I could not get the frightened animal near enough to use my sword, and my pistol (a Deane and Adams revolver), with which I tried to shoot my opponent, refused to go off, so I felt myself pretty well at his mercy, when, to my relief, I saw him fall, having been run through the body by a man of the 9th Lancers who had come to my rescue.
Being unable to find the Brigadier, I attached myself to the next senior officer, Major Frank Turner, who commanded the Artillery.
Gradually the enemy were beaten off, and the troops formed themselves up ready for pursuit, or whatever they might be called upon to do.

At this juncture Greathed appeared on the ground.
With less experienced troops the surprise--and a thorough surprise it was--would in all probability have had serious results.

Most of the men were asleep under the few tents which had already arrived, or such shelter as could be obtained near at hand, when first one round shot, then another, came right into their midst from a battery concealed in the high crops to our right front.

At the same time half a dozen rebels, one of them playing the _nagara_,[9] rode quietly up to the Quarter-Guard of the 9th Lancers and cut down the sentry.

Being dressed, like Probyn's men, in red, they were mistaken for them, and were thus enabled to get close to the guard.