq egr Jo Joor paqrrurlr
aqtr 'atulr JatJs ar,url {Jeq usruaq aJard. o,{ealara3 Jo sruaurlSal er{I
'sra{Jzll" agr r" aJrJ or srsod .rraql or pa133n.rls .>lJsq
IJrs ag} ue^f,
or uzSaq salJrr aqtr 'pareadde snlnz tsrrJ egl uaqa dsnq 11ns ara,u
daqr_ puz n8eel paurroJ ,(aqr o8u 3uo1 ;o sralplarlroo1 eqr a{rT
'suoEzal nd.al 3 puu " sexoq sarleaur
rlnrsrq '(q8lg ]tr,e! v) yo s6eq ;o
8ullsrsuol sll",td,qrra rlrnq se,,\a,
..uoJ,, e sSulpllnq orll egl uaar$Jag
.r{1u4er .raSuep
aJpJ ol puz ,(1>plnb >1ulqr ot uaru aaBJq JoJ etun 3 sB,,td, lJ .IIr aJard,
€€ urognd,Jo uaw alrgn6.6€I rsnf rsule8e ,ua1zl pug ,(aqr uorlrunrurrrs
pue salJrr agr qrla snlnz p spvesnoqt :ssaladog arrnb pa{ool rJ
'rJIrcI s(a>lrou PuaJsP ol psrrrnrl aq pzaqurorg .rnarT rlll/N .esol ol
aurrl ou P?q ag rsgr naau)l pr"rlf 'lnarf - aq ol lou s"rd. srql
'tuagl purJ plnoJ daqr a.raq,u,uaru alrqnd.
aqr IJ"nE or I"ruN Jalua plno,tl. .{aqr uagg .s8ulpllnq uorssrur aql
ur sJerplos Jo InJpuuq aql lnc adral ol ,{zaa.rraql uo aJa^tr ,ode.lla1a3
Jo reqlorq Izveruelu\eq rap{Jn odzao.ala3 ;o sluaulEal agt Jo a^rJ
:Sururor aJer$.snlnz agtr 'uuuaalrlpuzsl le duruJ agr Jo aJJBssBr.u arll
;o aSessaur p peareJal pJurlf uoouJalJz agl ur aa.rqr .raryz rsnf
'sJerplos uzJrrJv qrnos ot papJe,l,e Iupaur .{relrlrur
rsaq8lq aql ol ,{epor ua,u8 aaeq enl aur?u asoq,,$.Jef,rJJo8uno,{ aazJq
z 's.raaur8ug 1u,{o11eq} Jo pJurl) uqof .rnarT Jo puur.uruof,aqt rapun
sraglo ,$.aJ3 puu lueur8aa qtyT arll Jo duedruor z .,(1uossnd.1r tJeJ uJ
'uorssr4 qsrpand.Seqt ru asnogaJots € pu€
lerrdsoq z Surp.ren8 araqr
sJarplos aJentreJarll l"qr ,,\aeu>J daqg .ryl.rq s,a>lJol{ ol salrur ua} tnoq"
dluo sz,,u.lJ 'lsa,'\aegr ol JJo ras .,(laturpaurul sluaurr8al eqt Jo auos
pue ssaJrns tzarS snlr JerJB pooru Suruur,r B ur aJa^d.snlnz aqI
'zrrrJv qrnos ur arzld ua>lzt Ja^a p"g lzql rsarear8
aq] "arJ"sszru alqrrJal z spnd.rI 'peIII{ an,ll' 67E,1 uzr{t ssal ou lsdoolr
a^n"u Surpnlcur) uaw yLL'r aqr Jo 'Atenuef pvzT uo,(eppnu lB snlnz
aqr z(q pasrrd.rns s€,ra.puua,,\.IqpuzsJ pall"r ..pu?Ff alnlT agr Jo IIIq,,
eqr Japun urunloJ aJlueJ aqr Jo durzr aq; .tesdn uoos aJan^.JergJ-ur
-Japu"unuoJ rlsnrrg er{r Jo sueld aqr }nq ,yeer1 ;arqr s.o,tu^aela) r.IrpeJ
ot sp^l egl 'ueru alnlll ar.Ir pu€ snlnz agl ueard.laq drzpunoq
aqr '.rallg"apr ela8n; agr passoJJ suurnloJ eaJgr ur sdoo.D puz lno
a>ioJq I"rzN ur r{sDrrg egl qlr,rd. re19',6LgI ;o Suruur8eq aqt rV
'tea( e [veut JoJ poolq pals"t tou p"q s.reads asorl.ld.uau Suno{
slg sB sseltsal s? s?^d aH 'JerIrBJ slq aTI arBad Jo uuru u lou sz,,!d
odealara3 rng 'gwap puu rzaJap s.uzz8urq rarJz pu"lnlnz palnr pzg pug
'.raqrolq-gzg s,uzz8ur(I surd og^a. Jo uos agl sprtr o,{e..u.alaJ
"pued
'a.rarl qslrlrg ar.{r rq8no3t sluarur8a.r s.odualala3
uagla. o8e 3uo1 ;o a166n.rrs lear8 eqr Jo ,fuors agl ol uersll .n laT
 men. The barrels of their guns were now so hot that thev could
hardly hold them. Still the screaming Zulus attacked on uil
sides.
Black men died outside the laager and white men dropped inside
to
rise no more.
Aj:".. midnight the Zulu a*ack was not so viorent any more.
But still tJreyclme-.By f9u1 o'crock, just-before day-break, tnl ririnj
n'hich had crackled all rtopp.d. The proud impis or c"."*^y.E
had disappe-ared "igll,
over the hills ro th" south-Nlest.Thejr a"ua ruy
on every side. The invasion of Natal had been sroppedby the Lil".r"fillJ
of Rorke's Drift.
. lr dayligh1came the defenderscould count their losses:15 men'
had- been killed, one officer and nine others had been wounded and
of these two died afterwards. $7hen the news became known of the
wonderful victory at the swedish Mission it was time to honour the

Tbe Monument in tbe

little cetneterj/ at
Rorkds Drilt ubere
tbe dead. of the 24tb
Regimenr lie buried.,

Tbe First stutb A't'ricans,b' whiting spilhans,

Juta & co., Johan-
nesburg.
11
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'3.rnqsau
-uzqof 's.rad.rallarlJoo1 .roJ rnap a!? u! a(n alcl
'uyrt77t1y41
"IrlC
'eru ruaaua8uev atu pez.r arao8 arpJarq
srapraoluez arp taq 3r11n1a3ug 'aru Jrnp et uee pJa,r,doo jlp ,rl p;"ii
alp eru ua Jnnts al llnJoo,\ .ra,,l auaords ,1a.rl el Jeel uto teete?uee
'.raqqaqla,raq.raddo alp ,proystulaq3 prof raq dg .seolaoz erp uBA
{atr>lBr llp laur pua>ieq paoS sz,r. ua ue1a3 plaJ?nd,erp req sdn rar4
tuz,tr alSuu aslrJg aip Jr^ olng roorS u. se.la.sd11 ruepusruruoy
'asrol{ lrlSlf apruaouaSos arp letu -revur
l.ra,u.a8urees 3ol aajia8do
Slpuurs;1as req opue.'urolaprad arpJarH 'plaura8uez .p*1il.
Iauoio>l
'repraoau€z aslrrg alp dq LUorI 6Lgl ar.rznuzf g do opueuuo>l-araog
arpJarq u?a Jooq olp ueE ua 8ul.rqa8 usag erp do sra3r11r.tl,(.1.,1 ue,r
oPusrrruo{ u. laq ,{11 'saolaoz aw do laatn et IUoq uro ua alSeru eslrrfl
arp tatu dra,u. al ur 1ol ls ruo lrnisaq taq ,se,,u.mvt gg upa ueur u(
aol lE,ld. s-i61 rar6 luupu"rutuo) '1aa.rga8rln 8ur.ra8ar eslufJ arp ua
ofe.ustay uassnl SolrooaolaoZ elp raq ,B/gI ur ,.ralz1.rezf frriaan'
'>l3eJnd.ar
PooP ellnq tuo
ulaaua8Joo,\ruog laq ue aru laa8.ra,,laru JaoJq ua Jepea ds uz..r.poop
elp uo>l .iH 'sr pno.rla8 fq repror 8ros.ra,.r,.snqoref ,.raorq Jano u.
JneP sr lard JSuof arq 'raq rooIJaA e^a.alarp ruel"rJ dq arlrlg ue JapE^
.(s aor pno .ree{ uen JeBr.u sz^d. s,{61 arlrlq UEA JaoJq arpJerl{
'eru pualeq paoS os aru sr
'raid reoJq as s.{11 allrl. ue^ poopeplaq alp uBA Iu,qra".rrrl$,,r",
>lrlluootu nou 'taq laao,nausa8s{q erl.rrq ue }ard .rzu,u
1a1d'aiarsarcl
elp rup rueauJel suo laq s3uz1u6 .rualetJ z(q al1.uq ar{lunas z(sua siil
l_ala uE^ poop arp uua lpuqJe,r apuadd.r8uee arp {oo ua>l suo .taq
Srpueq.roo Japea no erp uez 1aq,{g u( pelsr.uer{erg .{q etsruolo{ asla8ug
erp aoq ua taq 1arra8 aluololdezy alp lrn sunes ,(s taur ruezs ,s,,(i1
snqo:ef S.rurrted no arp aorl uea lepqJea arp ua>l sug .pzqa8
iaapueu
alr.r8uulaq ar€q u( arlrurzl-si11arp req lzleN u"a sruaperlsa8 arp u1-
s^l[ rald lrrBpuururuox
('a i l ss, f J ar t aql tu Far lutluoJ aq oI)
')Joy ep 'l ',4N 'J(I '.i.rolslq drulrlrur Jno ur Jnouorl
;o areld
E elJasep -iaqa 'r;r.rq s,a>lJoy Jo uaru J^BJq eql Jaquraual sn taf
'sppo Surulag^d.raao q:ns lsurz8e rq8ru elqrrral
slq] uI rqSr'roy oqna sJerplos alear.rd l€Jaaas oslp rnq 'lsr1 aql uo ara.^a
ppaquroJg pue prer{J stu€uatnarl o,to'taql osJnoJ ;6 .d.rrunoJ srql rrr
rrorlJe auo iue ur punoJ ueaq Jalau wq qJrr{,td.Jaqunu pJo:}al D sr
srql iPaPJ?,^A.? a\ou aJa.{\ sassoJ) urJolf,r^ uaoala u?r{r sssl ou auolts
aill"cl auo srgl roc'(/[I rp spusrslsrl aql {epor) rJrrc s,a>lrou13 aID"q
srqr aroJaq errJJV qrnos ul rr tof ppg ueur auo Ilug ',.ssorJ erJolJr4,,
eqr pellpr puz dupor pepre.rau Ilrls sr rI 'atrrreq ur rnolea rsaq8rq
erlr roJ papre^ae gEgi ul Iupaur p palntnsul perl prJorrrA uaan$ 'e,\erq