Cetewayo's generals did not leave us long in doubt as to what they would do.

The main body of their army bore away to the right in pursuit of the flying foe, but three regiments, each of about two thousand five hundred spears, halted.

Five minutes passed perhaps while they marshalled, with a distance of some six hundred yards between them.

Each regiment was in a triple line like our own.
To me that seemed a very long five minutes, but, reflecting that it was probably my last on earth, I tried to make the best of it in a fashion that can be guessed.

Strange to say, however, I found it impossible to keep my mind fixed upon those matters with which it ought to have been filled.