Even from where we stood, it was easy to see how strongly the
place was fortified with schanses and stone walls, and how difficult
of approach. Indeed, unless taken by surprise, it seemed to me quite
impregnable to a force operating without cannon, and even cannon would
not make much impression on rocks and stony koppies filled with caves.
"Then came the descent of the pass, and an arduous business it was, for
the path--if it may be called a path--is almost entirely composed of
huge water-worn boulders, from the one to the other of which we must
jump like so many grasshoppers. It took us two hours to climb down,
and, travelling through that burning sun, when at last we did reach the
bottom, I for one was nearly played out. Shortly afterwards, just as
it was growing dark, we came to the first line of fortifications, which
consisted of a triple stone wall pierced by a gateway, so narrow that
a man could hardly squeeze through it. We passed this without question,
being accompanied by Wambe's soldiers. Then, came a belt of land three
hundred paces or more in width, very rocky and broken, and having no
huts upon it. Here in hollows in this belt the cattle were kraaled in
case of danger. On the further side were more fortifications and another
small gateway shaped like a V, and just beyond and through it I saw the
koppie we had planned to seize looming up against the line of mountains
behind.
"As we went I whispered my suggestions to our captain, with the result
that at the second gateway he halted the cavalcade, and addressing
the captain of Wambe's soldiers, said that we would wait here till we
received Wambe's word to enter the town.
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