"We were by this time getting very weak from loss of blood, and, as our fighting strength was four only, viz. Fraser, Holmes, Flynn and myself, things were looking very serious. I personally felt very weak but, after drinking some water from Flynn's water-bottle, I revived in time to assist in repelling the third charge. We succeeded in driving them back again, but I knew that unless help arrived soon, we would be overcome and, speaking to Fraser and Flynn, said if they succeeded in getting out to tell the Colonel that we had left our mark on the enemy. A minute or so later, Holmes said, 'Look out, they're preparing to rush again.' I, at that moment, was loading my revolver with the last six cartridges I had. I succeeded in getting five in, but dropped the sixth. I fired two shots at some Natives in the _donga_, twenty to thirty yards up. Holmes fired at them at the same time. They both dropped, I am certain Holmes killed one, but am not sure of the other. At this moment, shouting and shooting attracted our attention, and to our relief we saw other members of the regiment coming to our assistance, amongst the first being Lieuts. Male, Jones, and Oswald, then Colonel Royston a second or two later, he having stopped to bandage levy-leader W.H.E. Hopkins, who had been shot on the side of the head when running by the side of Colonel Royston in advance of the relieving party." [Illustration: MANZIPAMBANA Action at its height Scale in Yards (approximate) -------------------------------------------------- 0 10 20 30 40 50 100 150 200 Reference A to B & at L _Positions of enemy before attack._ C to D } _Sections of line of drivers before attack._ G " H } _Line broken owing to rough ground._ J " K } E _Nine cattle here, left by enemy as bait._ F _Position of small group, Native levy, before attack._ _Troops (C Squadron, R.H., Capt. E.G. Clerk)._] The foregoing account is necessarily confined to what took place in Clerk's immediate vicinity. The following particulars, taken from others who were engaged, are intended to supplement Clerk's graphic narrative.